Dismissing the gloomy ‘Doomsday Clock’?

One Minute to Midnight (Pixabay photo)

Israel365News reported the following;

Kabbalist dismisses gloomy Doomsday Clock

January 1, 2023

In three weeks, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is set to release its 2023 setting for the Doomsday Clock.

The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe as determined by a group of scientists who take into account threats to humanity from unchecked scientific and technological advances.

The clock is currently set to 23:58:20, 100 seconds away from doomsday, the closest it has ever been to midnight since its inception in 1947. … The Clock’s original setting in 1947 was seven minutes to midnight. It has since been set backward eight times and forward 16 times for a total of 24, the farthest from midnight being 17 minutes in 1991. …

Israel365 News spoke to Rabbi Yitzchak Batsri, a noted Kabbalist from Jerusalem, who was unconcerned about the global threats used to determine the doomsday clock. “While the world exists, it is through God’s mercy and not because of our merit. Therefore, until God’s mercy ends, the world cannot end, no matter what men do. Men simply do not have the power to destroy God’s creation against His will,” he said.

Rabbi Batsri described the concept of doomsday as it appears in Jewish sources. “The Rambam writes that the world will never be destroyed. But the Talmud says in Tractate Sanhedrin that the world will exist for 6,000 years, and in the 7,000th year it will be destroyed, as prophesied in Isaiah 2:11, ‘And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day’.”

Actually, according to the New Testament, humans do have the ability to destroy the earth, but God will intervene before they can completely do so:

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth. (Revelation 11:18)

Let me also add that the Jews wrongly claim we are in year 5783–but we are about 200 years later–so, yes, we are closer to the end than Jewish rabbis tend to believe. Details are in the article: Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?

Is ‘doomsday’ one minute to midnight? Franklin Graham and Boris Johnson have said so:

Franklin Graham: We Are ‘One Minute To Midnight’—Not On Climate Change, But On God’s Prophetic Clock

Franklin Graham earlier this week responded to the excessive focus on climate change seen at the G20 Summit, in which world leaders like Boris Johnson claimed the world was “one minute to midnight” on climate catastrophe. …

The evangelist went on to underscore that, according to the Bible, the world is nearing the return of Christ and the Judgment of God, not apocalyptic ramifications resulting from climate inaction as many at the G20 espoused.

“Boris Johnson said we are ‘one minute to midnight’ as it relates to climate change. I believe we are one minute to midnight—not regarding climate change, but on God’s clock, when He will bring judgment on those who have rejected Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. I’m often asked if we are getting close to the return of Jesus Christ. No man knows the day or the hour [Matthew 24:36], but I believe we are getting close. You’d better be ready,” he urged.

In a separate post, Graham stated that world leaders pretend to care about climate change while their interests really lie “in power, prestige, and money.” Adding that the whole world, including many in the churches, need to stop pretending and start genuinely giving their lives to Christ before His soon return. 11/03/21 https://harbingersdaily.com/franklin-graham-we-are-one-minute-to-midnight-not-on-climate-change-but-on-prophetic-gods-clock/

As far as “God’s Prophetic Clock” goes, early Christians believed that Jesus would return 6,000 years after an incident with Adam and Eve (see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

In the secular world, there is something called the ‘doomsday clock’ maintained by the Science and the Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:

It is 100 seconds to midnight

2021 Doomsday Clock Statement

Science and Security Board
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 01/27/21 https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/

Many events in the world are worrying scientists in the world–and for many of them, it is worse than it was decades ago. Of course, most scientists and leaders do not know that God has a plan. And that is s problem with the ‘Doomsday Clock’ people.

Now it should be conveyed that, to a degree like Boris Johnson’s statement, changes to the ‘doomsday clock’ have mainly been meant to send a political message.

But are we closer to the end?

Certainly.

Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)

Everyday we are closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom of God, which will be preceded by a time called ‘the end.’

Are we at the end now?

Well, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24:6, “the end is not yet.”

Notice specific events that precede the end. Notice what Jesus was asked and how His answer began:

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:3-14)

Currently, we appear to be in the time that Jesus called the BEGINNING of sorrows. And while that is close to the end, the end is not yet.

Notice what happens after the beginning of sorrows:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The above has not yet happened. A time of persecution is coming and the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness. Once God believes that has happened to the degree He intended, notice that is when the end will come.

Then notice some specific signs that precede the start of the great tribulation as well as how bad a time the end will be:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)

While international tensions and environmental matters are consistent with the beginning of sorrows, there are specific signs that Christians are to see before the end actually comes. Secular leaders do not seem to realize that.

Jesus said, however, that His followers should watch so that they could know when the end would be, as well as escape what is coming:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

The Bible clearly teaches that the “end of the world” will come and that there will be specific events Christians should look for which will let them know how close ‘the end’ is. The Bible also clearly teaches that those who properly watch, pray, and live their life as Jesus wants them to can be protected from the coming tribulation.

As far as who will be protected and where they will be protected, please check out the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra.

As far as how close to the end we are, check out the following article: Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?

The end is coming soon, and one minute to midnight is a little bit of a stretch, but we are not too many years from the start of the Great Tribulation now.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024?
Is a Great Reset Coming? Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has proposed a societal change that has been basically endorsed by the Vatican and many world leaders. Does the Bible prophesy a major reset? Here is a link to a related video: Will there be a “Great Reset”?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.