Getting "Caught Up" with the Rapture

·31 min·3 clips

Gary DeMar challenges believers in a September rapture to sign over all their possessions to him the day after.

The episode opens with Gary DeMar addressing a current internet prediction that the rapture will happen from September 22nd to 25th. He proposes a challenge: if people truly believe it, they should sign over all their possessions to him or American Vision on September 26th. DeMar recalls a similar prediction from years ago where he contacted the predictor the next day and received an admission of error. He then holds up a physical book from 1988 titled '88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988', which was distributed widely at a Christian booksellers convention. DeMar notes the author, Edgar Whisenant, was a NASA engineer who later recalculated for 1989 after a BC/AD error. The discussion shifts to Hal Lindsey's 1970 book, which linked Israel's 1948 founding to a 40-year 'generation' prophecy, a timeline long since expired. DeMar critiques the dispensationalist interpretation of Daniel's 70 weeks, arguing the inserted gap of nearly 2000 years renders the prophecy meaningless. He plays a clip from a viral video with nearly 300,000 views that uses 1 Thessalonians 5 to support the September rapture claim. DeMar then exegetes 1 Thessalonians 5, emphasizing its audience relevance to first-century Christians facing persecution from Jews, not a future global event. He references a republished book by Nehemiah Nisbet that pre-dates dispensationalism. DeMar shares personal anecdotes, including becoming a Christian in 1973 and hearing Jack Van Impe's prophecy records about war with Russia. He concludes by urging listeners not to fall for the current prediction and again offers his book 'The Rapture and the Fig Tree Generation' for more information.

As heard by us

A sharp, scripture-centered challenge to rapture-date claims, with a comic September 26 wager.

A rapture prediction pegged to September 22 through 25 becomes a brisk test of biblical interpretation, public certainty, and what it costs to be wrong.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a scripture-first challenge to September rapture certainty, with a property handoff dare waiting on September 26.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Gary DeMar Podcast