Originally many watchmen (including myself), thought September 23rd / 24th, then October, but the Lord tarries... This is why we do not absolutely 'know' the hour or the day. We are told that we will know the season, so we are all just watching the signs and trying to match them to Biblical prophecy. The one thing that we do all agree on... we're getting close and we would sooner speak up early. Perhaps we end up looking foolish, but that is a lot better than missing the signs and not warning anyone. No one has claimed to be a prophet. This does not reflect on the Lord's perfect timing, just our imperfect understanding of it.
Matt 25:13 references the parable of the ten virgins and (significantly), also contains the directive to watch. This is Galilean wedding typology, used extensively regarding Jesus and His bride. (That’s us, if we have accepted His proposal.) Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets), is known as ‘the preparation of the bride’. (Maybe that should have been an important clue as well, the 'preparation' rather than the wedding?) This is the only appointed time that is on a new moon, making it necessary to have 'watchers' to proclaim the day. Jewish days start in the evening at sundown. For this day, the watchers would look to see the first sign of the sliver of the new moon which, depending on weather conditions, may have been difficult to determine. Since that first sliver signified the start of Rosh Hashanah, no one knew the day exactly. We thought perhaps Jesus was giving us a clue there, with 'no man knows the day or the hour'.
What we should have paid attention to, in this parable of the ten virgins: the bridegroom 'tarried', he was later than expected...
- This Feast of Trumpets also lines up best with the Jewish feasts and the day counts given in the Bible for the timing of the events in the Tribulation.
We are told that there will be 1290 days (Daniel 12:11), and then the abomination of desolation will occur. We are then told that there will be 1260 days (Revelation 12:6, Revelation 12:14, Revelation 13:5, Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7), and Jesus will return, with His church, to the earth. Daniel then goes on to say 'Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days' in Daniel 12:12
Considering coming events and dates, we looked at following events on the Jewish calendar to see their prophetic typology. All of the Old Testament points to Jesus. These ‘Feasts’ are actually referred to as ‘The Moedim’, or ‘Seven Appointed Times’. These are God’s appointed days. To this stage in history, He has honoured his timetable. Significant events consistently happen on these appointed times. Yes, God is sovereign and the rapture could happen at any time. However, prophecy is pattern. As a God of order, as a God who reveals the ‘end from the beginning’, why would He break His pattern now?
We understood that these appointments were not just for the Jewish people, they were for all mankind. Remember Jesus died as the Passover lamb, on Passover, for the whole world, not just the Jews. Jesus went into the grave on the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He gave us the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Jesus rose from the grave on the Feast of First Fruits. God does important things on His appointed days.
Leviticus 23:5 - Passover - Fulfilled in the Cruxifixion
Leviticus 23:6-8- Unleavened Bread - Fulfilled in Christ's burial
Leviticus 23:9-14 - First Fruits - Fulfilled in Jesus' resurrection
Leviticus 23:15-22 - Pentecost - The Church Age (still ongoing)
Leviticus 23:23-25 - Trumpets - The Rapture or Harpazo (we thought might be date of the Rapture, yet He tarries...)
Leviticus 23:26-32 - Day of Atonement - The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Leviticus 23:33-43 - Tabernacles - The Kingdom Age and Eternity Future
If we start with Trumpets this year, 2025, look how well the ‘appointed times’ align. If you try to start with Trumpets in 2026, the dates do not work. If prophecy is pattern, this could be a very good indication that we are coming seriously close to being 'caught up'. (We're using the Gregorian calendar here, for ease of understanding, These dates will shift if Pope Gregory's effort is confusing the timeline. There was also the Enochian calendar discussed... God only knows and has His own appointed times, so we might all be off, but the day counts between are clear.)
September 2025:
The Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah or Yom Teruah: Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year and is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve. One of the customs include blowing the shofar, or trumpet, traditionally one hundred times on that day. Most watchmen (including myself), thought this might have been when the Rapture would occur. With all the external indications and prophetic signs aligning to point in that direction, we were waiting for the 'last trump', that final trumpet blast.
Again, as this has passed, I cannot help but think about the parable of the 10 virgins and one important detail: The bridegroom tarried. He was later than expected. There was prophesied to be a 'falling away' and much 'mocking and scoffing' in the final days. We have certainly seen that...
1290 days later:
March 30 to April 7, 2029: Passover: The mid-point of the Tribulation could fall during Passover and this could be when the Antichrist claims to be god within the rebuilt Jewish Temple. (This is the “abomination of desolation” referenced in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14.)
1260 days later:
September 14-16, 2032: Day of Atonement: The 2nd Coming of Jesus at the end of the 7 year Tribulation could be on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
1335 days after Passover:
November 27 - December 5, 2032: Hanukah: This Biblical 'feast of dedication' could be when the new Millennial Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated after the 2nd Coming.
Why now? Why this year as opposed to any other? After all, people have been predicting the rapture for a long time, and they have been wrong, every time. We need to remember that, not only do the dates fit this year, but all of the other requirements have finally been met. We are at a stage in history where we are not waiting for anything else to happen first.
- On September 23, 2017, a once-in-history celestial alignment appeared in the sky - exactly matching Revelation 12:1-2. Feast of Trumpets was celebrated eight years later. (In biblical numerology, eight represents new beginnings.)
- World leaders met (during the Feast of Trumpets and the Days of Awe), under the theme “Peace and Security.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3: “When they say ‘Peace and Security,’ then sudden destruction comes upon them”. The United Nations has declared 2025 the 'International Year of Peace and Trust'. Part of the agenda of this meeting is splitting up the land that God gave to Israel. Trump and 'many nations' have now signed a peace treaty in the Middle East. This will be overseen by a new international oversight body called the 'Board of Peace', headed by Trump. This agreement, or the upcoming strengthening of Abrahamic Accords, could well be the 'covenant with many' prophesied in Daniel 9:27.
I still believe that this was an important day. It caught the world's attention and raised awareness of the rapture. Even if they did not believe at the time, people that were paying attention now have that knowledge. When the alternate 'delusion' is given, whether it involves so-called aliens or however the lie is crafted, they will at least understand that there is another explanation.
We will see. Whenever the rapture comes, it will be a bittersweet time for the world. It is good news for the bride of Christ as Jesus appears in the clouds to claim her, but not such good news for unbelieving Israel and the rest of the world, who now face ‘Jacob’s trouble’, aka the Tribulation.