Faith, Not Fear:
A Kingdom Perspective on Y2K

by

Gary Hargrave

The Scriptures speak of our Lord’s triumphant return, the establishment of His Kingdom on this earth, and His peaceful reign that ends all oppression. Why, then, do we hear so many Christian voices today continually expressing faith in disaster and calamity?

The greatest thing that is happening today is the positive unfolding and manifestation of Christ in His Kingdom and of God bringing forth His presence in those who believe.

The year 2000 is very significant, not only because it is a new millennium, but because it represents to people a culmination of things. Many people all over the world believe that the year 2000 is especially linked to the end time, to tribulations, and to the judgments of God filling the earth. What is the truth about this time? What should our expectations be? Does the new millennium mean the end of the world? Is the great tribulation just around the corner? Should we be fearful or hopeful?

For believers in Christ, the second coming of our Lord will be a joyful fulfillment; and the anticipation of His return absolutely should comfort us, give us hope, and dispel our fears. Many Scriptures speak of His triumphant return, the establishment of His Kingdom on this earth, and His peaceful reign that ends all oppression. Yet, in the world scene today, we do not hear much expressed in the way of anticipating joy and fulfillment. Instead, we hear many voices expressing a faith in disaster and calamity. Interestingly, some of the strongest influence to focus people’s attention on the negative side of things is coming from Christian leaders. Through the media, many Christian pundits interpret events that are happening today as signs of imminent destruction. They point to financial collapse in nations, wars, earthquakes, and devastating weather as evidence that the world is coming to a destructive end.

One of the hottest topics in this vein is the Y2K phenomenon. Y2K is an acronym for the year 2000, when several computer experts have predicted a worldwide catastrophe because the computerized equipment used by large corporations, utility companies, and governments may not know if it is 1900 or 2000 and could stop functioning. A number of prominent Christians in the media have pushed the Y2K fears to great lengths. They have suggested that any number of horrific things will result from this computer glitch, including nuclear holocaust. It is true that many prophecies in the Bible about the last days, or the day of the Lord, are frightening. No one would want to have to experience the awful events described in parts of the books of Revelation, Isaiah, or Daniel. They paint a picture of tribulations, of wars, of disasters, of terrible tragedies coming upon the earth, and of thousands dying. But do the Scriptures tell us that all these frightening prophecies are inevitable, that they are all destined to happen in our day?

Is A Y2K Disaster Inevitable?

The Y2K disaster, which is being so fervently predicted today, does not have to happen. It is not something that is inevitable, and there is no basis in the Scriptures for believing that it must occur. Then why are so many people expressing such a determined belief in the negative? Why do they have so much faith for disaster? Do they want a worldwide catastrophe? This negativity syndrome is troubling, because it entails a powerful truth that works in everyone’s life, whether Christian or non-Christian. Very simply, whatever people determine to have and believe for, positive or negative, they create. Everyone proclaiming and believing that disasters will happen is enough to make them happen. Proverbs 28:1 tells us, "The wicked flee when no one is pursuing." People can run from something that may not even be happening, swept along by fear, like a crowd in a stadium running for the exits because there is a small fire in a trash can. This kind of uncontrolled panic is the stuff that world financial market crashes are made of. The fact that an event is terrible does not make it the fulfillment of a Biblical prophecy. There are many things that will happen simply because people are fleeing when no one is even pursuing.

The coming of the Lord and the Kingdom of God are not dependent upon natural-level disasters. Disasters should not be the signs to us of what God is doing. The Lord prophesied that there would be wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, and famines and earthquakes (Matthew 24:6, 7). Certainly we see these events occurring in our era, but they also began shortly after Christ prophesied them. According to the modern interpretation of Matthew 24, we must conclude that the Lord’s prophecies apply to us today and that terrible tragedies are the sign of the end. But tragedies equal to and worse than the ones we are witnessing now have been happening for centuries.

What could be more tragic than World War I, World War II, or the many wars that have happened all over the globe since then? There have been terrible genocides in this century: from the Armenian genocide in 1915, to the Holocaust, to the recent mass murder of civilians in Rwanda. One estimate of the number of deaths due to wars, genocides, and governmental purges in this century alone is 137 million. That number increases if we include all the deaths from natural disasters, famines, and plagues, such as the flu pandemic in 1918 that killed over 30 million people. Tragedies such as these have gone on in our lifetime, our parents’ lifetimes, and our grandparents’ lifetimes. How can you point to terrible tragedies happening today and conclude that they are the sign of the end? We already had a Great Depression. If we go into another economic depression, will we say, "Now this is the sign that the Lord is coming"?

Some people point to earthquakes that have happened in recent years as a sign. Yet, the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the United States happened in Missouri along the Mississippi River in 1811 and 1812. These three shocks rerouted the Mississippi River and were felt a thousand miles away. One of the greatest natural disasters in history was an earthquake in China in 1556 which killed 800,000 people. Therefore, what makes the recent earthquakes the sign of the end when there have been bigger ones throughout history? The Lord prophesied that disasters will happen during the time of the end; but if we are going to measure the end time by those events, then we have to conclude that we have been in the end time for centuries.

The Saints Take Possession

It is not correct to say that we can predict the last days because disasters are happening in the world. Neither is it correct to assume that the only events of the end time will be disasters, destruction, and catastrophe. There is an alternative to the end-of-the-world disaster mentality that many Christians have adopted today. The Scriptures about the last days do not say that only the negative will happen; they also speak of the positive. They proclaim days of blessing, fulfillment, and great joy. Let us look at some of the Scriptures that explain what happens during these very same end times. They tell us what we can experience when we are in a walk with God, and they should be a part of our mindset for the new millennium.

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day." Proverbs 4:18. The predictions being made today are that things are getting darker and darker. Maybe for some they are getting darker, but not for the righteous. For the righteous, things are getting brighter and brighter, because they are on a divine path. They are walking into the Kingdom of God, and the path into the Kingdom is always growing in revelation. It is always growing in brightness.

A chapter in the Bible that deals specifically with the duality of the end time is Daniel 7. Verses 1 through 17 of that chapter present a disturbing image of destruction and conflict. The kingdoms of the world are portrayed as devouring beasts, having free rein to oppress mankind until their dominion is taken away. Then verse 18 brings out something very interesting: "But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come." The saints possess the Kingdom.

The greatest thing that is happening today is the positive unfolding and manifestation of Christ in His Kingdom and of God bringing forth His presence in those who believe (II Thessalonians 1:10). The focus on the negative is a perverted focus because it does not balance the disasters with what is happening in God’s people. According to Daniel 7:18, God’s people are projected to have a great time in the days ahead.

Verses 21–22 continue the same idea: "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom." What is happening in the world? Disasters? Financial collapse? Wars and terrible destruction? No, the saints are taking possession of the Kingdom! That is what is happening.

"And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him." At this point the revelation ended." Daniel 7:25––28a. Why do people keep trying to end the revelation before this point? They want to end it with the horns and the beasts, with the two witnesses lying slaughtered in the streets and blood up to the horses’ bridles (Revelation 11:3,7––9;14:20). That is not where it ends. It ends when the saints take possession, and the Lord has dominion forever and ever over all the kingdoms under heaven!

The prophecies in the Bible tell us that the Kingdom of God is established on this earth. And if bad things are going to happen between now and the Lord’s coming, I wish the earth could suffer as little as possible in the process. I wish that as little damage as necessary could be done in all that is going to take place. I don’t want to prophesy the pollution and destruction of the earth and think, "Oh, that represents the fulfillment of the Scriptures." It doesn’t. It represents a big cleanup job in the Kingdom. Even if we are raptured at some point and everyone is caught up to be with the Lord, where we end up is right here—the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Matthew 24 and the End Time

Matthew 24 has been used as a cornerstone on which to build the present-day doctrines about the end-time tribulations. The prophecies in Matthew 24 are interpreted as applying specifically to the times in which we live. Yet the Lord’s remarks in Matthew 24:1, 2 deal directly with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. With reference to the temple He said, "Not one stone will be left upon another." That is exactly what happened in 70 A.D. when the temple was completely leveled by the Roman armies. In response to the Lord’s comments about the temple, the disciples came to Him when He had retired to the Mount of Olives and asked (verse 3), "When will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?"

The Lord’s answer to His disciples contains several prophecies that people apply exclusively to the present time. The modern interpretation of these prophecies contributes greatly to the negative emphasis about the end time that is prevalent today by saying that this chapter is exclusively about the end of the world. Many prophecies in Matthew 24, however, point directly to the time in which Jesus lived. Verses 15 through 24 are about the signs the Lord was giving to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Again, modern interpretations of this prophecy have shaped the way we think about our daily lives. It is a way of thinking that makes us fearful.

Many people are saying, "The end is near." According to these verses, the end has been near for a long time. You cannot put all the prophecies of Matthew 24 in one box and say, "Here is how it will happen." We know that we are in the times Christ prophesied about. We know, too, that the ones to whom He spoke on the Mount of Olives were in the times He prophesied about. His prophecies had fulfillment then, and they will have a fulfillment now. As we look out upon the landscape, we are again observing the fig tree. Just as the disciples could see the signs of the end time in their day, we too are able to see that there will be tribulations, the world will face devastating events, and the judgments of God will be in the earth once again.

Our Relationships in the End Time

The Lord’s discourse contained in Matthew 24 does not end when that chapter ends. It continues all the way through chapter 25 where He brings some of the most well-known parables. People tend to separate the end-time events talked about in Matthew 24 from the parables in Matthew 25 that tell us how to live and relate in these end times. The parables in Matthew 25 about the wise and foolish virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats are not about unbelievers and sinners; they are about believers, about Christians. They are about the ways in which Christians will respond to the Lord and to one another in the end time. And their responses are characterized by their attitudes concerning end-time events and the Lord’s return.

Matthew 24 ends with a parable about our responsibility. "Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions." Verse 45–47. All the disasters and world-shaking events may be taking place, but the Lord has put us in charge. And since we are in charge, what should we be doing? We should be doing what He told us to do. He put us in charge to give the Lord’s household their food at the proper time. This answers the fear. When the Lord comes, we will be okay if He finds us doing what He directed us to do in caring for His household. Will we be raptured? Can we survive the end time? These are not the relevant questions. The real question is this: Are we doing what the Lord told us to do? Blessed is the slave who is doing what his Master told him when He returns.

Rather than worrying about how to interpret prophecies and predict disasters or hoping to be raptured, we are supposed to be here in the earth doing the will of God. This parable and the parables of Matthew 25 contain tremendous instructions for how we are to live during the end time. We can be so caught up with our concerns about the future and with predicting catastrophe that we lose sight of an important fact: within these same teachings about tribulations are direct guidelines

on how we are to live. Why is this not emphasized in the current teachings about the end time? Why is the emphasis always on the horror of the tribulation and the terror of these days?

We are a generation, just like the generation to whom the Lord spoke on that dark night before His crucifixion, who have been born and raised in times of tribulation. We are accustomed to famines and earthquakes, floods and wars, and rumors of war. Even with all these things taking place, we tend to go on with our lives as though nothing were happening, just as they did during the days of Noah. The real danger of the tribulation is that it can become so normal, so commonplace, that we do not put a priority on serving the Lord and accomplishing His Word. We can forget to be fulfilling what He said as we oversee what He has put in our charge while we are here. He has put us in charge. We need to be exercising that charge and responsibility as faithful servants before the Lord. He wants us to be carrying out the commands He has given us, with authority and with a right spirit.

We Can Create the Answers

In reading Matthew 24 you may think, "I don’t understand anything the Lord is talking about." You only need to follow these very simple instructions: "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming." Matthew 24:42. We do not really understand all the things that are going to happen. That is why we should not attempt to interpret the signs and seasons, and then present ourselves as those who have a great prophetic message about the future. We do not know the future, but many things about how we are to relate and be members of Christ’s Body now, today, are very clear to us. "And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. . . . Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand." Daniel 12:3, 10. As the days progress, we will move into greater insight, into greater revelation. Those who have insight will understand. Many will be purified, purged, and refined. They will shine brightly like the heavens. This means that the days ahead will be a wonderful time for God’s people.

Many of us in the Christian community believe that we are here to be representatives of God during the end times. Therefore, we have a different perspective on events. We are not believing for the earth to be devastated. We do not need a nuclear holocaust to prove our doctrines. We believe that we will walk through the days ahead. Some of us may experience persecutions. Some of us may be thrown into situations that are not so wonderful on a natural level. But we are looking to be a witness to the world, not to be raptured out when they need us the most.

The force of faith coupled with the human will is a powerful combination that makes things happen in the earth. Don’t put the force of your will behind the belief that negative events are going to happen. Don’t be absorbed in the intrigue of the negative; rather, be bold to stand up against the negative attitude. As Christians, we should create a counterforce against the tide of negativity. We should tell people that we believe something else, that the Scriptures point to something else that is happening right here in the earth with God’s people. Terrible tragedies are not what we, as Christians, believe in; and most of all, they are not what we are called by God to create. According to the Word of God, what we are to do on this earth is to possess the Kingdom. What we are creating by our faith is the fulfillment of the promises of God.

The Scriptures tell us that the ages were framed by the Word of God (Hebrews 11:3). It is our anointing and our commission as men and women of God to speak and proclaim what is to happen. We declare God’s Kingdom is to reign on this earth! The earth does not have to go through disaster. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1), and we commit it into His hands for His keeping, for His purposes. We do not allow it to be affected by the negative faith of those who are proclaiming disaster. If we proclaim answers, there can be answers. The problems may be very real, but that does not mean there cannot be answers. All it takes is someone to proclaim and create the answers in the Lord. We can create the answers. We are not going to run in fear from what the world is facing; we are going to be bold to stand up and be the answers to this age. The years ahead belong to God’s people. Let the people of God be of one mind and one heart in relationship to the promises that God has spoken.

Gary Hargrave, along with his wife Marilyn, provides apostolic oversight and guidance to churches of the Living Word Fellowship in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Europe. They have been unswerving in their drive to see apostolic patterns and traditions flourish in the body of Messiah. In recent years, the Hargraves, along with pastors and congregants in the fellowship, have visited Israel and feel deeply indebted to the Jewish people. The Living Word Fellowship, PO Box 3429, Iowa City, IA 52247-4492. (319-656-4492) Website: http://www.thelivingword.org

Guestbook | Table of Contents | Restore! Magazine | Restoration Foundation Home