The date A.D. 2012 has been of interest in certain circles in recent years as the possible culmination of time, or the “end of the age.” The Mayan calendar narrows it further to December 21, 2012. But is the world as we know it really going to end on December 21, 2012? Jesus clearly warned in Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” The Bible does, however, give us definite signs of the season that precedes the Second Coming of Christ, signs that believers will be able to recognize.

We are presently seeing many of those very specific signs listed in Matthew 24 happening around us, leading us to believe we are in that last generation that Jesus referred to in verse 34. (You can read much more about the last generation in my book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times.)

In addition to the end times signs listed in Matthew 24, there are a number of other reasons to believe that we are living in the last days. We will take a quick glance at four other extra-biblical reasons to believe that we are in the last generation. They include:

• Ancient cultures (such as the Mayan culture),
• Other religions,
• Credible individuals (in the private and military sector), and
• Scientists/academicians who also believe that we are living in the end times.

THE MAYANS AND 2012

The Mayans lived in Mesoamerica, specifically on the Yucatan peninsula. In brief, they did not believe that the world would come to an end on December 21, 2012, as many people believe they did. They did believe that a tremendously catastrophic event would occur, causing a major transition to take place.

That date, according to the Mayan calendar, represents the end of the 5th cycle or “5th sun.” There are five cycles in the Mayan calendar. Each cycle lasts 5,126 years. The 2012 date will mark the end of the five cycles or 26,625 years. The completion of the five cycles is sometimes referred to as a “Galactic Day.” The total number of years varies depending on the calendar used. The end date of December 21, 2012, remains the same.

It is of interest to note that the Olmecs were a much older civilization than the Mayans and appeared to be the advanced people who invented the bar-and-dot system of calendrick notation with an enigmatic starting date of August 13, 3114 B.C, and an end date in 2012. [See Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock—a secular book.]

Written recorded history began around 3000 B.C. We have more evidence about the Mayans as a result of the written documentation. Although accounts vary, the Mayan civilization is believed to have its origin around 2600-3000 B.C.

The Mayans also made other prophecies. Their advanced ability was far beyond the ability of later civilizations in calendrick calculations. They were advanced thousands of years ahead of future civilizations in their ability to calculate and use the calendar. Where did this super intelligence and ability come from?

THE MAYANS, THE FLOOD, AND A SUPER INTELLECT

Consider the following facts:

• The universal flood of Noah’s day. Many Bible scholars believe the flood in Noah’s day happened around 3,000 B.C.
• Could the universal flood account for the end of the fourth cycle? The fifth cycle supposedly began on August 13, 3113 B.C. This was a catastrophic worldwide event.
• Consider the Nephilim, the offspring of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men.” This was the result of intermarriage between fallen angels and humans. It produced a race that was entirely wicked, Noah and his family being the exceptions. This race of people was extremely wicked and very powerful. The Bible called them “men of renown” (Genesis 6:2-5).
• It is likely that this race of giants may very well be responsible for the construction of the Pyramid of Giza and Stonehenge. They were powerful and technologically sophisticated.

Noah and his family lived for hundreds of years before the flood in the culture where the Nephilim were prevalent and were probably advanced in their knowledge. Is it possible that this knowledge was passed down to his descendants, including the Mayans who lived after the flood? I found these historical facts to be interesting parallels and worthy of consideration.

OTHER ANCIENT CULTURES

The Aztecs, Incas, Egyptians, and other ancient cultures believed the same as the Mayans but were not as advanced or specific on their dates. This higher knowledge was advanced beyond future generations for thousands of years.

The Mayans and other ancient cultures tie into the year 2012. This is the first of the “other reasons mentioned above.”

PROPHECY ACCORDING TO ISLAM

The Islam religion also believes that we are in the last days. They believe that the 12th Imam (Holy one descended from Mohammed) will reappear at any time to conquer the world and will then rule the world under the Islamic faith, in accordance with Allah (their god).

They believe that the 12th Imam will make a seven-year peace treaty with the Jews. Sound familiar? This runs parallel to the prophetic beliefs laid out in the Bible, which describe the Antichrist. The 12th Imam or Islamic messiah may fit the biblical description of the Antichrist in accordance with references such as Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. This is the second of the “other reasons.”

ON THE EDGE

Consider the following quotes from some very credible secular sources in regards to a nuclear war:

1. Eugene Habiger: Former Executive Chief of Strategic Weapons at the Pentagon, said that the event of nuclear mega-terrorism on nuclear soil is “... not a matter of if but when.”
2. Warren Buffet: He is from the private sector. He calculates the odds against cataclysmic events for major insurance companies; he draws the conclusion that an imminent nuclear nightmare within the U.S. is “virtually a certainty.” [We can certainly see that possibility with the Iranian nuclear threat.]

For the sake of space, I have only listed two credible sources from the public sector. This is the third of the “other reasons.”

There are a goodly number of scientists and academicians (both secular) who believe our world is reaching an end time. I will list two sources:

1. Dr. Graham Allison: He is a Harvard professor and director of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He made the following statement: “Is nuclear mega-terrorism inevitable? Harvard professors are known for being subtle or ambitious, but I’ll try to be clear. ‘Is the worst yet to come? My answer: Bet on it. Yes.’ ”
2. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: This was founded following World War II by a group of physicists. They created a clock known as the Doomsday Clock. Its purpose is to reflect “the level of threat posed by nuclear weapons and other changing factors in international security.” It gives us an idea of our current threat level. The Doomsday Clock was last set on January 17, 2007 from 7 to 5 minutes until midnight. That was a 2-minute move closer to a doomsday scenario. It reflects the international threat level to mankind.

This is the fourth of the “other reasons” to believe that we are approaching the end of the last generation that Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:34.

We have a number of ancient cultures, especially Mayan, that point to an end date of December 21, 2012. We know this is not the date when the Lord will return, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24:36. The end of the world as we know it will happen at the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. The year A.D. 2012 doesn’t leave enough time for that to happen. Although something cataclysmic may happen on December 21, 2012, it may tie into the tribulation period, especially as we read about the horrific judgments during that time.

The Islamic religion points to the nearness of the end times. Scientists also point to the fact that our time on earth is running out fast. This includes a movement of the magnetic poles toward a possible pole reversal. Credible secular sources, as quoted above, point to us being on the verge of a nuclear war. This could possibly point to the Russian invasion of Israel, the prophesied destruction of Syria, or the battle of Armageddon.

All of these sources, plus many more, have one thing in common. They all believe that the end is near. The differences lie in the interpretation of what it means to live in the end times, or the last generation. Only the Bible tells us how to correctly interpret the end times. People are afraid as they see things unraveling at an exponential rate. If you don’t know Jesus, then now is the time to meet Him. You can start by reading the 3rd chapter of the Gospel of John. If you are a believer, now is the time to spread the news. The fields are ready for harvest.