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Copyright 1994 by the Christian Research Institute.
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"Millennial Madness" (an article from the Viewpoint column of the
Christian Research Journal, Fall 1990, page 39) by Ron Rhodes.
The Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal is
Elliot Miller.
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"Book your mountain top while there's still time," the
soothsayer says. "You may find them in increasingly short supply
as we draw near A.D. 2000."
Millennial madness. It swept across the world at
near-epidemic levels just prior to A.D. 1000, and we will no
doubt witness much of the same as we approach the turn of the
second millennium. Some are predicting imminent doom, others a
glorious utopia. Either way, millennial madness is on the rise
and will almost certainly afflict a significant share of
humanity over the next decade.
_Millennial Madness: Act 1._ Just before A.D. 1000, many
believed the end was near. To prepare for the end, "men forgave
their neighbors' debts, people confessed their infidelities and
wrongdoings....The churches were besieged by crowds demanding
confession and absolution....Prisoners were freed yet many
remained wishing to expiate their sins before the end."[1]
As Christmas (A.D. 999) arrived, there was an outpouring of
love. Stores gave away food; merchants refused payment. On
December 31 the frenzy reached new heights. Pope Sylvester II
held a midnight mass in the Basilica of St. Peter's in Rome.
There was a standing-room-only audience -- but the people weren't
standing; they were on their knees.
After the mass had been said, a deathly silence fell over the
congregation. Finally, as the clock uneventfully ticked past 12,
church bells began ringing. Amid weeping and laughing, husbands
and wives embraced. Friends exchanged "the kiss of peace."
Enemies were reconciled.
But life soon resumed its normal rhythm. "Merchants ceased
giving away their goods. Prisoners were captured to be placed
back in the slammer. Debts were remembered. And life went on as
if nothing happened."[2]
_Millennial Madness: Act 2._ Now it's our turn. There are
growing signs that we are in for a similar outbreak of mass
hysteria as we approach A.D. 2000.
New Agers are representative of those who look for a utopia.
Ken Carey, author of several New Age handbooks, envisions A.D.
2000 as a kind of psychic watershed, beyond which lies "a
realizable utopian society."[3] David Spangler agrees, noting
that the Mayan and Aztec civilizations believed that a "cycle of
dark ages" would end before A.D. 2000; following this, a New Age
of harmony and wholeness will emerge.[4]
Other soothsayers have predicted doom. Shortly before his
death in 1961, Carl G. Jung had a series of visions and saw
worldwide catastrophe prior to A.D. 2010. In recent months,
Elizabeth Clare Prophet of the Church Universal and Triumphant
has been saying that an "Ascended Master" has informed her that
catastrophe awaits the world. She says Russia is about to invade
the U.S. and thus has directed her followers to build large bomb
shelters to house the faithful.
Millennial madness has grievously afflicted some who write
about the Rapture and/or second coming of Christ. Prophecy
teacher Mary Stewart Relfe claimed she received revelations
indicating the Second Coming will occur in 1997.[5] Lester
Sumrall said in his book, _I Predict 2000 A.D._: "I predict the
absolute fulness of man's operation on planet Earth by the year
2000 A.D. Then Jesus Christ shall reign from Jerusalem for 1000
years."[6]
We have witnessed only the beginning of millennial madness
for the coming decade. As one observer has commented, the
approach of the year 2000 will undoubtedly bring "a synergistic
climb toward panic" that will produce social effects that are
both "substantial" and "potentially dangerous."[7]
I can think of eight reasons Christians should maintain
millennial sanity in the coming years. First, over the past 2,000
years, the track record of those who have predicted and/or
expected "the end" has been _100 percent wrong._ The history of
doomsday predictions is little more than a history of dashed
expectations. Though it is _possible_ we are living in the last
days, it is also possible that Christ's second coming is a long
way off.
Second, those who succumb to millennial madness may end up
making harmful decisions for their lives. Selling one's
possessions and heading for the mountains, purchasing bomb
shelters, stopping education, leaving family and friends -- these
are destructive actions that can _ruin_ one's life.
Third, Christians who succumb to millennial madness (for
example, by expecting the rapture to occur by a specific date)
may end up damaging their faith in the Bible (especially
prophecy) when their expectations fail.
Fourth, if one loses confidence in the prophetic portions of
Scripture, biblical prophecy ceases to be a motivation to purity
and holiness in daily life (_see,_ e.g., Titus 2:12-14).
Fifth, Christians who succumb to millennial madness may
damage the faith of _new_ and/or _immature_ believers when
predicted events fail to materialize.
Sixth, millennial soothsayers tend to be sensationalistic,
and sensationalism is unbefitting to a Christian. Christ calls
His followers to live _soberly_ and _alertly_ as they await His
coming (Mark 13:32-37).
Seventh, Christians who get caught up in millennial madness
can do damage to the cause of Christ. Humanists enjoy scorning
Christians who have put stock in end-time predictions (especially
when specific dates have been attached to specific events). Why
give "ammo" to the enemies of Christianity?
Eighth, the timing of end-time events is in God's hands, and
we haven't been given the details (Acts 1:7). As far as the
Second Coming is concerned, I close with the sound advice of
David Lewis: "It is better to live as if Jesus were coming today
and yet prepare for the future as if He were not coming for a
long time. Then you are ready for time and eternity."[8]
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1 Frederick Marten, _The Story of Human Life and Doomsday,_
summarized in _Critique,_ June-September 1989, 65.
2 _Ibid._
3 Bill Lawren, "Are You Ready for Millennial Fever?" _Utne
Reader,_ March/April 1990, 96.
4 _Emergence,_ Dell, 1984, 19.
5 _Economic Advisor,_ 28 Feb. 1983.
6 LeSEA, 1987, 74.
7 James Oberg, quoted by Lawren, 97.
8 _Prophecy Intelligence Digest_ 6, no. 3, 3.
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End of document, CRJ0043A.TXT (original CRI file name),
"Millennial Madness"
release A, March 21, 1994
R. Poll, CRI
(A special note of thanks to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in
the preparation of this ASCII file for BBS circulation.)
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