Very Brief Overview

(Elvis Costello sang about it.}

For more detail see Christian Eschatology

The End of the world is probably the most misunderstood, and joked about serious subject besides God, Hell, and sex.

Though other sacred writings, including Old Testament Prophets mentioned such terminology (pun intended), the most noted source of this subject is the Book of Revelation, (Greek = Apokalypsis} {where we get Apocalypse) which refers to the "unveiling" of Jesus Christ's Return. In Matthew 24, Jesus gave an answer to the question:

Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age? (The Amplified Bible}

The disciple's question -- the way that it is in the King James Version (another reinforcement for the common usage)-- is translated: "... and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?." Jesus' answer forced Him to explain a future historical and environmental string of events that must take place before He comes back and sits on the throne of David and His Kingdom on earth. The Disciples were aware of Jewish teachings on a Messianic Kingodom, and they believed He was the One, but the timing was the element in question. The "wars, and rumors of wars," earthquakes, and false messiahs were to come like birth pangs, until the Tribulation comes, where "...unless it was cut short, no flesh wold survive..." (Certainly those words were not looked at carefully, as especially around the First Millennium folks got all freaky and stuff, considering plagues and invasions seemed to coincide with the date.) First, also, the the Anti-christ's (also called the Beast, and the Wicked One) comes on the scene, but his reign ends with Jesus' appearing, and the "Dragon" and his followers are destroyed.

The world that ends is the , (from Phythagoros' ordered system), the same world/cosmos we are warned not to love -hence this term does not refer to the astronomical planet - full of people, because among these we are taught to love everyone, including our enemies. (See 1 John 2:15 and 1 John 3:15).

Only the evil part of the world that Satan has contaminated is purged, and there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth out of the old.

So we see that the sinister version of the New World Order will have to make way for the Millennium Kingdom Age. (See prophecies of Daniel {especially 12:1-13}, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Joel, Malachi, Zephaniah, Zechariah and writings of Peter and Paul.)