Tag Archives: Left Behind

Questions About Bible Text, Rapture, The Soon Return of Jesus

Doesn’t Matt. 24: 37-41 say one is taken (raptured) and the other left behind?

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In a previous article, I wrote regarding the Second Coming made simple. This question came up regarding the rapture and those left behind. We will examine this passage closely, comparing it with Luke’s parallel passage of the same event. But, first, a quick review of just a few clear passages from the Bible about the return of Christ.

The disciples of Christ understood the clarity of the events of Jesus’ return. They never contradicted each other. They only added clarity. So it is with the question today. Taking each disciple’s description into account, we can get a clear picture. Today’s Bible passage (Matthew 24:40-41) is often used to support the secret rapture and left-behind theory. Books and even movies have built a picture that is not entirely accurate. We will examine the question of the day from two different disciples and find out exactly what is being described.

As we study the return of Christ, we begin to understand that,

1.) It is not a quiet or secret event. It is a powerful rescue of God’s people!

John described the brightness of the event that is seen by all who are alive at that time, including the wicked and those who are ” dead in Christ.” As John describes it,

“He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7

2.) It is a destructive event

Peter describes this very clearly. heavens pass away with a great noise. Even the elements (including the earth) melt with fervent heat.

 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up… the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

2 Peter 3:10, 12

3.) There are two different responses to the second coming:

The unprepared or lost cry for the rocks to…“Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” Rev. 6:16

The prepared cry out,

“Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.“

Isaiah 25:9

4.) All can hear it!

Paul described the event as loud (shout and voice of an archangel, and a trumpet of God). All can hear it! Even those who died in Christ!

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.

1 Thess 4: 16

5.) Jesus’ literal return is the keeping of a promise He made and is the hope of His followers

The hope He gave you and I was that He would go away and prepare a place and then return to take us where He is now. This does not happen at death but when He returns.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14: 1-3

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Let’s take a look at the passage today and see if it supports the “left-behind” theory of the rapture despite the clear picture painted by the disciples regarding Jesus’ return.

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,  and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Matthew 24: 37-41

Here is a list of the key components of this passage:

  • Matthew compares the second coming of Christ to the days before the flood. This context helps us understand the events of the second coming.
  • He states that the flood came and took the unprepared away. Notice it is not the saved (i.e., Noah and his family) that were taken away.
  • Matthew says it will be the same on the day of Christ’s return, i.e., The unprepared are going about the routine of life, not expecting the end of time and the return of Christ. But on that day, the unprepared die in the flood waters. You would have to really add to this passage to say, they are left behind to endure the tribulation.

So Matthew is saying that those unprepared at the second coming will be like the unprepared of Noah’s time, who were “taken away” by the flood waters and died.

Luke’s account adds clarity to this in his description by not using the “took away” phrase but rather the clearer word for modern ears, “destroyed.”

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luke 24:26

Matthew and Luke describe the exact same thing but use different words (“took away” is the same as “destroyed.”)

So this fits perfectly with the other disciples who described the second coming as a “destructive event” for this sinful earth and the wicked who have turned their back on God.

Please notice that there are 4 classes of people at the return of Christ mentioned in our passages today:

1.) Those who are alive and saved (they meet the Lord in the air.)

2.) Those who are dead in Christ and saved (they are resurrected and meet the Lord in the air.)

3.) Those who are alive and lost. (They are destroyed by the brightness of His coming.-See 2 Thess 2:8)

4.) But the 4th group, those who were already dead and lost; what happens to them?

The simple answer is they are resurrected too, but not for a thousand years. This we will study next time.

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished….Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection. Over such, the second death has no power.

Revelation 20: 5, 6

Jesus said there are two resurrections which John also described here in Revelation. This we will examine next time:

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

John 5:28-29

What is this second death, and what happens to the lost who were destroyed at Christ’s return and the lost dead that come up in the second resurrection after the thousand years?

Rapture, The Soon Return of Jesus

SECOND COMING PREDICTIONS-WHO IS LEFT BEHIND? PART 2

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Jesus compared His second coming with two destructive events: The flood and the destruction of Sodom.  Is the second coming destructive also?  What can we learn from this comparison?

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so, will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”

Luke 17: 26-30

As disclosed in a previous post, there is no room for the idea that the believers are secretly and quickly “snatched” away.  The ear, the eye, and the emotions (good or bad) are part of Jesus’ return.  There is no support for it being secret.  No driver-less cars or a spouse wondering why their mate suddenly disappeared.

Hal Lindsey and followers attempt to break up the second coming into two parts:  The invisible snatching away and the visible return after the 7 years of tribulation.  But many passages of the Bible have to be ignored and misapplied to create a two-part scenario.   It is made complicated but it is actually plain and simple in scripture.  The word of God should be allowed to describe the event without any private interpretation:

“…knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation”

2 Peter 1: 19-21

Further, the more passages on the topic the better. This approach will allow for clarity on a topic.  I have discovered,  the Occam Razor’s approach works well for competing Bible ideas.  This idea used primarily by scientists states that usually the idea (hypothesis) with the least amount of assumptions or the one that is most simple is the better one.  In a Biblical sense,  we must add another guideline as well:  The teaching with the preponderance of verses must be considered as the most valid. So with that in mind, let’s see if the following conclusion is fair.

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In the 1980′s, another more sophisticated group of predictions caught fire in the mainline churches and has pretty much taken over concerning the second coming.  Mr. Camping (mentioned in the previous post) believed this great error.  It is the second coming predictions by Hal Lindsey from the book The Late Great Planet Earth.  He asserts  the following:

1.)    The return of Jesus is in two parts:

a.       The secret rapture – The church is snatched out and taken to heaven before the “tribulation.”  Christians, therefore, have no need to worry about the time of trouble.

b.      The literal visible return – This is for those that survived the 7 years of tribulation and the Mark of the Beast on the earth and for the Jews who finally accept Jesus as their Messiah!

To support the secret rapture, its proponents will say that the “Lord comes as a thief in the night!”  It is   true that he comes as a thief in the night, but the rest of the verse reveals more:

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…”

Many stop here, but the “thief” does more as described in the very next words:

“…in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,”

2 Peter 3:10, 11

From the verses above, we can see:

  • When the Lord comes as a “thief” He brings destruction. The reference to a thief shows it is unexpected.
  • The elements and the earth and the works (the things man has created)  are “burned up”
  • Since we know it is going to end this way, we need to be prepared now.  There are no second chances for  7 years.

A companion verse written by Paul adds more understanding of this idea of the Lord coming like a thief:

“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night…”

Again, many stop reading here to support the secret snatch idea, but the remainder of the verse confirms what Peter wrote concerning destruction.  But, Paul adds: 1.) the lost are destroyed and 2.)  the believers are “not in darkness.” So, the second coming does not come to them like a thief in the night because they are prepared.

 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.”

1 Thessalonians. 5: 2-4

From the Verses above, we can see:

  • The Lord does come as a thief, but only to those who are in darkness (lost).  They are unprepared and not looking for his return!
  • The Lord does not come as a thief to those who are not in darkness (redeemed). They are prepared and are looking for his return!
  • Notice that those who are in darkness, are destroyed when Jesus returns!  We will see additional support below that when Jesus returns the lost will be destroyed or die.

Those who are looking for Jesus to come do not know the day nor the hour, but they know it is near and they are prepared as shown my the teaching of Jesus:

 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Matthew 24:42-44

With this in mind, let’s find out who is “taken” and who is “left behind” when Jesus returns.  Again, it is the assertion of Hal Lindsey and his followers that the church is “taken” (snatched up) and the lost (or those not prepared) are “left behind” to experience the tribulation.  In effect, there is a second chance for those “left behind.”

A quick note:  The term “left behind” does not appear anywhere in the New Testament. It is used two times in the Old Testament and is not a reference to the second coming:

Exodus 10:26-“Not a hoof left behind”

1 Samuel 30:9-Soldiers left behind at a brook

To further push this idea of the secret rapture and the concept of being “left behind,” a series of movies based on the “Left Behind” books were created. But, there are several misinterpretations of verses, particularly like the main one shown below and its companion verses found in Luke. Let’s read it slowly and follow our idea of comparing Bible writers to get a better understanding.

“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.

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. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man comes.”

Matthew 24: 37-44

From the Verses above, we can see:

Flood Victims:

  • The coming of Jesus is compared with the days of Noah.
  • Unprepared-Not looking-Surprised!
  • Every-day life was going on right up to the end: eating, drinking, marrying, etc.  Will it be the same way when Jesus returns? Yes!
  • There was no clue to the lost until the day of their death.  Will it be the same way with Jesus’ coming?  Yes! He will come to them as a thief in the night.  If they had watched, they would be prepared.
  • What happens to the lost?  The flood came and “took them all away.”  Where did it take them? Nowhere!  They were destroyed!

Now let’s look at the companion description given by Luke that adds clarity to this event:

“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

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.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed”

Luke 17: 26-30

Luke describes the same event, but he adds clarity.  Those in Noah’s day and Lot’s day were destroyed!  They were destroyed by the flood during Noah’s day and fire in Lot’s Day (Sodom) and will be destroyed by fire when Jesus returns.

Peter used the comparison of the destruction of Sodom mentioned above in Luke 17 to describe the fate of those who live ungodly.  It is their destruction through fire turning them to ashes:

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly”

2 Peter 2:6

As we summarize here, we discover that Hal Lindsey has the fate of the “taken” and the “left behind” switched.  

Since Jesus compared the people in Noah’s day with those when He returns, we must read the verses in their context.  Here is a simple chart to help us understand the context:

Event Unsaved Saved
                Flood   Flood took them-died-        
destroyed		     Remained alive in Ark
         Return of Christ   Taken-Destroyed     Left or remained
 Two in field and roof             top   Taken-Destroyed     Left or remained

From the Chart and Verses above, we can see:

Just as the flood victims were “taken” away in death, so will it be with the two in the field and the two women.  Those that are “left” are those that remain and did not die!  The following verse supports this idea and is in context of the 2nd coming.

“…then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

I Thessalonians 4:17

So based on the context and the verses above, Christians do not want to be taken (death)!  They want to remain alive or be leftover!

Here is an example of understanding the concept of “left” means “not taken”

Suppose you have 2 pieces of candy in your hand.  If I “take” 1 of them, the other one is “left” or remains with you.  This is the idea in Matthew and Luke’s account and confirmed by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:17  when he states that those that are alive are those that are left.

Again notice that the word “left” does not have the word “behind” with it!  Hal misinterpreted it to read…those who are unsaved would be “left behind, “but that is not what the context or the many verses that state the unsaved are destroyed when Christ’s returns.  Those that are left are those that did not die at the return of Jesus!

The term “left behind” is never used in connection with the second coming either directly or indirectly.  Despite this, there are movies and books with the same title!

Below are passages from many different biblical writers describing the death and destruction of the unsaved at the return of Jesus.  These are the ones “taken” by death:

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die. (As it was in the days of Noah….so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be) 

Genesis 6:13

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.

Luke 17:27

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”

II Thessalonians 2:8

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch…And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 4: 1 

“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.“

Revelation 20:9

For behold, the Lord will come with fire.  And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,  To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.  For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many.

 Isaiah 66: 15, 16 

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that  all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,” 

II Peter 3:11

 “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; “

II Peter 2: 5, 6

“The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.” 

Psalm 145-20

 “For our God is a consuming fire!”

 Hebrews 12:29

 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  II Peter 3:12 

In conclusion:  When the Lord returns,  “Every eye will see Him.” (Revelation 1:7).  Some will mourn and some will rejoice.  Those who are unprepared will be destroyed in the fires of destruction.  Those remaining will meet with the resurrected saved to meet the Lord in the air.

There is not a secret snatching away and then 7 years before the Lord returns visibly.  He returns visibly to everyone.  You might be wondering where the 7 years of tribulation came from.  We will take up this topic in the next post.

You might also be asking, about Hell and Judgment?  Those topics to come also.