Dear friends:

I think I know when the rapture will be.  No joke!

No, I do not know the day or hour, which some preach to be forbidden knowledge.  However, the context of the day-and-hour restriction is nebulous and it may not be referring to the rapture at all.

I believe the rapture timing may be hidden in the following passage:

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.  (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).

Right now, the world is crying out for "peace and safety" (or security) in the Middle East, always at Israel's expense, even though the Arabs still will not even acknowledge Israel's right to exist.  A peace agreement may be near.  When it comes, that will trigger the "sudden destruction," and "they shall not escape."  The trigger may be ceding God's covenant land to terrorists.

It does not say "we" shall not escape, but it says "they" shall not escape.  "We" do escape, via the rapture.

I believe this places the rapture simultaneous with or near the sudden destruction and the beginning of the Tribulation.  Confirming this, in the very same passage it says, "God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,"  The Greek word for salvation here (soteria) also means "deliverance, preservation, safety."

The nearness of this event is indicated by the explosive geopolitics in the Middle East today.  This includes Iran's near nuclear capability and Israel being surrounded by heavily armed, hostile and rabid Arab neighbors.  By any estimation, all hell is about to break loose there.

When will this "sudden destruction" be?  It could be very soon.

So what shall we do?

"But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."

Watch and be sober.  Be comforted!

Jim