Do you think something drastic will happen this year? Do you think the rapture will happen in the next two years?
Question:
To your knowledge, do you think something drastic will happen this year, 2008? And do you believe that the Rapture will possibly take place within the next year or two according to God's Word?
Thank you.
Answer:
Neither the term nor the concept that is commonly called "the rapture" appears in the Bible. See "What is the Rapture?" for details.
Something "drastic" or something "bad" are just vague terms. People seem attracted to the excitement of a "panic." Even before the fall of Jerusalem, Jesus warned his disciples not to fall for these tricks of Satan. "And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:4-8). Wars, rumors of wars, famines, disease, and earthquakes are always happening around the world. There are always people willing to take advantage of these distresses to further their own agenda. But none of them were signs of Jerusalem falling -- nor could they ever be signs of the end of the world.
The simple fact is that God has not revealed when the end will come. He described it as occurring as the visit of a thief. "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:43-44). Anyone who states foreknowledge of when the end of the world is coming, to put it bluntly, is lying. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36). To claim knowledge of when the end is is to claim to know more than even the Son of God knew!
The plain fact is nothing major might happen in the next two years, or something might. It really doesn't matter to the Christian anyway since he is just passing through. This world is not his primary focus or concern. The Christian is always ready to leave at any moment and lives life knowing that tomorrow comes with no guarantees. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13).
