There are many different theories about the occurrences that need to happen in the end times. The most discussed and asked for is the second coming of Christ and the rapture. People are inquiring about it, and each one comes up with a different theory, some made up and some of them based on the Scripture. We have to go to the Scripture, however.
There are those who support the idea of pretribulationism, meaning they believe that the rapture will happen before the great tribulation, so that the Christians can escape the trials that will befall this world. There are those who believe in midtribulationism, the belief that the rapture will occur at the midpoint of the Tribulation, and others believe in posttribulationism, meaning they believe the rapture will happen after that tribulation. Apparently, these are the three main streams of thought about how and when this will happen.
There are many ideas about the topic, and we are not going to mention all of them. Some people even set dates for when they think it will happen. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only“ (Matthew 24:36). From this scripture, we clearly see that no one knows the exact hour when the rapture will happen.
I believe that the rapture event is a mystery for a reason, and it’s no wonder why because we as humankind always want to know exactly when something is going to take place and how it will happen. It is hard for us to believe, to take something by faith, meaning that when someone believes, he trusts completely that God is going to do something in His way, in His will and time. That person is confident in God. He knows that whatever God does and plans will happen in the best way, which is the way of God; he knows that He is in control.
But instead of having this confidence in God, man generally doesn’t want to lose control of his life. He wants to be the one controlling each event, and that’s why he doesn’t like to believe and trust God with his life.
Taking the rapture event as an example, most people want to know precisely when it will take place so that they can be in control and know when exactly to be ready. Why not live the way they want to, and when the rapture is about to come, they will repent? This is the thought in man’s heart in general. God instead intended this and many other things to be taken by faith so that we can trust completely with all our hearts and be ready and wait on God.
To believe doesn’t mean we know everything or control something, but it means that we trust in God, and He is in control. It means that we trust in His way. We don’t even know when our own end will come. God established this perhaps because He knows that if we knew everything, we might live our way, knowing that the rapture or our end would still be far off. In this way, we wouldn’t desire or rush to repent, postponing it for another time, making it much harder to happen. Some people say that they will accept and obey the Lord in the last moment of their life. Still, we must never postpone repentance or doing something for the Lord if He really knocks on our door, even if we are convinced we need to have more time because first, we don’t know our own end, and second, who knows if later on we would have another opinion and our hearts had already hardened.
But He knows what the best for us is, and we need to trust Him. Some things, like the rapture, will remain a secret to us for a reason, so we can always be watchful and have the right attitude in our hearts.
There may be signs through which we can see that the time is approaching, but we don’t know when it will happen.
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So, you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matthew 24:32-33).
This means that by looking at the signs and what is happening around us, we will be able to see in part that the time is approaching, but we still won’t be able to know the exact hour and time. That’s why we will only find out when it happens. Until then, we need to do what Matthew 24:42 says and live by faith: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.“
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