Always Be Ready for the Unknown and Unexpected

Particularly in reference to what is called the Rapture, or Jesus’ return to the earth to suddenly catch away believers to Himself. If you believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture like I do, then it will occur before the coming seven-year judgment of Israel and the world known as the Tribulation.

Although Jesus was not at all vague about the subject, social media is awash with well-intentioned but sensational teachings that use all kinds of so called justifications that “prove” when Jesus is coming back. Even though Jesus specifically stated that no one knows the day or hour of His return, the prophetic landscape is replete with people who quickly deny that they are setting dates, but still use other means to point Christians to likely a particular “high alert season” of His return. They use gematria, Strong’s Concordance numbers (it’s a reference book, not a Bible), constellation/star positions, blood moons, solar eclipses, visions, dreams, supposed cryptic “clues or phrases” in scripture that reveal the time for the Rapture.

Stop, people. Just stop. Jesus described characteristics about His return four times in one chapter (Matt. 24), and twelve verses total in the New Testament:

 

Characteristic	# Verses	References
Day unknown	3	Matt. 24:36; Matt. 25:13; Mk. 13:32
Hour unknown	5	Matt. 24:36; Matt. 24:50; Matt. 25:13; Ml. 13:32; Lk. 12:46
Day unexpected	2	Matt. 24:50; Lk. 12:46
Hour unexpected	2	Matt. 24:44; Lk. 13:40

 

It is clear from scripture that Jesus said what He meant, and meant what He said. No one by the Father knows the day or hour of His return, and also that His return will be at an unexpected day or hour – which leads to my next point.

It has become popular over several decades to try to link the probability of Jesus’ return to a particular Jewish feast (feast= appointed time, or moedim). It is true that Jesus literally fulfilled the first four of seven feasts (Passover – crucifixion; Unleavened Bread – burial; First Fruits – resurrection; Pentecost – giving of the Holy Spirit), as signs pointing to Him as Messiah. It is reasonable to conclude that He will also fulfill the last three feasts literally as has been His pattern (Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles). But that’s where the link ends. Assuming that the Rapture must occur in conjunction with a Jewish feast, however, is a fallacy of logic. Some Messianic or Hebraic pastors teach that a rapture-like patterns, or qualities, exist within the feasts of Pentecost or Trumpets, and that the pattern is somehow prescriptive. While the Rapture may occur in conjunction with a Jewish feast, there is no scriptural demand that it must.

Basically, the feasts are for Israel only and cannot be linked scripturally to the Rapture of the church. Since the day and hour of the Rapture are up to the Father alone, and that Jesus will return at an unexpected time, it is reasonable to conclude that the Rapture will not occur in conjunction with a Jewish feast, or if it does, possibly on an unexpected feast such as Tabernacles, for example. Jesus’ return would also be unexpected after the Antichrist’s revealing. The context of 2 Thessalonians. 2:7-8 suggests that Rapture will occur before the revealing, and the revealing before the Tribulation. 

It is true that we are living in the season of the Lord’s return (1 Thess. 5:1-6), meaning that the preponderance of end-time signs have come to pass that favor the time frame of His return. When looking at the Jewish calendar, we have just concluded a shemitah (seven year period ending September 26, 2022), started a new shemitah and jubilee (50 year period), and have passed Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, or Day of Judgment). The coincidence of these potentially portend historic events for the nation of Israel within the next seven years. Many say the seven-year Tribulation is this current shemitah, but the Tribulation does not start with the new year (Feast of Trumpets), but with the peace treaty confirmation from the Antichrist to come.

So what are we left with scripturally? The commands to always be ready for the Savior’s imminent return at an unknown and unexpected time. Awareness and attention at all times is required:

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NASB) ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

 

1 John 3:2-3 (NASB) ² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

 

Are you ready?