Summary of Bible references on the Rapture

Do not fall for this pathetic teaching:
We do not know how or when. the rapture is going to happen. We do not know. and we will not know.

I understand that is the interpretation of "no one knows the day or the hour", perhaps two verses in the entire Bible yield that interpretation.

But then what about "when you see these things happen look up for your redemption draws nigh" or "3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."

Or how about the "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." and "But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up."

and why is it that every time the Lord tells us that we don't know the day or hour He says that we need to watch therefore? "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." and "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." and "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:" and "And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

We learn that it was the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks that were given the heads up that Jesus was born.

We are also told "

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." and "

And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants."

In Hebrews we are told that Jesus is the same today, yesterday and forever and we know that in the Old Testament God didn't do anything without telling His prophets. We are also told that God tells us the end from the beginning because He alone is God and it is proof that He alone is God and we were told the day and hour that Jesus would be crucified, raised from the dead and ascend to heaven from the Holy Convocations that God instituted.

So yes, I am aware of the two verses that say we won't know the day or hour, but I am also aware of all the other verses on this subject and that Peter told us no verse is of its own interpretation. Everything must fit together.

Jesus told us it would be as the days of Noah and Lot. Yes, the people at those times did not know when it was coming. But Abraham did, Lot did, and Noah did. Being clueless only applies to those who are drunk on the world's stupefying wine.

The Lord rebukes those repeatedly who are caught by surprise

"And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."

And this does not even scratch the surface of the prophecies concerning the Day of the Lord. It is estimated that 25-33% of the Bible talks about that. Hosea tells us it is two days after Jesus leaves, Daniel, Amos, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Zechariah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Psalms, the four gospels, Revelation, 1 and 2 Thessalonians. It is impossible to cover all the prophecies. Ruth and Esther as well as Judges and Genesis give us shadows and types about it.

Are we supposed to ignore 33% of the Bible? Simply not study that word? The more I think about this moronic teaching the stupider it appears.

The entire life of David gives us a pattern for Jesus and that includes His second return. The coronation of Solomon gives us a pattern. Adonijah and Absalom and Nimrod and King Saul are all types and shadows of the Antichrist. Just ignore them?

Ahab and Jezebel and Jehu and several other kings of Israel give us an amazing pattern that correlates precisely to US presidents. I don't believe in coincidences, but if you don't believe that is prophetic then you have no other option than to believe in coincidences.

Ezekiel gives us very precise timeline to the year that the Jews return to Israel. Coincidence?

The word of God is a light unto my path, but we are supposed to ignore the light when the night is darkest? How stupid is that?

The first reference in the Bible to the rapture

Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Jesus is the light of the world. The start of His ministry is likened to the sun rising on people who sat in great darkness.

6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Waters in the Bible are often an analogy to people. There are several pictures in Revelation of the raptured saints standing on a sea, one on a sea of glass and another on a sea of fire. Imagine how big this is that it is virtually the first thing the Bible says and is also the conclusion of the Bible.

Hosea 6 says that the rapture takes place on the second day and so does Genesis. By day we understand both Genesis and Hosea to be referring to a thousand year period as the Bible says that a thousand years is like a day to God. So these prophecies don't tell us the day or the hour, they don't contradict the Lord's word, but they certainly do give us a time frame.

Everyone knows that Jesus was crucified between 30 AD and 34 AD, though I believe you can conclusively prove from the Bible it was 31 AD. The point being that for the Christians to be raptured before the second day concludes means it is before 2034 AD. If you place that as the potential end of the seven year tribulation that puts the seven year tribulation beginning by 2027, though I would argue it will be before the end of 2024.

The Galilean tradition of being betrothed and then needing to go prepare a place and having two years to do so is the New Testament model of the churches wedding to the Lord. Just because the day and hour might be a surprise, one would expect your betrothed to come visit you weekly while you work on the house and she would be able to see for herself how close you are to finishing. The only ones who would claim they don't know are those who don't have a relationship with their betrothed. Also the engagement is a legally binding contract that requires he come and get you before the two years are up. Again the idea that we cannot know when the Lord is coming does not hold up to scrutiny. Pentecost in the book of Acts when the Spirit was poured out is our engagement. The evidence is very persuasive that this was in 31 AD. That puts a 2,000 year deadline on the wedding expiring in 2031 AD.

The Galilean wedding ceremony lasts for seven days. That means 2024 would be the deadline for the Lord to come and snatch his bride.

One major flaw with "no one knows the hour"

I have spent a lot of time on this blog pointing out the differences between the three synoptic gospels and these differences are all consistent with Luke being for those taken in the pre-tribulation rapture, Mark for the tribulation saints and Matthew for the Jews. The flaw in the doctrine that no one knows the day or the hour of the pre tribulation rapture is that those verses are only in Mark and Matthew. They are not in Luke.

Instead this is what you have in Luke:

Luke 12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

and

Luke 12:46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Neither of these could be interpreted as "no one knows the day or the hour". Verse 40 indicates that we should not use our natural logic and verse 46 indicates that coming in a day when the servant is not looking for Him and at an hour that he is not aware is a punishment to the servant that says "in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;"

Definition of Christmas

Christ means anointed one. Mass means assembly of the believers.

Christ Mass means a gathering of the ones anointed by the Holy Spirit. That is what the pre-tribulation rapture is.

25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

This parable makes no sense. Imagine you are the bridegroom, you bride has ten bridesmaids, but you are delayed in coming to get her. As a result five of them are out of oil when you arrive, late. Are you really going to tell those five they are no longer welcome at the wedding?

So instead I want to use an analogy that I can understand. Think of Tom Brady. He is the backup quarterback to Drew Bledsoe, a star quarterback. It is reasonable to expect that he will not get into the game. Imagine how hard it is to prepare each week diligently when in most cases you wind up never playing. But then one day Drew is hurt and you are called on to take his place. Are you ready? Can you lead the team to victory? If so, you will return again next week and the week after and that will launch your career. But if not, you could very likely be let go. This I can understand.

No doubt if you are the pastor you will get into the word, and you will prepare a message. But what if you aren't, do you simply sit back and let someone else get the oil from the word for you? Why would they say "give us some of your oil", that must be how they have gone through their Christian life. They are sitting on the bench and are foolish. They aren't ready to enter the game so when they do go in it becomes clear they aren't ready and so they are let go.

But Tom Brady's attitude was "when I do get my chance I'll be ready and I won't be on the bench any longer". The same is true of Steve Young. He was backup to Joe Montana for years, but when he finally did go in he was a hall of fame quarterback. These are examples of "wise virgins". Their vessel was filled with oil and so when the pressure came they were ready to step up.

Why does the Lord delay His coming? Think about why Israel spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb were ready to go but they had to delay for forty years. What did Caleb say? He was every bit as ready forty years later as he was forty years earlier. The Lord knows what we need, we need training, we need time in the word, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Also, notice He comes in the dark of night. If you are Tom Brady or Steve Young when the star quarterback goes down it is not going to be a bright sunny day, it will be a dark night. Those are big shoes to fill, the spotlight is on you, and the other team will be like a terrifying army. Are you preparing for that moment? If so you are a wise virgin. If not you are foolish.

I don't believe the foolish virgins "go to hell" or any nonsense like that. Instead I believe they just don't make the first string.

At any given moment on Earth you have all 24 hours. If it is midnight at one place, it is noon at another. However, if we look at one year as one day at the North Pole then midnight is the winter solstice on December 21. It will be in about 8 hours of when I am currently writing this.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

Imagine a festival of lamps in the middle of winter. That is what Hanukkah is. If Jesus delays then we can imagine this takes place after Hanukkah is over.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

This is the story of Hanukkah, they didn't have enough oil and God performed a miracle so there would be enough oil.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Those who buy sound like the two oil trees in Zechariah, the two witnesses during the tribulation.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

They miss the pre tribulation rapture.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Think about that. Right now the door is open, but in an instant everything changes and if you aren't ready that door is shut.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

In other words the Lord spoke to the foolish ones and they ignored Him. He warned them, He told them they were being foolish but they completely ignored Him. They didn't know Him, they didn't know His voice, and so He in turn didn't know them.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

What "watch" means here is always be ready at the drop of a hat to step in with your light burning. This is what Paul told Timothy, be instant in season and out of season.

The Big question I have with the parable of the ten virgins is why is this in Matthew, a book specifically to the salvation of the Jews as a nation? This is not in Luke, a book specifically to those in the pre tribulation rapture. Likewise what is unique to Luke that is not in all the other books? It is the Christmas story.

Why do the Jews miss the pre tribulation rapture? They don't know the Messiah and they were foolish. They miss Him when He comes at the midnight hour which would be around the winter solstice, and around Hanukkah.

The days of Noah include the institution of Noahide laws imposed on the tribulation saints, those who had been drunk when the Pre tribulation saints were taken, their nakedness will be exposed and we are looking at intense persecution with heads chopped off and family members betraying one another.

The Holy Covenant

Daniel 11:28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

The Holy Covenant is the New Testament that was enacted with better blood and better sacrifices. This is not the covenant made with Noah nor is it the Old Testament law which was a shadow of the things which were to come and was being done away with.

After the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus God rejected them. The temple was unable to close the door, the curtain was ripped in two, and God no longer accepted the Atoning sacrifice.

Is Revelation 4:1 a reference to the rapture

4 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

There is a big problem if you interpret this as the rapture. When John is called up he sees many things that take place prior to the rapture and yet he is told from the beginning that the things he is seeing are to take place hereafter. So you have a timeline issue, how are things that take place before the rapture being described as things that happen after it?

2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

On the other hand if it is not the rapture then why are there 24 elders already up in heaven sitting around the throne?

5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

We are also told in Revelation that the seven lamps of fire represents the seven churches. So why are the churches in heaven if this is not the rapture?

Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

After the resurrection and ascension Jesus was raised to heavenly places, seated at the right hand of God.

Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

And we also are seated in heavenly places in Christ. The entire church age is one in which Jesus Christ is head over all things to the church. Since the church is also seated in heavenly things in Christ Jesus then the lampstand is also in the heavens.

Those 24 people seated around the throne, they were resurrected at the time of Jesus. They represent the 24 priestly services. The reason Jesus appeared the second time seven days after the first appearance is that He was sanctifying the temple in the heavens.

John gives us the book of Revelation from this heavenly vantage point because this is where all believers in the church age should be.

I consider this chapter like bookends to the church age. You can see the start of the church age here, and you can also see the end of the church age here. Does it look like the rapture, yes. But is it clearly a reference to the start of the church age, yes.

A Book of Remembrance

Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

This is a very important sign of the Lord. This is the chapter that says "behold I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me". At this time believers are speaking often to one another. This is what is taking place on this forum. God is listening to what they are saying, especially those that fear the Lord and that think upon His name. In this chapter God is a purifier of silver. That refers to those who are redeemed. The Lord's redemption is likened to silver, so if you have received the Lord as your redeemer you are like an ore of silver. However, you might only be 1% silver. To be refined you would be crushed, melted, and then have the dross separated from the silver. He is also like a fuller's soap, washing away the impurities. the chapter speaks of unrighteousness, covetousness, greed, people speaking against God and people complaining about God. That is the dross being refined away, that is the filth being washed away. This book of remembrance is what is left behind after all that is washed away.

Think of this blog with 430,000. You can cut and paste anything you wish and share it with others. Think about the videos on Youtube, you can write comments on the videos and share that with others. People watch one video and then comment on it, or respond to it, or do something else like have a live interview. This is not simply a preacher preaching and the congregation listening. Everyone is talking to one another.

Also the name represents the person and work of Jesus. That is the focus of the discussion.

Updated Rapture Timeline Chart 2025-2032

I think I can make some improvements to this but first look at what he has done and then I'll explain how we can nail down these dates with even more assurance.

I think if we can confirm the year of the crucifixion then we can look at these timelines with more assurance. Currently we feel very good that the crucifixion had to have been between 30 AD and 34 AD. The most compelling reason for 30 AD is that the Atoning sacrifice was not accepted beginning in 30 AD and for the next 40 years it was not accepted. Because of that many people think that Jesus was crucified in 30 AD, however, I feel that is a misunderstanding of the scripture.

The Jewish leaders were asked if Jesus was the Messiah and their official determination was that no, He was not because the miracles He was doing was not a result of the Holy Spirit working in Him but rather by Beelzebub. He was casting out demons by the prince of the demons. Jesus told them that this was an unforgiveable sin. You can question the Son of Man and be forgiven, but if you reject the work of the Holy Spirit as being from God then there is no longer any hope of forgiveness. This judgement by both the Pharisees and Jesus on them took place as the Lord's ministry spent his last six months in Judea. This judgement by the Lord Jesus on them of having committed the unforgiveable sin was given prior to the day of Atonement and that is why, in my interpretation, the atoning sacrifice was not accepted. God was giving them a sign that Jesus was the Messiah and giving them a chance to repent prior to the crucifixion.

Jesus told them that the only sign they would be given would be the sign of Jonah. Everyone connects that with the crucifixion and resurrection, and that is true. However, Jonah went through Nineveh saying in 40 days they would be overthrown. Jesus and His disciples went through Jerusalem and Judea for 40 years beginning with Jesus telling them they had committed the unforgiveable sin, telling them to repent. Then exactly 40 years to the day that Jesus told them they had committed the unforgiveable sin the Temple was destroyed on the 9th of Av in 70 AD. Therefore I conclude that Jesus was crucified in 31 AD and beginning in that year the Jewish leaders began to receive 39 lashes from God. According to the custom and the law of Moses the most lashes you can give is 40, to make sure they don't give too many they would give 39. The lashes were more serious than simply not accepting the atoning sacrifice. The door of the temple would not close, the curtain was ripped, the sacrifice was not accepted, and often the priests would die.

If we use 31 AD as our crucifixion date then ascension day in 31 AD is when Jesus left and 2,000 years later according to Genesis 1 and Hosea 6 He returns. That is 2031 and would precede Armageddon which I would presume would be in the summer of 2031. Seven years prior to this we should have the start of the seventieth week with a confirmation of the covenant with the many. I believe that is the Pact for the Future that was adopted by the UN on the Feast of Trumpets in 2024 (October 2). This strengthens the covenant known as Agenda 2030 which was adopted by the UN on the Feast of Trumpets in 2023. One would think such a momentous event by the UN would have been front page news, but Jesus told us they would creep in like a thief in the night and that most people would be sleeping. So then if this had been front page news with all the main stream media talking about it that would not fit the prophecy.

But what about the pre tribulation rapture? We call it the "pre tribulation" rapture because in Revelation 3:10 we are told that Philadelphia would be kept from the hour of trial. There is no prophecy anywhere that says the church will be taken prior to the UN strengthening the seven year covenant. The Lord also told us that the period of tribulation was shortened so that the elect could be saved. The seven year period cannot be shortened, that is a legally binding contract. That indicates to me that the tribulation does not start at the beginning of the seven years. Since the "pre tribulation" rapture is really the "pre hour of trial" rapture that means that the "pre tribulation" rapture takes place less than seven years before the Day of Atonement.

Personally I think the midnight cry is a reference to the winter solstice as that is when it would be "midnight" for the entire northern hemisphere (about 90% of the world's population). I expect Putin's warning of an imminent nuclear attack to be that midnight cry. We might also see Isaiah 17 fulfilled as well with Damascus becoming a ruinous heap.

According to the Galilean wedding practice Jesus betrothed the church on the day of Pentecost in 31 AD. That is the 8th of AV. He needs to have the snatched his bride within two years, or in this case 2,000 years. So 2031 AD is when I expect Armageddon.