The Rapture Index’s Narrow Range
At the beginning of the year, I updated the highs and lows for the Rapture Index for the past four years. I noticed that the RI moved very little each year, with increases of 8, 6, 5, and 9 points during this time period. About twenty years ago, we could see a 30-point move in a single year.
The lack of upward movement in the Rapture Index is a very common complaint that we receive. People expect the RI to edge higher and higher with each passing year. Here is part of an email that someone recently sent to Terry:
First, I love the Rapture Ready website, but I find your “Rapture Index” way off as it’s the same as 2 years ago, which totally is not reflective of the Scriptures and the events we are currently experiencing!
The events we are currently witnessing in the world & US are truly confirmation of what the Scriptures say… which in NO way compare with the Rapture Ready “Rapture Index.”
Jesus said that end-time activity would increase like labor pains. There have been several times when I realized we haven’t had a major earthquake in several months. I thought to myself that a big one should be coming soon, and a few days later, a large earthquake did strike somewhere on the planet.
Prophetic events do not always occur like clockwork. We went several years without a single hurricane impacting the US coastline, and then the tropical cyclone drought was suddenly broken with a rush of activity. In just a few short years, we set several records in relation to hurricanes. During the 2020 hurricane season, Louisiana saw the most ever landfalling cyclones with five total storms.
It would be foolish to think that the following year would bring a set of six cyclones to Louisiana. However, Hurricane Ida did occur in 2021 and caused catastrophic damage to the state’s electric grid. Many people probably regretted not taking Hurricane Katrina as a warning sign to consider leaving the state.
Several insurance companies have decided to drop their hurricane coverage for Gulf Coast states. This decision stems from their assessment that insuring homes and businesses against tropical storm damage has become unprofitable and too great of a financial risk. I live about 400 miles from the Gulf and am paying for past storms. In a four-year period, my home insurance premium has gone up by 40 percent.
The Rapture Index categories are not a factor in a long-term average. They are based on a constant state of motion. If things quit happening, the index will drop like a rock. The record low was set in 1993 when everything related to prophecy went on hold.
Today, I’m amazed that it was once possible for the RI to drop down to 53 points. When I was in the Air Force, I was deployed to Saudi Arabia for 45 days without any internet connection. When I got back, it only took me a few days to update the site.
The record high was set in 2016 and tied last year. I am unsure if we will ever see the 190 range. When the rapture takes place, many categories will be rated 3 or less.
Some RI categories contradict each other. If we have floods all over the world, drought may not rank as high because of the abundance of moisture. Years ago, I coined the phrase, “Economic hardship is the mother’s milk of prophet progression.” Financial troubles are not necessarily a sign of the rapture. Jesus said he was coming for the Church at a time of general tranquility.
When I created the RI in 1987, I naturally expected it to rise right up to the point where the rapture would occur. However, I now understand that the flatline pattern observed over the last decade is a stronger indication of the approaching rapture. It appears we’ve hit the upper limit and have stayed here because world events cannot proceed until the blessed hope takes place.
I’ve wondered if the RI’s productive years are behind it. There is a small possibility that God could hit the snooze alarm, and the RI could come crashing down, with the rapture many years down the road. I’m encouraged by the reality that there are just too many events aligning with prophecy happening at the same time.
About 200 years ago, prophecy watchers were puzzled by the Bible saying that Israel would be reborn and the Antichrist would have a global currency. Today, as in the days of Noah, apathy is our greatest enemy.
“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39).
–Todd