Both the Bible, the sacred text of Christianity, and scientific experts have dared to predict what the end of the world will be like. Both are quite disturbing visions, although very different . The first supposes a kind of redemption for humanity and a new beginning, while science predicts a dramatic tragedy for Planet Earth and all its inhabitants.
We discussed both points of view, although the only sure thing is that none of us will live long enough to see it.
- Take a look: 10 interesting facts about the Bible that you did not know.
How will the end of the world be according to the Bible?
The book of Revelation is an encrypted code that continues to divide its interpreters, but there is a consensus in highlighting the importance of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, who represent the Antichrist, war, famine and death. These are the causes that warn of the imminent end of the world.
The number seven also has an apocalyptic meaning: The announcement of the end of the world is preceded by seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls, and they represent the three great judgments of God that announce the end of time.
According to the scriptures God carries in his hand a scroll with seven seals. The first four correspond to the horsemen of the apocalypse who, mounted on horses, ride on humanity throwing their evils. When the world enters into chaos, those who have faith are persecuted for their cause (fifth seal) but God makes a Final Judgment to save the righteous. Next the sixth seal releases an earthquake and natural catastrophes.
The seventh seal is the seven trumpets that announce the end. The first brings hail and fire mixed with blood; the second, a meteorite that falls into the sea; the third, another meteorite in the rivers; the fourth announces that the sun and the moon are going out, and the fifth a plague of locusts; the sixth releases an army of demons that annihilates a third of humanity.
The seventh trumpet releases seven angels bearing the seven bowls of God’s wrath. In this order, the cups bring painful ulcers to humanity, the death of every living being in the sea, the transformation of the rivers into blood, the burning fire of the sun that burns everything, absolute darkness and the drying up of the rivers. . The sixth bowl prepares the battle of the armies of the Antichrist at Armageddon , and the seventh heralds a devastating earthquake with giant hailstones.
Symbology aside, there are a series of more practical signs that announce the end of the world according to the Bible:
1. The fight for Israel
The end of the world was predicted with the prophecy of Israel’s return to Jewish hands, so when it was proclaimed in 1948 the creation of the state of Israel was seen by some as the beginning of the end.
2. A glaciation
The Holy Scriptures set an ice age as a precedent to the end: the fourth trumpet announces that the sun and the moon will go out, in the same way that scientists warn that the end of the world could occur due to the consequences of global warming followed by a cooling period.
3. The war
The prophet Ezekiel spoke of war as one of the main causes of the end of the world, which many have interpreted as an attack by Muslim armies (which is linked to the Antichrist) led by Russia against the people of Israel.
4. Plagues
In the sacred texts reference is made several times to plagues and famines. Some see in the development of chemical weapons and chemical terrorism the cause of the end of the world announced in the Bible.
5. Meteorites
On at least two occasions the fall of meteorites is mentioned, which has fueled the atavistic fear of contemporary man that an asteroid will hit the Earthannihilating the human species. This idea has been reproduced in many novels and science fiction movies, and has its origin in the Bible.
6. Wormwood and Nemesis
In apocalyptic eschatology there is talk of a death star that will cause serious problems. The scientific community has ever talked about Nemesis, a tiny star that orbits around the sun and could alter the other planets causing eclipses and natural disasters.
What will the end of the world be like according to science
Science does not offer prophetic visions of the end of the world, but highlights a series of threats to life on Earth, most of them generated by the human species itself. There are a few scenarios that should concern us, among them the following.
1. Nuclear Holocaust
It is surprising that the development of technology poses a danger to our species , when we are supposed to use that technology to find ways to keep ourselves safe. The fact is that we have developed a weapon with an infinite destruction capacity and there are humans interested in using it against other humans.
The threat of nuclear disaster ceased to concern most after the Cold War, but nownew powers capable of developing a huge nuclear arsenal such as Iran or North Korea. Only diplomacy is capable of saving us.
2. Demographic collapse
The problem is in food production and the exponential increase in population . We are seven billion people in the world and in 2050 we will be nine billion. That represents an increase of 34%, so it would be necessary to produce 70% more food. How will we be able to do it
? What role will technology play in this new scenario
? The debate is served.
3. Robot
rebellion The technological rebellion is a concept that worries many scientists considering that robots represent the future of the military industry. We are not talking about developing an emotional intelligence that we are not capable of managing (as is the case in Isaac Asimov’s work) but about a military superpower that develops entire armies of automatons.
4. Pandemic
The abuse of antibiotics has led to the appearance of ultra-resistant bacteria that cannot be combated with conventional drugs. The pharmaceutical industry is unable to develop drugs at the same rate as new threats appear, and this poses a real risk of a pandemic.
5. Asteroid impact
That we continue to exist is almost a miracle. An asteroid killed the dinosaurs and another could kill us, so we always have an eye on the sky. Astronomers are aware of this threat and have collected very important information about the celestial objects that can intersect with the Earth.
In the event that an asteroid poses a real danger, scientists contemplate three solutions : the gravitational interaction between the asteroid and a spacecraft, a direct impact against its surface to divert its trajectory and an explosion near its surface that causes the same. effect. In any of the three cases, success is not assured.
6. Climate change
The last threat that the end of the world may pose is climate change. Despite the numerous reports by scientists on this problem and the attempts of the international community to mitigate the effects of industrialization, global warming seems to be an unstoppable problem .
Among the most dramatic consequences are increased droughts, changes in sea level, changes in the distribution of fauna and flora, and possible new diseases throughout the world. Is that the cause of the end of the world
- Other predictions: Baba Vanga: predictions fulfilled (and not fulfilled).
