HOW WILL THE WORLD END ?

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END TIME 


The startling visions of the prophet Daniel, whose apocalyptic language is echoed in Revelation, have provided grist for many a mill of "end times" speculation. Though a number of the book's passages seem to refer to events now in the past, others clearly point toward "the end of days" ( Dn 12:13 )

Nevertheless, given the cryptic and often symbolic nature of these and related biblical texts,
the countless interpretations of them often contradict one another. so the catholic church warns believers to avoid futile speculation on the matter. What, then, can we know for certain about the end of the world?

Here's a summary of the essentials of church teaching from the Catechism :

  • First, however, the Antichrist will appear to deceive the world and persecute the church ( see 2 Thes 2:3-12 )
  • The final victory of Christ on earth will not come through a gradual improvement in the world's spiritual condition, nor by a special period of his earthly reign before Judgement Day. It will take place not within history, but beyond it, after Christ has brought an end to history by his glorious Second coming ( see 1 Cor 15:22-28 ) 
  • The Jewish people will come to recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah before he returns ( see Rom 11:25-29 )
  • Christ will judge the living and the dead, and the Devil and his allies will, at last, be utterly overthrown ( see Rv 20:10-15 )
  • At the end of time, God's kingdom will come in its fullness, and all things will be renewed, perfected, and consummated ( see Rv 21: 1-22 )

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