Dear Doves,

Although I tend to waffle back and forth between certain Jewish feast days as candidates for the Rapture, I wanted to share another possibility.

The Bible likens people and groups to fruit bearing trees. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked .... He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither." Psalm 1:1-2. According to the notes of my study Bible for Jeremiah 40:10, grapes, figs and olives are harvested in Israel during the months of August and September. Israel is specifically compared to these Summer fruits. "When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree." Hosea 9:10. In the book of Romans, Paul distinguishes the Church from Israel. He compares Israel to an olive tree that had its branches temporarily broken off because of unbelief in the Messiah. In the meantime, Gentile believers are wild olive shoots that have been grafted into the tree. Paul warned however: "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved ..." Romans 11:25-26. Consequently, there will come a time when the Church will be ripe for harvesting – when a specific number of believers has been reached.

Jesus spoke about the Summer fruit harvest. "Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest?’ I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together." John 4:35-36. Since there is a period of 4 months between the harvest celebrations of Pentecost and Tabernacles, I believe that He was referring to the Summer. The interesting thing is that the harvest is already ripe. Could this mean that we will be harvested (i.e. raptured) sometime in the Summer?

According to the Bible, Israel will suffer through a final period of judgment after the Summer fruit harvest. "The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved." Jeremiah 8:20. And also: "This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. ‘What do you see, Amos?’ he asked. ‘A  basket of ripe fruit,’ I answered. Then the Lord said to me, "The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’" Amos 8:1-2. As a result of this suffering, Israel will be restored to the Lord. There is an interesting passage in Micah that describes the condition of the world after the Summer fruit harvest. "What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers Summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave. The godly have been swept from the land; not one upright man remains. All men lie in wait to shed blood; each hunts his brother with a net. Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire – they all conspire together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse  than  a  thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen has come, the day God visits you." Micah 7:1-4.  Although it may be a stretch, I believe that this passage makes reference to the Rapture. The Hebrew word for "swept from" is often translated "perish," which obviously has a bad connotation. But when I checked my Hebrew dictionary, I found that the word can mean "to cause to vanish." It is also used in connection with a lost object. When we leave this earth in the Rapture, we will vanish and people will look for us.  Since we are considered righteous to God because of our faith in Christ, the godly will literally be swept from the land when we are taken away.

I guess my point to writing this post is to say that excellent reasons can be made for putting the Rapture in the Spring, Fall or anytime in between. (I have a feeling that God did this on purpose :)  I just want to encourage everyone to stay alert for His coming at all times.  I truly believe that He is coming soon.

Maranatha!

– Lisa Taylor