I’ve read previous accounts and I think there is a good basis for thinking that this Jewish festival (Festival of the Trumpets or whatever it’s called) will be the time when something big happens (rapture, Jesus comes back, etc.). I get confused in the whole order of events, and it sounds like there are various opinions on the order.
But - to say it will be THIS YEAR or 36 years from now I would tend to say forget it. I had no idea what this was all about so I found some website. Another Christian and an astronomer. He was dissing it. He talked about how “the ten stars” or whatever that get brought into play is a big stretch no matter how people go about numbering them.
One of his comments was something like “And some youtubers say it is the 10 stars of the constellation xyz. Most of them then bring up the starchart in ACME Stars Software which shows the 10 stars. However, there are actually 12 stars in that constellation, so right there it is wrong...”
Of course I might see Jesus on Saturday - or ten minutes from now for that matter.
Back in college I knew a guy from Bible study, if he woke up during the night for any reason he would jump out of bed and look out his window in anticipation of Jesus’ return! When he first mentioned it I thought he was nuts. He later explained that he didn’t REALLY think he would see Jesus (or miss Him if he slept) - but it was more just the idea of discipline. He was using the “thief in the night” verse as motivation. He did it for a full year!
[[He talked about how “the ten stars” or whatever that get brought into play is a big stretch no matter how people go about numbering them.]]
I’ve seen that site- but what he doesn’t mention is the fact that several other ‘signs’ and timelines all culminate at the same time- and no- it’s not a big stretch- the number of stars- there’s another site which refutes his claims-
Will it happen tomorrow? Who knows- I hope so- but if not- We’ll all carry on as usual and await the rapture hopefully during our lifetime- Will our world be turned upside down if it doesn’t? Nope- Sunday will be just like any other day for us- except we’ll be a little disappointed of course- but the fact is there are some very interestingness signs and timeliness that all culminate now- at the very least- it’s interestingly curious-
Interesting story about the college guy in your Bible study. His zeal is appealing.
The biggest problem with the secret-rapture is that it prevents people from being ready for Jesus’ return. The way to be ready is to live a life of agape love, first toward God and then toward the people all around us. Sadly, the secret-rapture people are so caught up in their preoccupation with trumpets and signs that they don’t understand what it means to love one another as Jesus loved us—much less to put that command into practice.
ANYTHING that gets between us and loving one another is a stumbling block. The secret-rapture obsession is only one such distraction.