Predictions vs. Possibilities

In September and October, 2025, Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, not only once, but thrice predicted the rapture of The Lord’s 3rd age saints, first, ‘on the 23rd and 24th of September 2025’, and later, ‘on October 6th and 7th’. While of that day, Jesus said, ‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only’, He spoke in the (then) present tense. Over 2 thousand years hence, who knows ‘who knows’ of that day by now?! Clearly, this pastor didn’t, nor has any others who dared to predict dates in the past.

This post is not about this pastor, or his predictions. Rather, it’s about what is clearly available for all of us, saints and sinners alike, to study and learn—not about specific dates, but about relevant repetitive patterns, and precursor signs of/about that approaching date, and the subsequent age transition. Moreover, in 1 Corinthians 15:52, Paul informed us that the next ‘first’ rapture event, would occur ‘in the twinkling of an eye’, not stretched over a 2-day period. (Keep in mind that some references to ‘one’ and ‘first’ in The Bible, do not mean a numerical reference. Good examples are the concept of ‘first fruits’ and ‘first resurrection and rapture’.)

 

A Relevant Repetitive Pattern

Secret Agent Christian (Poem)

If you bump into a cup that’s filled,

And not a drop of what’s in it spills,

Then about that cup, what would you think?

 

If with Christians you have encounters,

And no signals of Christ are ‘rendered’,

About those Christians, what would you think?

 

If nothing in your life ‘testifies’,

And by you, Christ is never glorified,

Why wear the title that bears His Name??

The Trinity in The Bible (Q&A)

Q. Jesus Christ was a Jew who was sent to Jews to educate them, and remind them about The Torah. So Christianity was never a separate religion. Also, there are many different, conflicting versions of The Bible, and none of them include references to the Trinity, only to Monotheism.

 

A. Thank you for your statements, which I will address as if they are infer underlying questions. 

 

Jesus was sent to all humanity, not just to Jews

 

I agree with your core premise: Jesus absolutely came to bring, not only Jews, but also the world to the recognition of One True God. However, His mission was not only about returning the hearts of Jews to God, but was about what the fullness of that unity (what you call monotheism) entails, as revealed progressively throughout The Bible.

The Sovereign's Symphony

While listening to several National Public Radio (NPR) reports about the recent rediscovery and satellite mapping of the entire Roman road network, I was reminded how those ancient routes once carried, not only soldiers and merchants—but also the earliest messengers of The Gospel. The thought stirred this reflection on how The Lord has conducted the rise and fall of hegemon empires, each ‘playing’ its part in His unfolding ‘composition’.

 

Like an expert orchestra conductor,

On His cue, The Lord directed empires,

For ‘lead section roles’ in His strategy.

For each one, He pre-composed unique parts,

To facilitate His ‘musical score’.

Thus, on the world scene, right on cue, they rose!

He Twice Said, 'Shortly!'

Curiously, The Book of Revelation opens and closes with the phrase, ‘…things which must shortly take place.’ That was written circa AD 95. Since then, over 22 centuries, the world has been waiting…or not, for some evidence of the veracity of the prophecies in that book. Most people may have thought, ‘bah humbug’, and have moved on with their lives—those prophecies totally out of mind!   

 

God gave the contents of those prophecies, to Jesus, The Lord God, for Him to show them to us, His servants. (Revelation 1:1) Jesus concluded John’s visionary presentation with the words, ‘I am coming quickly…’. Again, ‘bah humbug’, the likely reaction, not only from the world at large, but I imagine perhaps by many, if not most Christians over the past 22 centuries!

 

Since neither God nor Jesus is capable of lying, then the onus is upon us, to whom these prophecies were sent, to decode their words, shortly and quickly. What if most of us may have just dismissed these words altogether, and thus may not benefit from insights they intended us to perceive? 

Worship or Warfare? (Part 2, dominionists)

See the series here

 

In Part 2, we saw that The Lord’s overt objective for the exodus of ancient Hebrews from Egypt was for them to form an exceeding army:

 

     (a) to be His ‘battle axe’ against the Amorites, a grossly sinful people in Canaan, to whom He had extended another 400 years of Grace, and who were then ready for His judgment (Genesis 15:6); and

     (b) to initiate the much longer set of military campaigns to capture the entirety of the land He had promised—from the Brook of Egypt-to-the-Euphrates river—to Abram’s descendants through Jacob, whose name The Lord had changed to Israel. (Genesis 15:18)

 

The exodus was planned to initiate a massive, qualified land deed to the ex-slaves, one with a faith proviso!  As a nation, they would be required to demonstrate sufficient, sustained faith to believe The Lord would ensure their success through a lengthy set of invasions across that wide swarth of land that was fully occupied! Their faith would be demonstrated and tested in the extent to which they would keep His laws. We know ‘the rest of the story…’.  

And Today? 

Missed Insights About Genesis 12:3 (Part 3)

See the series here 

‘I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
and in you, all the families of the Earth shall be blessed.’

Genesis 12:3

 

Perhaps ever since The Lord inspired Moses to pen this pivotal promise, people who read it likely had significantly different understandings of who would be the you in it. Abram, whose name The Lord changed to Abraham, is ‘the father of many nations’. So the possible choices are many across his vast line of descendants—Ishmael’s Arabs, Esau’s Edomites, Jacob’s Hebrews and Jews, and only God knows which others! The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel, and selected his to be the descendant line through which He would be born as a man, to pay the price for all sin. In light of this, Christians generally interpret the you in this verse, as Jews and governments of Israel. Yet The Bible reveals The Lord’s significantly different choice. 

 

Let’s conclude our exploration of Genesis 12:3, and finally learn who are the descendant you that are thrice referenced in this prophecy. Who gets to ‘claim the prize’ of The Lord’s blessings throughout history??

Worship or Warfare? (Part 1, exodus rebels)

See the series here

When most of us picture the exodus, we see miracles, freedom, Sinai, tablets, and a nation learning to worship. True enough. But what was The Lord’s immediate objective? The classic read is devotional. The Lord’s repeated demand—‘that they may serve Me’ (Exodus 7:16)—is taken as a summons to worship, covenant loyalty, religious festivals, and a tabernacle-centered life. Israel would be forged into a holy (set apart) nation at Sinai; the wilderness would become a classroom of faith; and Canaan waits until the Hebrews become spiritually fit. This perspective coheres with the giving of The Law and the charge to be a kingdom of priests.

 

A second view (as modern voices echo it) highlights timing: Genesis 15:16 states ‘the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’ Thus, The Lord deliberately delays judgment of the Amorites. The four centuries Hebrews spent in Egypt aren’t merely about Israel’s growth. They allow Canaan’s corruption to ripen to the threshold where judgment is indisputably just. The exodus then becomes the moral regulator of timing: Genesis 15:14, ‘Not yet!’, then 4 centuries later    ‘… NOW!!!’

Missed Insights About Genesis 12:3 (Part 2)

See the series here

‘I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

and in you, all the families of the Earth shall be blessed.’ 

Genesis 12:3

Many Christians may casually quote Genesis 12:3 without asking who this verse addresses over time. They may treat it as a blanket promise of blessing for supporting Jews and/or modern Israel. That is the result of a rather myopic focus on one verse, out of context of the message across the entire Bible! Moreover, as noted in Part 1, they completely side-step the considerable blessings The Lord pronounced on Ishmael, Abraham’s first son, and on his descendants—Arabs.

In Part 2, let’s explore why the ‘you’ in this verse is neither Jews nor Israel. Brace yourselves as we continue with my 4th point in this series. What follows is not ethnic condemnation, but aspects of divine chastening within covenant. This is not a blanket indictment on any people, but a careful reading of how God disciplines within covenant. Please read prayerfully, not defensively.

Tips to Understand The Bible (Part 1)

See Part 2 here

 

I grew up among faithful saints whose education was limited, but whose love for The Lord was real. They passed on what light they had, and I will always honor them for it. Yet I have since discovered that much of what they taught was lifted out of context — single verses detached from their chapters, concepts colored by their socio-economic struggles, and moments divorced from the long sweep of The Lord’s strategy.

 

Sadly, many teachers today may be doing the same or similar things. They may read The Bible with a relatively narrow, religious mindset, for example: