The Time of the Fruit
Matthew 21:34 But when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his bondmen to the husbandmen to receive his fruits.
The rapture prior to the tribulation is often referred to as “the first fruits”. The saints who are raptured are an offering to God.
The Manner of the Time
1Peter 1:11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which [was] in them pointed out, testifying before of the sufferings which [belonged] to Christ, and the glories after these.
Some prophecies tell us the manner of the time.
1Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit speaks expressly, that in latter times some shall apostatise from the faith, giving their mind to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons
This verse is an example of the manner of the time. The apostasy from the faith is a very big sign that we are at the end of the age.
2Timothy 3:1 But this know, that in [the] last days difficult times shall be there;
Here is another example of a prophesy concerning the manner of the time.
What we share now can help those who are left behind
2Peter 1:15 but I will use diligence, that after my departure ye should have also, at any time, [in your power] to call to mind these things.
Conclusions
Matthew 21:34 But when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his bondmen to the husbandmen to receive his fruits.
The rapture prior to the tribulation is often referred to as “the first fruits”. The saints who are raptured are an offering to God.
The Manner of the Time
1Peter 1:11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which [was] in them pointed out, testifying before of the sufferings which [belonged] to Christ, and the glories after these.
Some prophecies tell us the manner of the time.
1Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit speaks expressly, that in latter times some shall apostatise from the faith, giving their mind to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons
This verse is an example of the manner of the time. The apostasy from the faith is a very big sign that we are at the end of the age.
2Timothy 3:1 But this know, that in [the] last days difficult times shall be there;
Here is another example of a prophesy concerning the manner of the time.
What we share now can help those who are left behind
2Peter 1:15 but I will use diligence, that after my departure ye should have also, at any time, [in your power] to call to mind these things.
Conclusions
- Based on the signs in the heavens with the Sun, Moon and Stars a very strong case can be made that the Tribulation begins after the Summer of 2021 and the rapture takes place before then.
- Based on the Fig Tree prophecy a strong case can be made for everything to be fulfilled by May 14, 2028, and therefore the tribulation begins in 2021.
- The Fig tree prophecy also indicates that this will take place in the summer, saying clearly that “you know that summer is near”.
- Jeremiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. I understand Jeremiah as the prophet speaking to those left behind after the first rapture. And so I see this also as being a strong indicator of a summertime rapture.
- Song of Songs 2:10 My beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over, it is gone: 12 The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land; 13 The fig-tree melloweth her winter figs, And the vines in bloom give forth [their] fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away! These verses also suggest late spring or summertime.
- There are 4 big appointed times that would fall in this late spring or summer time.
- The first is Shavuot which I have ruled out because everyone must appear, however, I do think it depicts the ascension of Jesus Christ. This brings in a little confusion because the account is somewhat confusing in the Bible, but if you believe that ascension day would be an appointed time, which I do believe, then it was certainly Shavuot. You can also go to Hebrews 12 and a few other places to make a stronger case for this.
- The second is Pentecost. Once you conclude that the ascension was on Shavuot then 50 days later is Pentecost, the new wine festival and this fits much better with the account in Acts. That would mean that this festival has been fulfilled. It also means that the church age is the age of the New Wine which are put into New Wine skins. In other words we have the New Testament ministry and the Church.
- The 9th of Av -- This is the day the spies gave an evil report and from that day on the Lord appointed this day as a perpetual day of crying. It was not fulfilled once, but rather again and again. For example the first and second temples were destroyed on this day. I think that is very significant as the 9th of Av is coming up on August 16th or 17th and perhaps the temple for Democracy in the US will be destroyed on this day. It was also the day that the order for the Final solution was given. The word for rapture has the meaning of being snatched away from certain doom like those old movies where the guy in the white hat would rescue the girl tied to the train tracks right before the train comes. I would not at all be surprised if you see saints standing in the breach against this oncoming train that will surely destroy them on this day only to be snatched away in the rapture. Consider the verse that “he which restrains steps aside and then the man of evil is revealed”. I could see this all coming to head on the 9th of Av. That said I cannot see any reason in all the Bible and world history concerning this day that the rapture would take place on the 9th of Av. It is called the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, there are too many verses concerning the rapture likening it to the happiest day and being snatched away by the bridegroom to be married. Marriage is forbidden on the 9th of Av.
- This leaves the 15th of Av, (around August 22nd) the happiest day on the Jewish calendar (along with the day of atonement) and a very auspicious day to get married. It takes place during a full moon which many have theorized the rapture would take place on a Full moon (the moon signifies the church and the full moon would have her lamp lit). It is not a festival for all the Israelites but rather for the maidens to go out into the vineyard and dance, again being suggestive of the pretribulation rapture. They all wear white which again is symbolic of the pretribulation rapture. Two very big events happened on this day, though one is not recorded in the Bible precisely but is part of Jewish lore. After God cursed the spies so that all Israel would die in the wilderness they would all dig graves on the 9th of Av and sleep in them and some would die in the night. When this curse was lifted no one died, but they weren’t sure they had calculated the day right so they continued to sleep in the graves until the Full moon, the 15th of Av and that is when they knew the curse was lifted. So, “the dead in Christ will rise first” and at the rapture we know the “curse is over”. The second is this horrible story about the Tribe of Benjamin being very sinful, the other 11 tribes deal with them and they almost exterminate them. Since no one would willingly give their daughters to them for wives they told them to go out in the vineyard on the 15th of Av and steal brides. This touches on the Lord coming as a thief at a time when you don’t know. But it says something else about the condition of the church, there is an apostasy that finally crosses a “red line”, the believers can no longer tolerate this so they stand up, and these virgin daughters are “an offering to God to make atonement”.