There recently has been a major increase in the number of new visitors to my blog from the interest in the May 21, 2011 speculation. Many of the new visitors may not have the time to read every single article that I have written, so the possibility exists that some people may get the wrong impression of my viewpoints towards certain subjects concerning Bible prophecy.
Today I want to clarify some things for the many new visitors to the blog who are checking it out for the first time and for those who have recently begun to read my articles.
A reader recently commented in reaction to my critique of the September 23, 2015 Rapture speculation that my blog has a “a tendency to try and debunk other revelations that has been given by God for all of our benefit”. A new visitor reading that comment, my article about the September 23, 2015 Rapture speculation, my articles on the Blood Moon Rapture speculation (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3), and my articles about the May 21, 2011 Rapture speculation might get the wrong impression that I am trying to debunk the idea that there will be a Rapture or every Rapture viewpoint in existence.
I want to make it clear that I am not trying to dispel every Rapture idea in existence. I was asked for my opinion about each of these topics, which are on the minds of a lot of people. I evaluated each of them based on my understanding of Bible prophecy. People may not like my conclusions, but I have to be honest when I see some problems with a specific theory like the May 21, 2011 Rapture theory.
- I don’t believe I would have written about these topics if I was not asked about them. I honestly did not hear about these topics until people mentioned them to me.
I believe that the Rapture will take place in the future. I believe true believers in Jesus Christ will not have to endure the wrath of God (which events constitute the wrath of God is a different topic all together):
- 1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
I believe many of the things that we need to watch for before the Rapture takes place are mentioned in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. From the clues provided in these chapters and others we can perhaps get an idea of the general timeframe when the Rapture can take place within the context of the End Times. However, I do not believe we are in a position to know the exact day and hour of the Rapture like some insist. Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 are definitive in my opinion that we are not in a position to know the exact timing of the Rapture:
- Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
- Mar 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
I do not believe the world is “ready” yet for the start of the End Times. I believe there are some events that still need to take place before the End Times/seventieth week of Daniel can begin. For instance,
- I believe we may need to see a breakdown in the global economic and financial system to create the political and social instability that could help the Antichrist arise as a person on a “white horse” who “solves” the world’s problems.
- I also believe we may need to also see greater Middle East instability in the future to create the “need” for someone like Antichrist to confirm the “covenant with many” mentioned in Daniel 9:27/the “covenant with death” mentioned in Isaiah 28:15.
I believe the world is in process of becoming more “ready” for the start of the End Times-especially these past several months. However, I believe more still needs to take place before the world is fully “ready”.
- A few weeks ago I published an article where I posed several questions I believe are important to consider when assessing where we are in relations to the start of the End Times/seventieth week of Daniel. If you have not read it, I think it’s good article that will help people reassess where they stand on where we are in relations to the End Times: Link
Recent events in Egypt and Libya got me very interested in the prophecies concerning Libya and Egypt. While studying these prophecies I realized that I needed to also take on the challenge of Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 since “Libya” is mentioned in Gog’s coalition (Ezekiel 38:5). The Egypt and Libya/Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 study has transformed into a massive undertaking where I am trying to account for the placement of several dozen Bible prophecy chapters into the End Times timeline.
- Therefore, my efforts in recent weeks have not been to critique various ideas about the Rapture’s timing, but to try to gain further understanding of several of the most challenging Bible prophecy chapters.
I want to end this article by saying that I do not know everything about what is going to happen in the future. Nobody knows everything-even those who sell millions of books and speak at major conferences don’t know everything. Bible prophecy is the biggest puzzle ever created and perhaps the most challenging one to try to piece together. The viewpoints I hold are based on my understanding of the ultimate puzzle so far, which has not been fully-pieced together by anyone yet.
- I’m trying my best to put as many pieces of the puzzle together as I can to help others understand what will take place and to help others in their quest to put the puzzle together also. Hopefully, I can share more of my results soon…
