Matthew 24:36-44 is NOT speaking of the Rapture.
First, I am a Pre-Trib Rapture believer and can show that a Pre-Trib Rapture is Bible truth through numerous Bible verses, both OT and NT… but I would just like to share with you so that you might “see” more clearly.
I pray we all may be gifted with Discernment from the Holy Spirit.
I have run into very many brothers and sisters, teachers and pastors, who mistakenly view and teach these verses as “Proof of the Rapture” and need to read the scriptures “literally” not figuratively, and “in context”.
All scripture is NKJV and (MY COMMENTS ARE IN CAPS AND PARENTHESIS LIKE THIS FOR DIFFERENTIATION)
Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (THE COMING JESUS SPEAKS OF HERE IS HIS 2ND COMING AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIB PERIOD)
38 For as in the days before the flood, they (“THEY”… CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT - WHO ARE “THEY”? CLEARLY THIS REFERS TO THE UNSAVED, NON BELIEVERS WHO WILL BE EXTERMINATED / KILLED OFF IN THE FLOOD… NOT NOAH AND HIS FAMILY) were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and did not know until the flood came and took them (“THEM” / REFERS TO “THEY” ABOVE… THE UNSAVED) all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (“THEY” AND “THEM” … ARE TAKEN AWAY … AND EXTERMINATED / KILLED OFF… NOT NOAH AND HIS FAMILY ON THE ARK … AND JESUS IS CLEARLY SAYING THAT IT WILL BE THE SAME WHEN HE RETURNS AND PHYSICALLY SETS FOOT ON THE EARTH AGAIN… REMEMBER… IN THE RAPTURE HE COMES “FOR” HIS SAINTS / BRIDE… AND WE MEET HIM “IN THE AIR”… IN THE 2ND COMING HE COMES “WITH” HIS SAINTS / BRIDE … AND “SETS HIS FOOT DOWN” ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES… BIG DIFFERENCE !)
40 Then (NOW, JESUS IS REFERRING TO HIS 2ND COMING HERE WHEN HE RETURNS AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIB PERIOD AND EXTERMINATES / KILLS OFF ALL THOSE WHO TOOK THE MARK OF THE BEAST / UNSAVED / NON BELIEVERS) two men will be in the field: one will be taken (AHHH, “TAKEN” , JUST LIKE IN THE DAYS OF NOAH… WHEN THE FLOOD CAME… REFERS TO THE UNSAVED) and the other left. (“OTHER” REFERS TO THE SAVED PERSON WHO WILL REMAIN ALIVE ON THE EARTH AND ENTER INTO THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF JESUS CHRIST)
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. (EXACTLY AS ABOVE WITH THE MEN… THE “TAKEN” IS KILLED OFF" AND THE “OTHER” REMAINS ALIVE TO ENTER THE MILLENNIUM WITH JESUS CHRIST)
42 Watch therefore, (YOU JEWS AND GENTILE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE NOT TAKEN THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND HAVE SURVIVED THROUGH THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND WHO HAVE BECOME SAVED BELIEVERS… FOLKS, NO NON BELIEVERS WILL ENTER INTO THE MILLENNIUM) for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (IN THE CONTEXT OF THESE VERSES, JESUS IS SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO THE JEWS HERE… HE KNOWS THEY WILL BE THERE IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE REJECTED HIM AS THEIR MESSIAH AND FOLLOWED AFTER THE ANTICHRIST… THIS VERSE IS REFERRING TO AFTER THE RAPTURE EVENT… WHICH TOOK PLACE 7 YEARS PRIOR)
43 But know this, that if the master of the house (SATAN THE “god” OF THIS WORLD) had known what hour the thief (JESUS) would come, he (SATAN) would have watched and not allowed his (SATAN’S) house (PLANET EARTH, AND EVEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, ISRAEL) to be broken into.
44 Therefore you (REMAINING JEWS WHO MISSED THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE) also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Folks, the Jews remaining on the planet after the Pre-Trib Rapture will have no clue what is going on and will not understand the scriptures. So this warning is being directed specifically to them. Yes the 144,000 witnesses, the Two Witnesses, and even angels will share the gospel during the 7 year Trib Period, but people will still be being martyred for their faith up until the point of Jesus’ return… and the “famine” for the Word of God will be very real.
Remember those verses (Matt 24:38-44 come AFTER other things Jesus tells them in previous verses, which have ALREADY taken place DURING the 7 year Trib Period.
EXAMPLES: In proper context : Mathew 24:15-16, 29-30 have ALREADY occurred when Jesus addresses the “Days of Noah” and “No man knows the day or the hour”
During the Tribulation Period
Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (THIS TAKES PLACE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE 7 YEAR TRIB PERIOD… 3-1/2 YEARS / 1,290 DAYS / A TIME, TIMES, AND HALF A TIME / 42 MONTHS … SEE DAN 9:27)
The Coming of the Son of Man
Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (THIS TAKES PLACE WHEN JESUS RETURNS WITH HIS SAINTS / BRIDE … (JUDE 1:14 & DEUT 33:2)… TO FIGHT THE (EZEK. 39 / REV. 19:19-21) BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON WAR… AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIB PERIOD)
THEN… IS WHEN Mathew 24:38-44 … happens… and it’s NOT the Rapture.
I hope this has helped you to understand more clearly… I welcome any feedback and/or correction… I just ask that it be done with Bible verses, untwisted, and in context.
And yes… I am looking for, and eagerly awaiting to see… Jesus Christ when He comes to take His Saints / Bride in the Pre-Trib Rapture… and hope you all will be there.
And if you have any questions or doubts about a “Pre-Trib” Rapture… I will be more than happy to address that … in a different post.
Galatians 4:16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
Mike~