Thread: The Rapture and Matt. 24:40

So, I was reminded of Matt. 24:40 from a horribly prepared and ill thought out defense of the Rapture. The person seemed to have no idea what he was talking about.

But here is a question that came to me from the brutal experience: what would be a concise response to a Rapture-ready dispensationalist who uses Matthew 24:40 as a proof-text for the Rapture? I have a general idea, but I figured I would ask those much wiser.

I couldn't really get into listening to it. He seemed unprepared.

Is it possible that this question can be asked without the link to the video?

It is not the way he says it Sarah it is what he says.
You know the word is not dependent of the mediator vessel

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Is it possible that this question can be asked without the link to the video?

Sure. The video was more for entertainment anyway. By the end he basically calls some guy a poopy-head for not believing in the Rapture and then in effect claims that every Christian will believe in the Rapture, so if you don't, you're not a Christian!

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

It is not the way he says it Sarah it is what he says.
You know the word is not dependent of the mediator vessel

What he says and how he says it... it was all just painful.

Originally Posted by AThornquist

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Is it possible that this question can be asked without the link to the video?

Sure. The video was more for entertainment anyway. By the end he basically calls some guy a poopy-head for not believing in the Rapture and then in effect claims that every Christian will believe in the Rapture, so if you don't, you're not a Christian!

Thanks for taking it down; it just had the appearance that it was there to make fun of him.

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Thanks for taking it down; it just had the appearance that it was there to make fun of him.

Weeellllll....

maybe make fun of his argument. It was really bad and (as he talks about) in line with John Hagee. This view is so common though, which is why I would like to have a good Reformed explanation of Matt. 24:40, his "proof" of the Rapture.

Originally Posted by AThornquist

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Is it possible that this question can be asked without the link to the video?

Sure. The video was more for entertainment anyway. By the end he basically calls some guy a poopy-head for not believing in the Rapture and then in effect claims that every Christian will believe in the Rapture, so if you don't, you're not a Christian!

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

It is not the way he says it Sarah it is what he says.
You know the word is not dependent of the mediator vessel

What he says and how he says it... it was all just painful.

You are completly right

Focusing back on the subject matter, what is the correct interpretation of that parable?

Originally Posted by WaywardNowHome

Focusing back on the subject matter, what is the correct interpretation of that parable?

Thank you

Perhaps Christ is talking about the end of the age when the dead will be raised and the living are taken away to be with Christ, while the reprobate are left to perish?

Maybe I should have watched the video, but some commentaries say this is not the "rapture" at all, but the taking away of the unbelievers. See the earlier verses (37-29) describing Noah and the flood.

Matthew 24:37-39 KJV But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (38) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

An acceptable short answer is that the ones who are taken are not taken away for escape (rapture), but for judgment. In the Matthew passage, the flood "took" the unbelievers in judgment. Also, look at the parallel in Luke:

Luke 17:33-37 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 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." 36 37 And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."


They are taken to where the vultures gather - i.e., judgment and death.

Ah. The Noah context and the parallel in Luke cleared it up for me. Thank you! I love PB.

I have a friend who's apreterist and says all of MAtthew 24 was fufilled in A.D. 70. or you could simplly say it is the judgement of the unrightous at the end of the age.

There has been some good insight on this so far. Thank you. Any other thoughts?