A strange phenomena fueled by TikTok, a real desire to get out of here, and some mistaken theology has brought some attention to September 23 and today the 24. While it is currently only 10am on the 24th, so there still is time, but I am quite confident that the rapture will not happen today, just because somebody expects it.
What is the rapture and what do many think it is? The rapture is being taken from wherever you are to meet Christ as He comes. It is found in two passages in the Bible. The clearest is 1 Thessalonians 4:6-17:
16 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. 17 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 (ESV)
Take a look at the context given by verse 16. This is not at all a secret return of Christ. It is accompanied by a loud command, the voice of an archangel and the sound of trumpet. It is loud, noticeable, and accompanied by the resurrection of the dead. Hard to miss. Some end time theologies have Jesus coming secretly and basically evacuating people before a harsh punishment of the remaining inhabitants. That idea doesn’t fit this text, nor the rest of the Bible on this topic.
The other passage is in Matthew 24:
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
Matthew 24:36-41 (ESV)
The whole context of this passage is Jesus’ return on Judgment Day. Just previous to this passage you have the same features as in 1 Thessalonians (archangel, trumpet call). The “rapture” isn’t an evacuation. It is a part of God sorting people into two groups: those who are a part of Christ and have forgiveness of sins and those who don’t. Besides that the first verse is very clear about any forewarning of Jesus’ return. There is none. This information is not given out.
The current foolishness is about one person from South Africa who claims to have had a message from God identifying September 23 or 24. While I do not discount the possibility of God giving messages to people even today, I would rigorously test any such claim. Verse 36 above busts this claim for me. The Jehovah Witnesses and before them the Millerites have made similar claims in the past. I sure there are more. The desire to meet Jesus, the desire to be important, the desire to deceive people, Satan, mental illness, drug use could all produce a claim like this. Social media gives the ability to spread such delusions worldwide. That is why we need to be more rigorous in our being critical of religious, political, and even product claims than ever before.
Jesus will certainly come someday. If you are not already in Heaven and returning with Him, then you will experience “the rapture” if you belong to Christ. There is no particular preparation necessary than to be faithfully doing what Jesus asks of His disciples everyday. Expect no prophetic warning. Reject any claim of a biblical mathematical formula. Unfortunately, if God decides to exercise wrath against the general population, as Revelation describes, then there is also no promise to His people that we will be evacuated first. We are the reason why God delays or suspends such action until Judgment Day.
Giving Christ 