Hi Everybody,
I just read an outstanding article on the Anakypto Forum
by Neil Lipkin, a messianic Jew end-times prophecy expert
(gee, I like this guy already just based on his title),
about what triggers the rapture. He has a really
fascinating idea, which he backs up with a lot of solid
scripture. What if the rapture isn't tied to one
of the Jewish feasts? What if it is tied to the
"sudden destruction" instead? When you stop and think
about it, this really makes a lot of sense. It also
ties up some loose ends that didn't seem to fit too well in
prophecy.
Something has always bothered me when I try to picture
God finally pulling the trigger that starts the
rapture. Something like 7 people on average die every
second on the earth, so there is a constant trickle of souls
arriving in heaven all the time. If God were to pull
the trigger there will be someone who will be the last soul
to make it into heaven as the Age of Grace slams shut.
There will also be that soul (or souls) that missed it by a
split second, as well as many souls who missed it by just a
few more seconds. I would think that it would be
pretty tough for God to pull that trigger, knowing that
every second He delayed allows more souls to make
it to heaven. On the other hand, if God were to pull
out the Restrainer (Holy Spirit), then in a matter of a very
short time the free will of evil in men will, most
certainly, push the button that will start the war that will
bring the "sudden destruction." It will not be God who
determines the precise instant that the Age of Grace ends,
it will be man. God will come to the rescue by
allowing the Groom to snatch away the Bride at the last
possible instant.
When you stop and think about it, if the rapture were
tied to one of the Jewish feasts, there would be a
relatively small window as to when the rapture could occur
each year. If the rapture were tied to the moment the
"sudden destruction," then the day and hour would truly be
something that no man could know the day or hour of.
It could also be something that we could truly watch for by
knowing the seasons and watching the development of current
events in the world.
Here is the article I was talking about. At the end
of the article is a link to an hour long video that talks
about what is in the article. This guy is really
impressive to read, and even more impressive to listen to:
Carl Worline