7 reasons Matthew 24 “one will be taken and one will be left” is not the rapture

Matthew 24 is one of the most popular chapters for end-times prophecy. People often quote, “one will be taken and one will be left,” as the rapture. But is it? Let’s ask God for wisdom and understanding about this important passage.

Here are 7 reasons from the parallel gospel accounts that Matthew 24 is not the rapture of Christians to heaven.

1) Matthew 24 is Jesus’ answer to the question: “When will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”  (Matthew 24:1-4; Mark 13:1-9; Luke 21:5-9)

This question is from the disciples responding to Jesus’ prophecy that the temple would be destroyed. I especially like Luke’s account since he researched these questions back then.

As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said, “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.” (Luke 21:5-6 WEB)

As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?” Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray. (Mark 13:3-5 WEB)

2) There will be birth pains including false Christs, wars, famines, plagues, and earthquakes (Matthew 24:5-8; Mark 13:6-8; Luke 21:8-11)

For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:5-8 WEB)

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3) There will be worldwide outreach of the gospel and unprecedented oppression of Christians (Matthew 24:9-14; Mark 13:10-13;  Luke 21:10-19)

The Good News must first be preached to all the nations. When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. (Mark 13:10-13 WEB)

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4) The great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15-25; Mark 13:14-23; Luke 21:20-24)

for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be. Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22 WEB)

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5) The abomination of desolation standing in the rebuilt temple (Matthew 24:15-25; Mark 13:14-23; Luke 21:20-24)

Jesus briefly mentions the temple will be destroyed at the beginning of his answer. That occurred in 70 CE when Titus and Tiberius leading the Roman army besieged Jerusalem and razed the temple. This is remembered every year during Tisha B’Av, which is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, marking the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Yet, here Jesus describes the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the rebuilt temple. This hasn’t happened yet, but it will happen before the events of Matthew 24.

The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.” (Daniel 9:27 NLT)

“His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. (Daniel 11:31 NLT)

“From the time the daily sacrifice is stopped and the sacrilegious object that causes desecration is set up to be worshiped, there will be 1,290 days. (Daniel 12:11 NLT)

“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  (Matthew 24:15-16 WEB)

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6) There will be signs in the heavens when the Son of Man returns (Matthew 24:26-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28)

If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it. For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For wherever the carcass is, there is where the vultures gather together. (Matthew 24:26-28 WEB)

But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31 WEB)

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7 WEB)

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7) The wicked will be taken away to be killed in eternal judgment (Matthew 24:45-51)

The previous 6 reasons prove this passage is describing the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as conquering hero of the tribe of Judah. This is not the rapture of the church to meet the Lord in the air. Therefore, this last reason also must be the second coming and not the rapture.

This passage compares those taken in the flood with those taken at the return of the Son of Man. Who was taken in the flood? Those in the ark were never described as taken. Moses describes Noah and his family coming into the ark with God (Genesis 7). Peter describes them as “saved through water” (1 Peter 3:20). But those who refused the message of salvation and were killed in the flood are the ones who are taken.

But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. “As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left; two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left. (Matthew 24:36-41 WEB)

Luke compares those destroyed by God in Sodom and Gomorrah with those taken at the return of the Son of Man. The LORD God revealed the imminent judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham. Abraham begged for God to protect even 10 righteous among the wicked (Genesis 18). The angels rescued Lot and his family before the LORD rained down fire and brimstone on the cities (Genesis 19). Likewise, those who are taken in Matthew 24 will be killed in judgment and left as carcasses for the vultures to eat. This cannot be the rapture because those left behind on earth won’t be killed and eaten by vultures.

He said to the disciples, “The days will come, when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will tell you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go away, nor follow after them, for as the lightning, when it flashes out of the one part under the sky, shines to the other part under the sky; so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. As it happened in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky, and destroyed them all. It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it. I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. The one will be taken, and the other will be left. There will be two grinding grain together. One will be taken, and the other will be left.” They, answering, asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there will the vultures also be gathered together.” (Luke 17:22-37 WEB)

For wherever the carcass is, there is where the vultures gather together. (Matthew 24:28 WEB)

“So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 WEB)

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For deeper study:

• The Greek word paralambanó used in Matthew 24 means “I take from, receive from, or: I take to, receive (apparently not used of money), admit, acknowledge; I take with me” — this is a completely different concept than the Greek word harpazó used in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15, which means “to seize, catch up, snatch away.”