I am sure many of us remember the hype about the terrible things certain to happen on January 1, 2000. Computers would malfunction, affecting every aspect of life: Including banks, air travel, telephones, electrical power, water supplies and food supplies. People were urged to store up as many supplies as possible. And I know some Christians who did just that—even as I smiled in wonder.

On August 31, 1999 I received an email message from a Spirit of Prophecy web site entitled, "Prepare for The END of Life as We Know it." (There are a number of web sites using the phrase, "Spirit of Prophecy," including Mormons and Seventh-Day Adventists.)

In 1999 many so-called "prophecy experts" were screaming about AD 2000 being the beginning of the end. This was supposed to be the time of the "rapture" and the "tribulation." This email message (August 31, 1999) was in this genre.

The author says, "Friends, soon, very soon, (many think this year based on the literacy found in God’s Word) some awesome and wonderful things are going to happen to a remnant of believers in Jesus Christ…." (I’m not sure about the "literacy of God’s word." Does that mean some of God’s word is not readable?)

As usual with end-times prognosticators, this writer refers to biblical texts which clearly address past events, and project them into the future—sometimes the immediate future. For example, he quotes 2^nd Timothy 3:1-5 and concludes: "Be honest with yourself, based on the above truths alone, WE ARE IN THE LAST DAYS (caps in original)…." (2 Timothy 3:1-5 says: "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.")

Does it seem strange that Paul would be warning Timothy of something to take place 2,000 years after Timothy died? However, since Paul’s letter is a pastoral Epistle to help Timothy in his present ministry, it seems absolutely clear that the warning was not reserved for some distant future fulfillment. On page 11 of this 16-page email, the writer declares: "The Great Tribulation is here." (The context shows this is not a rhetorical question.) Later he asks, "Will Y2K open the Tribulation?" Why ask the question after he had already answered it? (It would be interesting to ask this writer the same question today.)

This writer (conveniently never mentioned by name) is very certain of the events of the 21^st century. He writes: "Let’s look a bit at this Millennium Bug Y2K and see the inescapeable (sic) and irreversible troubles it’ll cause the world in what many faithful Bible students of the Word feel is the beginning of the Tribulation…." He summarizes all of these "troubles" by saying: "The Millennium Y2K Bug CAN and WILL affect life for years to come." Maybe I am just not a keen observer but I haven’t seen those catastrophic events.

As with many doomsday "prophets" this writer has a not-so-subtle motive. Near the end of his message he writes: "IF THE RAPTURE DOES NOT OCCUR ON SEPTEMBER 11^TH, then send for the booklet ‘The Y2K Survival Guide’ and checklist of things you need to do to be ready for some interruptions in your lives." (Has he just been describing some mere interruptions? They sound pretty serious to me.)

After seven years into the 21^st century why bring up Y2K? Because these same kind of false prophets are still promoting their wild ideas about the future. And Christians need to be especially discerning.

Since the first century many false prophets have been in our midst (1 John 4:1). When the Apostles questioned the risen Savior concerning future events, Christ told them it was not for them to know the times (Acts 1:6-7). And since He never told the Apostles—why do we think we can know?