92. Near-Earth Flybys of Asteroids, Meteorites

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As an university Astronomy major in my pre-Christ days, I've continued my interest during my 38 years as a believer. And thanks to the miracles of modern telescopy, more and more we hear about potential "close encounters of the cataclysmic kind", celestial objects nearly colliding with Earth. In truth, most of these objects pass by far outside the orbit of the moon, which is on average about 240,000 miles away from earth -- but a few pass inside the moon's orbit.

There are many and varied attempts to find and catalogue these near-earth objects, most amateur and some professional. By saying 'amateur', I mean it not in any negative way, but only in the unpaid way, for it is true that as many as 90% of these potentially hazardous objects were initially found and catalogued by unpaid amateurs using such instruments as backyard telescopes, visual and radio, large and small.

The most notable professional group is NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's own "Asteroid Watch" initiative, which can be seen at this site: Click here for NASA. I also have them as a twitter favorite, at click for twitterlink.

What does all this have to do with the end-times, you ask?
At the very least, it may have to do with these words of Jesus specifically about the end-times: "There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven." (Lk 21:11), which may or may not include such physical encounters.

But did you know that the book of Revelation specifically mentions two events that can easily be interpreted as celestial objects striking the earth? I would add parenthetically that not even NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has any way of stopping such visitors from the cosmos.

The first of the two events takes place during the tribulation, sometime after the 3 1/2 year midpoint: "8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." Rev 8:8-9.

The second takes place soon after the first, or at least as the next event after it on the prophetic calendar: "10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood (which means Bitterness). A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter." Rev 8:10-11

It could be that these verses do not describe asteroids or meteorites crashing into the Earth at all, but some unique catastrophic destruction sent especially as a further warning to rebellious unbelieving mankind before God brings down the curtain upon this world as it exists today.

Think on these things, but even more think about another occurance out of heaven:

Matt 24:26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

and also,

1 Thessalonians 4:13 "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep(that is, have died), lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep (that is, die) in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.."

He will be coming in great glory and splendor, a display for all the world to see and marvel -- some to eternal blessedness and some to eternal darkness.
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