Of course you are all aware that Harold Camping wrote "1994", a book about the world/civilization ending in 1994, right? I hope so. I bought the book, read it, loaned it to my fiancee/ex-hubby who immediatly proposed to me (he was a "new" Christian, or so he said), because he wanted to be with me at the end. I think he wanted to hide behind my apron, or my bravery. He knew I could survive whatever would come so long as I didn't get squashed by a building or some such.
At any rate, God said no man knows the day or the hour, and Jesus agreed. For myself, I believe the "end" will come slowly, insidiously, no one seeing it come - and I believe it is sliding downhill rather rapidly, and no one IS seeing it. That said, there will be a day/hour when all things come to culmination - said culmination probably not being what anyone thought.
I used to listen to Harold on the radio, back in my "needing to be right" days. After 1994 didn't materialize I made myself a drink, lit up a cigarette, and shut off the radio. I now believe the "end" is either going to be so subtle we won't recofgnize it, or so fast we won't have to worry about it.