Many often think that Matthew 24:37-41 is about the rapture, where Christians will instantly disappear from the face of this earth. It had me terrified a long time ago. But I no longer believe it. In fact based on what the text says, being left behind is a good thing:
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Question #1: Jesus compares Noah's day with what?? (Hint: verse 39) Question #2: Who's taken in Noah's day Question #3: Who's taken at the coming of the son of man? Question #4: How would you define 'taken' or 'took' based on Jesus's analogy of the two events?
Clearly, those who are taken away in both situations are evil people! In other words, based on Jesus's analogy those who are taken, are killed by God!! Freaky stuff... Ultimately, this passage is a really bad basis for the rapture: Those who are 'left behind' are saved by God's grace, just as Noah was spared the destruction of the flood that 'took' the evildoers away. As some can probably tell, I'm against the whole rapture theory. So do I hope to be left behind? Yes of course, I want to be spared like Noah. Nor do I wish to live my own life apart from God, doing only all sorts of worldly things (i.e. vs 38-39)!
