“Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires. The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net.” Micah 7:1-2 NKJV
While I believe the Bible makes it clear that the rapture of the Church could happen at any time, that doesn’t necessarily mean there might not be a clue in the Word as to the season in which it might occur. For quite a few years I have felt that this passage from the prophet Micah might be a clue that answers the question of when the rapture might occur. He suggests that at the time of the first ripe grape harvest in Israel, usually at the beginning of summer, all of the faithful men of the earth have suddenly disappeared.
Micah could best be described as a “country preacher” from a small town about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. He was called by God to preach against the nation of Israel and to deliver prophecy about their future. He was, in fact, a contemporary of Isaiah the prophet, and his words are very similar to what Isaiah was called to preach as well. The book of Micah contains three messages or sermons, all of which contain a rebuke for Israel’s sin, and a prophecy of future judgment and blessing. This passage from chapter seven speaks of the future judgment that occurs when the whole world will be against them.
There is a saying popular with many teachers of the Bible today which I find not only very true, but also extremely helpful in understanding both the Old and New Testaments. You are probably familiar with it but even so I will repeat it here; “the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed”. I am continually amazed as I study the scriptures to find how much of the New Testament is actually hidden in plain sight in the Old Testament, and this passage from Micah is a perfect example. One meaning of the Hebrew word translated “perished” in the NKJV means “to vanish”. From the teachings of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, I am convinced that what Micah is describing is the rapture of the Church, and the state of the earth after all believers have been taken.
I should make the point here that I am a firm believer in the doctrine of imminency, yet I have often wondered just what this world would look like when the restrainer, the Holy Spirit, is removed from the earth at the rapture. I believe this passage from Micah tells us exactly what will happen. Most of us are familiar with the observation of the philosopher Edmund Burke when he said “all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”. Well, what happens when, according to this passage, there are no faithful men? Every man is against his own brother, and evil is rampant on the earth. This certainly appears to be all that is necessary to create the “perfect storm” of evil. God simply removes His Church along with the Holy Spirit and there is nothing left to fight against Satan and his forces.
Since history has shown that Satan’s priority is the destruction of Israel, what do you think he tries to do first? Is it possible this passage from Micah refers to the rapture of the Church? I think it certainly may well do that, considering the description it gives as to what the world looks like with the absence of the faithful. Without the Holy Spirit present on earth in the body of the true Church, the evil that is presently being “restrained” will manifest itself in a fury this world has never seen, most assuredly in the direction of the nation of Israel. This evil, however, will not appear out of nowhere and I believe what we are witnessing today is somewhat like the filling up of a lake behind a dam until the point is reached where the dam will fail and a flood consume all that is before it.
Although some might disagree, there is considerable scholarship which supports the premise that the future tribulation period begins on the Jewish holiday of the Feast of Trumpets. Those who hold the pre-tribulational position of the rapture of the Church look to this day as the time of our deliverance, and this has been taught for many years. Yet although this would obviously be the point in time where the Church would by necessity have to be taken, there are many who have suggested over the years that there is no reason that there couldn’t be a period of time between the rapture and the beginning of the seven years of tribulation.
I believe a close study of the events that the Bible tells us lead up to the “peace” that the coming man of sin brokers between Israel and its enemies supports the idea that there are some very serious conflicts which take place first. The majority of scholars I have studied believe that the attempted invasion of Israel outlined in Ezekiel 38, 39 and the deliverance by the direct intervention of God is the event which allows this peace agreement, and the tribulation, to begin. Considering this, my question for years has been, “what is holding back Israel’s enemies right now”? If your answer is the restrainer, then it follows He has to be removed before this attack can go forward.
If we accept that there might be a period of time between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation, it is reasonable to consider the possibility of a summer rapture when the most likely day for an attack of this nature is on Israel’s national day of mourning. That day is Tisha B’ Av, or the ninth of Av on the Jewish calendar. This day normally occurs in the middle of the summer and this year it will begin at sunset on the evening of July 26th. This day is unique in Israel as the day that many national tragedies have occurred throughout their history. It seems reasonable considering this history that an attack of the type revealed in prophecy which is still to come would most likely occur on this date.
While we might look at the world right now and consider much to be truly evil, it holds no candle to what it will look like when the Church, along with the Holy Spirit is removed at the rapture. The restrainer is right now holding back Satan’s full fury and the evil that he has planned for this world, but according to the Word of God it won’t last forever. The Church will be taken and be spared from having to endure the evil which will come upon mankind and the most important question which needs to be asked is are you part of the body of believers which make up the Church?
I talked a couple of posts ago about the fast day in Israel which happens on the seventeenth of Tammuz on the Jewish calendar. That fast day is this coming week and with all the events we have been witnessing lately, it would not surprise me in the least if we were to hear the trumpet call to come home. If you have never accepted the gift of eternal life offered to us by the sacrifice of Jesus, simply pray a prayer like this one;
Jesus I know that I am a sinner, and have sinned against you. I believe you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins, and that He rose from the dead so that I can live. Forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to live for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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