Doomsday Clock
Shortly after World War II and the detonation of the nuclear bomb in 1947, US scientist involved in the Manhattan project founded the Doomsday clock, which is a symbolic countdown to represent how close humanity is to complete global annihilation. The time is adjusted on the clock each January and has been changed both forward and backward since its beginning 25 times. What influences the change is politics, weapons, diplomacy and climate science, along with potential sources of threat like nuclear threats, climate change, bioterrorism and artificial intelligence.
Ever since 2020 the clock has been sitting at 100 seconds from midnight. Just a few days ago, Rachel Bronson, CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists who developed the clock, said: “The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone’s control remains high.” As a result the clock was moved forward to 90 seconds before midnight, marking the closest the Doomsday Clock has been since its inception in 1947. The change is largely due to the war in Ukraine which scientist fear may lead to a worldwide nuclear conflict.
I will be the first to acknowledge that events in our world seemed to be spiraling out of control. What’s more, it would seem that the end is near! However, Christians who believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word don’t have to worry about the world ending due to catastrophic climate change, collapse of the world’s computer systems, or a nuclear holocaust. These and other threats may very well wreck havoc on this world in the future, but according to the Bible, the world will end when Jesus Christ returns at the second coming. In Matthew chapter 24 Jesus said,
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:29-31).
Christ’s return will prove to be the true “doomsday” for this world. According to 2 Peter 3:10:
“… the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”
Jesus warned against the temptation to try and determine the exact time of His second coming. He said in Matthew 24:36, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Is there an appointed time for Jesus to return? Yes, but the exact day is known only to God.
In the meantime, let’s not live our lives in fear of the doomsday clock – God is in control, calling the shots and He – and He alone – will determine the worlds end!
Photo by alexandru vicol on Unsplash