How will our world end? Some doomsday pundits predict that a giant asteroid will smash into our planet and blow us all from here to eternity. On November 8, 2011, an asteroid flew past the Earth at a closer proximity than most. Was it an omen of some future evil object we must fear?

“A huge asteroid about the size of an aircraft carrier will zoom past our planet next week, flying between the Earth and the orbit of the moon when it flies by on Tuesday (Nov. 8). The space rock, called asteroid 2005 YU55, poses no threat to the Earth but will be observed by excited astronomers around the world. It's about 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide, round and blacker than coal, NASA scientists said.

“At its closest point, asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass Earth at a range of about 201,700 miles (324,600 kilometers on Tuesday at 6:28 p.m. EST (2328 GMT). The average distance between the moon and Earth is about 238,854 miles (384,399 km). Yeomans, Fisher and other astronomers have stressed that the public should not be concerned about asteroid 2005 YU55 impacting Earth or causing any kind of gravitational effects on our planet during the flyby. The space rock is much too small to influence life on Earth from its position in space and its chances of actually hitting the planet are nil.” [1]

Yet there are asteroids that are of concern to scientists. The U.S. Congress budgets $3 million a year for a “Near Earth Object” (NEO) program to monitor and rate potentially hazardous asteroids damaging or destroying life on our planet. Some of the plans for serious threats (probably not something to be concerned about until you are dead) are to send up spacecraft to land on the asteroid, drill and insert a nuclear bomb and blow it up or change its course before colliding with the Earth. [2]

Scientific American states, “Doomsday from above is unlikely. But just in case, the U.N. should develop a warning network to detect, track and deter potentially planet-destroying asteroids and comets, a group of astronauts said.” [3]

The Bible talks about how our world will end. It says of the great day of God,

“'For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings… You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 4:1–3 NKJV).

According to Scripture, our planet will not end with a cataclysmic collision with an asteroid. The end of our world will be marked by the second coming of Jesus Christ. Our planet will someday be destroyed by fire. Are you ready for the end of the world? Visit one of our upcoming seminars in your area (see link on this page) to learn more about what the Bible says about the end of the world.

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[1] http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/11/04/giant-asteroid-hurtles-closer-to-earth-than-moon-next-week/
[2] http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa072702a.htm
[3] http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=will-an-asteroid-destroy-earth-time-2008-09-25