But we see Jesus
Obviously Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected and He is the chief cornerstone, the capstone.
However, Philadelphia, the church that is raptured is composed of those who were forced to go out previously because they are given the promise that they will not have to go out again. This indicates that like Antipas they were rejected. No doubt Jezebel and Balaam rejected them. Hebrews says that we should go outside the camp to where Jesus is. Galatians says that "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me". This raptured church is one with Christ, one with Him in His crucifixion, one with Him in going outside the camp, one with Him in being rejected by this evil and adulterous age. So then let's look at this parable as being prophetic concerning the rapture of the church.
9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
Do you see this! What is the rapture, it is God giving the vineyard to "others". It is also, at the same time, God destroying the wicked husbandmen.
17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
There are two sides to this event. You have those who fell upon the stone, they were broken, wrecked for the Lord. These ones are raptured, they are the stones that the builders of this evil age rejected. However, Jesus chose them. But at the same time He reveals who He has chosen He also falls on those evil builders and grinds them to powder.
So instead of asking when the rapture is, why not ask when do we see this dichotomy and when do we see false prophets ground to powder and what would be the single best day to send that message to God's people who are left behind? We do see this on the 9th of AV with Joshua and Caleb. Today we all think of Caleb as this very strong man who said he was as strong at 80 as he was at 40 and he asked for a stronghold of the Philistines as his inheritance because he wanted to take it. But all of that was after this event when he was spying out the good land. I don't think the other ten spies viewed Caleb with that kind of respect, he wasn't a Jew. With Joshua there was probably some jealousy and with Caleb there might have been some disrespect. What is very clear is that those ten spies thought their opinion was very important. They had a very high opinion of themselves. They were not sent into the good land to spy it out to see if Israel could defeat the inhabitants. The very idea that they would say they couldn't was a complete insult and slap in the face to God who had done all this to bring them to this point to give them this land. They were not the general, they were spies sent by God, who was the general, the one leading them in this campaign.
When I read the account I get the impression that Joshua and Caleb are surprised and shocked by this turn. At first they are describing how wonderful the land is that God has brought them to, which was their job. Then all of a sudden they are saying we can't take this land, that was not the job. Conquering the land, that was God's job, witnessing what you saw, that was their job. Joshua and Caleb, they did their job, they were faithful servants. But these ten were like the evil husbandmen who beat the Lord's servants, or like the builders that rejected Jesus, the capstone.
One thing I have noticed about championship games in all sports, both teams are really good. I remember when Michael Jordan was playing each team they played in the Championship was really good. Magic Johnson and the LA Lakers, it is OK to talk about how good they were. They played Utah twice with Stockton and Malone, it is OK to talk about how good they were. They played Portland when they had Clyde Drexler who at the time was considered one of the elite players of the day. They played the Suns when they had Charles Barkley, MVP caliber player. In every case it would be OK to look at the opposing team and say how great they were. Yet, take a look at your team, you have Michael Jordan, you have Scottie Pippen, maybe you had Dennis Rodman, etc. Winning the championship is glorious because you defeat a worthy opponent. This is what the spies should have been focused on. Yes, we are going against giants, and yes if it was just us we would not have a chance, but we have Jesus on our team. We have the king of kings and Lord of Lords. We have the lion of the tribe of Judah.
So then, what day on the Jewish calendar would be the best day to let those left behind know that God was displeased with them, that they had insulted Him, and that these ones whom He has raptured, they alone were the ones that could say "But we see Jesus".