The End of the World & Doomsday

by Lyn Mize

There has been much talk about the “end of the world” in recent months because of the countdown to the new millennium in 1999. The very popular television program 60 Minutes had a segment called Apocalypse that addressed the issue of the Return of Jesus Christ to planet earth and the removal of Christians via the Rapture. The program initially appeared to be taking the Christians seriously, but the last portion of the program equated Christians looking for the Return of Jesus with the terrorists of the world and the doomsday cults that commit mass suicide. One hour after 60 Minutes ended Nightline aired a program called True Believers. It also focused on Christians looking for the Return of Jesus Christ, and it did the same thing as 60 Minutes in portraying these Christians as fanatics and lunatics dangerous to society and world peace. Both programs led unsuspecting viewers to mistrust Christians looking for the Return of Jesus Christ. They also set the stage for blaming Christians for any war in the Middle East, and especially the final battle of Armageddon. Both programs concluded that if there were an Armageddon, it would be because the Christians wanted it and brought it about. 

In both programs, the Christians that were interviewed were endued with excitement, emotion and zeal, but very little Bible knowledge. These Christians spoke of the “end of the world” in the same context as the Return of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, they did not define “end of the world”, and most Christians and non-Christians naturally take this statement literally to mean the final destruction of this planet called earth. Naturally, this concerns a lot of Christians who are not quite ready to go into heaven to meet Jesus Christ. It greatly concerns those non-Christians who will meet Jesus at the Great White Throne Judgment. Non-Christians should be greatly concerned, but the Christians should be excited and joyful that Jesus Christ is returning to planet earth to redeem it—NOT DESTROY IT. 

We must first define “end of the world” in accordance with the Biblical definition. The “end of the world” literally means the end of the age. The phrase is used five times in the following Scriptures: 

(Mat 13:39 KJV)  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 

(Mat 13:49 KJV)  So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 

(Mat 24:3 KJV)  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?  

(Mat 28:20 KJV)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

(Heb 9:26 KJV)  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  

Each of the above verses is correctly understood if the word age is substituted for the word world. It is important to note the last verse quoted above, which is Hebrews 9:26. This verse places the others in perspective, as it clearly states that Jesus has already appeared at the “end of the world” and put away sin by His sacrifice on the Cross. Thus, the Bible states that the “end of the world” occurred two thousand years ago, but it is correctly understood if we say the end of the age occurred two thousand years ago. The Church Age is two days or 2000 years long, so the end of the age is upon us again. There is a seven-year tribulation period between the end of the Church Age and the beginning of the new Millennial Age. The Millennial Age is clearly 1000 years long and will be a time when righteousness, peace and great prosperity will be upon the earth. The Bible has a great deal to say about the coming Millennial Age. 

Since we are at the end of the Church Age, it is the time for Jesus Christ to return again to planet earth, but the purpose of his return is to redeem the earth from the reign and rule of Satan. This is a good and positive thing, and not the doomsday scenario that most Christians understand, although it is “doomsday” as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as follows: 

dooms·day (d›mz“d³”) n. Judgment Day. [Middle English domesday, from Old English d½mes dæg : d½m, judgment; see DOOM + dæg, day; see DAY.]  

Doomsday is simply the day of God’s judgment, and according to Scripture, Judgment Day begins with the household of God. In fact, the order of judgment is 1) the Church, 2) the remnant of saved Jews, 3) the Gentiles saved outside the Church Age, and 4) the unsaved at the Great White Throne Judgment. The unsaved will not receive their judgment for another 1000 years at the end of the millennial kingdom. Thus, it is not “doomsday” or Judgment Day for the unsaved until the end of the next Age, which is over one thousand years from now. 

It is ironic that the Christians proclaiming the “end of the world” and “doomsday” will be the very first ones to experience it, since we are the very first ones to be judged by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This includes me, so I am very concerned about my spiritual condition before the Lord as the end of the Church Age approaches. 

It is also ironic that the very first end of the age that we will experience in the very near future is the end of the Church Age. The Church Age began on Pentecost approximately 2000 years ago (i.e., 30 A.D.), and I believe it will end on a future Pentecost. If this is true, then the first “doomsday” will occur in the spring, and this Judgment will be a separation of the faithful Christians from the carnal Christians. The carnal Christians will be “cut asunder” or separated from the faithful Christians, and the carnal Christians will be subject to 42 months of persecution under the leadership of Antichrist. The 42 months will be a time of purging or purifying of the Main Body of the Church. At the end of the 42 months, the entire Church will be raptured to appear before Jesus Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is “doomsday” or Judgment Day for the Main Body of the Church. There will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth by Christians at this Judgment, since it will be a judgment of the works of Christians. 

Approximately four years later, Jesus Christ will return in power and glory to redeem the remnant of Israel that turns to him in belief at the time that He sets his feet down on the Mount of Olives. Immediately after his return, He will turn his attention to the Gentiles on the earth, and there will be a separation of the saved Gentiles from the unsaved Gentiles. The unsaved Gentiles will be cast into the winepress of the wrath of God and destroyed. Jesus himself tramples the winepress of the wrath of God, and his garments will be stained with the blood of his enemies. The blood of these Gentiles will flow out of the winepress, which will be the valley created when Jesus touches his feet down on the Mount of Olives, and the blood will flow so deep that it will be up to the horses’ bridles. Contrary to popular belief, the valley will be a narrow valley east of Jerusalem that goes through the Mount of Olives and then turns southward to the Gulf of Aqaba. This valley will be created at the time Jesus returns in power and glory at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. There will be approximately one to two billion people who will be cast into this valley, so there will be ample blood to flow up to the horse’s bridles out of this valley. 

The Valley of Armageddon is the valley where the armies of the world will gather to fight against Israel. It is not the valley where the blood flows up to the horses’ bridles. When the armies of the earth are gathered in the Valley of Armageddon and come to Jerusalem against Israel, they will follow the saved remnant of Israel into this newly created valley as they run toward Jesus Christ. This is where Jesus Christ will destroy them in protecting this remnant of Jews who recognize Messiah Jesus and run to him for safety. Immediately after this, the unsaved Gentiles of the world will be supernaturally transported to this same valley where they will be slain by Jesus Christ. This is the reason that the blood will be so deep in this valley. Please note that these same people who are slain in this valley will be resurrected from the dead 1000 years later to stand before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment. Thus, their “doomsday” or Judgment Day does not occur until 1000 years after they are slain in the winepress of the wrath of God. 

The passage of the Jews under Moses through the Red Sea is a type of this coming day when the armies of the world will be destroyed in this valley. The armies of Egypt followed the Jews through the Red Sea, and they were destroyed, while Israel was saved. The Red Sea passage was created supernaturally, and the valley that destroys the armies of the world will be created supernaturally when Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives. This valley is called the winepress of the wrath of God. The song Battle Hymn of the Republic addresses this trampling by Jesus of the grapes of God’s wrath. 

I hope this has placed the “end of the world” and “doomsday” in the correct perspective. The end of the age is most certainly upon us, and judgment day is a reality, but judgment day at the end of this age is primarily for God’s people. All of the unsaved will die during the seven-year tribulation period, and must spend the next thousand years in the grave before they can receive their judgment. The seven-year tribulation period will be like no other time in history, and then the people of God will experience 1000 years of peace, prosperity and a glorious time where righteousness will reign over the earth. The earth will be redeemed and the curse of God will be removed, but Satan and his emissaries will be sealed in the abyss for 1000 years. 

God’s enemies are currently celebrating a false sense of security as a result of the failure of Y2K to bring about chaos and destruction. They are mocking the Apocalypse, Armageddon, and the End of the World out of pure ignorance of these events and the time of their occurrence. This is in fulfillment of the following Scripture: 

(2 Pet 3:1-8 KJV)  This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: {2} That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: {3} Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, {4} And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. {5} For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: {6} Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: {7} But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. {8} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  

In nine months it will have been 6000 years since creation, and the Ages of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit will have ended. Each of these Ages was 2000 years long or two days each for a total of six days. The Bible is clear that Messiah Jesus will return two days after his first coming to restore and raise up Israel as the premier nation in the world. The Firstfruits Rapture and the Main Harvest Rapture of the Church must take place first. The hour is late and the End of the World and Doomsday are upon us. Technically, I am a prophet of doom. This simply means that I am prophesying the coming Judgment of God. I am doing this to warn God’s people that they must prepare themselves for this judgment.