"As in the Days of Noah"
This illustration by Jesus is a perfect example of how words in scripture can be lifted out of their context, then have their meaning completely twisted, so that they bear no relationship to the thought of the original passage. No one ever believes that they do this. Yet, sadly, it happens frequently and can happen to any of us, especially if we think it can't ("Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12).
In this passage, for instance, we have the unmistakable thought of people being taken away. "One will be taken and one left" is stated not once, but twice. So, can we say, "Aha! Here is clear proof that some will be taken out of harm's way by the Rapture! Make sure you're not left behind to go through the Tribulation." I have heard many people teach it just this way. But, before we start jumping for joy, let's listen to what Jesus was actually saying.
But as the days of Noah were, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark. And they did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Therefore watch; for you do not know what hour your Lord comes. Matthew 24:37-42 MKJV
All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.
The Days of Noah
Jesus's first point is that the coming of the Son of Man will have a clear similarity to the the way things were in the days of Noah. He describes those times as one in which ordinary people were "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark." In other words, for those doomed people it was life as usual. They had no idea that the flood of judgement was coming. They saw what Noah was doing to prepare by building a massive ark--how could they miss it? They also heard him preaching that they needed to repent. But they utterly disregarded these two warning signs.
Let's not think that there is no analogy to the Tribulation here, simply because Jesus describes the days of Noah as ordinary life. Jesus could easily have described those days as a period of extreme lawlessness: "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). It was also a time of unprecedented violence: "And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them" (Genesis 6:13). Both Jesus and His immediate audience would have known what the scriptures said about why the flood came in those days. Those days only seemed ordinary to the people, because they were so far gone from God that violence, sexual immorality and wickedness had become the "new normal." From the Lord God's perspective those days were far from ordinary!
Sounds like our own day, right? Jesus' point isn't that those days were ordinary, but that the wicked of that generation "were unaware." They didn't heed the signs, didn't repent, and didn't prepare. The flood caught them totally by surprise. When the waters rose, it was too late for them to escape. They were all "swept away." Not all, of course. Jesus didn't need to say it, because every believer (then and now) knows the rest of the story. Noah and his family had been living a repentant, faithful life. They had prepared. The flood didn't take them by surprise. They rode it out within the ark that the Lord helped them build. The ark kept them safe in the midst of the flood. They emerged to a renewed and cleansed earth on the other side of judgement--once the flood had passed.
Who Are the "Taken"
Now, let's take a closer look at just who it was who was taken. Once you understand this passage, your only question will be, “How did we ever get this so wrong?” Yet, for over a hundred years a false teaching has been spreading through Christendom—something no Christians prior to 1830 believed (See “The History of the Rapture”). It’s message is that Jesus will secretly come for His Bride and “take us away” in the Rapture—long before danger comes our way. The main proof text is right here in this passage in which He compares the End times to “the days of Noah.”
After describing what happened to that generation, Jesus repeats the warning: “So also will be the coming of the Son of Man.” What will that be like? There will be two working beside each other on a farm and “one will be taken, the other left.” This will not be a unique event—it will happen all over the place. Two, for instance, will be working at a mill and “one shall be taken, and the other left.” That’s the rapture of believers, isn’t it? One group—the faithful Bride—is “taken” up to glory; the other is left behind. A hugely popular book and movie series made exactly this claim. But, don’t they have it backwards?
Let’s back up to what Jesus was making His comparison to. Remember, what will happen in our day will be just like what happened “in the days of Noah.” Who was it who were taken in Noah’s day? The faithful family? No! They were the ones who huddled in the ark (always a picture of the Church) as waves of judgement flooded the earth, wiping out all life around them. Or better said, the waters of judgment “came and took them all away.” The only ones who were taken were the unfaithful ones taken away by the judgment to meet their doom. We do not want to be part of that unhappy group. It will be far better to ride out the flood of judgement than to be taken away by it.
Don't Be Among the Taken!
Jesus uses the exact same word “taken” to describe those situations in our day when one will be taken and the other left. The only sane and sensible way to interpret this is by the clear meaning according to Jesus’ own interpretation. Jesus is not trying to trick us. He is seeking to prepare us. He doesn’t want us among those who are “taken”! The ones who are “taken” are the ones who are carried off to judgment. How did we ever get this so wrong?
Next Rapture Study
For You Do Not Know (Matthew 24:42-44) Can we take the blindfolds off? So many are proclaiming that Jesus might show up at any moment that we might as well not have any working eyes to see with. What is the point of watching and waiting, if there will be no sign of His coming? In fact, there will be plenty of signs leading up to that day. Jesus is One of many who gives us signs to watch for. Nevertheless, in this passage our Lord seems to be saying just this: that no of us will have a clue when He is about to return. But is that really what He is saying? And is that the true point of His warning? Let’s open our eyes and read the scripture with spiritual vision.
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