One Taken, One Left

One Taken, One Left One Taken, One Left

Do you get the phrase "left behind" from: "So shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:39-40)?

If so, note that there Jesus is referring to the same "coming of the Son of man" as when he says "immediately after the tribulation of those days... they shall see the Son of man coming" (Matthew 24:29-30). Jesus isn't teaching a 3rd coming. Note that he is speaking to the same believers, the same "ye," in Matthew 24:15 that he is speaking to in Matthew 24:42.

In the pre-trib view, how will "one taken, one left" be a secret pre-trib rapture and not an event at the revelation of Jesus, when "even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed... Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Luke 17:30, 36)?

I believe that the ones "taken" at the 2nd coming are unbelievers who are killed, just as Noah's flood "took" evil men away (Matthew 24:39-40), and that the carcasses of the ones "taken" are eaten by eagles and other birds (Luke 17:36-37, Job 39:30, Matthew 24:28, Revelation 19:21).

I believe the ones "left" at the 2nd coming (Matthew 24:40, Zechariah 14:16) will be survivors of the heathen nations that came against Jerusalem, who will be forced to worship Jesus in the millennium (Zechariah 14:16-18), and whom we will rule "with a rod of iron" during that time (Revelation 2:26-29, 5:9-10, 20:4). They will be the ones who will populate the millennium.

The ones "gathered together" at Jesus' 2nd coming are his elect (2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:31). So I believe Christians won't be the ones "taken" or the ones "left," but the ones "gathered together."

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No Unbelievers Left?

"It shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:16-19). Would Christians refuse to come up to worship Christ? Would Christians be referred to as heathen? Will Christ be smiting Christians with drought and plague?

"Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. All the earth shall worship thee" (Psalm 66:3-4). Would Christians be referred to as Christ's enemies?

REVELATION 19:21

Revelation 19:21 says "the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse." I believe this refers to the remnant of the "armies, gathered together to make war against him" (Revelation 19:19), and not to every last unbeliever on the earth.

JEREMIAH 25:33

Note that in the context of Jeremiah 25:33, the Lord refers to "the sword which I will send" to desolate ancient Israel and "all the inhabitants of the earth" (Jeremiah 25:16-29) through "Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon" (Jeremiah 25:9), "the oppressor" that would make them all desolate (Jeremiah 25:38). So it's possible that Jeremiah 25:33 may refer to what happened in ancient times.

Even if we required that Jeremiah 25:33 also picture the 2nd coming, note that the Hebrew word (erets) translated as "earth" in Jeremiah 25:33 is translated as "land" in Jeremiah 25:9, 11, 12, 13, 20, 38. So it's possible that Jeremiah 25:33 could refer to the entire land (erets) of Israel where the armies of the earth will be slain by the Lord at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:21).

Note that at the 2nd coming there will be men and women all around the world "left" alive in bed and working in the field and grinding at the mill who aren't taken to where the birds will eat the carcasses of the ones taken (Luke 17:36-37; Matthew 24:28; Job 39:30; Revelation 19:21). I believe they are "every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem" (Zechariah 14:16).

ALL DESTROYED AS IN FLOOD?

Note that in Luke 17 and Matthew 24, the parallel point between the 2nd coming on the one hand and Noah's flood and Sodom's destruction on the other, can't be the destruction of all the wicked, but rather their obliviousness to the disaster that was about to come upon them, for unlike the flood, which "took them ALL away" (Matthew 24:39), at the 2nd coming not all will be taken away, but "one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:40).

ALL MARK-TAKERS DESTROYED?

I agree one cannot take the mark and ever be saved (Revelation 14:9-10), but is there a verse which requires that all those who take the mark be slain at the 2nd coming?

DESCENDANTS?

Note that it doesn't say their descendants, but "every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem" (Zechariah 14:16), that is, every heathen survivor of the 2nd coming: "the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:18). Note that verses 16-18 neither say or any way require verse 16 to be an entirely-saved generation or verses 17-18 to be ONLY successive generations.

WILL PEOPLE REALLY BE FORCED TO WORSHIP JESUS IN THE MILLENIUM?

"Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. All the earth shall worship thee" (Psalm 66:3-4).

"I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little" (Psalm 2:8-12).

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:22-23).

"God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).

CAN WE FORCE PEOPLE TO WORSHIP TODAY?

I believe that church rulers do have the power to expel evildoers from the assembly: "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (1 Corinthians 5:13). But is there a verse which says they should kill them?

I believe that only political rulers have received power from God to execute evildoers, "for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (Romans 13:4); "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers" (1 Peter 2:13-14).

I don't believe that any political ruler who executes evildoers according to Romans 13:4 is necessarily an antichrist, for John defines an antichrist as one who "denieth that Jesus is the Christ" (1 John 2:22) and "denieth the Father and the Son" (1 John 2:22) and "confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" (1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7).

I don't believe that Titus 1:16 refers to antichrists but to hypocrites. I don't believe that any political ruler who executes evildoers according to Romans 13:4 is necessarily "abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16).

I believe Romans 13:4 applies to any government that punishes those who are evildoers in the sight of God.

I believe we should obey any government as long as our obedience to it would not cause us to disobey God himself.

God himself will pour out his wrath on those who refuse to worship him and who worship the Antichrist: "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name" (Revelation 14:9-11).

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Sheep And Goats Judgment

I believe the sheep and goat judgment of all nations (Matthew 25:32-46) is not until the white throne judgment after the millennium (Revelation 20:11-15), when I believe the sheep will enter the eternal kingdom prepared beforehand (Revelation 21:2-3), and the goats will enter everlasting punishment (Revelation 20:15). Note that only the Antichrist and False Prophet go into everlasting punishment at the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:20).

Note that the sheep "inherit the kingdom" (Matthew 25:34), so they must be in resurrected bodies, for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom" (1 Corinthians 15:50).

Note that the sheep and goats are judged by what they did (Matthew 25:40, 45), just as those at the white throne judgment are judged "according to their works" (Revelation 20:12).

I believe that the people who will come to faith in Christ during the millennium (Isaiah 66:19-21) and die during the millennium will be the sheep resurrected and judged in the 2nd resurrection. Note that nothing requires that the 2nd resurrection will be only for the unsaved, for it only says "whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). It doesn't say "they all were cast into the lake of fire."

Note that just as people live now in rented houses without having ever inherited anything, so mortal people will live in the millennium without having inherited anything.

Some say the sheep can't enter the same place that Jesus went to prepare (which I believe is New Jerusalem) because they enter a place already prepared "from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). But this doesn't require they be different places, for the Bible similarly refers to "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8) and yet says "the Son of man must suffer many things... and be slain" (Luke 9:22), and this doesn't require they be different people.

Note that Israel's inheritance includes the heavenly city: "They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (Hebrews 11:16).

AT 2ND COMING?

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats" (Matthew 25:31-32).

Note that all this requires is that it happen sometime after the 2nd coming. Must heaven and earth pass away at the 2nd coming because of where it says:

"The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10) --

Or does this mean only that heaven and earth will pass away sometime after the 2nd coming (i.e. after the millennium, before the great white throne judgment, as it says in Revelation 20:11)?

If the goats went "away into everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46) at the 2nd coming, then what about the great white throne judgment? Don't all the dead in hell have to appear there because "death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them?" (Revelation 20:13) Can everlasting punishment ever stop? Note that only the Antichrist and False Prophet go into everlasting punishment (the lake of fire) at the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:20), and it doesn't say the lake of fire ever delivers up anybody.

Note that the great white throne judgment will include the judgment of all unbelievers throughout history, not just the millennium.

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2nd Resurrection For Unbelievers Only?

See 1stResurrection.html (2nd Resurrection Section).

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Wheat And Tares

I believe the separation of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:40-43) will be at the white throne judgment after the millennium (Revelation 20:11-15), when I believe the wheat will enter the kingdom of their Father (Revelation 21:2-3), and the tares will enter the fire (Revelation 20:15). Note that only the Antichrist and False Prophet go into the fire at the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:20).

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Good And Bad Fish

I believe the separation of the good and bad fish (Matthew 13:47-50) will be at the white throne judgment after the millennium (Revelation 20:11-15), when I believe the good will enter their vessels (Revelation 21:2-3, John 14:2), and the bad will be cast into the fire (Revelation 20:15). Note that only the Antichrist and False Prophet are cast into the fire at the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:20).

Note also that the separation of the good and bad fish can't occur until the kingdom of heaven is full (Matthew 13:47-48), that is, until that point in time when no more people will enter into it. I believe people will still be entering the kingdom during the millennium (Isaiah 66:19-21), so the separation can't happen until after the end of the millennium.

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Wheat And Tares VS. Good and Bad Fish?

Some believe that God deals with the righteous and the wicked in opposite orders in the parables of the wheat and the tares and the good and bad fish, that is, that the wicked tares are dealt with first while the righteous good fish are dealt with first. But note that in both cases the wicked are severed from among the just and cast into the fire (compare Matthew 13:49-50 with 13:41-42).

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Daniel 12:2

See 1stResurrection.html (Daniel 12:2 Section).

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Paralambano

UNFRIENDLY USAGE

I believe that just as paralambano is used to refer to Jesus being taken along to be slain (John 19:16), so Matthew 24:40 refers to the wicked being taken along to be slain.

Note that paralambano isn�t used in "one taken, one left" in a friendly sense because the one "taken" is taken to where birds will eat his dead body: "The one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:36-37); "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28). Note that in Luke 17:37 and Matthew 24:28 Jesus was quoting from Job 39:30, which refers to eagles eating dead bodies: "[The eagle's] young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she" (Job 39:30); "The remnant were slain... and all the fowls were filled with their flesh" (Revelation 19:21).

And note that, even besides the negative use of paralambano in John 19:16 and Luke 17:36-37, paralambano is also the word used to describe Satan's takings of Jesus to be tempted (Matthew 4:5 and 4:8), and the soldiers' taking of Jesus into their hall to be mocked (Matthew 27:27). So the use of paralambano in no way requires that the taking be a friendly one.

Note that Jesus was "taken" to the crucifixion (John 19:16), which wasn't a "benefit," but a "curse" (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23).

JOHN 14:3

Note that Jesus in no way attaches his use of paralambano in John 14:3 to the "one taken, one left" aspect of his coming. I believe the ones "taken" at the 2nd coming are the wicked, just as Noah's flood "took" the wicked away (Matthew 24:39-40). I believe that just as paralambano is used to refer to Jesus being taken along to be slain (John 19:16), so Matthew 24:40 refers to the wicked being taken along to be slain. "The one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:36-37). Here I believe the singular example of "the body" refers to the singular example of "the one" that will be taken, and that it will become a dead body, "for wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28).

Note that nothing about Jesus' use of paralambano outside of Matthew 24:40 requires that his use of paralambano in Matthew 24:40 have reference to his rapturing of the righteous, for he used the word paralambano to describe an evil spirit taking 7 other evil spirits into a man (Matthew 12:45, Luke 11:26), and to describe one church member taking one or two other people as witnesses (Matthew 18:16); in the former case his use of paralambano has no reference at all to the righteous, and in neither the former nor the latter case does his use of paralambano have reference to himself rapturing people unto himself, so, again, nothing requires that his use of paralambano in Matthew 24:40 have reference to the righteous, or to himself rapturing people unto himself.

I believe that just as Matthew 4:6 isn't referring to the one taken, one left aspect of Jesus' coming, even though it uses the same Greek word "airo" that is used to refer to those taken in Matthew 24:39, so John 14:3 isn't referring to the one taken, one left aspect of Jesus' coming, even though it uses the same Greek word "paralambano" that is used to refer to those taken in Matthew 24:40.

MACABRE GATHERING

I believe that if those taken in the "one taken, one left" aspect of Jesus' coming were those raptured up to him, when the disciples had asked "where" those taken would be taken (Luke 17:36-37), Jesus would have said "where I am," as he says in John 14:3; I don't believe he would have said "wheresoever the carcase is," for he is not a carcase. I believe the image of birds eating carcasses vividly portrays the doleful destination of those unbelievers who will be taken (Revelation 19:21; Matthew 24:28); I don't believe it portrays the hopeful destination of those raptured up to meet Jesus: "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Just as the word "rapture" is from the Latin word "rapiemur," which is how the old Latin translation of the Bible translated "caught up" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, so that the word "rapture" itself refers only to our being caught "up," and not to our subsequent descent, so I believe the paralambano of John 14:3 refers only to our being "received" up to Jesus, and not to our subsequent descent, for Jesus will not "receive" us "wheresoever the carcase is," but where he himself is in the clouds, and I believe we will remain in the clouds with him until we have been both judged (Psalms 50:4-5, Mark 13:27) and married (Revelation 19:7). So, again, "wheresoever the carcase is" doesn't portray our hopeful destination in the clouds.

After Armageddon, I believe that only the birds will descend upon the carcasses of the wicked to feast on them (Revelation 19:17-21), while we will descend to where we will feast (Revelation 19:9) on "fat things full of marrow, and wines on the lees well refined" (Isaiah 25:6). So, once more, "wheresoever the carcase is" doesn't portray our hopeful destination even upon descending, but only portrays the doleful destination of those unbelievers who will be taken (Revelation 19:21; Matthew 24:28).

"Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness" (Proverbs 25:5).

If Jesus had meant that those eagles "gathered together" in the "one taken, one left" aspect of his coming would be those people raptured at his coming, he wouldn�t have used the macabre image of "Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28), "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:37), for note that Matthew 24:28 and Luke 17:37 are quotes from Job 39:30, which refers to eagles gathered on the ground eating dead bodies: "[The eagle's] young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she" (Job 39:30); "The remnant were slain... and all the fowls were filled with their flesh" (Revelation 19:21), and we will not be gathered on the ground eating dead bodies.

WATCH FOR ONE TAKEN?

Note that just as Jesus' exhortation to watch for his coming included the warning of Matthew 24:48-51, which does not have to happen to faithful Christians, so Jesus' exhortation to watch for his coming included the warning of Matthew 24:38-41, which does not have to happen to faithful Christians.

I believe that just as faithful Christians will not be "cut asunder" at the 2nd coming and "appointed a portion with the hypocrites" (Matthew 24:51), so faithful Christians will not be "taken" to death nor "left" in the field (Matthew 24:40), but will be "gathered together" in the sky to meet Jesus (Matthew 24:31).

ONE TAKEN IS TAKEN WHERE ONE LEFT IS LEFT?

Note that just as the one left can be an unbeliever without Jesus using the word "unbeliever" to refer to the one left, so the one taken can be an unbeliever without Jesus using the word "unbeliever" to refer to the one taken.

Note that some believe the one left will become the dead body without Jesus directly identifying the one left with the dead body.

I believe the one taken must become the dead body, for if the one taken doesn't become the dead body, then who will be taken to the dead body? Note first that Jesus says "Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28), that is, the eagles are gathered together in the same place as the dead body. Note second that Jesus says: "The one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:36-37), that is, the one taken is taken to the same place as the dead body and the eagles. Therefore, if we were to claim that the one taken won't become the dead body, but the one left will become the dead body, we would be claiming that the one taken is taken to the same place that the one left is left.

Note that at the 2nd coming, it doesn't say that every unbeliever on the earth will be in the armies gathered around Jerusalem, for there will be men and women all around the world "left" in bed and working in the field and grinding at the mill who aren't taken to the specific location where the birds will eat the dead body of the one taken (Luke 17:34-37; Matthew 24:39-41). But if we were to claim that the one taken won't become the dead body, but the one left will become the dead body, we would be claiming that the dead body will be wherever one is left all around the world, so that the question of "where" could not be answered with any specific location, for the one taken could be taken to anywhere all around the world where a dead body will be located, and the eagles could be gathered together anywhere all around the world where a dead body will be located, for "Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28).

But if we understand the one taken as becoming the dead body, then the question of "where" can be answered with a specific location, for those taken can be taken to the site of the battle of Armageddon, where "the remnant were slain... and all the fowls were filled with their flesh" (Revelation 19:21), "for wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28), while the ones left will be left alive all around the world while they are in normal, everyday activities (Luke 17:34-36), which won't be occurring at the site of the battle of Armageddon, where "the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse" (Revelation 19:21).

I don't believe that the unbelievers at the site of the battle of Armageddon will be destroyed by the rapture aspect of Jesus' coming, as I believe the purpose of the rapture aspect of his coming is to gather all believers together in the sky with him so that we can be judged (Psalms 50:4-5, Mark 13:27) and married (Revelation 19:7) in the clouds, before Armageddon. While we are being judged and married, I believe those unbelievers who are "taken" will be taken to where the armies of the Antichrist are already gathered at Armageddon (Revelation 16:14-16). After we've been judged and married, I believe we'll all descend with Jesus (Revelation 19:11-14), and Jesus will kill all the unbelievers at the site of the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:21).

Note that we don't see the rapture itself or many of the elements of the rapture and 2nd coming such as the shout or the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16) or the gathering together of the saints by angels (Matthew 24:31) or the resurrection of all believers at the sounding of a trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16) or Jesus setting foot on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) anywhere in Revelation, so it's not surprising that "one taken, one left" isn't seen in Revelation either.

WHY TWO DIFFERENT WORDS FOR TAKE?

I don't believe Jesus' use of two different Greek words for "take" in Matthew 24:39-40 requires he be referring to two different types of takings insofar as one being bad and the other good, just as I don't believe his using "airo" in Matthew 24:39 but "appolumi" in Luke 17:27 requires he be referring to two different types of takings insofar as one being bad and the other good, for "paralambano" could be used just as negatively as "airo." Even besides John 19:16 and Luke 17:36-37, paralambano is also the word used to describe Satan taking Jesus along to be tempted (Matthew 4:5 and 4:8), and the soldiers' taking Jesus along into their hall to be mocked (Matthew 27:27). So paralambano itself in no way requires that the taking along be a good one. Jesus probably switched from airo to paralambano simply because unlike floodwaters, which work in a disorderly fashion taking people along and drowning them, angels will work in an orderly fashion taking along the wicked to where the birds will eat their carcasses, just as angels will work in an orderly fashion gathering us together to meet Jesus in the air (Matthew 24:31). But note that this difference still in no way affects the single negative concept that those taken in the "one taken, one left" aspect of the 2nd coming will be killed, just as those taken by the flood were killed.

Note that floodwaters can take people along and drown them so that their dead bodies are found among flood wreckage or never found at all: "More than forty bodies already have been found among flood wreckage. Many others are presumed to have washed out to sea and will never be recovered" (from the 3rd paragraph from the bottom of http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/mozambique/floods8.stm ). Notice photo 4 at http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/5johnstown/5visual2.htm and the caption to photo 8 at http://wwwsd.cr.usgs.gov/projects/1972flood/photos.html .

GOG AND MAGOG?

If, under your view, "them that dwell carelessly in the isles" (Ezekiel 39:6) are those that are "left," then do you agree that those left will be left all around the world?

Under your view, what is the need to bring unbelievers together in Israel at all? Note that it is God who brings Gog's army to Israel: "I will bring thee forth... I will bring thee against my land... I would bring thee against them" (Ezekiel 38:4, 16-17), "and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel" (Ezekiel 39:2).

I believe Armageddon is before the millennium and the battle of Gog and Magog is after the millennium (Revelation 20:8).

I believe Gog's army will travel to Israel riding upon horses (Ezekiel 38:15).

INSTANTANEOUS?

Are you asking whether or not the angel will knock on the bedroom door and give the one taken 5 minutes to say their goodbyes to the one beside them?

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Symbolic Only?

Some say "one will be taken, and the other left" is merely symbolic of "one will be saved, and the other remain unsaved." But "one will be taken" can't mean "one will be saved," for the one taken is taken to where birds will eat their carcass: "The one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:36-37). Jesus was quoting from Job, where it says of the eagle: "Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she" (Job 39:30). So the ones taken are slain, not saved. "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28). "The remnant were slain... and all the fowls were filled with their flesh" (Revelation 19:21).

Some say "one will be taken" refers to the taking of different individuals over thousands of years. But it says the ones taken will be taken all at the same time: "in that night" (Luke 17:34), and not until "the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:30), that is, not until the 2nd coming: "So shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:39-40).

Some say the one left won't even know when the one taken is taken. But I believe the one left will know when the one taken is taken, for the one taken will be taken away from being right next to the one left: "In that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Luke 17:34-36).

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