Californians had their television programs interrupted by an ominous message on Thursday predicting the end of the world.
Emergency alerts flashed across the TV screens of customers from Spectrum Cable and Cox Communications in Orange County on Thursday morning.
The alert was followed by a voice, saying: ‘Realize this, extremely violent times will come’.
After several minutes of showing the emergency alert, televisions resumed their normal programming.
It comes after Wisconsin-based Christian numerologist David Meade, predicted seven years of chaos starting on September 23.
Emergency alerts flashed across the TV screens of customers from Spectrum Cable and Cox Communications in Orange County, California, on Thursday morning
Cox spokesman Joe Camero said that the broadcast occurred as one or more radio stations conducted an emergency test.
Because cable companies pick up the alerts, viewers should have seen a typical emergency broadcast test.
It remains unclear why the audio warning of ‘extremely violent times’ was picked up with the alert.
Camero said that when Cox technicians became aware of the alert, they shut it down.
‘We don’t want to alarm anyone with any false emergency alerts,’ he told the Orange County Register.
Spectrum and Cox are investigating the alert and its audio.
It is unclear if the audio is related to Meade’s prophecy that the world will launch into chaos on Saturday. Others suggested the world could end.
It is unclear if the audio is related to David Meade’s (pictured) prophecy that the world will launch into chaos on Saturday. Others suggested the world could end
Several other conspiracy theorists and doom-mongers have cited an apocalyptic theory known as Revelation 12 Sign predicting that the Rapture be fulfilled on September 23.
The ‘Rapture’, set out in the Book of Revelation, will see ‘worthy’ Christians lifted into heaven by Jesus, while those remaining will be left to face the end of the world.
Revelation 12 Sign suggest that the Rapture will be fulfilled with the appearance of ‘a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.’
Conspiracy theorists think an astronomical alignment involving the constellations Leo and Virgo, along with various other planets will fulfill this prophecy word-for-word.
The Rapture is the second coming of Jesus Christ as prophesied in John 14:1-3 where those who have lived lives of repentance meet the Lord.
Proponents of the outlandish theory say the women mentioned in the prophecy represents the constellation Virgo, while the crown of stars represents Leo.
The moon mentioned is considered to be under the ‘feet’ of Virgo and on September 23 the sun will be passing through the constellation – fulfilling the ‘clothed with the sun’ strand.
September 23, 2017, is set to mark the beginning of the apocalypse, according to several conspiracy theorists and Christian doom-mongers who believe in the ‘Revelation 12 Sign’ prophecy
According to websites promoting the dooms day theory, it will take place in two parts, with a seven-year-long period of tribulation in between, during which the Antichrist will bring destruction upon Mankind
According to websites promoting the dooms day theory, it will take place in two parts, with a seven-year-long period of tribulation in between, during which the Antichrist will bring destruction upon Mankind.
However, the theory is only loosely based on actual Bible scripture and largely dismissed by the wider Christian community.
Those who do believe in the Rapture attribute their beliefs to two specific Bible scriptures.
According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, the heavens will open during the end of days, with God lifting those who are alive ‘into the clouds’.
And 2 Peter 3:10, says: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.’
Nonetheless, a belief in the Rapture prophecy does not mean an acceptance of the Revelation 12 Sign theory for many Christians who refute the astrological interpretation.
The theory was originally purported by William Tapley, an American YouTube Channel owner who published the first video about the alignment entitled ‘Stellarium’ in 2011.