Apocalypse is a word used to describe the total destruction of the world. The “end of days” and Armageddon are other terms for expressing the same idea. Events that cause catastrophic damage such as hurricanes and earthquakes, or a total collapse of the stock market, are also sometimes referred to as an apocalypse.
What the Bible Says
Numerous references to the apocalypse appear in the Bible.
Daniel 10:13–14
“But then Michael, one of the chief angel-princes, intervened to help me. I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia. And now I’m here to help you understand what is to happen to your people at the end of days. The vision has to do with what’s ahead.”
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is sometimes called the “Apocalypse of John” because it describes God’s plan for the “end of days.” Many believe Christ will come again after the world is totally destroyed by God’s wrath, and believers will ultimately be saved. There are multiple verses in the Book of Revelation that describe these events including:
Revelation 7:9
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Dates of the Apocalypse
Throughout history, there have been numerous predictions as to when the apocalypse will occur.
799–806 AD
Bishop and historian, Saint Gregory of Tours predicted the end of days to be sometime during the years 799–806.
1000 AD
Several notable religious figures, including Pope Sylvester II, claimed the world would end on January 1, 1000.
1284
Pope Innocent III died in 1216, but predicted 1284 as Doomsday. His calculation was based on 1284 being 666 years after the rise of Islam.
1346–1351
During these years the black plague decimated much of the population of Europe; Between 75 and 200 million people are believed to have died. Many Europeans believed this was a sign of the apocalypse.
1969
According to Charles Manson there would be an apocalyptic race war in 1969. Mason based the claim on his analysis of The Beatles’ self-titled album.
2000
A variety of people, including famed evangelical minister Jerry Falwell, believed the world would end on January 1, 2000. Some of these predictions were based on the belief that so many computers would crash that society would be unable to function.
2060
Renowned 18th century physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton predicted 2060 would be the year of Armageddon. This claim was based on his research of the Bible.
Movies About the Apocalypse
The apocalypse is a favorite topic of Hollywood and there have been numerous movies made about it.
Armageddon
In the movie Armageddon, released in 1998, a large asteroid is hurtling toward Earth and a group of miners are tasked with landing on the asteroid and blowing it up before it destroys the planet.
Terminator Movies
The first Terminator movie came out in 1984. There were three subsequent films and the fifth one, Genisys, will be released in July 2015. They tell the story of a nearly extinct human race in a battle for survival against Skynet, a synthetic intelligence system.
Interstellar
The 2014 film Interstellar chronicles the story of a group of astronauts in search of a new planet in an effort to ensure the survival of mankind.
It is hard to ignore the concept of the apocalypse; it is mentioned in the Bible, throughout history and in popular culture. Believing whether or not it will occur is one’s own decision.