Rapture Index

The Rapture Index is a site that catalogs occurrences of end times related events like False Christs, financial unrest, liberalism, plagues, etc. Here's their own description of why they do this:
You could say the Rapture index is a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity, but I think it would be better if you viewed it as prophetic speedometer. The higher the number, the faster we're moving towards the occurrence of pre-tribulation rapture.
Rapture Index of 100 and Below: Slow prophetic activity Rapture Index of 100 to 130: Moderate prophetic activity Rapture Index of 130 to 160: Heavy prophetic activity Rapture Index above 160: Fasten your seat belts
Check out their FAQ for more information.

Currently the Rapture Index has us at a 168, with an all-time high of 182 and a low of 57.

What do you think of this site? Do you think it's helpful? Interesting? In poor taste? Other thoughts?

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Comments (27)

I think it's funny, but it has an obvious dispensationalist bent when it's talking about "pre-tribulation" rapture. So, my theological qualms with it creators aside, I had a bit of a laugh at it. It's hard to take something like this seriously when you disagree with their fundamental premise of end-times events.
I sure hope this is satire. I don't remember reading about "liberalism" or any political ideologies in Revelation.

Remember, no one will know the day or the hour.
I've seen this site before. I find it mildly amusing, especially since they take themselves so seriously. I can't see how it would be at all helpful, though, since the majority of it's measurements are outrageously arbitrary.

They listed in their "Comments on Active Categories" at the very top: "A gentleman in Florida has made news by claiming to be Christ."

I missed that news myself, but apparently they missed the local Akron news of a man roaming the university campus claiming himself to be God. What's the scope of news they are referring to? And is it only "newsworthy" events by certain news outlets that should be counted toward the total? What about the blogosphere? Or Digg? Oh, there's all kinds of goodies on Digg that I'm sure are left out of this list. :-)
Actually, Mr. Penn, this man they refer to is a wack job anti-Christ by the name of Jose de Jesus Miranda. He's been all over the news, even CNN. And if you look him up, you'll see he has quite a following. He's pretty much of the devil: he says there's no sin, no hell and that he's not only Jesus incarnate, but embraces the anti-Christ ideology, too. He also has 666 tattooed on him...and so do some of his followers.

It's really crazy.
In Greenbrier County, WV there is a woman who believes she is married to Jesus. She calls herself Mrs. Lord. Once a social worker sat down next to her on a bench, then realized, uh-oh, I'm sitting on Jesus lap, and jumped up offering profuse apologies to Jesus. Maybe that is a sign of the end times. Maybe she is married to the anti-Christ. Or maybe she is just harmlessly insane. Or maybe Jesus has already come back, and she IS married to him!
well,
i'm sure people who aren't too keen on the whole "left behind" eschatology will see this site as a waste or pretty off key.
it all depends on eschatology.

adam
Let me give you a little background. In the 70's when I was a patrolman I never had to shoot anyone. Child abuse or abuse of any kind was moderate at best, (because people did not report it). Divorce and adultery were there, but no one talked about it and drugs and alcohol were everywhere. But there it was a time of growth and people thought of their families and friends before they thought of themselves. Now, Mothers are killing their children, children are killing their parents and fathers are killing the family and themselves. Violence in rampant especially in bigger cities, just look at Chicago this last week. People are violating laws and regulations all over the country and giving an excuse you see from everyone else; well everyone else is doing it. People are damning this country because they aren't getting a free ride and free access to what they think is the good life. Children are not completeing their education, but want big homes and even bigger vehicles, without working for it. Are we getting closer to the end times, well I think maybe we are. We will not know when the end is at hand, but he does and he will do all he can to bring as many as he can home to him. Believe, trust and love God as we should and he will be by your side with his hands out to welcome you home. In God's Grace John
John, I work in the media and I see exactly what you're talking about everyday. And every time I see the newest story come across the wire or from one of our stations, all I can think is "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." This is in Matthew 24, where the LORD Jesus discusses the times of the end.

Throwing babies off bridges? Putting babies in microwaves? Beating a child to death with a video game controller? Holding your own child captive and rapping her for decades?

You don't have to believe in the LORD, but you can't look around and tell me that the times are not more violent and people don't seem to be less compassionate.
You don't have to believe in the LORD, but you can't look around and tell me that the times are not more violent and people don't seem to be less compassionate.


Just because you see more violence and heartlessness in your neighborhood doesn't make it true as a general rule.

I find the proposition, "we're living in more violent times, therefore the end times are at hand", to have little merit. Students of history (heck, the Bible alone) will learn of exquisite and terrifying tortures, genocides, pandemics, government (and religious!) oppression, and more. The fact that humans now have better tools of oppression and destruction means it's only more efficient.

It may seem more so because in our media and globalized world we hear about every terrible thing all the time. That does not mean mankinds' heart is more or less corrupt than before.

This does go to your eschatological beliefs, but I find this is neither rational nor scriptural.
I'd agree that the world around us looks awfully dark and violent--but is it *really* more violent than it ever has been? What about World War 2, when millions of people were being killed? What about 14th century Europe, when up to half of the populace was killed off by the Black Death? I think almost any generation in history could plug their contemporary world into this type of formula and come to the conclusion that the Rapture must be eminent.
Does the world just look a lot more violent, or is it actually so?

That's a good question. And I wonder about it since we have so many wars/conflicts going on in many places right now, especially all over Africa (which includes the Middle East)...

But I am not basing the 'sign of the times' on this particular aspect alone. There are other disturbing trends that I've noticed. But you know what, your salvation and my salvation (through the same Christ Jesus) doesn't depend on whether you or I think 'it's the end of the world" so I won't argue about or dismiss your opinion of current events.

And thanks for letting me know that my opinion is 'not rational.' God Bless.
LaVrai, I didn't, and I'm sure Wazungu didn't either, mean to insult you personally. Sorry if it came across that way.

If the state of global violence isn't the only (or even the main) thing that inspires your perspective, then I think I understand a lot better, and that does make more sense. Thanks for explaining.
Could someone explain this view of the end times? I interpret some of the events described in Revelation, for example, to be referencing the sacking of Jerusalem in AD 70 by the Romans and desecration of the Temple. I see it as a letter to the seven churches about what was happening right then or imminently so.

Others interpret events described as things that will happen in the future (or happening now), and watch for these signs as indicators of The End and Christs' return.

I haven't studied Revelation very much. I see Christ's return as an unknowably future event (and prepare for it daily), and therefore haven't spent much energy thinking about... unknowable events.

I would like to be educated on other views of this subject.
Oops, I just saw it, I did indeed say, "not rational". Critique retracted! =)
I've watched a few documentaries and read a lot about 1969 ('68? I forget) and how Chicago and other cities literally burned and rioted.

Things are certainly better there now than they were then. History seems to be cyclical: nations rise and fall; there is war, then peace; there is calm, and there are periods of lawlessness and order. Then it all starts again! It's this view of history - and the earthly future - that is at odds, for me, with a "Left Behind" view of the end times.

That said: Lord Jesus, come soon! Help me understand your ways.
All the comments here were written 9 months ago I certainly hope you guys haven't been Raptured, that would be really serious news for me lol. The Bible did say when we see all these things the caos that is taking place in the world we should look up and know that our redemption draweth neigh Matt 24. It's amazing how we will see all the vital signs taking place and still deny it. Look up people Jesus return will be soon but when? Not even the angels know. We are seeing the signs all these post were written before the recession was officially announced and one by one the signs are falling in place it is time to make preperations personal ones to meet the soon coming King get your houses in order, because His return is SURE! Read the parable of the fig treee.....Matt 24. Watch this video on www.youtube.com a Nigerian Pastor sent back by God to warn the world to repent. God doesn't act until He warns true repentance is what He requires http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... ....Search for it Raised From The Dead 1 - 6. God bless you....
1st reaction: I laughed out loud at my desk at work.

2nd reaction: I'm sad. One would think that we would have learned from the 70s & 80s (ala Hal Lindsey and others) that predicting return of Christ is a fools errand. Also, as other commenters have noted, the elements composing the index are seriously flawed and based on a very right-wing bias.

Jesus is coming. He's coming soon. We need to be ready. So instead of predicting when He's coming, let's spend our time getting ready.

--Jim
Jim just thought I'd copy to you a section straight from the web site: - "The Rapture Index is by no means meant to predict the rapture, however, the index is designed to measure the type of activity that could act as a precursor to the rapture." These blokes admit that you can't predict Jesus ETA.
It is a great illustration of how those who are sure they are "the only true Christians" because they "believe the whole Bible" have made no effort to understand the Bible they claim to believe in.

If liberalism is a problem, does that mean that "conservative Sarkozy" is lowering the Rapture index? Maybe he is the one who "holds back" the "man of lawlessness".

I used to think like this myself, and so it is strange looking at in now from a different perspective. All I can say is that it makes parodying this brand of Christianity hard, since this site that looks like a parody is a genuine expression of how they view the world.
I hope this is a joke-- It's like terrorism threat levels for Christianity. IF this is meant to be serious then, um uh, I'll just stay away from it. Okay...
A rapture? Where?

You know I just can’t find this stuff, and I have been looking for year’s decades in fact, but where is it???? Can someone point it out to me?

BTW I read the Bible every day and though it completely twice a year plus for 30 years, I have never seen it...I also read through all of the Reformers and none of them made mentioned of it- curious…

Good luck...

Ron
Ron Kay,

The word, "rapture," does not appear in the Bible. It is a theological concept. Before you discount the rapture because of this, also consider that the word, "trinity," does not appear in the Bible either.

I believe Jesus cites examples of the rapture in Matthew 24:38-44, and Luke 17:31-38 (Depending on translation, in verse 38 Jesus says we will gather where "eagles" or "vultures" gather - Consider that at the time, nothing in the sky flew higher than these birds, si I believe it is an illustration that we will gather in the sky). Paul further expounds on the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:50-55.

Finally, in a situation where God is preparing to unleash his wrath, consider the debate God held with Lot before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is proof that God would take believers out of harm's way before invoking His wrath. The rapture is the best way to accomplish this.
I just went and had a look at the web site and found it very interesting. I'm not going to comment on the rights or wrongs of it, however, I do believe that it is extremely important that we as christians are aware of our lives, our behaviour at all times. Our walk with God must be continued each day and if a site such as this keeps us focused, then well and good. Gods word does tell us to be alert after all.

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