If you haven’t noticed as of late, YouTube is exploding with videos from various believers proclaiming the coming of the Lord in the Rapture of His Church. While there have been many who have set dates and prophesied about the nearness of the Rapture in times past, what we are seeing now is connected directly with the upcoming Feast of Trumpets, which will occur, this September 23rd and 24th, 2025. I have shared on the Feast of Trumpets (aka Rosh Hashanah) Rapture theory in blogs past; it’s part of my lecture series that I do on eschatology. It’s a theory that, in short, says that the Rapture will occur on some future Feast of Trumpets. I will include a study on the Rosh Hashanah Rapture theory near this blog. However, the topic for this blog has more to do with the recent trend of anticipation within the body of Christ that pertains to the soon Rapture of the Church and our nearness to it. It would seem that more and more believers are sensing the Lord’s soon return.
I was watching a South African YouTube channel called Centtwinz TV where these two beautiful Christian twin South African sisters host various guests on their platform. This past month they hosted a South African brother in the Lord named Joshua Mhlakela. He’s a 43 year old Christian man who is not a pastor or a prophet, but a ‘servant of the Lord.’ He has walked with Jesus, studied His Word, and fellowshipped with the saints for years. He has an incredible testimony of faith in the Lord that carries with it prophetic elements. He said that Jesus appeared to him in 2018 and told him that He was returning for His Church on Rosh Hashanah, 2025 (that’s September 23, 24, 2025). While I don’t want this blog to be about this man or what he said about the Rapture so much, I do want to discuss the possibilities of him being right, and also being wrong. I recommend you visit the Centtwinz TV channel and view both of the interviews that the twin sisters did with brother Joshua for yourself. Only then can you experience who so many others in the body of Christ have; a very real possibility.
As an Assemblies of God minister, we have always embraced the doctrine of Imminence, which basically states that Jesus can return in the Rapture at any time. This doctrine has served believers well the past; it causes us to live a life of readiness, knowing that at any moment we could die or be Raptured. However, a day and time for the Rapture has already been set by God that ‘no man knows.’ It’s not a random date, it’s God ordained.
Jesus said it this way, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” – Matthew 24:36
- The context to Christ’ statement here, I believe, is in reference to the Rapture. I realize that many of my brothers and sisters may disagree with this. I believe that Christ’ statement also associates with a Jewish wedding and the Feast of Trumpets. Remember, Jesus’ audience here was Jewish.
A Jewish groom who was betrothed to a bride had to prepare a place for her in his father’s house. The groom’s father had to approve of the place prior to the groom being allowed, by his father, to go and receive her to himself, and to bring her to the wedding. We see a picture of this Jewish wedding in Matthew 25:1-13.
In like manner, the Feast of Trumpets is also known as ‘the feast that nobody knows the day or hour.’ This has to do with the two days and 24 hours of time that the feast occurs in. Before it could begin, at least two witnesses had to site the new moon and report it to the priest. Once this was done, the feast could begin.
While both of these events, a Jewish wedding and the Feast of Trumpets, are separate teachings in of themselves, they both have types and shadows to the soon coming Rapture of the Church. As I did my own research on what brother Joshua was saying in both of his interviews, I pondered the possibility of the Rapture occurring on this Rosh Hashanah. It was a fascinating and intriguing find.
Years ago, when I pastored a church in Gardena, CA, we would host a Rosh Hashanah banquet each year on Rosh Hashanah to commemorate the connection of the Rapture with the Feast of Trumpets. My idea was that if the Lord returned on Rosh Hashanah, we would all be together in a banquet hall celebrating the Lord and fellowshipping with each other.
If not, than it would just be another rehearsal, like it was intended to be. We enjoyed the banquets, the food, fellowship, and relevant teaching. Folks from other churches would come and celebrate with us. This was an aspect to the style of my ministry at that time. Suffice it to say, I am very familiar with the Rosh Hashanah Rapture theory.
I then pondered that if the Lord returned on this Rosh Hashanah, this would set into motion the signing of the treaty between the antichrist, Israel, and many other nations as referenced in Daniel 9:24-27. This treaty would grant Israel the permission to build their third temple in Jerusalem; a topic for another blog I am sure.
The Bible tells us that the seven-year tribulation will last exactly 2,520 days (7×360 days). It is believed by many scholars that Jesus will return to the earth, with His Church, in His glorious Second Coming, on some future Day of Atonement; the next fall feast. If this is true, than all one has to do is subtract 2,520 days from September 15, 2032, the Day of Atonement that year, at it will land you on October 22, 2025. The working theory here is that since the signing of the treaty between Israel and the antichrist starts the seven-year tribulation (not the Rapture), this would be the day this treaty is signed, this year!
If this is true, than something radical will happen on the earth between Rosh Hashanah (9/23,24, 2025) and October 22, 2025. It’s no secret that the effects of the Rapture will impact the world globally, creating chaos and gridlock at apocalyptic levels. The possibility of a nuclear strike by enemy nations occurring simultaneously with the Rapture is also a very real possibility; as is the possibility of a massive earthquake.
Needless to say, if this is true, than the world as we know it will cease to exist, as we know it, in less than 40 days. The title of this blog has more to do with Jesus returning for His Church this fall; it’s the light of hope for all believers in Jesus, at the end of a very long tunnel.
I also pondered the possibility of brother Joshua being wrong and this Rosh Hashanah just passing us by like all of the others have done. I am sure there will be great disappointment among the Christian watchers and the watcher community at large. I have experienced this disappointment many times in the past as high watch dates have come and gone; especially on Jewish feasts and such. I always tell my people, keep your eyes on Jesus, not on a date or a time. The Lord will come for us when He is good and ready; when all things are ready. Until then, we need to keep on working and serving Him in the manner in which He has entrusted us to do so.
As far as this Feast of Trumpets goes this year, I am hoping, as I always do, that this is the year that we can finally go home. But if not, I have chosen to live a life of preparedness and abiding by the motto, ‘being ready to go is being ready to stay.’ I am paying my bills on time, I am planning work projects and even vacations into next year. I am hopeful and confident that whatever happens in the coming weeks, God is in total control.
A final word of caution to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Please don’t be critical of brother Joshua or any of the many watchers who are posting Rapture videos pertaining to this coming Feast of Trumpets. These precious saints are only doing what they believe God has prompted them to do. Instead, I challenge you to pray to the Father and ask Him to revel His truth to you regarding this day, your life, and what He has called you to be doing for such a time as this. If the Master is returning this Rosh Hashanah, than we all want to be living a life that is ready for Him as we wait and we work in the vineyard that He has called us to serve in.
Don’t be discouraged or afraid, I know that many of you are suffering and carrying a piece of the cross that you must bear. Some of you are in pain, you’re in difficult situations and relationships, you have financial troubles, and you are in fear of losing it all. This, for you, is a catalyst to draw you closer to the Lord and the joyful anticipation of His soon return for us all. In the words of Pastor Andy Woods (Sugarland Bible Church), ‘There is not a problem in my life that the Rapture won’t solve.’ I want to remind you that no suffering is without purpose. Even Simon the Leper, was a leper; yet he still walked with Jesus and served Him his whole life. This is who we are to be in these last days, looking for Jesus to get us tomorrow, yet planning to be here a while more and continuing to serve Him faithfully.
With that, I bid you, ado (excitement).
Maranatha,
Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, who resides in Northern Missouri. He lives with his wife of 37-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren). Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a Lead Pastor (30+ years), police chaplain, and community advocate. He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.
Encourage Men 