Is the RAPTURE Really Next Month? The Bible’s Timeline Is Shocking

[Tall Timbers]

Personally I never share the Rapture with anyone. I have not brought it up even with my own family. I do simply state that the Lord Jesus will be coming back, and that it appears to be soon.

In many Christmas letters I've sent out over the years I share the gospel and a little of what's coming. Most just think me a religious nut but when the things I've described happen my hope is they'll remember and choose Christ if they haven't already.

 

[Goodboy]

You know stating when you think the Rapture will happen takes courage, because it is a no win statement. By that I mean if you are wrong, everyone wants to rub that in your face. If you are right, you cannot say I told you so and no one is going to applaud you for being right, as we will all be focused on Jesus.

Something to think about when criticizing those who are just stating what they happen to believe.

 

[Tall Timbers]

You know stating when you think the Rapture will happen takes courage

Personally I see it more as foolish than courageous, but I enjoyed this guy's presentation very much.

Someday someone might accidentally hit the nail on the head as the Rapture is coming, hopefully soon.

 

[Goodboy]

Personally I see it more as foolish than courageous, but I enjoyed this guy's presentation very much.

Someday someone might accidentally hit the nail on the head as the Rapture is coming, hopefully soon.

So then are you saying that Mattfivefour and I are foolish?

 

[Tall Timbers]

So then are you saying that Mattfivefour and I are foolish?

No, I'm saying that I see date setting as foolish and not courageous.

 

[Goodboy]

What exactly did Jesus say regarding the Rapture?

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

I believe that Jesus chooses his words very carefully and is very precise. So if we change his exact words to what we happen to think he means, we could certainly be wrong correct?

So what are Jesus exact words? First he tells us the time frame he is speaking of which is the day and hour. Most assume that Jesus really means no one knows when the Rapture will happen. But again, those are not Jesus exact words, which he could have used if that is what he meant.

What else did Jesus say? He said no one knoweth when the Rapture would happen. Most assume that Jesus meant that no one has any idea when the Rapture will happen. But again, those are not Jesus exact words. By using the word knoweth Jesus is stating something someone is sure of or a fact. If I was to tell you that Ford is the best car manufacturer, you would think that was my opinion. You may then ask me how do I know, wanting to make sure this is a fact, not just my opinion.

If we can't have any idea of when the Rapture will happen, why are we told to watch? If your son was blind, would you tell him to go outside and watch the dog and make sure he does not run away. No, your son has to be able to see to do that. If we Christian can't see when the Rapture will happen sometime before it does, what the heck are we watching for?

I am writing this because I am tired of people criticizing others for just stating what they think, not what they know. There are many on this and other Christian forums that are afraid to state what they believe (not know) as they are afraid of the criticism they may face. We are all human and make mistakes. There is a major difference between what we know and what we may believe or think. I know 2+2=4 but I may just believe or think it is going to rain today. Should I be criticized if it does not rain today?

People like to call those who even suggest when the Rapture might be false prophets. No, a Prophet has to be correct each and every time, so he must be absolutely sure of what he states. That should not at all be the standard for the average Christian just stating what he believes or thinks.

OK, I'm done. I feel better now getting that of my chest!

 

[Andy C]

No, I'm saying that I see date setting as foolish and not courageous.

Agree. Date setting accomplishes nothing.

It is easy to get caught up in the hype from one who makes a video that seems plausible. Whats more likely is the many videos out there promoting next month as the month of the rapture, will probably be proven wrong. However, that does not mean I don't hope its next month, or even this month, or today!

I don't believe there is any number formula out there, certain feast or other Jewish holidays that will have anything to do with the future date for the rapture. It will happen when it’s on Gods time, not our time.

I sincerely hope the rapture happens before my death. If it does not, I will still end up in the same place, just not as fast as I hoped for.

 

[Goodboy]

No, I'm saying that I see date setting as foolish and not courageous.

That may be what you meant, but it is not what you said. You were replying to my statement of "You know stating when you think the Rapture will happen takes courage". What we happen to believe or think regarding the Rapture is not date setting, just opinion. If just specific date setting as a fact is your problem, I could agree with that.

 

[Goodboy]

Agree. Date setting accomplishes nothing.

It is easy to get caught up in the hype from one who makes a video that seems plausible. Whats more likely is the many videos out there promoting next month as the month of the rapture, will probably be proven wrong. However, that does not mean I don't hope its next month, or even this month, or today!

I don't believe there is any number formula out there, certain feast or other Jewish holidays that will have anything to do with the future date for the rapture. It will happen when it’s on Gods time, not our time.

I sincerely hope the rapture happens before my death. If it does not, I will still end up in the same place, just not as fast as I hoped for.

And that is your right to believe that!!!

 

[Goodboy]

I don't think that false Rapture dates have any affect on anyone other than Christian who become disappointed. We Christians feel the affects and think that non Christian feel some kind of way also. Yes, those who know about it may possibly laugh at us, but that's about all. Most non Christians don't even know what the Rapture even is. I know I did not before I was saved. When I am sharing the Gospel with the unsaved, if I should mention the Rapture I have to then explain to them what it is.

 

[Tall Timbers]

That may be what you meant, but it is not what you said. You were replying to my statement of "You know stating when you think the Rapture will happen takes courage". What we happen to believe or think regarding the Rapture is not date setting, just opinion. If just specific date setting as a fact is your problem, I could agree with that.

I disagree with you,@Goodboy. I think you're reading something into the post that simply isn't there.

 

[Greg]

I do think failed date settings can have a bad impact on both believers and unbelievers, especially when the person puts a great deal of certainty behind it. For example, it fuels the attitude that 2 Peter 3:4 deals with. That was brought up to me by my wife a few days ago, and my kids definitely remember something JD said back in 2000 that didn't pan out like he said.

I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing timing possibilities with humility as we are here, but as mentioned earlier, the test of a prophet's message is 100 percent accuracy. There's a line somewhere between saying what you think (which is generally good) and going full on date setting mode (bad unless you're right, and no one has been yet).

But I'm glad the video was posted and has given us so much to dig into.

 

[Goodboy]

I do think failed date settings can have a bad impact on both believers and unbelievers, especially when the person puts a great deal of certainty behind it. For example, it fuels the attitude that 2 Peter 3:4 deals with. That was brought up to me by my wife a few days ago, and my kids definitely remember something JD said back in 2000 that didn't pan out like he said.

I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing timing possibilities with humility as we are here, but as mentioned earlier, the test of a prophet's message is 100 percent accuracy. There's a line somewhere between saying what you think (which is generally good) and going full on date setting mode (bad unless you're right, and no one has been yet).

But I'm glad the video was posted and has given us so much to dig into.

Good point. I love it when Bible scripture is used to back up ones belief.

That said, you and I agree that believing or thinking when the Rapture will happen is not the same as date setting.

 

[Greg]

Good point. I love it when Bible scripture is used to back up ones belief.

That said, you and I agree that believing or thinking when the Rapture will happen is not the same as date setting.

Absolutely -- I've thought many things on that over the years and might discuss with mature believers or on a site like this, but never with anyone I thought it might harm or set back. It's rewarding and fun digging deeper into God's Word and talking about it responsibly. I don't think I ever got to a point where I was mostly sure it would be on a given date, but there were a few where I thought this might be it.

 

[Eric Nicholas]

sorry but rapture is not going to happen for at least 9 years

Thanks for letting us know!

 

[pixelpusher]

Well. That is interesting, I'd have to listen to it about 10 times and do some considerable checking for all he laid out to sink in. There IS a treaty event scheduled at the UN for 23-26 Sept this year, but I don't see any mention of Israel in the treaties on the table at the UN site, on a quick skim.

I sure wouldn't mind skipping the rest of hurricane season. But so many in my family and I know many of yours are still not saved! As Wally used to say on RRBB (paraphrasing): Lord, for the sake of the Church, come today, but for the sake of the lost, wait another 1000 years.


I guess we will have to see what happens. Don't buy any green bananas, just in case!

 

[Goodboy]

Well. That is interesting, I'd have to listen to it about 10 times and do some considerable checking for all he laid out to sink in. There IS a treaty event scheduled at the UN for 23-26 Sept this year, but I don't see any mention of Israel in the treaties on the table at the UN site, on a quick skim.

I sure wouldn't mind skipping the rest of hurricane season. But so many in my family and I know many of yours are still not saved! As Wally used to say on RRBB (paraphrasing): Lord, for the sake of the Church, come today, but for the sake of the lost, wait another 1000 years.


I guess we will have to see what happens. Don't buy any green bananas, just in case!

Don't forget that many will be saved during the Tribulation!
Yeah, we don't want people to have to go through the Tribulation, but at least they won't go to Hell for eternity. I think the Rapture will cause many people to believe.

 

[TCC]

If nothing else, I did learn something from this guy.

The Yom Teruah Usage
• Yom Teruah.: The Day of The Trumpet Blast
One of the seven Moedim of Yahweh (Divine Appointments or Feasts) is called the Yom Teruah. It is also referred to as Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets. Of the seven moedim, this one is the only one that doesn’t have an exact starting time. This moed begins only when two witnesses see the edge of the moon and report their sighting to the Sanhedrin. This requirement introduces slight variable time to it’s inception. The Jews celebrate what is supposed to be the first day of the seventh month, Tishri, (Leviticus 23:23-25) over a two-day period because it is “the day no one knows the day or hour.” For this very reason, Yom Teruah was, and still is, referred to as “the moed that no one knows the day or hour of!”

I have some general comments in reference to @Margery+ post which I will address in a different post. But here, in this post, I would like to ask something @Goodboy. Years ago I looked into the potential of Feast of Trumpets as a rapture possibility. I had to go to a library 30 miles away to check out a particular book in relation. At that time (in 2017), I wanted to know about this statement, this idiom. But I could not find any primary sources. Do you know of any? Primary meaning historical sources that have this idiom stated as an idiom in antiquity. I could never substantiate it.

It seems this quote is from the following article perhaps?

NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR, A HEBREW IDIOM | FaithWriters

<p align='justify'>No one knows the day or hour has been debated for ages, and many different explanations have been given. Is it a Hebrew idiom, and if so, where did it come from and just what does it mean?</p>

www.faithwriters.com

Even if it is an idiom, it could be referring to the second coming. Earlier I mentioned that I believe the "no one knows the hour" passage was in relation to the earth being burned up. But if we look at the surrounding context in Matt 24, we see it seems to certainly have weight as that which referes to a time of Christ's return more than the burning of the earth. The burning of the earth is in there...but the weight Jesus gives His using that term have to do with a time that will be like the days of Noah. Which puts it in line with, I believe, His second coming. Many used the two in the field one taken portion here to link this to the rapture. But what was understood in the Left Behind series (that the field and at the mill verses were rapture verses) are not. Commercially they sound like the rapture. But this was one of those areas in scripture which I believe my reformed church got right...that it was the reaper angels at the end. The Matt 13 wheat and tares parable in action (those taken being the tares not the wheat). Which is why I believe this reference is likely the second coming and not the rapture.

But that is not to say I just go along when people use this term thought to be an idiom. Even though I believe it is not relating to the rapture, that is not to say that a secondary echo of what occurs at Christ's return could not also be mirrored at the rapture. I leave room for that possibility. Which is why I would have interest. I agree with you @Goodboy that I don't believe rapture date setting spooks people away from the gospel. Although I understand how it could paint a picture that believers might be believing in myths, to the unregernerate. So there is that potential I believe. But I will address that in my other post here.

I guess as a bottom line, it would seem to some degree that the sense of Jesus using and idiom here might be similar to other modes of how social media works today in our world. Where several of us have gotten caught up in a story posted and reposted and then we share it only to find out it was a social media exploit without core content. And turned out to be just a bunch of repeating what seemed to be true because so many were posting about it. And I think it is helpful to consider this potential because I know dear brother the premium you beautifully place upon the word of God. Having said that, I don't believe posting this video is in vain at all. It brings up a whole host of conversation about things we can share with one another. It also provides a context where we can learn to discern better too. But in addition, one of my favorites is from a post you noted earlier brother. How being mistaken before actually gave you much joy which would no doubt spill onto other believers...whether or not the rapture was on a certain day or not...it will come...so what could be seen as vacarious joy would actually be sharing in the real joy a bit early. And like when Paul says, "But I rejoice because Christ is proclaimed," there is something about that living joy of Him in your heart that will transcend both the literal accuracy of some of our projections, as well as be of good benefit where God would use it for His glory anyway. Blessings.

 

[Goodboy]

Do you know of any? Primary meaning historical sources that have this idiom stated as an idiom in antiquity. I could never substantiate it.

Sorry but no, I do not know of a primary source.

 

[TCC]

Britt Gillette did the math and released this video here today; - YouTube

Britt said this "More specifically, these videos claim the rapture of the church will take place during Rosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets) on September 23rd, and the Second Coming will take place seven years later on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) in 2032, with these dates separated by 2,550 days – the exact number of days Daniel said the Tribulation will last."

He addresses this last math bit and debunks it. The unique period of time that is separated by 2,550 days.

Britt makes the very good point that -even though the video creator says he isn't a date setter- he does set an exact day for the Rapture because he says it will happen just after the covenant is signed. And he gives us the date for the covenant.

Britt points out that even though he says he isn't date setting, he actually is. Because he's tying the date of the UN meeting regards declaring a state of Palestine (ignoring the previous state called Jordan) to the Rapture.

@Kem heard it too, she time stamped it up thread here - I heard it and apparently Britt heard it too. The video creator didn't spend a long time on it, but it is in there.

Britt is compassionate, but he points out that failed date setters that go public like this can turn people who might be on the verge of giving their hearts to the Lord, away in disgust over the hype and then the disappointment.

He said we Christians can find our encouragement in the Word - Jesus promised He's coming back for us, we know He keeps His promises. We have His sure word on it. As Britt says, the sure word of God, the Bible is full of amazing wonderful prophecies, that we can point to, like Israel coming back to her land. We don't need to hype it up further.

The unbelievers around us aren't stupid, and when they see this kind of spectacle, and another round of failed dates, they mock and turn away reassured that the Christians weren't right yet again.

If we point to the Rapture, let's not point to a date. The focus that will bring some to salvation needs to be that we DON'T know the day or the hour (we can spot the season, definitely) and when Jesus comes for His own, it will be too late to go up in the Rapture, the Tribulation is next.

One day Jesus DOES come and the world changes into a terrifying horrific place of judgment and torment. A preview of hell for those who refuse Christ. That should be our message to the world about the Rapture.


1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

We need to be sober minded, watchful because the enemy prowls around like a lion, seeking whom he may devour.

I like that there are discerning voices on this, amen. But the struggle I see in evangelicalism over things like this is kind of a kin to some of my own struggles within my own soul over a host of ways to look upon something. It is quite a work out, and frankly, I'm exhausted...lol

But not enough not to post...lol. So what I mean is that I'm not exactly a fan of not setting dates because it gives a bad witness. That is not to say I disagree with that potential. But I just don't think that saying that. Letting it just sit there like that. And then walk away from that as though it is some measure of due diligence is where I would beg to differ. I don't think it accomplishes much though to just come from that place (likely as well meant instruction, amen) and leave it there. Because in some ways, to me, it kind of commits the same species of fallacy it helps to correct. That may sound odd, but I will attempt to elaborate.

WHAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THROWING DATES OUT THERE
I don't see date setting as the issue. Although I know it is a concern of this forum and should be, amen. And I don't even think the jedi-mind trick of "I'm not date setting" while setting dates is the issue either. Although it is understandable as to that being somewhat frustrating...lol. For sure. But the core issue I see is an over willingness to want to be in the zone, we can potentially forsake meaty key attributes of the faith that could better serve.

It is said it is better to teach a man to fish than to just catch a fish for him. In light of this sort of reasoning there is a good sense of edification. Teaching one how to do that. What I am not saying is that we should teach each other to better date set...lol. Heavens no. But what keeps coming up time and time again is this leaning we tend to have as believers to want to share as though we are in the zone. And somehow that self inditifying as "being in the zone" can hog up a bit more data housing space than what otherwise could be more edifying.

When I shared my eschatological views specifically previously in this forum, the bulk of it was to provide extreme contrast by which we (and my self most included) could see its weather readiness or not. Typically when I do that it is for the practice of what can stand the test of raw exposure to harsh elements and critique. I realize most don't traffick in eschatology this way. So it has made sense for me to refrain. But what seems more common is that we share views to share in the level of conviction it might help the thought of the original idea to deepen in conviction. I would be a miss to say that was not also included in my case. But it was by no means the forerunner. But what seems to be more common today is a general is a somwhat jockeying for conviction of "being in the zone." As though perhaps there would be some reward for "nailing it." lol. But we do understand it is a part of being human. And it is acceptable (and maybe should be even cherished perhaps at some levels). But the main engine that seems to drive stated convictions seems to be of the garden variety to "be in the zone." At least in how it might have been delievered from that video.

But I think what would be a more edifying approach is using conviction as modes of edification more than to "be in the zone." In the case of this video, how that could look is the following:

• State conviction
• Defend conviction
• Point out its strengths
• Point out its weaknesses
• Offer what else it could be instead
• Present the varing views of eschatology in contrast
• Present a scenario where said conviction could be seen in error -- and what it would look like if it where wrong

I believe the above is a way of teaching how to fish. Not in "being in the zone' but in how to build up the body of Christ in how to mature in communition. Having a primary focus on how to help erode superstition, bias, and preconcieved notions. And how that can accomplish John 15:15, loving one another. In contrast, it can tend to be more so an armwrestle of who is in the zone and who is not. But I believe we can all be in zone if John 15:15 is a stronger engine than exercising expertise of one's being in the zone.

This is why I have loved this forum so much. Because I believe on some very real levels we do strive for this level of maturity in one another. And it shows here. Amen. But what that could look like for instance with Britt's counter argument could be something like this:

• First of all where I commend Brit -- His compassion. His pointing to known prophesies like Israel's return. And his pointing out the vagueness of UN charters
• Here is why UN charters are not solid...
• Here is why the math does not work
• Here is why there is a tendency to date set
• Here is a way to the approach of what is said in that video that can be in error
• Here is what could be a positive take away from this video even if it is in error

So perhaps Britt does most of that, I have not heard the podcast. But I guarantee the last one is not in there...lol. And that is the hardest one. The reason I believe the last one is important is because it both practices to transcend beyond our own settled biases, as well as demonstrate to others there is such a thing and that it can be displayed. All in all perhaps this may not make the most sense in our day and age. But what hopefully might is that although it is good to warn about date setting, its going to continue. And since we are going to judge angels someday, learning how to steer the flow of that water running down that mountain I believe is an ongoing developing skil (and will never truly be exercsed enoughl. But often one not realized much that it even exists. But, I believe, could be exponentially helpful...and does exist...too. Just saying.

Thanks for sharing all that above too, Margery. And your genuine heart felt convictions. Even though I use this post as an opportunity in contrast of sorts, it is a blessing that you share what you have here. For it most certainly is a part of the revelant Christian conversation. Amen. Blessings.