Do the following two verses in Matthew and Luke have anything to do with the rapture, the catching away of the church?
Before I begin, it is always good to remind ourselves that the gospels of Matthew and Luke were written by Jews, to the Jewish people, and do not concern the church. Why? The corner stone (Jesus death, burial and resurrection) had not been laid yet, and the foundation stones (apostles) had no clue concerning Gentiles and Jews coming together as one body, one church under Jesus Christ. These verses have nothing to do with the rapture of the church.
Matthew 24:38-39, In the days that were before the flood they were eating, and drinking, marrying — until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And knew not — Compare with,
Luke 17:27, “They did eat, drank, — until the day that Noah entered into the ark and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” The world was destroyed, taken to both their physical and spiritual death.
After Noah was taken out of harms way, then the flood came and took every man, women, and child to their death. every companions to corruption, and sin destroyed by water, except for eight.
Now lets compare the above with, Luke 17:30, and Matthew 24:40-41, “Then shall two be in the field; the one taken, and the other left.”
Who will be taken? where are they taken? And what does the word taken mean?
To be taken is in regards to an associate, a companion. A companion to what? and to whom?
Luke 17:37, The disciples asked, “Where, Lord?” where will they be taken? and Jesus replied, “Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.”
Eagles here meaning vultures: vultures eat dead things, not the living. The body, the carcass is the Jewish nation, which was morally and judicially dead. Those taken are companions of the dead.
Matthew 24:28, “For wheresoever the carcass = (corpse) is, there will the eagles (vultures) be gathered together.”
Where there is spiritual corruption judgment will follow. Jews who will be taken are companions of spiritual corruption; they are dead to God, food for vultures.
The illusion here is of vultures flying to a dead carcass. As surely as birds of prey come to any dead carcass, the Jews were so corrupt and degenerate that they are as dead people, defiant toward God, and will be swift to be judged.
To imply that the Greek word “Taken” speaks of the rapture in nonsense!
Who is it that is left? Jews, who will enter into the kingdom? Jews who had not received the mark of the beast; Jews who come to Christ in the tribulation. Yes many will die because they did not receive the mark of the beast, and they, with those who remain alive after the seven years, will be brought into the kingdom.
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com