Always wise to do. And certainly the way we should live.
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Is the RAPTURE Really This Month? The Bible’s Timeline Is Shocking
- Thread starter Goodboy
- Start date
dwb
Well-known
This certainly doesn't help. I believe Christians are not a bunch of nuts, but intelligent and thoughtful people who are not swayed by every change of the wind. I guess every group has it's share of misguided who mean well but take things to the extreme.
But, remember what the Apostles did Act 2:44-45. They sold all their possessions and had all things common. The big difference is the Apostles knew Jesus, saw Him crucified, died, and resurrected, and then later saw Him go up into a cloud. Immediately after they were told by 2 angels He would return in like manner.
I'm still hoping and praying for today!
dwb
Well-known
Very true!
1LoverofGod
Well-known
Rapture Burnout? Don’t Be Discouraged
"Share this article:"
Over the past several weeks, thousands of Christians scrolled through YouTube and Facebook feeds only to be inundated with one video after another proclaiming that the Feast of Trumpets on September 23 would bring the long-awaited Rapture of the Church. Once you clicked on one, the algorithms pushed dozens more. Some of the videos carefully and biblically examined the timing of the feasts, the prophetic patterns, and the connection to Christ's return. Others were less cautious--proclaiming with bold certainty: "This is it. Get ready. Jesus is coming this week."
The excitement was contagious. Many in our community felt that surge of expectation, watching the skies and wondering if this might truly be the moment we had all longed for. After all, the Feast of Trumpets has long been seen as the most likely candidate for the fulfillment of Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 4, when the trumpet of God sounds and the dead in Christ rise first.
But here we are. The Feast has come and gone, and the Church still walks this earth. For some, the disappointment is palpable. Hopes soared only to be dashed once again. And for others, a deeper weariness sets in--what we might call "rapture burnout."
A Word of Caution and Correction
This is where we need to tread carefully but truthfully. There is nothing wrong with hoping, watching, or even speculating about prophetic events. Jesus Himself commanded us to "watch." Prophecy is not a dusty corner of Scripture--it is central to our faith, pointing us to the blessed hope of Christ's return. But there is a world of difference between speculation and proclamation, between saying "this could be" and declaring "thus saith the Lord."
When someone claims to speak for God, attaching His authority to their words, they step onto sacred ground. And when the event does not come to pass, it is not just disappointment that follows--it is deception, confusion, and damage to the witness of the Church. Jeremiah warned the prophets of his own day who told the king what he wanted to hear instead of what the Lord had truly spoken. The Lord's warning was severe: do not claim "thus saith the Lord" when the Lord has not spoken.
Those who spoke with bold certainty that the Rapture would occur this week must reckon with this. It is not enough to quietly move on, as though nothing happened. Accountability is required. Repentance is required. Because if we do not humbly acknowledge when we were wrong, the cycle will simply repeat itself--just as it did when 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988 was followed, predictably, by 89 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1989.
Dreams, Visions, and Discernment
We also need to address another layer of this discussion--dreams and visions. Can the Lord speak through them? Absolutely. Scripture testifies that in the last days, old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions. But when God speaks, His word is clear and true. Think of Daniel--when he interpreted dreams, there was no guesswork, no hedging of bets. The meaning was given directly by God, and it was beyond dispute.
What often happens today, however, is that Christians have a dream, and instead of seeking the Lord for its true meaning, they declare their own interpretation as final. Or they take Scripture out of its rightful context to support a conclusion that "feels right." This is a dangerous shortcut. If the interpretation proves false, then humility and repentance must follow. Otherwise, pride keeps us from correction, and deception deepens.
Watching Without Weariness
But let us be clear--this does not mean we stop watching. Far from it. Our calling as believers, and especially as students of prophecy, is to be like the watchman on the wall described in Ezekiel 33. If he sees danger coming and does not warn, he is held accountable. That is why Prophecy News Watch exists--to watch, to warn, and to encourage the Body of Christ as the Day approaches.
So no, we do not give up watching just because one Feast of Trumpets passed without the Rapture. We do not stop studying the signs of the times, examining Scripture, or weighing the prophetic patterns. The return of Christ is not a side issue of our faith--it is at the very heart of our hope. Paul called it the "blessed hope." Jesus promised it again and again. The book of Revelation climaxes with His return. Without it, the story is incomplete.
Encouragement for the Disappointed
If you are among those who feel discouraged or even depressed because you were so sure this was the week of the Rapture, take heart. You have not misplaced your hope. Jesus is coming again. The trumpet will sound. And our waiting is not wasted. Every moment we remain here is another moment for souls to repent, for lives to be saved, for the mission of the Church to continue.
The Lord has not delayed in the sense of forgetfulness or failure. Peter reminds us that "the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance." What feels like delay is actually mercy.
A Call to Humility
What we need now, as a community of believers, is humility. Those who spoke falsely must repent. Those who were misled must learn discernment. And all of us must hold fast to the hope of Christ's return without letting our excitement turn into presumption.
The Feast of Trumpets may not have brought the Rapture this year--but one day, on a day no man knows, the trumpet will sound. When it does, all speculation will give way to reality, and all waiting will give way to rejoicing.
Until then, let us keep watching, but let us also walk in humility, honesty, and repentance when we err. That is how we honor the Lord, and that is how we prepare for the day when faith becomes sight.
Rapture Burnout? Don’t Be Discouraged
Over the past several weeks, thousands of Christians scrolled through YouTube and Facebook feeds only to be inundated with one video after another proclaiming that the Feast of Trumpets on September 23 would bring the long-awaited Rapture of the Church. Now we must address the fallout.
prophecynewswatch.com
Good read.Rapture Burnout? Don’t Be Discouraged
"Share this article:"
Over the past several weeks, thousands of Christians scrolled through YouTube and Facebook feeds only to be inundated with one video after another proclaiming that the Feast of Trumpets on September 23 would bring the long-awaited Rapture of the Church. Once you clicked on one, the algorithms pushed dozens more. Some of the videos carefully and biblically examined the timing of the feasts, the prophetic patterns, and the connection to Christ's return. Others were less cautious--proclaiming with bold certainty: "This is it. Get ready. Jesus is coming this week."
The excitement was contagious. Many in our community felt that surge of expectation, watching the skies and wondering if this might truly be the moment we had all longed for. After all, the Feast of Trumpets has long been seen as the most likely candidate for the fulfillment of Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 4, when the trumpet of God sounds and the dead in Christ rise first.
But here we are. The Feast has come and gone, and the Church still walks this earth. For some, the disappointment is palpable. Hopes soared only to be dashed once again. And for others, a deeper weariness sets in--what we might call "rapture burnout."
A Word of Caution and Correction
This is where we need to tread carefully but truthfully. There is nothing wrong with hoping, watching, or even speculating about prophetic events. Jesus Himself commanded us to "watch." Prophecy is not a dusty corner of Scripture--it is central to our faith, pointing us to the blessed hope of Christ's return. But there is a world of difference between speculation and proclamation, between saying "this could be" and declaring "thus saith the Lord."
When someone claims to speak for God, attaching His authority to their words, they step onto sacred ground. And when the event does not come to pass, it is not just disappointment that follows--it is deception, confusion, and damage to the witness of the Church. Jeremiah warned the prophets of his own day who told the king what he wanted to hear instead of what the Lord had truly spoken. The Lord's warning was severe: do not claim "thus saith the Lord" when the Lord has not spoken.
Those who spoke with bold certainty that the Rapture would occur this week must reckon with this. It is not enough to quietly move on, as though nothing happened. Accountability is required. Repentance is required. Because if we do not humbly acknowledge when we were wrong, the cycle will simply repeat itself--just as it did when 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988 was followed, predictably, by 89 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1989.
Dreams, Visions, and Discernment
We also need to address another layer of this discussion--dreams and visions. Can the Lord speak through them? Absolutely. Scripture testifies that in the last days, old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions. But when God speaks, His word is clear and true. Think of Daniel--when he interpreted dreams, there was no guesswork, no hedging of bets. The meaning was given directly by God, and it was beyond dispute.
What often happens today, however, is that Christians have a dream, and instead of seeking the Lord for its true meaning, they declare their own interpretation as final. Or they take Scripture out of its rightful context to support a conclusion that "feels right." This is a dangerous shortcut. If the interpretation proves false, then humility and repentance must follow. Otherwise, pride keeps us from correction, and deception deepens.
Watching Without Weariness
But let us be clear--this does not mean we stop watching. Far from it. Our calling as believers, and especially as students of prophecy, is to be like the watchman on the wall described in Ezekiel 33. If he sees danger coming and does not warn, he is held accountable. That is why Prophecy News Watch exists--to watch, to warn, and to encourage the Body of Christ as the Day approaches.
So no, we do not give up watching just because one Feast of Trumpets passed without the Rapture. We do not stop studying the signs of the times, examining Scripture, or weighing the prophetic patterns. The return of Christ is not a side issue of our faith--it is at the very heart of our hope. Paul called it the "blessed hope." Jesus promised it again and again. The book of Revelation climaxes with His return. Without it, the story is incomplete.
Encouragement for the Disappointed
If you are among those who feel discouraged or even depressed because you were so sure this was the week of the Rapture, take heart. You have not misplaced your hope. Jesus is coming again. The trumpet will sound. And our waiting is not wasted. Every moment we remain here is another moment for souls to repent, for lives to be saved, for the mission of the Church to continue.
The Lord has not delayed in the sense of forgetfulness or failure. Peter reminds us that "the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance." What feels like delay is actually mercy.
A Call to Humility
What we need now, as a community of believers, is humility. Those who spoke falsely must repent. Those who were misled must learn discernment. And all of us must hold fast to the hope of Christ's return without letting our excitement turn into presumption.
The Feast of Trumpets may not have brought the Rapture this year--but one day, on a day no man knows, the trumpet will sound. When it does, all speculation will give way to reality, and all waiting will give way to rejoicing.
Until then, let us keep watching, but let us also walk in humility, honesty, and repentance when we err. That is how we honor the Lord, and that is how we prepare for the day when faith becomes sight.
Rapture Burnout? Don’t Be Discouraged
Over the past several weeks, thousands of Christians scrolled through YouTube and Facebook feeds only to be inundated with one video after another proclaiming that the Feast of Trumpets on September 23 would bring the long-awaited Rapture of the Church. Now we must address the fallout.
I never get discouraged when conversations and speculation about a possible rapture date does not pan out. Im 68, long ago retired, no hurry for anything in my life. What I do know is when the Lord calls, Im going Home and not one minute sooner. No amount of searching scripture will change that date, nor give me a better idea of when that calling will come. Whatever amount of time I do have left in this body is not even a slight blip on radar compared to eternity in a new and glorified body.
For now, I guess I will be more then content watching my relationship with my wife grow stronger as we grow older together, watching my children grow, and especially my 2 granddaughters…….life could be far worse, so Im thankful for all our Lord and Savior has provided for me in this small chapter of my eternal life.
Baby Yoda
Always Watching
I don't get discouraged because I give no weight to the predictions no matter how popular they become. Given my cloistered lifestyle most of the time I have no idea how popular the predictions become.
Plus, nearing my golden years it's a lot easier to take things in stride... knowing my time is approaching anyway.
Exactly same for me.
Totally agree, same for me.
Here there's stuff still to do, people to pray for, children and grandchildren to pray for, people to reach with the gospel as the doors open.
After the Rapture there's joy, rest, getting back with those who've gone before.
All good.
Amethyst
† He hath shed his own blood for my soul
Yes , but many who are clinging to these dates
Do not have a good life. Many don’t have that good family or even moderately good health. Some have lost babies or children or a spouse who provided all the income. Sometimes heartaches in life are enduring and overwhelming
So not everyone can just shake it off and say well at least I have a comfortable life. Many do not.
There is real pain.
Do not have a good life. Many don’t have that good family or even moderately good health. Some have lost babies or children or a spouse who provided all the income. Sometimes heartaches in life are enduring and overwhelming
So not everyone can just shake it off and say well at least I have a comfortable life. Many do not.
There is real pain.
Which is why it's all the more important that we get the message, the teaching-- out there as to why date setting is so very harmful. Teach people how to look for the Lord with an imminent expectation, without the dates.
I saw in the comments on their Youtube videos last year Tyler and Barry Awe and the others going all in with the "new wine" teaching saying things that date setting is encouraging. They taught that on the videos as well. They completely negated the suggestions that people would be hurt. They doubled down on suggestions that it was a great way to watch for the Lord.
The reason I've been such a wet blanket on date setting is not because I don't enjoy thinking about possibilities, checking up to see whether the ideas hold water
(I still think the 6000 year theory is a good one, even if it turns out that the year counts are based on the destruction of the Temple in 70AD or some other event)
It is because my heart breaks for those left in the disappointment and broken hopes. The ones that Barry Awe and Tyler of Gen 2434 dismiss.
I know there will be those who are completely devastated. I hope many will rebalance their lives on a more sane solid and biblical way of thinking about the Rapture. And realize why some of us are against date setting, but still hope and pray that the Rapture will happen any moment now...
RonJohnSilver
Well-known
At our weekly Bible study last night, we studied session 3 of the 'Forward' study by David Jeremiah. In that session, he talked about what God might have in store for the next step of our lives, in that, as Christians, we never really 'retire' in the conventional sense. He talked about moving outside of our comfort zone, about undertaking some task that we at, because of our present age/situation/heath/financial status, have thought was beyond us. For some of us, the next step may be pouring our lives into our children or grandchildren, maybe undertaking a church role that we had previously overlooked and getting involved in a ministry, maybe teaching a class, a home study, maybe just reaching out to neighbors, co-workers, running for public office, but, in any case, stretching our boundaries, taking risks. So, with that challenge, I'm not pondering going on a short term mission, our church has a couple each year. Next year, maybe I'll be in Sri Lanka or Nicaragua. So, with no rapture today, I'll have to consider my 'next steps.' You should do the same. As author/minister John Piper has said, and written, "Don't waste your Life." No Christian ever retires from God's service.
TCC
Well-known
I'm thinking about starting a YouTube channel as a farse but with serious intent. I believe the rapture will be on Ez 38 Eve. Currently, I believe that is not a Feast Day. I have no idea if Ez 38 Eve = the day of the rapture. But what I do believe is that it would seem to be the most accurate based on the character of God in scripture. And, although 1 Thes 5 does not go there exactly, it would appear to at least "wink at" it as a point of contrast.
So the YouTube video idea is to run as faux date setter, confident of the floating Ez 38 Eve date in mind. So that every time we get the next date that comes and goes, I can gain more followers. I can point the finger and say, "Aha, see, my date is more accurate." lol. In my heart of hearts I do not know if that date is accurate. But the reason for it is solely based on God's character revealed in scripture...rather than:
A) Calcualtions matching up (well I do have one in it--that would be the rapture's tandem potential matching timing "calculation" that no one knows the day or hour thereof)
B) How all these signs add up to pointing to a date (absolutely no big Christian name lines up the rapture with Ez 38), and the signs they look for will be different
C) The signs I would look for are just boring one's: Read Ezekiel 38. See how close we are. What nations form in Ez 38 (all the trees). Israel's peace and safety (the fig)
D) Idioms that have no primary source evidence
I have never heard an approach to the rapture to be about the charactor of God. Or this one other thing: In relation to Israel. I believe those two go super SUPER well together being that the rapture is an eschatology thing. It would seem we were on to something in 1988 because the focus was Israel. But we used a timeframe for generation from our Western marketing minds (40 years). The Bible uses generation as: 40, 50, 70, 80, 100, and 120 years. So 40 would be the minimum and 120 the max.
So it would just seem reasonable to have the bible definition of "generation" before publishing books about the rapture date. So keeping a focus on the concepts of the word leads me to look at eschatology much more through the character of God revealed. Perhaps far more than "calculation." God is more than a calculation. He is a person. The utter definition of person. Having entity and agency. So I just think the calculation approach would have worked if God never came to us in human form, lived among us, and literally suffered on hour behalf with us.
So the reason I believe that understanding the rapture season is more likely one connected to person more than calculation is that in personhood did God make Israel's failure gentile's treasure. And since we know the rapture is because the 70th week is not ours...then...it would make the most sense that the rapture relate to 70th week issue. My eschatological paradigm has Ez 38 as that threshold. And that with 1 Thes 5, it seems to kind of be a philosophical marriage...lol.
A final component in that is this: That it makes a lot of sense that God would imbed rapture timing in with Israel. Why? Because otherwise we are all over the map. We are looking for patterns, and turns of a phrase. We are looking for signs. We are looking at charts and doing math. That is the church focused on itself. When, "it" leaves. Instead of considering Israel. When "it" does not leave. So in honor of the Israel to be left behind. And in respect to a perhaps more noble spiritual gesture with holistic concern, perhaps as the church takes her eyes off herself and her own plight, and consider Israel, I just believe it is far more likely that will see the rapture there. If that makes sense?
Blessings.
Amethyst
† He hath shed his own blood for my soul
You are someone that has known true heartache. You've lived all your adult years not having your mom to see all the good and the bad, and looking forward to seeing her again. And then losing George whom you were with for so long. You have other family members who experienced horrific events. You get it. The extreme harshness of this life you are well acquainted.
I absolutely understand why in the OT, God commanded false prophets be put to death. People say death penalty is not a deterrent. Well, for those men it sure was. They never made another false prophecy again.
Everybody else ignore me creating a rabbit trail here with TCC
I'm with you on that one, I too have long since figured that the Rapture has to occur a short time before (or during) the events described in Ezek 38 because of the wording in there talking about the Lord making Himself known to Israel (indicating His attention is now on Israel) and also to the Gentile nations.
Zero dates can be set. The Rapture could occur a while before Ezek 38 and still allow the text to make sense BUT
But the evidence within Ezek 38 suggests (doesn't state it outright) that God's people have been removed from the earth. The ones (both Jew and Gentile) who KNEW HIM!
Because of God's emphasis that this will make these unbelievers know who He is, both among the Jews, and the Gentile nations. That suggests that the people (both Jews and Gentiles) who KNEW HIM (in other words the CHURCH) are gone.
It's an inference only, can't be said as positive proof, but it's why I think we are outta here before the war of Ezek 38 takes place.
It also makes sense that a sign given in 1 Thess 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
MIGHT MAYBE POSSIBLY point to all those "peace and safety" mentions in Ezek 38 and 39. I counted 4 quite recently in another thread.
As you say, pointing to Israel around whom all of prophecy and the Bible revolve.
I think or 1 Thess 5:3 to be a sign it can't just be because everyone is saying it. People have been calling for that long before the UN started, for as long as wars have been around. Since Babel. The UN harps on that theme constantly and a lot of the time it's around Israel.
For a sign to be a sign it has to be unique in some way because if it's common place, it's not a sign.
Tie it to ISRAEL and it makes it more significant. Something about saying peace and safety in connection to Israel. Israel around whom the Bible revolves, around whom prophecy makes sense.
1 Thess 5:3 includes the theme of this "Peace and Safety" talk, followed by sudden destruction, and that passage is about the Rapture.
It's a lot of inference, it's not as cut and dried as it should be to build anything on. But it is a clue. A possibility.
However I also think it might be a bridge too far if we apply it to the Rapture in the concept that looking for Ezek 38 is looking to the Rapture. Because it's built on inference- the possibility, not the outright statement that we the church are gone.
God's purpose in Ezek 38 is to make Himself known among the Jews and the Gentiles. Therefore it is possible there are none who know Him. Not for sure, just possible.
There might be a connection between Ezek and 1 Thess due to the similar Peace and Safety wording plus sudden destruction. Again, not for sure, just an intriguing possibility.
End of rabbit trail. But it's an interesting point to be sure.
TCC
Well-known
I'm against data setting. I must admit though I like the fact that people are doing crazy research. I just wish they we be ok with being themselves, instead of making it like they are prophets or something. It would be good if they even made it fun. Like, "I am going to give 10 guesses, after that, I shut the channel down." I understand the concern with the bad witness of letting people down. I don't like that part. But for me the greater issue is the charactorization of reality it supposes. It primes people to think dysunfunctionally about God.
Sure it misleads people about dates and timing and hope. But what it does is pretend it operates in the supernatural when it is just research. When Christ came He did not Phil 2:6-11. He did not think equating Himself with God was good if for His own benefit. Yet, oh my goodness, the flavor of the evangelical watcher world is kind of like a tap dance into how much supernatural glitter one can ware. That sets up a circus environment. Out of needy pride. Sold as biblical care, pastoring, protection, and spiritual insight. It presumes upon the good faith of others. And cheapens the nature of God to something like a solar energy pack stuffed in one's back pocket. In order to help one "glow."
I just think if we approached this with just like being able to offer things as research, instead of it being about how close were are to God in the know, we could be more beneficial. I don't exactly equate date setting as false prophets to the extent they clarify it may not happen. To me that removes them from false prophet status. Its the other mind games played all along the way that concern me far more. Blessings.
Crazy amounts of research is great, if it is in the Bible itself, mining for the nuggets, looking for hints and clues all over the Word of God.
I think that is one great aspect of waiting for the Rapture- we back up our belief in the pre trib Rapture itself using the Word. The more we dip in to see if these claims are true, the better we get to know the passages, the more Bible we learn the BETTER off we are.
The more we resist a hopeful date setter, by going to the Word and checking and listening to those who have examined the claims, the Better we know the Word!
Too often the date setters are relying on outside sources- NOT the Bible - this Joshua guy that began this whole craze, and inspired ones like Yousseff whats his name start with dreams and visions.
They start with a dream or vision or misapplication of Scripture and then go cherry pick Scriptures to back up their ideas.
The Joshua guy said Jesus appeared to him bodily, physically, right in front of him. Most of his fan club omit that. I don't know how Dr Barry Awe got past that when he enthusiastically endorsed this guy.
Yousseff that had the video that started this thread, didn't share where he got it or the fact that this guy that originated this set of dates, said Jesus appeared physically in front of him, and SAID that the Rapture would be on Sept 23 or 24th. Then all the other stuff that Yousseff and others talk about with the numbers etc that sounded so appealing.
Satan is a trickster. He knows that most of us wouldn't buy a personal visit from Jesus like that. But that if it was backed up by good sounding numbers and historical stuff and sounds biblical enough that most of us will at least give a second glance. Because we didn't realize it was coming from someone claiming to have a visit with Jesus who told him all this.
All most of us heard was the Youssef whats his name video or people quoting him. Not the Joshua guy that claimed Jesus told him.
Even now this should hopefully help solidify people in the Word, to understand where things went off the rails and be on our guard against such things. Keep a high value on Scripture and a low value on claims "God told me thus and thus".
As you said here: "Yet, oh my goodness, the flavor of the evangelical watcher world is kind of like a tap dance into how much supernatural glitter one can wear. That sets up a circus environment. Out of needy pride. Sold as biblical care, pastoring, protection, and spiritual insight. It presumes upon the good faith of others. And cheapens the nature of God to something like a solar energy pack stuffed in one's back pocket. In order to help one "glow."
I just think if we approached this with just like being able to offer things as research, instead of it being about how close were are to God in the know, we could be more beneficial."
You are so right. We must exchange the cheap glitter of the supernatural goosebumps for a solid understanding of the Word of God!
