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Author: Stephen Weller
492 words, 3 minutes read time

A Rapture

Scripture: Matthew 24:40; Luke 17:34-35

In the previous lesson we considered the days of Lot and their similarity to the days of time of the return of the Son of Man. In this lesson, we have a clear example of what we could refer to as a rapture.

^{Lk 17:34} I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left. ^{Mt 24:40} There will be two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.

Jesus is telling his listeners that at some point during the occurrence of “these things” that take place during the last days, there will be an unexpected time when he will come and take some and leave other behind. He illustrates this with the case of two sleeping, two women grinding together, and two men in the field. In each case one is taken and the other is left behind.

At this point people get all excited and want to know when this will happen and others enjoy giving their opinion, which they may argue from Scripture, about when it will happen. With some exact dates have been given, only to prove false. There will probably be others that will think they know the time, but if Jesus doesn’t know how do they expect to know?

There is a major group, especially in the western church, who think they have it figured out and maintain with great passion that it will occur before the tribulation period; thus, the pre-tribulation position. This is a popular position which is supported by numerous reasons. A smaller group reject this position and believe in a mid-tribulation or possible pre-wrath position. There are some who think it will occur at the end of the seven-year period, which is referred to as post-tribulation. There is one more group who do not believe in a rapture because they believe that end times is not real but figurative. This is the amillennial position.

Conclusion

If we were to form an opinion for a time of the rapture based only on what Jesus has taught so far, would we not have to conclude that it probably occurs someplace within the time when “these things” take place in the last days? Does Jesus not seem to emphasis being prepared for enduring a very difficult time in the last days? Are we in the western church prepared to endure persecution and even being martyred for our faith as our brothers and sisters are who are living in countries of persecution? If the pre-tribulation position should prove to be incorrect, will the western church be prepared for what they will experience?