Should Russia Be Panicking About the End of the World?

Many of you will remember that we have recently distributed a fully translated set of Ken Ham’s Foundations series to Russian-speaking nations. In fact, that translated series can also be viewed for free on our website. The Russian Foundations series was well received and has already been viewed by thousands of people. The impact of this translation has been truly outstanding, and we are thanking God for the steady stream of testimonies coming from this venture. We are also thankful for the good follow-up work from our good friends at the Slavic Gospel Association.

This morning I was listening to The Briefing podcast by Dr. Al Mohler as part of my normal morning drive to work. Dr. Mohler alluded to a New York Times report of panic in Russia concerning the supposed end of the world. The prediction is that the Mayan calendar points to the end of the world on December 21, 2012. As a result of the doomsday rumors, there have been particular reports of a “collective mass psychosis” in a women’s prison and other concerning behaviors from individuals within the Russian community.

Through the years of communism, the truth of Scripture had been effectively suppressed by Russian government. Today, while there is more of a tolerance toward the preaching of biblical truth, and while many in the church have no longer needed to remain underground, the Russian people have remained a superstitious people, blind to the foundational truth in the Word of God. How then do they deal with the new age superstitions about the Mayan calendar?

Here is a distinct example of the importance of the translated AiG Foundation series for the people of Russia and other Russian-speaking countries that were a part of the former Soviet Union. When we can know and defend the literal history in Genesis, we can know that the Word of God is reliable and authoritative. The Bible tells us that we rebelled against our Creator but this Creator actually stepped into history to become our Savior by taking our punishment for sin and dying on the Cross for us. We also know that Jesus is risen and that He is coming back to judge the world and bring about the new heavens and new earth, which will again be perfect but without any possibility of corruption because Jesus has eternally dealt with sin on the Cross.

Knowing about God’s perfect original creation can give us great confidence in the future restoration of all things in Jesus Christ, and in the perfect new creation to come. The ability to defend the history of God's Word gives us also the ability to know the reliability of His message of hope. The foundational message of Answers in Genesis is a perfect counter for these end-of-the-world superstitions. The AiG message of biblical authority helps people understand that although there is no foundational confirmation for a Mayan calendar’s end date, there is a reliable history in the Word of God telling us the true plans for the future of this world.

People in Russia should definitely be concerned about the end of the world, but not because of a Mayan calendar. No one knows the day or the hour when Christ will return, and those who have trusted Christ for salvation can look toward that coming day with eager expectation and confidence, being secure in a glorious eternity. Until Russia knows Christ, no other truth or comfort can be given to ease the minds and hearts of those joining the collective mass psychosis in turmoil over the end of the world. Yes, the end is coming. More than likely it is not going to be December 21 but it does draw closer every day. The answer to our problem is found only in Jesus Christ and His gospel, given in His authoritative, reliable, and confirmable revelation—the Bible.

In our Creator who is Savior, Steve Ham