2012:Were the Mayans Right?

 

I. Lots of Talk about 2012

The end of the world has always been a topic that people wonder about - When, how,

A. 2012 is being targeted as a date to look at.
     - 247,000,000 on the number 2012 on Goggle

B. Where are the predictions coming from?
      1. Mayan Calendar
      2. Web-Bot Project
      3. Chinese Oracle, I Ching

II.  Chinese Oracle, I Ching

A.  I Ching means, Book of Changes

The I Ching is a Chinese book of divination and wisdom and is compilation of texts and commentaries that has evolved steadily since12th century b.c.e. I, pro­nounced “yi,” means “change.” Ching, pronounced “jing,” means “canon.” The book is built around sixty-four hexagrams (groups of six lines). Each hexagram has a Statement, attributed to the founder of the Zhou dynasty, King Wen; comments about each of the six Lines, attributed to the Duke of Zhou (son of King Wen); and an Image, attributed to Confucius

B. How is it used?

• A question is asked of the book.
• Three coins are tossed.
• Heads or tails determines the line to be broken or unbroken.

• Repeated six times.
• This creates a Hexagram picture or symbol
• The symbol is looked up in the I Ching book
• A prophecy is associated with that symbol. 
• This is your answer

C.  In the 70s Terrence McKenna developed a theory using the I Ching.

• It was called the time wave theory
• He created a graph that showed high and low point all coordinating with major past events.

• The graph comes to an sudden end at Dec 21, 2012.
• He said he was unaware of the Mayan Calendar when he came to this conclusion.

 

The rest of the story:

Just before Terrence McKenna had this revelation through the I Ching

- he went to the Amazon with brother and friends to look for oo-koo-he 
- A plant containing DMT

Dimethyl trypta mine=Halluigine in pagan cerimonies

While searching they came across Gigantic Psilocybe Cubensis - Hallucinogenic Mushroom
Terrence McKenna believed that while he was on hullucigine to spoke with Aliens, ancestors or spirits of earth,

This led to discovery of I Ching -  Timewave

Things to remember:
1. Terrence McKenna was an acid head
     - He was talking to spirits, demonic

Ga 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!  9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

2Co 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

 2.   The I Ching is Divination

Divination: practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers

 De 18:9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.  10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,  11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spirits or who consults the dead.  12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God. 

 

WHY did God prohibit divination?
- Satan can easily deceive thru it. 

III. The Web-Bot Project

Internet bot software that claims to be able to predict the future by analyzing keywords on websites.

Takes a collective pulse of humanity by analyzing the words used in websites.

A. Originally created in 1997 to predict rises and falls in the stock market

- Supposedly predicted 9/11

Missed these:
Earthquake in Vancouver on Dec 12 , 2008
Complete collapse of Us Dollar in 2009

Future Predictions:
July 8th 2010 a major terrorist attack
Nov 11th, 2010 world war 3
Total cataclysm 2012 that will devastate the world

 Problems:

- Every prediction is negative
- Analyzing information might be able to predict trends but never a tell the future

- It is also divination: Trying to tell the future by any source other than God.

(Horoscopes, Ojai board, palm reading, Spiritual readings - all divination and all forbidden by the Bible)

(Other forms: Casting bones, entrails animals)

This is all of the same concept and spirit

- Again - bad because Satan can manipulate men through it.

VI. The Mayan Calendar

Who are the Mayans?

-Culture that thrived between 250 - 900 AD
-Located in Southern Mexico, into Central  America
- Including El- Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala

Believed in:
Polytheism/ many gods
Human sacrifice

- Largest concentration of the 6 million descendants of the Mayans are located in Guatemala

What happened to their civilization?
- Around the 9th century the were in decline
- Combination of , wars, sickness, over population,  200 year drought 

 The Mayans had many calendars that were based upon the movement of the Sun and planets

One of their calendars is referred to as "The Long Count Calendar-

A. Claim: Mayan calendar comes to an abrupt halt on December 21st, 2012 and everything ends at that point.
B. Claim:The Mayans predicted that the world will come to an end on this date.
C.  The Mayans saw a rare celestial alignment of our solar system, our sun, and our planet with the center of our galaxy—an event that will not happen again for
      another 26,000 years.

Today books and websites claim:
D.  This will cause a shift in the earth's plate because of a polar reversal that will have cataclysmic results

Ps 104:5 He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

Reality:

• NASA: The rare line up on Dec 21st that only happens every 25 years - has happened for the last 25 years and will continue for another 10 years.
• It has always lined up on some day during every year since time began
• Maya writings do not say that the world will end on Dec 21st, 2010

- It actually makes prophetic predictions for the year 4772 and the return of a king/god by the name of Pakal.  (Talk more about next week)

The Mayans Did Not Claim The World Would End in 2012 -
But They did make another prediction that no one is talking about.  (We will address this next week)

V. Amazing Predictions and truths of the Bible

A.  Scientific and medical truths

1. Earth hangs in space Job 26:7
2. Earth was round not flat Isaiah 40:22
3. Described cycles of wind that encompass the earth  Ec 1:6
4. Importance of washing off germs Lev 15:13

B.  King Cyrus predicted

After Jews were taken into captivity by Babylon it was King Cyrus that let them go back to Jerusalem

- This was written 500 years before Cyrus was born.

Isa 44:24 "This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,  25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,  26 who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,' of the towns of Judah, 'They shall be built,' and of their ruins, 'I will restore them,'  27 who says to the watery deep, 'Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,'  28 who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid." ' (NIV)

C. List of world empires revealed to Daniel 8
1. Assyrian Empire
2. Babylon Empire
3. Medio/Persian Empire
4. Greek Empire
5. Roman Empire
6. Revived Roman Empire
7. Final Kingdom of Jesus Christ

D. Prophecies about the Messiah

• Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
• Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23) as a descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18; Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16), of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14), and of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1)
• Herod killing the infants (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
• Taken to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15)
• Heralded by the messenger of the Lord (John the Baptist) (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:1-3)
• Anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Matthew 3:16-17)
• Preached good news (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:14-21)
• Performed miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35)
• Cleansed the Temple (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12-13)
• Ministered in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:12-16)
• Entered Jerusalem as a king on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:4-9)
• First presented Himself as King 173,880 days from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25; Matthew 21:4-11)
• Rejected by Jews (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7)
• Died a humiliating death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) involving: rejection (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:10-11; 7:5,48), betrayal by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Luke 22:3-4; John 13:18), sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:14-15), silence before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12-14), being mocked (Psalm 22: 7-8; Matthew 27:31), beaten (Isaiah 52:14; Matthew 27:26), spit upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 27:30), piercing His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; Matthew 27:31), being crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38), praying for His persecutors (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34), piercing His side (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34), given gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34, Luke 23:36), no broken bones (Psalm 34:20; John 19:32-36), buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60), casting lots for His garments (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24).
• Rose from the dead! (Psalm 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31)
• Ascended into Heaven (Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9)
• Sat down at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3)

 

E.  Last days predictions of world alignment
1. Iran, Israel, Russia, China and others in Dan and Revelation

Why no shows on the history or discovery channel on Bible prophecy?

- Predictions about end of the world have an excitement about them that is rooted in entertainment.

• Therefore they are interesting to talk about or watch the latest program

- The Bible so accurate & supernatural that

• it is scary.
• It's accuracy testifies to a creator
• This means accountability
• This is not fun - it is too real
• It makes a demand on people's lives

VI.  What Does the Bible say About The End?

Jesus said no one knows the day and hour (mat24:36)

But we as children of God can see the signs of the times - The Season

1Th 5:1 ¶ But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

Jesus even rebuked the Pharisees for not being able to read the season

Mt 16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.  2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,'  3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Signs in Matt 24 - key is birth pains concept

Mt 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, 'and will deceive many.  6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

 

When the Gospel is preached

Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 Bible does pin point a time

2Th 2:1 ¶ Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,  2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.  3 ¶ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,  4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

1. Apostasy – Falling away of the church
2. Anti-Christ is revealed (we will see this)
3. Temple is rebuilt through confirming cov

Da 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

Every indication is that:

• The covenant will start the tribulation period
• The breaking of that covenant and antichrist revealed in the temple is 31/2 years into tribulation.

VII. What Should Our Response Be?

Not be worried about 2012…

A.  Holiness & preparation

1Jo 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

B.   Fulfillment of mission

Go into all the world - and personal purpose and mission

Closing:

• The same God that:
• Spoke of King Cyrus before He was born
• Named the worlds empire before they were.
• Prophesied the details of the coming of Jesus and wrote it down for us
• That knew all the details about: earth, germs, wind cycles before man could comprehend them

Promised us that:

Cares about you right now
Wants to meet your needs

Don't put your faith in a calendar
Put it in God's word and what He has promised: