This might be something of interest…
IntroductionAccording to Paul, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit, someday a group of people will suddenly rise from the dead. Another group, still living, will be whisked away – suddenly and decisively, like by someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize) by an open display of “force,” not covertly or secretly – to rooms prepared for them to be hidden from the time of God’s wrath. Then the Lord will punish the people of the Earth for their sins. Notice the wording in Paul’s teaching concerning what is commonly called the rapture:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10The timing of the RaptureFirst, I freely admit that I have no idea when the rapture will occur but based on contemplation, observation, research, and prayer, I feel that it is VERY close – keeping in mind that we’re on God’s timeline and
“…a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”Scripture states that,
“The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses,” and it is my understanding that this can be applied when using the Bible to support the validity an argument. With this in mind, please consider my first witness concerning the following celestial event described in Revelation 12:1-5:
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon (Satan), with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child (Jesus), one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne…”In the very beginning of the Bible, at the very beginning of time (Genesis 1:14), God tells us,
"Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years." It should not surprise us then that in the last book of the Bible, near the very end of time (Revelation 12), God uses stars as a sign and indicator of year and day.
According to astronomy computer program stellarium.org, on September 22/23, 2017, the moon will be in position under the feet of Virgo – a virgin
(“a woman”), the sun will be over the constellation overlaying it in sunlight
("clothed with the sun"), Jupiter (known as the king planet – Jesus King of Kings) will be between Virgo's legs
("a woman… crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth") and Mercury, Mars, and Venus will be in alignment next to her head, adding three 'stars' to the constellation Leo, forming a crown of twelve above Virgo's head. All four of these events and celestial bodies will be in place on those dates, fitting John's apparent description. This is a notable celestial event.
Adding to that, the third verse makes another celestial observation of the Draco constellation, noting that there is
"a great red dragon…before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.The constellation Draconis (The Dragon, or Serpent) is also called the red dragon because one of its stars (R Draconis) is a red Mira-type variable star – a pulsating variable star characterized by very red colors. It is a red giant star.
Lastly, in the fifth verse, a reference is made to,
“And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.”Strong's Concordance lists “caught up” as the word harpazo:
harpazó: to seize, catch up, snatch away
Original Word: ἁρπάζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: harpazó
Phonetic Spelling: (har-pad'-zo)
Definition: I seize, snatch, obtain by robbery.
HELPS Word-studies defines harpázō: properly, seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively – like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).
But, do all of the previously described verses mean that we can know the date of the Rapture? Consider our second witness:
“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.” Daniel 9:25Many scholars believe that the seven sets (49 years) and sixty-two sets (434 years) are sequential but my research has led me to believe that these may be two separate events: 1) the sixty-two sets (434 years) being the 398 BC decree to "rebuild Jerusalem" by Artaxerxes II mentioned in Ezra 7:11-26 to what my research leads me to believe was Jesus’ crucifixion in 30 AD; and 2) the seven sets (49 years) being from when Israel decreed the start to "rebuild Jerusalem" on June 6, 1969, two years after the 6-day war, to September 22/23, 2017, EXACTLY seven sets or 49 years. And this happens to be the Feast of Trumpets, the first of the fall feasts that many biblical scholars and others think may be the timing of the Rapture when the
“Anointed One comes.” (Jesus – remember Daniel 9:25)
So could the Rapture happen on September 22/23, 2017?
Who is raptured? For another perspective of the Rapture, all biblically based, look up Scott Clarke at Eternal Rhythm Flow (
https://www.youtube.com/user/eternalrhythmflow), watch the video that starts when you log on and the others under “Prophecy Autopsy | Revelation 12 Headquarters – Revelation 12 UNLOCKED! Now is the time to understand the greatest heavenly sign!” Take it for what’s it is worth but Scott postulates that God’s Church is the child in Revelation 12:1-5 and a lot of his video series confirms research that I have done on the subject and also points to a POSSIBLE Rapture of God’s Church in September 2017.
ConclusionsSo do these witnesses support the argument of a possible rapture occurring on September 22/23, 2017? Personally I think it may be sooner considering the “signs” but it does propose a compelling argument and once again I’m reminded that we’re on God’s timeline and “a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” But we are also admonished, especially considering all that is happening, that “…when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”
LastlyRegardless of when it is, the Rapture is going to happen. Are you ready for it? With that in mind, it is LOVE that leads me to tell you this, not hate – Hate says nothing.
Our sins have separated us from a righteous and holy God, but in His Mercy and love towards us He has made a way of being reunited with Him for all those who seek it. I am talking to you, right here and right now. God has an AMAZING gift for you, it costs you nothing but it caused Him to shed every drop of blood He had so He could purchase it for you. What is it? It’s your salvation.
So what does this mean? You can be saved – RIGHT NOW! Salvation is not a “magic bullet”, a “get out of jail free card”, or some “30 second prayer” someone gets you to pray. Salvation is a legally-binding transaction, as the Bible declares, when you the sinner take your sins to a sinless Savior – Jesus Christ – and you trade your sins for His Righteousness.
Jesus Christ was crucified, died, was buried and rose again on the THIRD DAY according to the Scriptures. He did all that for YOU, to buy your pardon to SET YOU FREE. All you have to do is accept that FREE GIFT. If you accept it, the Bible says the moment you die you will be with Christ in Heaven never to die again. How do YOU accept this free gift? Five simple steps:
1. Admit you are a sinner –
Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.2. Understand that as a sinner, you will die –
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. Believe that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead to save you from sin and death –
Romans 10:9-11; 13 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”…For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 4. Receive, in faith through Jesus, his free gift of salvation –
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 5. Repent by turning from your old life of sin to a new life in Jesus –
Acts 3:19-20 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.A last thought on the Rapture – Sound like today?“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business – eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” Luke 17:26-30