7 News Features: Biblical Proportions

WSVN--It has been a devastating 14 months for the earth that began with a tsunami that killed nearly 300,000 people.

Followed by mudslides and floods that killed hundreds in the U.S. and Europe.

The hurricane season was one of the worst on record.

And during it all war raged on in the middle east.

Leading some believers in the Bible to conclude....the end is near.

Jack Heintz: "How many believe we are in the latter days right now. We're very close to the coming of the lord."

Closer and closer to what's called the end times.

Closer to the day the Bible says true believers in Jesus Christ will be called to Heaven and suddenly disappear.

Just imagine an airplane that has a pilot that's a Christian and that pilot is gone and the airplane is on its own. You have cars on 95 here in South Florida that there be true believers and they'll be taken up off this earth. And all of a sudden those cars go haywire, you'll have crashes all over this place.

And many conclude after the believers have been lifted up, seven years of hell on earth will follow.

Pastor Bob Coy: "You see things like ... lets say one third of the planets fowl life is completely destroyed----another plague brings open sores to mens backs as we run to and fro."

Bob Coy is the pastor of Calvary Chapel in Ft. Lauderdale preaching to thousands of believers each week.

Pastor Bob Coy: "This is the beginning of God's righteous judgement."

Patrick Fraser: "The beliefs are based on scriptures from the Old and New Testament, much of it from the Book of Revelation. But you may be thinking, we have had hurricanes and earthquakes and famines and floods for hundreds of years and for hundreds of years, believers thought they were the generation that was about to see the end of time. So why this conviction? That this time the end really is near?"

Dr. Dino Pedrone: "There is no doubt about the fact that we are closer now than we were two thousand years ago. And, when we see all the escalation of signs obviously we are getting closer and closer."

The signs that have all been predicted in the bible.

For example, Jeremiah talks about a driving wind swirling down.

Last year hurricane's Katrina, Wilma and Rita were all category five hurricanes. There is no bigger cloud formation on earth than a category five hurricane.

The Bible also says look for earthquakes as a sign the end is near:

Mark 13:8 - There will be earthquakes in various places...

The deadly tsunami was caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean.

In the past few months we have also had devastating quakes in Iran, Indonesia, South America, Japan and Pakistan.

And some of the signs being seen today have never been seen before.

Pastor Bob Coy: "I think its near for a couple of reasons. One, the book of revelation speaks of a cashless society before the return of Jesus Christ, today with technology I dont think that's so far away."

Another Bible scripture that is unique, Jewish people were forced at gunpoint to leave the west bank last year.

Pastor Bob Coy: "Zechariah, chapter twelve, speaks of a division of Jerusalem and when that happens. He, God, will cut all nations to pieces."

Most end times prophecies center around Israel: all talk about how the world will turn that country. Jack Heintz says its going on today.

Jack Heintz : "Whats going on with the Middle East right now, especially with Iran, talking about wanting to wipe out Israel. the book of ezikah talks about how Russia will come down the mountains of israel...with Iran."

Of course the Bible also says no-one knows exactly when it will all happen. It could be in days, it could be in decades.

But for many people the thought of it all is frightening.

For Bob Coy, it's not.

Pastor Bob Coy: "Well I am excited personally because I truly believe that I am going to taken with the lord. But I am concerned for everyone else that truly will be left behind. I think it's kind of a scary concern where I would want to live through that time."

But the same Bible that predicts seven years of hell on earth, proclaims that will be followed by a thousand years of peace on earth.

Some people just watching this won't believe a word of what they have heard. For others, its a story of biblical proportions.

Contact: dreed@wsvn.com