Below is a commentary from
chapter sixteen, Rapture Passages in Matthew, from my manuscript, Waiting
for the Day and Hour.
Matthew 24:40-44
“Then two shall be in the field,
one is taken and one is left; two women grinding at the mill,
one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for ye know not in what hour
your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in
what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched and not have suffered
his house to be dug through into. Wherefore *ye* also, be ye ready,
for in that hour that ye think not the Son of man comes” (Darby Bible).
Matthew records what will happen
at the moment the rapture occurs (Matt. 24:40-41). Jesus describes what will
happen while people are busy at work and the body of Christ is caught away.
Some believe this transition is not the rapture but the 2nd
appearance of Jesus. They believe the one taken is taken because they are evil
and ushered into judgment. They believe the one not taken is left to enter into
Christ’s earthly kingdom. They believe Matthew 24:1-51 does not mention the
rapture of the Church. I disagree with their theory.
As I wrote in my Matthew 24:36
commentary above, Matthew 24:36-44 refers to the rapture of God’s church. This
means the people taken in Matthew 24:40-41 are taken into heaven, and those not
taken will be left to enter the 7-year Tribulation Period/Israel’s 70th
week. Nobody knows the day and hour the rapture will happen. God is keeping it
a secret. But God has made the day of Jesus’ 2nd coming clear. It
will occur on the final day of Israel’s 70th week (Dan. 9:24).
Israel’s 70th week is exactly seven years long. When the Antichrist
forces Israel and its enemies to make peace, the 70th week of Israel
begins (Dan. 9:26 b-27a). Anyone who knows how to count knows that Jesus' 2nd
coming is 2,520 days from the day the Antichrist forces a peace covenant (Rev.
19:11-21). In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus compares what society will be like when
he comes for the church to what society was like before the Great Flood, the
days of Noah.
Because the church does not know
what day Jesus is coming to take them to his Father’s house, he warns them to γρηγορέω
(grēgoreō) watch, be awake, be alert, or be vigilant (Matt. 24:42). Then he
explains why the church must watch and be alert for the day the rapture happens.
He finished teaching that no one knows the day or hour he is coming for the
church (24:36). Then he gives an important clue about what the world will be like
when the rapture happens, society will mimic the people before the Flood (24:37-39).
Now he insists they use their brains. He said, γινώσκετε (ginóskete) “you know”
that if the property owner had known what hour the thief would break into his
house, he would have been waiting for him (Matt. 24:43). The language suggests
that someone they knew just had their home broken into, and the owner was
caught off guard. The owner did not expect his home to be burgled, or he would
have been waiting for the burglar. Jesus insists his people not be like the
owner who was caught off guard. The church must be ἕτοιμος (hetoimos) ready, or
prepared, because he will rapture them at an hour, they do not expect it, or δοκέω
(dokeō) think or suppose he will (Matt. 24:44). This warning can be compared to
the foolish virgins who were away buying more lamp oil at the same time the
bridegroom came (Matt. 25:10). The wise virgins went into the wedding banquet
with the bridegroom because they were watching and ready for him when he arrived.
But the foolish virgins had the door shut on them because they were not
prepared and missed his arrival.
Jesus may have a reason why the
church should watch and be ready for the day and hour he comes for them, or he
would not command them to watch and be ready. I have heard some people say that
there is no value in focusing on the day of the rapture. They say he will come
when he comes. These people live their lives as if God is never going to
rapture his church. Some treat the rapture as if it were the end of their life.
Some refuse to mention the rapture in a positive sense.
Could the reason why Jesus
commands his church to watch and be awake for the day the rapture happens, and
to be ready and prepared for the hour it will occur, be in the apostle Paul’s
teachings? Paul wrote much about the rapture, as you will see in later chapters.
What stands out to me is that he said it is important to anticipate the coming
of the Lord. He wrote to Timothy that there is a crown of righteousness for
every believer “who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8, NLT). He
was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing to his people in the air, at
the gate of heaven (1 Thess. 4:17). He also wrote to the church in Thessalonica
that the church is to ἀναμένω (anaméno) expect God’s Son from heaven (1 Thess.
1:10). The word expect in this instance means to look forward to the coming of
God’s Son. Anaméno can also mean wait or await. Paul wrote to Titus that the
church is to wait for τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα (tín makarían elpída) “the blessed
hope.” Tín makarían elpída (the blessed hope) is “the glorious appearing of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”
(Titus 2:13, KJV). The writer of Hebrews (most likely Barnabas) said Jesus is
coming again to “to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:28,
ESV). This statement does not refer to the believer's initial σωτηρία (sōtēria)
salvation. But it refers to the completion of the believer’s salvation at the
end of the church age, when the rapture occurs. Therefore, could Jesus’ command
to watch and be ready for the rapture be because he is coming for those who are
looking forward to it, who want to be raptured?
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Yes! Jesus made it clear that we should pay attention and watch the signs. Paul also added to that by the Holy Spirit and getting first hand visitations by Jesus. Great article.
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