Written by David P. Nolte
We are hearing a lot about Y2K nowadays. That is technical jargon for Year 2,000 or the New Millennium. Much of the hoopla centers around two issues:
The first issue centers on the secular implications: will computers be able to tell the difference between 1900 and 2000 since many computers only recognize dates in 2-digits: 11-30-00 for the year 1900 would be identical to 11-30-00 for the year 2000. Some say that when the calendar rolls over appliances using computer chips won't work because they won't know what date it is; computers in cars are supposedly going to conk out leaving motorists stranded like flies on paper. Financial transactions (Social Security payments) are supposedly going to go ga-ga because the computers won't know if it is 1900 or 2000. Well, maybe some of that will be true, maybe some of it is hype. All I know about that is that all of the computers here at the office and the one at home CANNOT BE SET TO DATE 1900 BUT WILL READILY ACCEPT 2000. I.e., I CAN 'T set the calendar date to 11-30-1900 (or any other date PRIOR to 1980) but CAN set it to 11-30-2000. Maybe the government needs to buy some of these computers.
The second issue centers on the Coming of Christ. Many are predicting His return at the Turn of the Millennium. People have calculated, observed, guessed, speculated and set dates for centuries. None of them, NONE OF THEM, has been accurate. A guy wrote a book called "89 Reasons the Rapture Will Happen in 1989." It didn't. Recently a fellow calculated that Jesus would come in 1996. He didn't. A modern cult has set dates for 1914, 1925, 1975, etc. and none of them materialized. Here's my take on the issue (for what it's worth). Jesus may, OR MAY NOT, return in the year 2,000. He told us that He would come like a thief in the night (unexpected and unannounced) in a hour when men think not. Our job, then, is not to prognosticate, predict, prophesy, or guess about it. Our job is to be ready, watching, serving, and helping others be ready, too. What if the modern prophets are right? What if Y2K is the time of the end of the world? Then, He will come -- period! What if they are wrong? Then He won't come until a later date and those who remain will still need to watch, pray and work.
I don't want to get caught up in the hubbub. I just want to just keep preaching Christ. I just want to keep doing the things I believe Jesus has called me to do. I don't want to be swept up in speculations -- I want to build on certainties. And of this I am certain -- in a millennium, century, year, month, week, day, hour, minute, and second of His determination -- He will come; until then, let's just be faithful.