According to historians, when a solar eclipse engulfed the land in darkness, the natives in their primal ignorance would conclude that the world was about to end. Well, with the year 2000 just over the horizon, it seems that the natives are restless again. In this “Age of Information”, however, ignorance can hardly be the scapegoat.
It seems that many so-called Bible believing Christians have decided that there is some deep spiritual significance to the year 2000. Checking their Bibles at the door, the self-appointed prophecy gang has selected the year 2000 – a man-made date, no less – as the year Christ will return.
Now few would be happier than me if Christ was to return but the Scriptures say that no man knows the hour. The Return will occur as “a thief in the night”, the Bible says. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of a thief phoning up ahead of time to say, “Mr. Smith, I’ll be breaking into your house at midnight – could you leave the porch light on?” The Bible says that no man knows the hour.
Despite the clear record of the Bible, some, much to the delight of American Airlines and the like, have even gone so far as to say that Jerusalem is the place to be for this momentous occasion. Thousands have purchased tickets and are set for what is sure to be an event second only to the final episode of Seinfeld in popularity. One man, a learned professor, stated that he was not sure if he had to be in Jerusalem for the Return but he was not taking any chances. “Ching! Ching!” go the American tills soon to be followed by the Hilton tills. Now I’ve nothing against Hotels and empty hangars but what I do take exception to is the total neglect of any Biblical truth in this whole so called Christian pilgrimage.
The Word of God also records that a sparrow doesn’t fall to the ground without God knowing about it. It says that the very hairs on our heads are numbered. Surely with data storage capability like that, God might just even know where you live. A temporary address at the Jerusalem Hilton is hardly necessary to meet the Lord in the air when Christ returns.
Bare with me for a minute while I try my hand at this prophecy business. At the stroke of midnight, December 31, 1999, I predict the following: lots of beer, lots of noise, some disk crashes and definitely lots of pizza. New years morning will bring the usual plethora of headaches, heartburn and an increase in orange juice sales. As for the return of Christ – maybe. No man knows the hour save God; and so far He’s been pretty tight lipped about the whole affair.