Okay, it’s a better day today. That means you all get another Steve post. LOL! The question in the title of this post was asked on Sunday, so I thought I would take some time to answer it here. It’s a little departure from the types of posts I have been doing lately, but it seems relevant, with current events in Israel being what they are.
CAUGHT UP
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.”
“We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the Earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then, we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.”1
NOTHING TO FEAR
We do not need to fear the Rapture or any study of the end times. For the followers of Christ, we are looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.2 The Rapture doctrine and the events surrounding it should not cause us to hide in fear but to start expectantly watching while we are busy going about our lives. It’s a hopeful expectation, not wishful thinking.
DATE SETTING
Here is where we run into a problem. Jesus told us not to set dates for the Rapture. Jesus said, “But about that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”3 The Rapture is a signless event, meaning it could have happened any moment since the Church Age began in Acts 2. The imminence of the Rapture means that it will happen suddenly and unexpectedly, catching everyone by surprise. Nothing has ever had to happen before the Rapture could occur.
That, no doubt, raises some questions because Jesus said, “The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”4 However, he also said, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.”5 How can we know and not know? The answer is that Jesus said we would not know the exact time of his return, but there are things we can watch for that will let us know when we are in the season of his coming.
DOES THE WAR IN ISRAEL POINT TO THE RAPTURE?
The events happening in the world over the last three years, especially the recent attack in Israel and Israel’s response, have some people wondering if we are in the end times. But this is, again, where I would point out that nothing has to happen before the Rapture can occur. I heard Pastor Jack Hibbs explain it this way: Thanksgiving is, for the most part, a signless holiday. By that, I mean there are no Thanksgiving carols, Thanksgiving lights, and all of that. However, Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. So when Christmas songs start playing, when you start seeing Christmas decorations in the stores, when you start seeing the decorations on display, you know that Christmas is near. Therefore, Thanksgiving must be closer.
That’s how it is with the Rapture. No specific signs are given concerning the Rapture of the Church. But the Bible gives us plenty of signs to know when we are in the season of end-time events. As for whether the current conflict was prophesied in the Bible, it is not, but it could lead to something that is. The next Middle East war prophesied in the Bible is from Ezekiel 38-39, which describes Russia and its Arab allies coming against Israel. When they do, God will supernaturally destroy the attacking armies to show his power to the world and show Israel, which has been an increasingly secular culture for a while, that he is still their God, and he is the one that is bringing them back into their homeland, a process he started in 1948 after 1,878 years of absence. National Israel will not immediately turn to Christ,6 but eventually, all the Jews still alive by the end of the Tribulation will be saved.7
Prophecy students place these events from Ezekiel 38-39, called the Gog-Magog war, at different places on the prophecy timeline, depending on who you ask. I think there is a strong possibility that the Church could still be on Earth to witness God’s miraculous deliverance of Israel. There are a couple of reasons off the top of my head for why I think this:
The Antichrist makes a seven-year treaty with Israel that begins the Tribulation.8 He will break the treaty at the halfway point and seek to destroy them, though he will fail, just as all others who’ve tried have and will fail.
Those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up. For seven years, they will use them for fuel.9 If the Tribulation that immediately precedes the return of Christ will last seven years, then it would not make sense that Israel would still need to burn weapons for fuel all seven years if this attempted sneak attack happened during the Tribulation. Why would Israel still need the fuel if Jesus had already returned?
APPLICATION
We should pay attention to current events, especially those related to Bible prophecy.
Doing so should not cause fear but expectancy. Jesus told us these things not so we could be annoying date-setters for his return when he specifically warned us against doing that. But we are to understand the times so we can be ready and not be caught off guard like those who do not understand the signs of the times.
Paul said this in one of his letters to the Thessalonians about being alert and not caught off guard by end-time events like those who remain unaware. “Now, concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you, for you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, ‘Everything is peaceful and secure,’ then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.”
“But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”10
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NKJV
Titus 2:13 NKJV
Matthew 24:36 NIV
Matthew 24:44 NIV
Luke 21:28 NIV
Daniel 9:27
Romans 11:26
Daniel 9:27
Ezekiel 39:9 NIV
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 NLT
"The Rapture is a sign less event, meaning it could have happened any moment since the Church Age began in Acts 2."
This statement cannot be true. there are clear prophecies that were given that had to be fulfilled. For instance, before the events of Acts 2, Jesus prophesied about the manner of death of Peter. John 21:18-19
Additionally, Agabus prophesied about a great famine that was to take place in the earth. And he also prophesied about Paul being delivered into the hands of the Gentiles.
Given these prophecies must be fulfilled, one must establish another beginning point. In order to do that, it becomes arbitrary and meaningless. So, this whole concept, imminence or at-any-moment, should be seriously reconsidered. Certainly, it is at one moment, a twinkling of the eye, determined by the Father alone.
Just one other thing. The definition of Imminence or Imminent inherently speaks to an indication of the event occurring. Imminent danger, imminent birth, imminent death: every imminent event has something that indicates it is near. Trying to change a word's clear meaning simply creates confusion.