Short Answer
No, we cannot determine the date of the rapture. Scripture teaches that its timing is unknown, and believers should live ready every day instead of trying to predict it.
The Overview
Many people attempt to predict the timing of the rapture by connecting it to biblical feasts, timelines, or symbolic patterns—such as the Feast of Trumpets. While these connections may seem interesting, Scripture consistently teaches that the exact timing of Christ’s return is not for us to know.
Jesus Himself emphasized this point. When asked about timing, He redirected attention away from dates and toward readiness. The message is clear: speculation about “when” should not replace obedience in “how” we live.
Although there are meaningful symbolic connections in Scripture—such as themes in feasts, parables, and prophetic imagery—these are not given so we can calculate exact dates. Instead, they point to the certainty of Christ’s return, not its schedule.
History also shows that date-setting has consistently failed. Attempts to predict the return of Christ often lead to confusion, disappointment, or even harmful movements. This is why it is wise to avoid being drawn into such speculation.
The biblical approach is simple: live with constant readiness. Believers are called to be faithful, active, and focused on God’s work—sharing the gospel, growing in faith, and serving others—so that whenever Christ returns, they are found prepared.
Key Takeaways
- Timing Is Unknown
God has not revealed the exact date. - Avoid Date-Setting
It has always led to error. - Symbols ≠ Schedules
Biblical patterns are not timelines. - Focus on Readiness
Live as if Christ could return anytime. - Stay Spiritually Active
Serve, grow, and share the gospel. - Trust God’s Wisdom
Some things are not meant to be known.
Bible Verse Mentioned
- Acts 1
- Matthew 6
- 1 Corinthians 15
- Deuteronomy 29:29
Read Full Raw Transcript
So I do have a question on the rapture. Okay. I’m not sure if you’ve seen any of it, but a lot of a lot of the rapture is circulating for this year. Feast of trumpets. I’ve done some, you know, some, I guess, research on it to see what it actually meant, along with somebody who has pretty much put a date on it.
And I know there’s been people before who have put dates on it, and we know that the famous scripture is no man knows the day or the hour. But what I’m understanding, something that’s new to me, is also reference to a Jewish idiom, and that Christ was speaking on in reference to the Feast of Trumpets, which no man knew the day or the hour.
And so there’s a lot of biblical timeline that correlates to the Feast of Trumpets, and I guess three more of the seven that are needing to be fulfilled. And so I’m just curious your take on that and what do you believe and what maybe could you shed some light on? Well, I do believe in the doctrine of eminence.
And it’s not just based on the idiom of acts, chapter one. I do believe the idea of of Christ coming back without anything pre, you know, anything that is going to be in the way of that or anything that’s going to, you know, that I’m going to know there’s there’s more than just the idiomatic reference of day and hour or two words in Greek, actually the kairos or the chronos.
I just think the idea of not knowing it was a question that was asked of him. Right? Is now the time of going to restore the Kingdom of Israel? And basically he’s saying, no, he’s not for you to know any of this. It was really pushing off the concern of timing. And every parable Jesus told about timing was, I’m not telling you the timing, and it’s not for you to know the timing.
So I just think all of this and then saying, well, we’re going to figure out the timing because of the, of the Feast of Trumpets and because it has so much to do with the last trumpet. And, you know, first Corinthians chapter 15, and that’s when we’re going to be changed. I’m not buying any of that. And I’m going to say, I think the date setting, I just don’t think we can tiptoe around any of that.
So I’m going to say I’m going to live as though every day, which is what I think Jesus taught us. It could be the day I’m going to say Maranatha! Every morning I’m going to pray. As it says in Matthew six, your kingdom come, your will be done. I want to pray that every day, and I’m going to live as though every day were my last.
I should do what God has in front of me run the race that set before me. And I’m not going to try to set dates. I’m not going to spend any time trying to set dates, and I’m not going to try and figure out whether it’s this Hashanah or whether it’s next Passover, or whether it’s my new year or on my birthday.
I’m going to live every day doing the will of God and be busy about the work when he comes back, because that’s what God tells me to do. I want to be found working for the Lord when he returns, so that I don’t shrink back in shame at his coming, so that that is what I think we are called to do.
And I just think everything all the way back to William Miller in 1844. And even before that, any time Christians have tried to make something about setting dates, you can go back to how Lindsay in the 1970s, it’s always ended poorly. It is not. It is either sparked a cult group, or it has just led to people throwing up their arms and saying, you guys are crazy because it doesn’t help us.
So I’m not big on the date setting. I don’t want to get into it in terms of my ministry on focal point, so that’s why I haven’t dealt with it. I’m happy to talk about it on the air with you, John. I have no problem with that. But I’m just saying I haven’t spent time preaching about it. I have no, you know, qualms with Leviticus 23 or Matthew 24.
First, John three. I’m all about the fact that there are interesting weaving of of concepts that are all going to relate to the return of Christ in terms of symbolism and connection and type and anti type. I get that. I mean, there’s fulfillments in Christ’s return in the tabernacle, there’s filaments and Christ returns in the feasts. There’s fulfillments, as we learn in Hebrews four, in the return of Christ in the Sabbath day.
I mean, there’s great pictures of connection to all of that. I’m going to enter into my rest when I see Christ, but it doesn’t mean he’s going to come back on a Saturday. So I just I look for him every day and I think that’s the way we should live. So it’s interesting. But to me, when something’s interesting, I get pulled into it.
When I get pulled into it, I spend brainpower on it. When I spend brainpower on it, it takes time. When it takes time, it takes me away from something else that’s fruitful and productive. I’d rather be fruitful and productive on something other than something. Jesus said, it’s not for you to know, because that’s what he told me. I mean, that’s what he told me, so I’m not going to do that.
I much rather figure out something related to God’s Word that he said, it is for you to know. And he I mean, Deuteronomy 2929 he said that things revealed are for you and your children forever, right? Not the things that are hidden, right? The things that are that are not revealed, which he said, like, it’s not for you to know.
He said, it’s not for you to know. And so I’m going to say, okay, I’m not. It’s not for me to know, not for me to know certain things that he didn’t tell us. And so I’m going to say I’m cool with that. God, you didn’t want me to know that. I’m not going to know it. I’m going to dig into the stuff you did tell me.
You told me what the gospel is. You told me people are lost. You told me to have compassion for people that are lost. You told me to call people to repentance. So that’s going to be my focus. And I just don’t want to be wrapped into hunting for something that, you know, I’m not supposed to know.
