Rapture On Pentecost?

Q

I realize we are not to set dates; however wouldn’t it be exciting if the rapture were to take place on Shavuot? The way I understand things is that the Law (Ten Commandments) was given on this Feast Day as was the giving of the Holy Spirit – essentially the birthing of the church age. If God is going to return his attention back to Israel, perhaps it would occur as the church is being taken out. What are your thoughts?

A

I believe the rapture will take place on the day the full number of Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25). While this could happen on a Jewish feast day I don’t believe it necessarily has to. The feasts are for Israel, not the Church.

That said, if for reasons of His own God intends to make the rapture coincide with a Jewish feast day then the most likely by far would be Pentecost (Shavuot). It’s between the spring and fall feasts which point to the first and second comings respectively. The Age of the Church is also between the first and second comings. It’s the only feast that requires leavened bread. Leaven is symbolic of sin and the Church is filled with sinners. For Jews it commemorates the giving of the Law and for the Church it’s the beginning of the Age of Grace so it’s the only feast with significance for both. The Book of Ruth, which is a beautiful bit of Jewish history that also symbolizes the relationship between the Messiah, Israel, and the Church is read in Synagogues on Pentecost. In Israel Pentecost (Shavuot) begins at sundown on May 26th in 2012.

While these similarities are by no means conclusive proof they do make Pentecost an interesting possibility.