In his book, The Yogi Book – I Really Didn’t Say Everything I Said, author and famed Yankee catcher, player, and later manager Yogi Berra shares many of his quotable quotes and some humorous experiences. One quip was titled, ‘It’s de’ ja vu all over again.’ (p.45) It was a comment that he made after ‘Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris hit back-to-back home runs for the umpteenth time. Makes perfect sense to me.’ – Yogi Berra
By the way, the cartoon character we know as Yogi Bear gets his name from this guy. While I will leave the book for you to read; the quote, ‘it’s de’ja’ vu all over again,’ reminds me of where we’ve been before, about eight years ago, in 2017. I remember the Feast of Trumpets of 2017. It corresponded with the Revelation 12 Sign, another great sign heralding the Lord’s soon return. The problem was that we all thought that Jesus was returning then; but we’re all still here. I lost a lot of credibility with my church and my family when I jumped on that proverbial Rapture-train bandwagon. My recovery from that exchange caused me to be much more careful and intentional in my watching. I would eventually resign from my church after 22 years of faithful service and relocate to the mid-west with my family a few years later. The church I left is doing great today as they are being shepherded by a young pastor who I trained and continue to mentor; he has a lot of vision
My blog today addresses the similarities of the 2017 Feast of Trumpets and the 2025 Feast of Trumpets. In the span of just eight years we have seen a lot of converging signs and many more souls won to Jesus; souls that wouldn’t have made the Rapture if it occurred in 2017. Perhaps you’re one of them. To God be the glory! In 2017 I was working and serving the Lord faithfully in my church while I was watching for the Lord’s return. I love to talk about Jesus with my fellow watcher brothers and sisters in the Lord. Many watchers, as you may have already noticed, have been posting uplifting messages on YouTube and other platforms to encourage the body of Christ. Some have been ridiculed for what they are saying while others just share what God has put on their heart.
Like Yogi Berra said, ‘It’s like de’ja’ vu all over again.’ I remember the Feast of Trumpets in 2017; I was convinced that the Lord was coming for us then. After that, I was more careful in how I expressed my watcher prowess, believing in my heart that His return was very near then, but also moving on with my life and ministry as the Lord enabled me. Clearly I am a broken man who is in love with Jesus. I do my best to shine my light as best I can as the Lord leads me. Writing these blogs, among other things, is part of my witness for Christ.
When I first heard brother Joshua’s two interviews on Centtwinz TV I was very encouraged. As a mature believer, I test everything. I have come to the conclusion that Jesus could return at any moment, including during one of the two days and 24 hours of the Feast of Trumpets this year. But if not, I will continue to be faithful to the Lord and not allow myself to focus on a date or a feast. I like what Pastor JD Farag says, ‘We’re not date setters, we’re date watchers; and there’s a big difference between the two.’ (By the way, we need to be in prayer for Pastor JD and his wife, who is terminal with stage 4 cancer.) As far as all of the September Rapture hype goes, my eyes are on Jesus and those people and things that He has entrusted into my care. My heart breaks for my brothers and sisters who are struggling in their lives with a variety of painful issues; however, God is still faithful and will give us the resources and grace that we need to press through. I encourage you to be a believer with such resolve. Stay faithful to the Lord and feed on His faithfulness. He will get here when He gets here; hopefully it will be this year, hopefully soon.
David said it this way, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” – Psalm 37:3-5
- This passage in Psalms is a reminder of the faithfulness of God and how we can truly trust in Him. David tells us to ‘feed on His faithfulness.’
Feeding on something has properties of eating. When we eat, we nourish ourselves. Eating is also associated with fellowship, dating, or enjoyment. It can be fun or comforting to eat; especially when the food is good.
The word for ‘feed’ (Hebrew: ra-ah) ‘raw-aw’ that’s used in this passage means (among other things) ‘to tend a flock, to graze, to rule, to associate with as a friend, to keep company with, to devour, eat up, entreat, feed, make friendship with, to pastor, and to shepherd.’
When you read verse 3 in the KJV it says, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”
Feeding on God’s faithfulness is dwelling in the place where He has brought you, and enjoying the many blessings that He has provided for you as you continually embrace Him in worship, prayer, and in a loving relationship.
God wants to associate with us as a friend. He wants us to keep company with Him, to make friendship with Him, and to ‘feed’ on His Word and on His continual faithfulness. One who reads (feeds) God’s Word each day is spiritually nourished. These same feed on God’s faithfulness.
One way we can feed on God’s continual faithfulness is to acknowledge that He is faithful to us. We need to remind ourselves of the many and signal blessings that God has already given to us. We need to be good stewards of those people, places, and things, that God has blessed us with; these are the nouns in our lives.
We should do this because God is faithful, even when we are not; or when we’re operating from our lack or deficit. God is still faithful; we can always trust Him. God’s continual faithfulness has been proven time and again. We too must be faithful with both the things and people that God has entrusted to our care.
This being said, how we care for what God has blessed us with will speak to His faithfulness to us by entrusting us with more.
As we posture ourselves and look forward to the Fall feasts, we need to be as diligent as we are faithful. God is not slack concerning His promise (2 Peter 3:9); and He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23) As more and more believers are posting YouTube video clips regarding the Feast of Trumpets Rapture, some are for and others are against brother Joshua Mhlakela’s Rosh Hashanah Rapture claim. Some call him a false prophet and that he is spreading a false hope in the Christian community; while others are hopeful that his claim is true. As far as the false prophet thing goes, even in the OT, a false prophet couldn’t be labeled as such until the time or event of the thing that they prophesied about had passed. I encourage you to hold judgment regarding this brother until after the Feast of Trumpets this year; and even then (if it happens and we’re still here), be gracious.
It’s not like the Lord doesn’t want us to know that He is near. Some people challenge the premise that believers can know the season of the Rapture because ‘no one knows the day or hour,’ which, by the way, was a Jewish idiom pertaining to a Judean wedding, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Rapture. What I do know is that no actual date was predicted, just a two day and 24 hour period on the next Feast of Trumpets, also known as ‘the feast that no one knows the day or hour.’ It’s most likely that when the Lord made this statement, ‘no one knows the day or hours,’ He was referring to the Feast of Trumpets because His audience was Jewish. These guys would have known culturally what Jesus was talking about. The prophet Amos reminds us that ‘God does nothing except he first reveals it to his servants the prophets.’ (Amos 3:7)
Paul reminds us, ‘concerning the times and the seasons, that we have no need that he should write to us. 2 For we know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But we (as Christians) are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake us as a thief. 5 We are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.’ – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Even the sons of the prophets in Elijah’s day knew the exact day that the Lord would take him to heaven.
“And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!” – 2 Kings 2:1-3
Not only did Elisha know that Elijah was going to be taken that day, but the sons of the prophets knew it also. All I am saying is that we may not know the exact day or hour, but I believe that it’s very possible that the Lord will reveal the nearness of His return, perhaps a few hours prior, to those of us who are watching for Him.
Whether this is true or not remains to be seen and experienced. But from where I stand, I have seen this before, only this time, things are much more aligned than before, particularly as it relates to the conjunction of the Feast of Trumpets and this two-state solution that’s on the agenda on the next United Nations General Assembly scheduled on the same day as this feast.
My warning for you all has more to do with being cautiously optimistic regarding this next high watch season and to continue to keep your eyes on Jesus. Whatever happens, we will be ready; ready to stay or ready to go.
I close this blog with a final word from the Apostle Paul. It’s a word that most likely captures our heart as we continue to serve the Lord in these last of the last days.
“For we know that if our earthly house (physical body), this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation (dwelling) which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee (down payment, earnest). 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
Stay the course brother (sister), the Lord is soon to get us, but until then, we must be faithful to His calling on our life. I encourage you, get on the right track and stay the course; the finish line is in sight.
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 