The Rapture

Most Christians are convinced that the end times foretold by Jesus will occur soon. All the signs that were prophesied seem to be converging.

However, some Christians incorrectly think that things have to get much worse before the Rapture can occur. They wrongly believe that the Tribulation will trigger the Rapture. They have cause and effect reversed. Rather than an increase of evil causing the Rapture, I believe the occurrence of the Rapture will cause the increase of evil.

That is because in 2 Thessalonians 2 (which clearly is talking about the Rapture), Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit is now restraining evil, but when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the world (when we who are sealed by the Holy Spirit meet Jesus in the air at the Rapture), there will be nothing or no one to restrain evil. As a result, evil will run rampant. Satan will no longer have to ask permission from the Father to do his dirty work like he had to in the book of Job chapters 1 & 2.

Therefore evil will have a period of time (perhaps two or three years?) to multiply until things get truly awful—Hell on earth! So when the antichrist appears and seems to offer respite from the chaos, he will be warmly accepted.¹ He will make his seven year covenant with Israel and this is what starts the Tribulation.

So we should be ready and waiting for Jesus to call us home. It may be soon.

When will that occur? No one (not even Jesus²) knows exactly but we have some strong clues from Scripture. God gave Israel seven Feasts which were prophetic of important events to come. The first four (the Spring Feasts) have already been fulfilled. The last three (the Fall Feasts) have not yet been fulfilled. The next Feast to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets³ (Rosh Hashanah⁴) which foretells the Rapture. It could occur any time.

By the way, the Spring Feasts God ordained are as follows:

1. Passover foretells Jesus’ death on the cross.
2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread prophesies our freedom from sin.
3. The Feast of First Fruits tells us about Jesus’ resurrection.
4. The Feast of Weeks portends the giving of the Holy Spirit.

Since these Spring Feasts have already occurred as prophesied, we can be absolutely confident that the remaining Feasts will also. As already mentioned, the last three Fall Feasts are still to be fulfilled.

5. The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) predicts the Rapture.
6. Yom Kippur foretells the salvation of the Jews.
7. The Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth) represents Christ setting up His eternal kingdom.

This is an exciting time in which we live! Come Lord Jesus.⁵

^{Photo Attribution: nik – unsplash.com}

Footnotes

1. See “Israel’s false messiah“ by Drew Berding
2. Matt 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
3. Ps 81:3-4, Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
4. Lev 23:23-25, Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 ‘You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.'”
5. Rev 22:20, He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.