Matthew 24 and the Rapture

Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. -Matthew 24:40-41

Many dispensationalists that I have talked to over the years about the rapture and the tribulation have quickly pointed to the above text as a proof-text for the doctrine of the rapture. They will mention the fact that the Christians, in this specific text, are being raptured from the world and the ones who are left behind are going to experience the terrors of a seven year tribulation in which the Antichrist rules tyrannically over the whole earth. This is one of only a few proof-texts for the doctrine of the rapture. And why not use this text as a proof-text for the rapture? After all, this is within the context of Christ prophesying about the end of the age. But is this verse talking about a rapture of Christians from the earth? My answer: Most definitely not.

Let us look at the verse in context...

32"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34"Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 36"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38"For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40"Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41"Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. -Matthew 24:32-41

Taking a look at these verses in their context, Jesus makes a parallelism of the coming of the Son of Man with the days of Noah (v. 37). In the very next verse, Jesus talks about those who refused to hear Noah's call of repentance and the coming judgment of God. Rather, they ignored Noah's preaching and continued "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark" (v.38). Because they refused to repent, they were taken away by the flood in God's righteous judgment (notice the bold words in the verses above). Likewise, those people who are taken in the coming of the Son of Man are not Christians who are "raptured" and carried safely away to heaven to sit out the terrible tribulation, rather they are people taken in God's judgment.

Ironic? You don't want to be the ones who are "raptured" because they will be in the lake of fire for all eternity. Therefore, this erroneous doctrine of the rapture must not be preached for it is nowhere to be found in the Bible. Jesus is echoing Psalm 1 in this parable for it says...

4The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish. -Psalm 1:4-6

Thus, those who are taken away in judgment when Christ returns are blown away like chaff for they are not able to stand in God's righteous judgment.