How do real-life happenings correlate with a particular prophecy? That’s the question posed in this series, and the answers come from experts who deconstruct the prophecies of Nostradamus as well as ones from the Bible, mythology, hieroglyphs and other ancient texts to identify links between age-old predictions and events of today.
The HISTORY® Channel, a division of A+E Networks, is the premier destination for historical storytelling. From best-in-class documentary events, to a signature slate of industry leading nonfiction series and premium fact-based scripted programming, The HISTORY® Channel serves as the most trustworthy source of informational entertainment in media. The HISTORY® channel has been named the #1 U.S. TV network in buzz for seven consecutive years by YouGov BrandIndex, and a top favorite TV network by Beta Research Corporation. For a deeper dive, visit history.com or follow @history on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. For additional press materials visit the A+E Networks Press Center at http://press.aenetworks.com.
Content
0.8 -> [thunder]
1.935 -> NARRATOR: Revelation,
long considered
3.737 -> the most controversial
book in the Bible.
6.339 -> In its cryptic language, many
see a timeline for destruction
10.41 -> on an unprecedented level.
12.379 -> Some argue the timeline will
end, suddenly, violently,
17.25 -> in this century.
18.952 -> We live in a world that
is changing profoundly
22.756 -> and fast, and that
is facing threats
26.259 -> that seem apocalyptic to us.
29.095 -> We worry about global
warming, overpopulation.
32.766 -> It's necessary only
to open the newspaper
36.236 -> or turn on CNN to
see headlines, which,
38.972 -> in the eyes of some
readers of Revelation,
41.341 -> will be sure proof that
the Biblical prophecies are
45.979 -> coming true at last.
47.814 -> JOYE JEFFRIES PUGH: Just
think about in the last couple
49.682 -> of years, we have seen
devastating hurricanes.
52.652 -> We have seen
devastating tornadoes.
55.088 -> We've encountered earthquakes
very high on the Richter scale.
58.758 -> If you look at how
fast they are happening
61.161 -> and how much closer together
they are coming, as we get
64.431 -> closer to the end of days,
they almost will come
67.367 -> right on top of each other.
69.702 -> NARRATOR: The prophecy
within Revelation
71.104 -> suggests that as the seven
seals of the Apocalypse
74.207 -> are broken one by
one, we move closer
77.177 -> to the end of the timeline.
78.411 -> [thunder]
80.747 -> [explosion]
82.115 -> Some biblical experts
contend that the seals have
84.918 -> already begun to break,
setting the stage
87.787 -> for a final cataclysm.
89.556 -> If this is true, what
could happen and when?
93.393 -> Exactly where are
we on the timeline?
95.862 -> JONATHAN KIRSCH: There will
be terrible suffering, wars,
99.766 -> illness, a series of
disasters, catastrophes,
104.637 -> that will be visited on
Earth, on human beings living
109.342 -> on Earth, as the end of
the world approaches.
113.179 -> And in the end, we will
witness the final destruction
117.717 -> of the Earth on which
mortal human beings live.
122.455 -> NARRATOR: But what
forces will bring
124.09 -> about this final destruction?
127.06 -> How would we know that the
most important seal of all,
130.263 -> the seventh, has been broken?
133.7 -> Revelation says the final
punishment for mankind's evil
137.604 -> will be heralded by the
peals of celestial trumpets.
140.607 -> [brass music]
143.109 -> You see seven angels,
each having a trumpet.
145.545 -> And they come forth, and
then begins the series
147.981 -> of the trumpet judgments.
150.517 -> NARRATOR: Some believe
that these judgments
152.218 -> will be natural disasters
of unprecedented magnitude.
156.055 -> They look to science for
answers as they theorize
159.526 -> that the cryptic
text in Revelation
161.494 -> may allude to physical
forces on or beyond Earth.
166.599 -> Some New Testament scholars
say that this and biblical
169.769 -> references to fire
falling from the sky
172.739 -> could be interpreted
as asteroids.
178.111 -> A collision between an
asteroid and the Earth
180.947 -> may be the catastrophic event
predicted in another verse
184.517 -> from Revelation.
186.019 -> MAN: The third angel sounded
his trumpet and a great star,
189.722 -> blazing like a torch,
fell from the sky.
193.026 -> The name of the
star is Wormwood.
196.162 -> NARRATOR: Some believe that
Revelation's author, John,
199.098 -> is not specifying a
star in this passage,
202.068 -> but a comet or asteroid.
204.47 -> It is widely accepted that
ancient observers could not
207.373 -> have understood the difference
between various types
210.009 -> of celestial bodies.
211.511 -> And while no stars
are named Wormwood,
214.414 -> there is strong
scientific evidence
216.249 -> that an asteroid
strike could play
218.418 -> a major role in the mass
extinction of life on Earth.
222.322 -> Astronomers now believe
that all three generations
225.358 -> of dinosaurs, Triassic,
Jurassic, and Cretaceous,
228.661 -> were brought to extinction,
at least in part
231.631 -> by extraterrestrial collision
events, giant comets and
234.734 -> asteroids striking the Earth.
236.836 -> If something that
big were to happen,
238.805 -> humanity wouldn't survive.
241.641 -> NARRATOR: Today, a
collision between Earth
243.876 -> and an asteroid just a
few miles in diameter
246.879 -> may release as much energy
as 1,000 nuclear weapons
250.583 -> detonated simultaneously.
252.018 -> [explosions]
255.688 -> MAN: And the third part
of the son was smitten,
258.424 -> and the third part of the
moon, and the third part
261.361 -> of the stars, so as the third
part of them was darkened.
265.765 -> NARRATOR: If a large asteroid
or comet were to strike Earth
268.701 -> in our lifetime, it would send
millions of tons of debris
272.538 -> into our atmosphere for years.
275.174 -> This would virtually imprison
us in a cloud of dust, cut
279.078 -> off from the life-giving sun.
281.681 -> Is this the scenario
described in Revelation?
284.617 -> In any case, its author writes
that more trumpets will blast
