Have you heard the news? According to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the world will end on August 22, just 2 scant weeks from now. He bases this belief on his Shiite Muslim faith. The Shiites believe that there has been a progression of Imams (Muslim religious leaders) over history and the 12th Imam went into hiding in 868 AD. When the day of judgment comes, this 12th Imam will come out of hiding, end the misery of his people, and proclaim Islam as the true religion. Not only does the presiden of Iran believe that the return of this 12th Imam is near but he also believes that it is the responsibility of the Iranian government to prepare for his return. Their plan? They want to unleash a surprise of apocalyptic proportions on August 22 and their plan undoubtedly involves Israel.
Do I believe the world will end in two weeks? No, but it does bother me that a religious group is willing to act to try and make it a reality. The damage that they can do if left unchecked is frightening, but I do not believe that this is God's plan for the end. The Bible makes it absolutely clear that no one knows the day or the hour that the Lord will return (Matthew 24:36) so anyone who tries to predict that time would definitely be stretching the truth a bit. What we do know from studying the Bible is that the Lord will return and He will claim all of those who have said "yes" to Jesus. So, there is no reason to fear the end of the world in two weeks. Rather, consider where you stand with God right now. If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, now would be a great time to take a look at who He is and surrender your life to Him today.
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