ARE WE THE GENERATION THAT WILL SEE...
Written by JR Mayhugh Jr
The Rapture and the Second Coming?
1 Thessalonians 4:17 - "...caught up..."
Study and figure it out for yourself, but I’m giving you my “Reader’s Digest” version of two significant events coming soon. The Lord has already given to us everything, and more, concerning the clear signs of the fact that He's coming back, but I'll start with one of the major purposes for The Rapture. Using a simple “Jim parable” in my quick look at the only untimed event in the Bible, keep in mind that in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, the phrase ...caught up..." was translated from the Greek word harpazo, and in Latin - rapiemur (where the English translation is rapture).
A Tale of a Gentile Wedding
Let’s suppose there was a father and mother who knew their son’s love for his fiancé was tested and tried, therefore helping them to give their blessing of approval. The parents could see the actions and emotions between their son and his fiancé were going in the right direction, and it brought them great joy.
They began preparations for the wedding and the celebration to follow, with all of the fun in getting ready. Then finally, on that wonderful day after the invited crowd watched the bride get escorted by her father to the central scene for the ceremony, the father acknowledged the surrender of his daughter to his soon to be son-in-law. The couple turned then faced the preacher.
“If anyone here objects to this wedding, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the preacher said.
During the silence, the preacher scanned the church for any hints or clues of response. Then, he displayed a confused look as he watched the bridegrooms father and mother stand and approach their son.
“We need to step outside for a brief moment,” the father said as he grabbed his son’s arm.
“Dad, Mom, what’s going on?”
The mother stood between their son and the bride. “Please, it’s important.”
The bridegroom looked at his bride then at the preacher, who lifted his head towards the gathered.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll take a short break and begin the ceremony briefly,” the preacher said.
The bridegroom and his parents walked into a room off to the side at the front of the church and closed the door. The father stepped to his son and placed his hands on his arms with a sincere gaze.
“We’re not sure she’s ready for you. We insist she be tested again, just to make doubly sure what you did to ensure she's worthy enough to join the family is obvious."
“Wait…what?” the son asked.
The End
Does the tale of the Gentile wedding sound familiar? I hope not, because I’m certain, you’re fairly certain, it’s never happened. But some may believe that it will – soon. But to whom?
Ask yourself: Do we, the saved, have to be tested twice? In other more specific words, would God the Father allow His Son’s chosen bride, who has been saved by grace through faith, tested and tried, go through the most horrendous events in world history, full of God’s wrath meant for the unrepentant, known as the Tribulation?
Let’s look at something for a moment. Revelation 3:10 (NASB) says, “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world (the 7 year Tribulation beginning in Revelation 6), to test those who dwell on the earth.”
Don't forget what He did for Noah (Genesis 6) and Lot (Genesis 19:1-25).
According to the Bible, those that have believed in Jesus (Romans 10:8-13) before the Tribulation begins will not suffer wrath: John 3:36; Romans 1:18; Romans 2:8; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:5-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10; Revelation 16:1-2; Revelation 16:19
Doesn’t the “Tale of a Gentile Wedding” sound like something God wouldn’t do?
If you’re confused, or your jaw is tensed so tight that you're ready to leave, but just may be a little curious and open to a little more in-depth look at the timed event in the Bible, please humor me!
The Second Coming
The best place to start, is with Israel. If you leave Israel out of eschatology (study of the end-times)– then don’t bother studying end-times prophecy at all. So let’s begin.
Matthew 24:32-34
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place."
1. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:32 about “the parable from the fig tree”.
2. The “fig tree” is a reference to Israel (Hosea 9:10; Jeremiah 8:13; Jeremiah 24; Micah 4:4).
3. Israel (Matthew 24:32 – “…become tender and puts forth its leaves…”) became a nation on May 14, 1948.
4. The “generation” (Matthew 24:34) to see the fig tree put forth its leaves (blossom), should still be alive today.
a. A generation for man was determined by the Lord in Psalm 90:10 – 70 to 80 years of age for an individual.
b. Therefore, the generation of individual Jews who were alive in 1948, would see the Messiah (but for context here, it ultimately means the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation).
5. 80 years after May 14, 1948 = May 14, 2028 (farthest extent of the Second Coming occurring, according to the 70 to 80 years variable).
6. If 2028 is the year for the Second Coming, then the 7-year Tribulation could begin no later than 2021. But – please stay with me for a minute!
Through the minds of the Apostles, they obviously had knowledge of the 7 Feasts
Leviticus 23:1-2
The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations - My appointed times are these:”
These “appointed times” for The Lord have been celebrated as 7 feasts since the time of Moses, on the appointed Jewish calendar dates (which is generally recognized as a 360-day calendar as an average. Their calendar is the most accurate according to scientists because it’s based on the cycles of the moon). Even to this day, Jew's that don't know Jesus don’t realize yet that the feasts are sign-post markers in history of major events pointing to Him, but one day soon, and very soon, they will!
First of all, Jewish months fall on or between the Gentile months. For the purposes of this article, the feast months are given:
Nisan = March/April
Sivan = May/June
Tishri = September/October
The years you’ll see later in this article are different as well. The Jewish “year” signifies the age of the earth. For example, the current Gentile calendar year is 2021, but the Jewish calendar indicates 5781 (and in the Jewish world the years are not 100% agreed on, some think there is a 165-year discrepancy, and that’s another interesting lesson itself).
Spring Feasts
1. Passover – Nisan 14-15
2. Unleavened Bread – Nisan 15-22
3. First Fruits – Nisan 16-17
4. Pentecost – Sivan 6-7
Fall Feasts
5. Trumpets – Tishri 1
6. Atonement – Tishri 10
7. Tabernacles – Tishri 15-22
7. Jesus’ prophesied major events were fulfilled on the first 4 of 7 Jewish Feasts (which are meant to point to Him to begin with) - precisely on the appointed Jewish calendar dates:
Feast of Passover Fulfilled! His crucifixion on Nisan 14 in the spring of 32 A.D.
Feast of Unleavened Bread Fulfilled! His burial in the tomb on Nisan 15 in the spring of 32 A.D.
Feast of First Fruits Fulfilled! His resurrection on Nisan 17 in the spring of 32 A.D.
Feast of Pentecost Fulfilled! He sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost on Sivan 7 in the summer of 32 A.D.
8. In order for the upcoming final 3 Feasts recorded in the Bible to be fulfilled, it’s safe to say they would continue the pattern of “exact dates” on the Jewish calendar. I assume you agree?!
The next prophetic Feast of Trumpets – unfulfilled on a Tishri 1 (so far)
It would take more than this article to explain the Second Coming, but I'm using it here because it’s my personal belief – and has been from the first day I started studying and teaching eschatology in the late 90's. But please stay with me!
According to Jewish tradition, they use the idiom (figure of speech) “No man knows the day or hour” to refer to the Feast of Trumpets. The Apostles would have understood this from their Jewish culture when Jesus said this expression in Matthew 24:36.
Technically, in order to figure out the exact beginning date for this feast, the Sanhedrin (Jewish high court) waits for a report from 2 witnesses who viewed the rising of the new moon displaying a crescent “horn shape” (a sliver that looks like a smile). Once the time of the crescent is given, the Sanhedrin makes the date for the Feast of Trumpets official – and the feast begins with skilled individuals blowing a shofar (rams horns used as a trumpet) on the temple mount in Jerusalem.
Keep in mind, that Jesus in Matthew 24:36 more than likely used a phrase they were familiar with to equate an untimed event in which they would eventually learn about later. He said to them,"But about that day or hour no one knows...". I assume Peter and the others heard the Lord say verse 36, and their minds went to their cultural religious background concerning the Feast of Trumpets, but also I assume later saw the significance of the expression as it applied to a future "untimed event" (just a hunch).
With my final assumption, perhaps the remnant of Jews who will survive the Great Tribulation will celebrate the Feast of Trumpets as a standard of cultural practice, and their Messiah will show up moments later - The Second Coming! We'll see.
Therefore, let’s take a look at a possible scenario for the Rapture and the Second Coming as "bookend" events
1. Feast of Trumpets - 7 years after the Tribulation begins (preceded by The Rapture of the bride of Christ) the Second Coming would happen on Tishri 10, 5789 = September 30, 2028
2. The latest generational age for a Jew would be 73 at the Rapture, and 80 (the final age) at the Second Coming (end of the Great Tribulation) - keeping in mind that The Rapture is an untimed event and the beginning of the Tribulation period, known as the Times of Jacob's Trouble, will more than likely begin after the Gog-Magog war in Ezekiel 38-39 ends (of which the Antichrist signs a 7 year peace treaty with Israel and its enemies - Daniel 9:27).
We know the Father decides the exact moment when His Son will “reap a harvest” (Revelation 14:14-16), and therefore could modify the age limit for "the generation" beyond 80 for as many as He sees fit. But time will tell.
The next prophetic Feast of Atonement – unfulfilled on a Tishri 10 (so far)
Some believe the Feast of Atonement is 10 days after the Second Coming when the Jews will humbly reflect upon the revealed truth of the One who atoned for their sins, then gather and ask for forgiveness, asking Jesus for restoration - "all of Israel will look on Him whom they pierced and repent" (Zechariah 2:1).
The next prophetic Feast of Tabernacles – unfulfilled for Tishri 15-22 (so far)
The start of the Millennium (the "7th day" in history) seems to occur shortly after the Second Coming and after Satan is thrown into the abyss and locked up for a thousand years – Revelation 20:1-3.
But some believe that the final Feast of Tabernacles will occur at the end of the Millennium, as the "8th day" begins, when the Father brings the New Jerusalem to sit upon the new earth (Revelation 21:1-4).
Look to the sky – the day of your redemption will happen soon!
(a paraphrase of Luke 21:28)