Is Matthew 24:36-44 talking about the Rapture? (Two men in the field one taken one left... etc.)

Please forgive me, I need to break things down to get a grasp on them. The old Who, What, When, Where and Why works well. And the principle of the testimony of two or three witnesses.

I agree that Matthew chapter 24 is speaking to those who go through the tribulation and the sheep and goat judgement at the end of the great tribulation found in Mathew 25:31-46. Luke 21 speaks to the church and the rapture. I had this wrong for many years until learning inductive Bible study method in which we allow the text to speak for itself.

First where is Matt. 24 happening? To gain perspective we must understand the individuals looking at the topic, and their position. Establish the position of each and you establish who they are. I know that sounds confusing. But if I were to say a group of parents were concerned with the new playground equipment. That general statement tells you only that parents are concerned. Now if you say a group of moms had safety concerns of the new playground equipment, we gain perspective and better understand the context.

So, the Jews who are going through the tribulation is laid out in Matthew 24. Matthew 24:9 alludes to the tribulation, but it is only a hint of what's to come because without the other verses that follow it could mean anything. However, verses 16-18 are specifically geographic, speaking of Judea. Verse 20 tells them to pray that it won't be on the sabbath. The sabbath is not a problem for a gentile church but for Jews living in Israel today it is a huge problem. Therefore, we now have context Jews in Judea.

Luke 21 goes through the same list of disasters but in verse 12 it establishes this group of people would be persecuted before these things and persecuted for what, "My name's sake." Verse 17 reiterates this again it is for "My name's sake." Verses 24 states what will happen at the destruction of Jerusalem and that it will be controlled by the gentiles until their time is complete.

Matthew 24 Verses 20 thru 23 is in reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Little known fact is that because of these verses, very few Christians were killed or even present at its destruction, but a multitude of Jews who did not believe in Jesus were killed. Luke 21:25-28 talks of Christ coming back to Earth in the power and the clouds of Heaven it does not say he touches down. It does say look up for our redemption comes. Verse 36 specifically, “pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” So these people are persecuted for “My name’s sake” specifically those who are called by the name of Jesus Christ, Christians. And from a pre-trib. position Christians are the ones who will escape the things to come. Isa. 26:19-20, Joel 2:15-17

So the Church in Luke 21 and the nation of Israel in Matthew 24 perspective. Luke 21 before the tribulation. Matthew 24 during and just after the tribulation and the great tribulation. Specifically let's look at Matthew 24:15 narrows it down, to the abomination of desolation spoken of in Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11 & 2nd Th. 2:4 giving the time of 1,290 days. The midpoint of the tribulation begins the great tribulation. And in Verse 29 it states, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days" Stating the end of the Great Tribulation has happened. Then verse 31 is clear the angles gather the elect the tribulation saints. these people however are not the church, but believers who come out of the tribulation.

This period is expected to be 45 days long because of Daniel 12:12. says blessed is the one who makes it to the 1,335th day but the time from the midpoint of the tribulation until the end is 1,290 days. many people believe this is the sheep and goat judgement spoken of in Matthew 25:31-46. And it should not be confused with the Bema Seat of Christ spoken of in 2nd Corinthians 5:10, also spoken of in 1st Corinthians 3:11-15 a judgement unto rewards.

Does this mean we can know the exact date and time? Absolutely not, we can know when we are getting close but until Jesus shows up it is at best a guess. Specifically in both Matthew 24:36 and Luke 21:34 states that no man can know the day or hour. This is the doctrine of immanency, meaning the idea that Jesus Christ could return at any time so keep yourself ready to meet your LORD.

We have the who, Church in Luke and Israel in Matthew. The What, the Rapture, and Tribulation, Luke 21 beginning of tribulation signs and rapture; Matthew 24 tribulation/great tribulation; Matthew 25 sheep and goat judgment. The When, Luke 21 just before the tribulation; Matthew 24 through the tribulation: Matthew 25 just after the tribulation. The Where, Luke 21 globally: Matthew 24 Judea; Matthew 25 Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2). Why, to keep us ready and waiting, so we won't let up always expecting him to show up, to warn Israel and to show both that GOD will save believers out of the tribulation. The typology of Enoch and Noah one saved from the judgement one saved through the judgement. This keeps us focused.

It is talking about the Rapture because Jesus goes back to the first question. Pastor David Guzik explains it really well.

Jesus says that the day and hour of His return is unknowable by men, and even unknowable by angels. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” a. Of that day and hour no one knows: Here, Jesus refers back to the original question of Matthew 24:3 (what will be the sign of Your coming?). His answer is somewhat unexpected, saying of that day and hour no one knows. i. To give this idea the strongest emphasis, Jesus claimed that this knowledge was reserved for His Father only. If Jesus Himself – at least during His earthly ministry – did not know this day and hour, it emphasizes the foolishness of any later person making certain predictions regarding the prophetic timetable. b. No one knows: Based on what He had told us about the abomination of desolation, we might have expected that the exact day and hour could be known. After all, Daniel set the day of Jesus’ return as being exactly 1,290 days after the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:11). i. In this, there is a dilemma. How can the day of Jesus’ coming be both completely unknown, and at the same time be known to the day according to Daniel 12:11? 2. (37-39) Jesus says that His coming will be when the world is as it was in the days of Noah. “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.” a. As the days of Noah were: Jesus explained what He meant by the days of Noah. It means life centered around the normal things: eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. In other words, life will be business as usual; reprobate perhaps, but usual. i. Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage: Bruce notes that “Some charge these with sinister meaning: [eating], hinting at gluttony because often used of beasts, though also, in the sense of eating, of men…[marrying and giving in marriage], euphemistically pointing at sexual licences on both sides.” Yet he comes to the conclusion, “The idea rather seems to be that all things went on as usual, as if nothing were going to happen.” ii. We should also remember that the days of Noah were also marked by violence and demonic oppression (Genesis 6:1-5). b. And did not know until the flood came and took them all away: Those in the days of Noah were warned, and judgment eventually came. To those who had ignored the warnings, it came suddenly and unexpectedly. i. “That the coming of the Son of Man takes place at an unknown time can only be true if in fact life seems to be going on pretty much as usual – just as in the days before the Flood.” (Carson) ii. In this, there is a dilemma. How can Jesus come to a “business-as-usual” world, and a world experiencing the worst calamities ever seen on earth? 3. (40-44) Jesus cautions His disciples to be ready for an unexpected coming. “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. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” a. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left: Jesus here pointed to curious disappearances; to a catching away of some at the coming of the Son of Man (as also described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). i. “Taken is the same verb used, e.g., in 1:20; 17:1; 18:16; 20:17; it implies to take someone to be with you, and therefore here points to the salvation rather than the destruction of the one ‘taken’.” (France) b. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming: Since the day and hour of this coming are unknowable, Jesus’ followers must be on constant guard for His coming. i. Here again is the Second Coming dilemma. · Is it at an unexpected hour or is it positively predicted? · Is it business as usual or worldwide cataclysm? · Is it meeting Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) or is He coming with the saints (Zechariah 14:5)? ii. William Barclay describes one aspect of the difficulty here: “It is in two sections and they seem to contradict each other. The first (verses 32-35) seem to indicate that, as a man can tell by the signs of nature when summer is on the way, so he can tell by the signs of the world when the Second Coming is on the way… The second section (verses 36-41) says quite definitely that no one knows the time of the Second Coming, not the angels, not even Jesus himself, but only God; and that it will come upon men with the suddenness of a rainstorm out of a blue sky.” iii. The dilemma is resolved by seeing that there are actually two second comings. One is in the air, for the church – commonly known as the rapture. The other is to the world, coming with the church, commonly known as the Second Coming of Jesus. The “contradictions” in Matthew 24 (and much of the rest of prophecy) are often solved by seeing there are really references to “two” returns of Jesus. c. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect: We must not escape the emphasis. We must be ready, because His coming for us is without warning. Jesus follows with a few parables to drive home this point. i. “Suetonius tells us that it was a piece of Julius Caesar’s policy never to fore-acquaint his soldiers of any set time of removal or onset, that he might ever have them in readiness to draw forth whithersoever he would.” (Trapp) E. Parable of the two servants. 1. (45-47) The faithful servant. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.” a. Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing: Jesus told us that we must carry on with diligence while the Lord is gone. We must be that faithful and wise servant who takes care of his master’s business while the master is away. b. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods: Jesus also promised that we will be rewarded for our diligence. The servants serve the master, but the master knows how to take care of and reward the servants. 2. (48-51) The evil servant. “But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” a. If that evil servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming”: Jesus warns us of the attitude which says, “my master is delaying his coming.” We must live in constant anticipation of Jesus’ return, and that means being about our business for Him now. i. The most dangerous lie is not “There is no God,” not “there is no hell”; but the most dangerous lie of Satan is “there is no hurry.” It is no small thing to say “Jesus is not coming today or for several years,” because your system of prophecy demands it. We need to be ready for the imminent return of Jesus Christ. b. Begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards: The evil servant, who was not ready for the master’s return, sinned in at least three ways. · He was not about the business that the master left for him. · He fought with and mistreated his fellow servants. · He gave himself to the pleasures of the world instead of serving his master. i. This emphasis on constant readiness is a challenge for the Christian today. It can be said that many Christians are not ready in the same three ways. Each reader should be greatly impressed by the urgency of Jesus’ appeal. c. Cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: The faithful and wise servant was rewarded, but so was the evil servant. He was rewarded for His wickedness, and he would have the portion with the hypocrites he deserved. i. Cut him in two: “The probable meaning is: will cut him in two (so to speak) with a whip = thrash him, the base slave, unmercifully. It is a strong word, selected to sympathy with the master’s rage.” (Bruce)

Great question and I love the Olivet Discourse. My opinion on the Olivet Discourse as a whole was dramatically influenced when I listened to Andy Woods do a full exegetical breakdown of the whole discourse in what would be a traditional dispensational interpretation. Essentially the church is not found anywhere in the Olivet Discourse therefore this can not speak literally of the rapture. It is essentially directed to humanity that will be present at the end of the tribulation period. Specifically the text in question is referring to the fulfillments of the wheat/tare and sheep/goat judgements (mt 13) which will occur upon the remaining remnants of humanity on the earth when Christ returns and establishes His kingdom. This separation is between those who came to saving faith in Christ (believers) and those who continued to reject Him (unbelievers). In this judgement a person wants to be left behind in order to enter the kingdom reign on earth and the ones taken will be in sheol awaiting the Great White Throne Judgement where they will then be cast into hell for eternity because their names will not be found in the Book of Life. This being said when we take the clear NT teaching by Christ Himself (Jn 14) and the Apostle Paul (1 Cor 15, 1 Thess 4) on the mystery of the rapture of the church it is very easy to see this passage as a non literal type and apply the imagery as a clear picture as to what the rapture event at the end of the church age will look like.

It is talking about the rapture, however I also think it is talking about so much more. I believe it is also talking about people who don't know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The folks described could be believers, however nothing is actually said about their beliefs, whether Jews or Gentile it does not say. However, if we examine the passages about the time of Noah, and the great flood, the world was full of evil as it is today. Many pagan believers many who were, we might say ignorant to the truth, as many are today. As truthful believers in Jesus Christ, we are commanded to make disciples, we are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and equip folks to be prepared. Time is soon, the field is ripe, and workers are few. I also believe this passage is talking about being ready but not being paranoid, we must continue to do what God calls each of us to do, further His kingdom, not just sit on the bench waiting, we go upon stiving to be more Christlike, but not be lazy. I will leave it there, because I am interested to see what other readers think, and to hear their opinions.