#987

Not Seeing Red - When Prophecy Hits the Brakes

Another Prophetic Setback

I have been a Christian for some time and I’ve heard a lot of prophecies that as of now haven’t been fulfilled even though people said that they were close to happening. The chief of which is that the Rapture will occur in this month or that month usually in September or October since that’s when the Jewish Feast of Trumpets happens. Of course those who trumpet this belief try to say that it makes sense since the Apostle Paul told us this about that prophetic event:

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are [a]asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:15-18, NKJV)

He also penned these words as well:

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a [a]mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Cor 15:50-52, NKJV)

This particular feast was instituted as we see in Leviticus 23:23-25:

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’ ” (NKJV)

There’s an article that even gives us 10 reasons that the Rapture could happen during this time period. But the Rapture is imminent meaning that it can happen at any time so waiting until the end of our year for it is counterproductive and I would say unbiblical. Still we hear about this being the time. But prophecies can make us look dumb when we hold out so much hope for them and they aren’t fulfilled. And about those red heifers.

No Holy Cows

In an article from Prophecy News Watch we’re told the bad news that those five red heifers sent to Israel back in 2022 have all failed to past Jewish muster:

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. -- Isaiah 55:8

This week, many believers watched with a mixture of disappointment and reflection as the Temple Institute in Jerusalem declared that the five red heifers brought to Israel roughly three years ago are no longer considered viable candidates for the biblically significant sacrifice needed to purify the future Third Temple. For those who had followed the journey of these rare animals from Texas to the Holy Land, this announcement came as a jarring reminder: God's plans are never late--but they also rarely align with our timelines.

We all had high hopes about these cows and I reported on them a few times (see here and here).

The red heifer, described in Numbers 19, plays a critical role in the purification rites necessary before temple service can be reinstated. Its ashes, combined with water, are to be used for the ceremonial cleansing of those defiled by contact with the dead. Without a perfect red heifer--one without blemish, never yoked, and meeting other strict criteria--the rebuilding of the Temple cannot be fully actualized according to traditional Jewish law. So when these five candidates arrived in Israel in 2022, prophetic excitement surged. Could this be the final step before the long-awaited construction of the Third Temple?

For those who hoped that one of those five cows would be perfect, well we found out that none of them were without blemish:

But once again, God has reminded His people: the pace of prophecy is not ours to dictate.

What Can We Learn?

The fact that the cows were not suitable for sacrifice isn’t new since we’ve known since March of this year that they all had imperfections. But if it’s not the red cows, the Rapture of the church or any of a myriad of end times signs listed in the pages of the Bibles not happening when we think they will there are lessons to be gleaned from these disappointments as the article tells us:

For prophecy watchers, the heifer setback may sting, but it is by no means the end of the road. In fact, moments like this are essential spiritual checkpoints. They challenge us to reaffirm our trust not in outcomes or symbols, but in the One who holds time in His hands.

As I did, they give us other times when prophetic fever was high:

We have seen this before. During the Gulf War, prophetic fervor swept through churches across America. Sermons and Bible studies were hastily arranged to explain Saddam Hussein's role in biblical prophecy. Could this be the rise of the Antichrist? Was Babylon being rebuilt before our eyes? For all the questions, speculation, and energy poured into that moment, the fulfillment didn't arrive as many hoped--or expected. And yet, that season stirred many to repentance, prayer, and greater biblical literacy. God used it for good.

Similarly, many recently observed the brief but intense conflict between Israel and Iran, wondering aloud: Could this be the war of Gog and Magog described in Ezekiel 38-39? The alignment seemed close--but not quite. Russia, a key figure in that prophecy, remained a missing piece. For all the intensity, it didn't quite fit. And still, it has deepened our understanding of how closely today's headlines echo tomorrow's prophecies.

Not Retreating

Even when hope that a key prophetic event is dashed we must see the good that comes from it:

Though the red heifers are no longer considered eligible, it would be a mistake to see this as a prophetic retreat. The broader picture shows the opposite. Jews singing and praying openly on the Temple Mount--a practice once completely suppressed--is no small thing. Temple preparation is ongoing. Priestly garments have been crafted. Utensils have been made. Even the training of Levites has begun. The cultural shift within Israel toward religious expectation is real and accelerating. We are not going backward. We are simply being asked to wait--and watch--with humility.

And that is a good thing. A very good thing.

We’re On God’s Timetable

This is a key point to make. While we can’t know the exact time for things we can certainly know the environment for how close we are:

Jesus warned that the last days would be marked by wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes in various places, lawlessness, and rising hatred. These signs are not meant to cause despair, but awareness. And today, we see all of them playing out globally. Antisemitism is on the rise. Moral confusion clouds the culture. Technology has advanced to the point that the Mark of the Beast, once a mysterious concept, is now not only plausible--it's culturally acceptable. Cashless societies, biometric ID systems, and global digital currencies are discussed openly in international economic forums. Yet in all this, God is not delayed. He is patient.

We’re reminded of a popular verse about being patient:

As 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us: "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Each delay is mercy. Every "no" is a preparation for a greater "yes." Even now, the setbacks are sowing seeds of awakening, both in Israel and around the world.

Tempering our expectations is always a good thing. So getting excited isn’t a bad thing, but adding a little perspective and caution are good things, too.

A Sound Mind

In Paul’s advice to Timothy he writes this verse that we use a lot:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7, NKJV)

The term “sound mind” is an interesting one and the Greek word used is only used once in the Bible and it’s here. We learn more about this word in an article from gotquestions.org:

In other Bible translations, the word sophronismos is rendered “self-control” (ESV), “self-discipline” (NIV, NLT), “discipline” (NASB), “good judgment” (GW), and “sound judgment” (CSB). These various interpretations seem to convey different meanings. What exactly does sophronismos mean? And what is Paul referring to when he tells Timothy that God has given us the spirit of a sound mind?

The influence of the Spirit of God is required to produce a genuinely sound mind. The sound mind Paul speaks of is a mind under the control of God’s Holy Spirit. In the sense of self-discipline, the word sophronismos denotes careful, rational, sensible thinking. Having a sound mind requires a thought process based on the wisdom and clarity that God imparts rather than being manipulated by fear.

We aren’t given to this fad or this sensational revelation about when Christ is returning. Or glomming onto talk of the third temple and the rise of the Antichrist and I could go on and on. These things are interesting and they can help us know how close we are to the actual people and events right before the Rapture and the Second Coming and in that light it can and should affect how we live. But we shouldn’t be given to extreme thinking and making extreme statements like Jesus is returning in 1988 or 1989 as Edgar Whisenant ignominiously predicted. Yes, we are getting closer to a boatload of prophecies being fulfilled and yes the Rapture of the church can happen at any time, but it should inspire us to live closer to Jesus and work harder to fulfill the Great Commission.

Not Disheartened

Like how the article concludes:

Disappointment is dangerous when we let it cloud our confidence in God. But for the believer anchored in Scripture, these moments are clarifying. They strip away emotional hype and leave us with the raw, steady truth of God's Word. Yes, we are called to watch the signs. But more importantly, we are called to wait well.

The authors then give us the lesson of some Old Testament saints to buttress this advice:

The story of Joseph comes to mind--falsely accused, imprisoned, and forgotten. Yet in God's perfect time, he rose to fulfill his destiny. Or consider Moses, delayed in the wilderness for 40 years. Or David, anointed king but running from Saul. Or even Jesus, arriving in history not as a warrior to overthrow Rome, but as a suffering servant to conquer sin. God's plans are always better than ours, even when the path includes delay.

Even though the prophetic brakes screeched on the news of the red heifers we needn’t be pouting or depressed about it:

So where does this leave us? Not in despair--but in deeper expectation. We are not to be idle while we wait. We are to be active in sharing the Gospel, in serving the Church, in comforting the weary, and in preparing ourselves for His return. The invalidation of these red heifers is not the end of the story. It's a pause. A divine comma, not a period. God's timeline has not been disrupted; it's unfolding perfectly. And when the real red heifer appears--and it will--there will be no ambiguity. Until then, let us hold fast to hope, continue to learn, and live each day as though Christ could return tonight. Because one day... He will.

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."

-- Matthew 24:42

Can I get a few amens on that? Or a loud maranatha?