Week #3: The Storm Is Coming—But We Leave Before It Hits
Blog Series Intention Recap
God has not destined the Church for wrath—and that truth changes everything.
This four-week series, Signs of the Times, explores the hope, clarity, and urgency that come with understanding the pre-tribulational rapture. In a world full of confusion and chaos, the return of Christ for His Bride is a promise that gives believers peace. Week by week, we’ll discover what the rapture is, why it must happen before the tribulation, how current events point toward the coming tribulation (not the rapture), and why alternative views like mid- or post-trib don’t align with Scripture. When we rightly understand God’s plan for the Church, we don’t panic—we prepare. This series will anchor your faith, fuel your mission, and help you live ready.
This page is a post in the series “Signs of the Times.” Click here to see the rest of the posts.
Let’s jump into Week #3:
The rapture will happen without warning. But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening now. Scripture shows us that while the rapture is signless, the stage is being set for the tribulation. What we see today are not rapture signs—they are tribulation signs casting shadows backward.
Why it Matters:
The rapture has no signs. It could happen at any moment.
The tribulation has many signs. They’re already beginning to appear.
The Restrainer still holds back evil. When He is removed, judgment begins.
The signs show the world is being prepared. We don’t fear—we focus.
Go Deeper:
Scripture Focus:
2 Peter 3:9
1 Thessalonians 4:17
2 Thessalonians 2:1–7
Not Every Sign Points to the Rapture
Many people today are asking, “Are we in the end times?”
It’s a fair question. There are wars, famines, earthquakes, and hatred like never before. But before we answer that, we need to ask a better question:
What are we looking for—the rapture or the tribulation?
Let’s be clear: the rapture comes with no signs. It’s imminent. That means it could happen at any time—today, tomorrow, or years from now.
But the tribulation? That’s different. Yeshua (Jesus) gave signs for it. Paul gave warnings. Revelation shows the timeline.
So when we see signs increasing in the world, we’re not seeing rapture signs—we’re seeing tribulation signs.
Matthew 24 Is Not About the Rapture
Many people quote Matthew 24 to describe the rapture. But that’s not what Yeshua (Jesus) is talking about there.
Let’s look at the context.
The disciples ask, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)
Yeshua (Jesus) lists wars, famines, earthquakes, lawlessness, false prophets, and the preaching of the gospel.
But notice: Yeshua (Jesus) is not talking about meeting us in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). He’s talking about His return to earth in glory and judgment.
Matthew 24 is about the Second Coming, not the rapture. It outlines what will happen after the rapture—during the tribulation.
2 Thessalonians: The Restrainer Holds Back
Paul clarifies this even more in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–7.
The believers were worried they had missed the rapture. Paul calms them:
“Let no one deceive you… that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed…” (v. 3)
That “man of lawlessness” is the Antichrist.
But what’s stopping him from appearing now?
“You know what is restraining him now… He who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.” (v. 6–7)
This Restrainer is the Holy Spirit working through the Church. When the Church is raptured, the Restrainer is removed—and evil will explode on earth.
The fact that evil is already rising shows the pressure is building.
The Signs Are Foreshadows
Imagine watching the actors walk on stage before the curtain rises. You see costumes, hear whispers, feel the energy.
That’s where we are now.
Geopolitical instability – Nations rising against nations.
Moral confusion – Good called evil, and evil called good.
Technology for control – Tools for the mark of the beast already exist.
Hatred of Israel – The world increasingly turns against God’s chosen people.
One-world thinking – Global crisis creating global solutions.
All of this is not the tribulation yet—but it’s preparing for it. It’s the shadow before the storm.
Israel at the Center
Another key sign is the spotlight on Israel. The nation of Israel was reborn in 1948. That alone fulfilled prophecy. No other nation has disappeared for 2,000 years and come back. But Israel did—because God said it would.
The tribulation is centered on Israel. The temple will be rebuilt. Sacrifices will resume. The Antichrist will break a peace treaty and desecrate the holy place.
None of that happens without Israel in place. And now it is.
When you watch the headlines, keep an eye on Israel. That’s God’s timepiece.
Yeshua (Jesus) Said to Watch
In Luke 21:28, Yeshua (Jesus) says:
“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
We’re not told to guess dates or panic. We’re told to look up.
Why? Because the closer we get to the tribulation, the closer we are to the rapture.
If we’re already seeing signs meant for after the rapture, then how soon must the rapture be?
Don’t Confuse the Timeline
Some believers mix up the rapture and Second Coming. Here’s a helpful chart:
Don’t merge what God separates. The rapture is a private reunion. The Second Coming is a public return.
People Will Mock
Peter warned that people would laugh at the idea of Yeshua (Jesus) coming back:
“Scoffers will come… saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’” (2 Peter 3:3–4)
They’ll say, “It’s always been this way.” They’ll point to failed predictions. They’ll call it fantasy. Don’t let that shake you. Mockers prove the Bible right. And their mocking shouldn’t silence us—it should sharpen us.
Why God Delays
You might wonder, “If things are this bad, why hasn’t Yeshua (Jesus) come yet?”
Peter answers that too:
“The Lord is not slow… but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
God is waiting—not because He’s unsure, but because He’s merciful.
Every day He waits is a chance for more people to repent and believe.
But that window won’t stay open forever.
How does this help me understand “The Signs of the Times?”
Don’t Just Read the Signs—Respond
The signs before the tribulation aren’t meant to scare us. They’re meant to stir us.
We’re not looking for the Antichrist—we’re looking for Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).
We’re not prepping to endure judgment—we’re prepping to escape it.
We’re not paralyzed by fear—we’re activated by faith.
So lift your eyes. Check your heart. Open your mouth. Because the world is ready for wrath… but the Church is ready for rescue.
If the signs are here, and the time is short, how do we live?
Be Alert.
Stay awake to what’s happening in the world and in your own life.Be Pure.
Live holy. Don’t let sin lull you into sleep. Yeshua (Jesus) is coming.Be Bold.
Tell people the truth. The gospel is urgent. Time is running out.Be Encouraged.
God’s not caught off guard. He told us this would happen. And He’s coming to get us before it breaks loose.
The signs of the times are not the rapture—they’re what follows it.
But if the world is already preparing for the tribulation…
Then heaven is already preparing for our arrival.
Don’t miss your moment. - Yeshua (Jesus) is coming.
