The National Aeronautics and Space Administration reassured concerned citizens on Wednesday that the long-rumored Mayan Apocalypse, which is the belief that life will come to an end on Dec. 21, 2012, has no basis in science and that there is no evidence there will be any cosmic danger on that day.

"There is no true issue here," David Morrison, an astrobiologist at NASA's Ames Research Center, said during a NASA Google+ Hangout event on Wednesday. "This is just a manufactured fantasy."

The 21st of December, which also happens to mark the Winter Solstice, the day when the Sun will appear at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon, has long been believed by some to signify the end of the world, based on the Mayan calendar. The ancient civilization composed calendar cycles that encompassed hundreds of years, with the last cycle, the 13th one, ending on Dec. 21, 2012. more >>

World Bible Society President Dr. F. Kenton Beshore has said that based on a lifetime of study, he believes that the "Rapture" is likely to occur before the year 2021, while the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will happen between 2018 and 2028.

"There are 144,000 Jews during the Tribulation who are going to turn to the Lord," 86-year-old Beshore said in a statement. "Now, we are all going to be gone (following the Rapture).

"But if we can get our Jewish Scriptures into their hands now, the Holy Spirit will lead them to them at the right time. They may have set them aside, but they will read them, turn to the Lord and lead billions and billions to Jesus." more >>

Two of America's biggest evangelical Christian broadcasters have stationed cameras on a hill overlooking Jerusalem, ready to cover the return of Jesus Christ from the Mount of Olives as predicted in the Bible, should any such event occur soon.

Texas-based Daystar Television Network was first to install a 24/7 camera from its terrace overlooking the Mount of Olives, and now Costa Mesa-based Trinity Broadcasting Network has bought the building next door, allowing it the same opportunity. The Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem, is rooted both in Jewish and Christian traditions, and is where Jesus is said to have preached to his disciples and later ascended to heaven, according to Acts chapter one.

The studios also plan on using their foothold in Jerusalem to teach the message of Jesus to the local Jewish population – and encourage Messianic Jews, who believe Jesus is the Christ, to minister to others. more >>

IRVINE, Calif. – Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship church took the opportunity during his Sunday sermon series on the book of Revelation to talk about the current events in the Middle East as it relates to Bible prophecy. He also pointed to the controversy during the Democratic National Convention over the party's vote on including Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in its platform as highly ironic.

"It seems like every time you turn around there's another outbreak of violence or at least a threat of one," Laurie said during last Sunday's sermon shared at his two Southern California churches in Riverside and Orange County. "Iranian president Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for the destruction of both the nation Israel and the United States and recently stood before the members of the U.N. speaking of an Islamic messiah and a new world order that is coming. Haven't I heard this before?"

Laurie then described events in the Middle East that were perhaps misinterpreted by some people at first. more >>

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered his address before the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, saying that the return of Jesus Christ was soon to come, along with the Islamic end-time figure the 12th Imam.

"God Almighty has promised us a man of kindness, a man who loves people and loves absolute justice, a man who is a perfect human being and is named Imam Al-Mahdi, a man who will come in the company of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) and the righteous," Ahmadinejad said, according to a transcript by PolicyMic.

According to Shi'a Muslim beliefs, which the Iranian president subscribes to, Jesus of Nazareth will return to Earth along with the above-mentioned Imam, and they together will solve many of the world's problems. more >>

On the heels of one of the bloodiest days Syria has experienced since fighting broke out last March, the regime of Bashar al-Assad has drawn the line in the sand in the city of Damascus, vowing to wipe out once and for all "terrorist" forces challenging the government. With residents getting a 48-hour warning to flee the capital and state forces promising to use all weapons at its disposal, many are wondering if the world is watching biblical prophecy unfold.

"See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins," reads the first verse of the 17th chapter of the prophetic book of Isaiah, believed by scholars to have been written between the late 8th and 7th centuries B.C. Although some critiques argue that the Damascus prophecy was fulfilled in 732 B.C. when the Assyrians leveled the city, others, also pointing to Jeremiah 49:23-27, insist this is an End Times event yet to come to pass.

Olive Tree Ministries shared a commentary on its website earlier this week from prophecy author Jack Kinsella, who expresses the opinion that, based on Scripture, it is quite possible that Syria might look to engage neighboring countries, such as Israel, Iran or Turkey, in the conflict. more >>