By: Joel Ramirez
In June of this year, a man known as the prophet predicted that the rapture would occur on September 23rd and 24th. If you’re not familiar with the concept of the rapture, it is the belief that at any moment, Jesus will descend from heaven to gather all those who believe in Him, leaving non-believers behind to endure a series of trials and tribulations. In the weeks leading up to the predicted date, the internet was filled with testimonies from individuals who, professing their faith, sold their cars and possessions and quit their jobs in preparation. Yet, if you didn’t notice—nothing extraordinary happened last week. This is a mistake many have made: listening to someone who makes a compelling argument about God’s word without taking the time to study it for themselves. I ask you: Which shows greater faith—the one who blindly sells all they have, or the one who diligently searches the Scriptures to see if such things are true? I’m reminded of the poem The Blind Men and the Elephant, in which six blind men each examine only one part of the elephant and arrive at completely different conclusions about what it is. Their view was limited. But how much more distorted is our view when we simply listen to a blind man, rather than taking the time to open our eyes and look at the whole elephant for ourselves? Does this not remind you of Jesus’s description of those who blindly followed the traditions of the Pharisees and scribes? Matthew 15:14: “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Is it a lie if I tell you only part of the truth—while excluding key details that would change the meaning entirely? Let us turn to God’s Word for examples and answers.
Looking at the early church, we see that some believers thought Jesus’s return was so imminent that they stopped working altogether. Paul addresses this in 1 Thessalonians 4:10–12: “…But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.” Paul reinforces this message in 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9, emphasizing that he, Silas, and Timothy worked hard while in Thessalonica: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you… to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.” He concludes in verse 10 with a direct statement “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” The idea that we should stop working to wait for the Lord’s return contradicts what we are commanded. We do not know when the Lord will return, and there is still much work to do. So, do not be hasty. While in Samaria, Jesus stressed to His disciples the urgency of the work ahead: John 4:34–35 “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do not say, “There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest”? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.’
Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, believers are warned to test the words of those who claim to speak on behalf of God. The term Christian is used loosely in today’s world, and we must be cautious not to make the same mistakes as those who followed without discernment. In Matthew 7:15–17, Jesus warned the crowds in Galilee, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.” When we follow blindly those who claim to speak truth—without comparing their words to God’s Word—we risk becoming their bad fruit, spreading the same confusion and deception. Wars have been fought, and countless souls have been lost, because of the lies of those claiming to represent Christ. It’s a sobering thought: bad fruit multiplies quickly when God’s truth is not used to examine and sort it. That’s the power of Scripture. When used correctly, it helps us evaluate the fruit of others—and our own.
The aftermath of this false prophet’s rapture prediction should serve as a warning. Many of his followers, now disillusioned, have returned to the internet to express feelings of pain, betrayal, and confusion. The blessing, however, is that they still have time—time to seek truth, to learn, and to walk the path God has set before us. But how much deeper will the sorrow be when the real Day of the Lord arrives—when the truth exposes every deed—and those who blindly followed false teachers finally see the fruit they bore? And worse yet, recognize the opportunity they had to test those fruits beforehand? That day is coming. It is guaranteed. So, I remind you once more: The time is short. The work is great. We have God’s Word to guide and strengthen us. Let’s get to work—bearing good fruit.