Ever notice which fears are popular today, even in religious circles? It’s the fear of what’s happening in the public schools, the fear for the future of the United States, the fear of assorted conspiracies, the fear of nuclear war, the fear of a coming great tribulation, the fear of Y2K. What ever happened to the fear of the final judgement and the fear of eternal hell? (See Acts 24:25 and Matthew 10:28.)
Recently [written in the fall, 1999] I received a scare-mail about the “mammoth crisis” which the writers claim will result from the “Millennium Bug.” The message reveals that “many faithful Bible students” believe that the “inescapable and irreversible troubles” of the “Millennium Bug Y2K” will usher in “the beginning of the Tribulation.”
Thus have been wed two of the greatest fears of present day evangelicals. The scare-mail writers give the totally false impression that nobody has any idea what to do about the “Millennium Bug.” They say: “…if the world finds the answers to the Y2K crisis before January 1st, 2000…” They totally ignore the millions (will reach into billions) of dollars being spent for new computer programs and equipment and for paying the thousands of technicians who have long been correcting existing programs and testing systems world-wide. For more thoughts on proper reaction to Y2K, refer back to Insight #11.
But, is there a connection between Y2K and “the tribulation”? Indeed, is “the tribulation” just around the corner? The next Insight will explore various Bible truths related to this timely question.