30 Failed doomsday prophecies

1. Here is a list of 30 failed doomsday prophecies, many of which are drawn from the Bible or historical contexts where biblical references were misinterpreted to predict the end of the world:

prophecies are divided into biblical (references the bible) and non biblical prophecies.1-15: Biblical Prophecies (Misinterpreted or Misapplied)

Each time famine, war, or disease emerges, some interpret this prophecy as signaling the end times.

1-15: Biblical Prophecies (Misinterpreted or Misapplied)

1. Jesus’ Generation – Matthew 24:34 (“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”)
   • Misinterpreted by some to mean the world would end within Jesus’ lifetime.
2. Peter’s Expectation – 2 Peter 3:10 (“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.”)
   • Early Christians often believed this implied an imminent end of the world.
3. Paul’s Warning – 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (“…we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”)
   • Some early Christians believed Paul was implying that the end would come in their lifetime.
4. Isaiah’s Prophecies – Isaiah 13:10-13
   • Isaiah’s prophecies about celestial disturbances were misinterpreted as doomsday warnings, despite referring to specific historical events.
5. Ezekiel’s Prophecies – Ezekiel 38-39
   • Ezekiel’s prophecy about Gog and Magog has often been seen as a sign of the final battle, though its timeline remains ambiguous.
6. Revelation and the Beast – Revelation 13:5
   • Many have miscalculated the duration of the Beast’s reign as a prediction for when the world would end.
7. The 7 Seals – Revelation 6:12-17
   • The opening of the seven seals has often been misinterpreted as an indication of an imminent apocalypse.
8. Daniel’s 70 Weeks – Daniel 9:24-27
   • Miscalculations of the “70 weeks” prophecy have led to several incorrect doomsday predictions.
9. The End of the Earth – 2 Peter 3:7 (“The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire.”)
   • Some believed Peter meant this would happen imminently in their own lifetimes.
10. The Abomination of Desolation – Matthew 24:15
    • Some interpreted this to predict the end of the world, while others see it as a historical reference to the destruction of the temple.
11. The End of Babylon – Revelation 18
    • This chapter about the fall of Babylon has frequently been connected to failed doomsday scenarios.
12. Armageddon – Revelation 16:16
    • The concept of Armageddon has led to many apocalyptic predictions, none of which have materialized.
13. The Olivet Discourse – Mark 13:30
    • Jesus’ discourse about the end times led to confusion, particularly about the timing of the end.
14. Joel’s Prophecy – Joel 2:30-31
    • Joel’s prophecy of celestial signs has been used repeatedly as a sign of the impending apocalypse.
15. The Four Horsemen – Revelation 6:1-8
    • Each time famine, war, or disease emerges, some interpret this prophecy as signaling the end times.

16-30: Non-Biblical and Historical Doomsday Prophecies

Widespread panic spread in Europe that the year 1000 would bring the apocalypse, based on a misinterpretation of the millennium as marking the end of times.

The Montanist Movement (2nd Century)

Early Christian group led by Montanus believed Christ’s return was imminent, leading to failed doomsday prophecies.

The Great Disappointment (1844)

William Miller predicted Christ’s return on October 22, 1844, which did not occur, leading to the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Halley’s Comet (1910)

Some believed the appearance of Halley’s Comet would destroy the earth due to fears about toxic gases in its tail.

Jehovah’s Witnesses (1914, 1925, 1975)

Several end-of-the-world predictions were made by Jehovah’s Witnesses, notably in these years, all of which failed.

Heaven’s Gate Cult (1997)

The Heaven’s Gate group believed the Hale-Bopp comet was a sign of the end, leading to a mass suicide.

Y2K (2000)

Widespread fear that computers would fail at the turn of the millennium led to doomsday predictions, which never materialized.

Harold Camping (May 21, 2011)

Camping, a Christian radio broadcaster, predicted the rapture on this date, later adjusting it to October 21, 2011. Both dates passed uneventfully.

2012 Mayan Apocalypse (December 21, 2012)

Misinterpretations of the Mayan calendar led to widespread fear of an apocalypse, which never occurred.

Planet X (Nibiru Cataclysm)

Predictions that a rogue planet (Planet X or Nibiru) would collide with Earth, particularly in 2003 and 2017, have consistently failed.

Pat Robertson (1982)

Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted the world would end in 1982, a claim that proved false.

Comet Kohoutek (1973)

Some believed this comet would herald the end of the world, which did not happen.

David Koresh (Branch Davidians, 1993)

Koresh predicted an apocalyptic end, which led to the deadly siege of the Branch Davidian compound but no end of the world.

Black Death (14th Century)

During the Black Death, many believed it was the end times due to the devastation caused by the plague.

John Wesley (1836)

The founder of Methodism predicted the Millennium would begin in 1836, marking the end of the world, but it did not happen.

The Year 1000

Bible Verses which clearly state that it is impossible to know the date and time of Christ’s return

Matthew 24:36
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Matthew 24:42
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

Matthew 24:44
“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Mark 13:32-33
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

Luke 12:39-40
“But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

1 Thessalonians 5:3-4
“While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

Acts 1:7
“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.’”

2 Peter 3:10
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”

Revelation 3:3
“Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”