Rapture Predictions and the Problem with Date-Setting
Another rapture prediction is making rounds online—this time, September 23–24, 2025. The claim, circulated by the X.com profile @TheBlessedSage, confidently states that Christ will return to rapture His church on those specific dates.
But for those shaped by Scripture, not speculation, this kind of certainty should raise immediate red flags.
Let’s talk about why.
1. The Bible Forbids Date-Setting
Jesus could not have been clearer:
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
— Matthew 24:36
And again:
“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”
— Acts 1:7
Attempts to predict the timing of the return of Christ—even when wrapped in prophecy charts, feast days, or astronomical data—are not signs of deep insight.
They’re signs of theological disobedience.
2. Failed Prophecies Hurt the Church
Every few years, someone recycles the same numerology and festival calendars to predict Christ’s return—often tied to the Feast of Trumpets, planetary alignments, or specific interpretations of Daniel and Revelation.
September 23rd is a frequent favorite. It was the centerpiece of the failed “Revelation 12 sign” prophecy in 2017. It echoes the 2011 predictions of Harold Camping and many before him.
The result? Confused believers and mocking skeptics.
These predictions don’t produce faithfulness. They produce fatigue. They make a mockery of serious biblical eschatology and undermine the credibility of the gospel by attaching it to speculation that predictably fails.
3. Christ’s Return Is Not a Puzzle to Crack—It’s a Promise to Live By
Rather than trying to guess when, Scripture calls us to live ready:
“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you... For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:1–2
“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
— Matthew 24:42
Readiness in the Bible doesn’t mean decoding feast dates or mapping constellations. It means faithfulness, holiness, urgency, and hope.
4. Our Hope Is Certain—Even If the Timeline Isn’t
At SNC, we affirm the glorious, bodily, visible return of Christ. That’s not in question.
What we reject is any attempt to claim certainty where Christ has called for trust, or to manufacture urgency through fear rather than faith.
We long for His appearing. But we refuse to follow voices that claim secret insight into what Christ Himself has withheld.
Final Thoughts: Be Ready, Not Distracted
False prophecy is not a harmless curiosity—it’s a distraction from the true call of the gospel. And the answer isn’t fear—it’s faithfulness.
So when you see predictions like “September 23–24, 2025,” don’t panic.
And don’t get pulled in.
Instead, remember this:
Live holy lives.
Preach the gospel.
Stay awake.
Trust the One who promised to return at the right time.
Because that day will come—on God's schedule, not ours.
And He will not be late.