IS THE RAPTURE IN MATTHEW 24:40-41 AND LUKE 17:34-36?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Can we find the Rapture in Matthew chapter 24 and Luke chapter 17? Some say yes. Others say no. We will not take anyone’s word for it. We will not idly speculate either. As Bereans, we will look into God’s Word for ourselves and let it interpret itself.

Matthew 24:36-41 says: “[36] But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. [37] But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [38] 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, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [40] Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [41] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Note people being taken away in verses 40-41.)

Luke 17:24-37, the (longer) parallel passage, provides additional details worth mentioning: “[24] For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. [25] But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. [26] And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. [27] They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. [28] Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; [29] But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. [30] Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. [31] In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. [32] Remember Lot’s wife. [33] Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. [34] I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. [35] Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [36] Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [37] And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” (Note people being taken away in verses 34-36.)

When the Son of man, Jesus Christ, returns to Earth at His Second Coming, people will be taken away. Matthew 24:40-41: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Luke chapter 17: “[34] I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. [35] Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [36] Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Who exactly is being taken? Believers, or lost people? Where exactly are they taken? Heaven, or somewhere else? We need not guess. The Bible tells us!

The Lord Jesus said the key was to understand what happened during the Great Flood of Noah’s day. Matthew chapter 24 again: “[38] 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, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Who was taken in the Great Flood? Friend, if you know your Bible, you understand it was certainly the unbelievers taken away in the Flood. No believers perished. Remember, the believers were safe in the Ark that Noah built according to God’s instructions. Jesus Christ’s Second Coming will likewise take away the unsaved/lost people, leaving only the believing remnant (Israel and her Gentile blessers) on Earth.

Luke 17:37 again: “And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” The disciples wondered where these people were taken. They were not taken to heaven! They were not taken to meet the Lord in the air as in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:17)! The Lord said they would be taken to where the eagles gather. The people being taken away in Matthew 24:40-41 and Luke 17:34-36 are being judged and destroyed. This is the great judgment/wrath at Christ’s Second Coming, when God kills His enemies and instructs scavenger-birds to gather and eat their corpses (Revelation 19:17-21). This is “the Supper of the Great God” (verse 17) and “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb” (verse 9).

THE RAPTURE, A SECRET UNTIL JESUS CHRIST REVEALED IT TO PAUL

Attempting to argue against those who say Jesus never preached about the Rapture, people will take Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:40-41 and Luke 17:34-36 about individuals being taken away, and make them apply to people being taken to heaven in the Rapture. But these individuals are not taken away to heaven. Jesus Himself said they are taken away in judgment! As the Great Flood destroyed the unbelievers, so the Second Coming will take away the unbelievers from Earth (Luke 17:37; Matthew 24:39).

Actually, Jesus never talked about the Rapture during His earthly ministry. Why? Because the Rapture was fiction? No. Because it was not yet time to reveal the secret of the Rapture. For the Holy Spirit to lead Paul to call the Rapture a “mystery” (secret) in 1 Corinthians 15:51 would be a lie if Jesus had already revealed the teaching of the Rapture years earlier in Matthew 24:40-41 and Luke 17:34-36. Israel is not involved with the Rapture, so Jesus had no reason to tell Israel about it in the Four Gospels. The Rapture is an event strictly involving the Church the Body of Christ (believers only) being removed from Earth before Israel’s prophetic program resumes. Hence, we can find the Rapture only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. God did not reveal the Rapture until Paul’s ministry. In Israel’s program, there is no secret gathering together unto Christ in the air; Jesus Christ comes on the Earth for Israel (Zechariah 14:1-4).

Also see:
» What does 1 Corinthians 15:52 mean “at the last trump?”
» Are we “doom and gloom” Bible prophecy believers?
» What is “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?”