Since about 1850 the concept of the Rapture has existed. But particularly within this generation, we view scripture through the lense of a very muscular latter-day hermeneutic men developed over decades in support of a particular eschatology. (Perhaps most recently given rigorus intellectual treatment by Geisler, for example.) Rapture theory. In the case of the story of the two people in bed, one taken and the two women grinding grain, one taken -- we have always heard it taught that this is picture of the Lord come to "take us home." Yet prior to this in Mathew 13:24-30 Jesus gave the Parable of the "Wheat and Tares" -- in which He clearly capped the issue -- Saying in his subsequent explanation (13:36-43) that He was the sewer and that the "feild is the world." The seed would be left to grow until the time of the end, so that the seed of the Lord would not be disturbed. Very plainly this is a picture of His Church. And it is not a picture of an interruption of His Church by the Rapture of the Church, and then more seed being saved in the Tribulation.
Importantly the Tares are first "cut down" and destroyed in the fire. Then the "Wheat is gathered" into the Lord's Barn.
Then, it is CERTAIN that those taken are not being lifted to heaven, but carried away to destruction ... where the "vultures will gather." |
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