Think Wink.

My final in my Prophetic Literature class will be over the book of Daniel. In that class we have read all five of the major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah/Lamentations, Ezekiel, and now Daniel. As everyone knows, many people either read the first six chapters of Daniel but skip Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2, read the last six chapters and the dream in chapter 2, or read the whole thing. Unfortunately, too many people are either on the poles of Daniel, reading the first half or the second half but never the whole thing. Those who tend to float to the end of the book tend to be “eschatology experts” and follow in the foot steps of Tim Lahae and John Nelson Darby and the Scolefield Reference Bible. They are big-time fans of the Left Behind series, which as a work of fiction I really enjoyed the twelve books that covered the Tribulation period. But upon reflecting on Daniel and the so-called “students of prophecy,” I began to reflect again upon the fictional work, Left Behind, and what it meant.

Now before I begin, I want to state that the series has done much to advance the kingdom of Christ. Hundreds, if not thousands, have given their lives to Jesus Christ as a result of this fictional series. I praise God for the Left Behind books in that reguard. So when I disagree with the series, even more so the video game even though it might be a fun game, I very much respect the authors and the work they have done through the series.

Now, the synopsis of the book is that a group of non-believers band together to withstand the Tribulation period after their loved ones and millions more disappear in the Rapture (stage 1 of the Second Coming in Dispensational eschatology). Those left behind (hence the title) must live through the aweful wrath of God being poured out upon the earth as the forces of evil build up and persecute God’s people. The life of a Christian during this seven-year period will be horrible. The idea for this in the Bible is found in Matthew 24:36-41 and its parallels where Jesus says one will be in the fields or grinding at the mill; one is taken away and the other left behind. My question is: is that what Jesus was saying in the text of Matthew’s gospel?

My answer is, no its not what the Lord is saying. Let us read what Jesus said on the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24:36-41,

36 But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

Jesus is comparing his return to that of the days of Noah in whether or not we can know for certain when it is coming. Jesus says in v.36, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” His point is very obvious and right to the point, only God the Father knows when Jesus will come back. Thus in vv.42-44 Jesus says to be ready at every moment of the day, every day, for the return of Jesus. We don’t know so we must be ready at all times. I remember in high school, my Sunday School teacher gave us RUE? bumper stickers where the E was the color red. Thus the question is “R U Red-E?” Cute huh?

Now Jesus compares this to the days of Noah to give us a picture of what is going on when he does come back. Look at v.38, “as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark.” We can see that the people will be living their lives, lives similar to the lives lived in Noah’s day: pagan, godless, and self-centered. Sin will abound and cause God to destroy the earth just as in the days of Noah’s flood. But this time it won’t be with water (Genesis 9:11) but with fire (2 Peter 3:6,10).

Jesus says in v.39, “and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” The people were living in sin and had no idea that the flood was coming. Noah might have preached the flood but they did not hear him preaching. They probably thought him crazy building such a boat for a flood that would cover all of the earth. But the flood did come and it “swept them all away.” The NASB says, “took them all away.” The Greek word is airo and it literally means raise up, to take upon one’s self, to carry away. The flood carried these people away.

In vv.40-41, Jesus says what this means when he returns. He says, “Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.” Two are there in the field, two are there at the mill grinding. One is taken from each location, the other is left. Now the Dispensationalist will say, “See look, a person is taken and one is left behind. This must be the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Thus I don’t want to be left behind, I want to be taken away!” They are saying that the being taken is escaping the wrath of God and the tribulation of evil. Now that would be a good observation, if Jesus had not put the illustration of the flood before these two verses. Let us put these verses in context.

Let us examine what is taken in the illustration of Noah and apply it to the two pairs of people, in the field and at the mill. Go back up to v.39, “they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away.” It was the flood that did the taking here. The flood is the judgment that God poured out upon the earth. It came and took them all away that were not in the ark that Noah built. Thus when God’s judgment comes, we can see that it takes those who are to be judged in God’s wrath away.

Now Jesus says this is how it will be when he returns (Matthew 24:39). So let us apply this principle/idea to Matthew 24:40-41. The men are in the field, working and sweating. They have taken their shirts off. One man is taken and one is left in the field. If in v.39 it was the judgment that takes, then here in v.40 it is the wrath of God that took the man away and the mercy of God that left the other. In v.41 there are the two women, grinding away at the mill. They are working and their arms are sore. In v.39 it was judgment that takes away so it is here with the women. The woman taken is being judged by God like God judged those not on the ark in Genesis 6-9.

Now back to my question and whether or not Jesus was saying it is a good thing to be left behind. My answer was no. Jesus says to be taken is to be taken in God’s wrath that judges sinners without the Savior. To be left behind is the wonderful act of God’s grace and mercy. Thus I want to be left here while all others are taken away to be judged and condemned by a just God whose glory has been trampled upon by their sin and rejection of the grace of Jesus Christ. Plead with God that others will be spared and left behind with those who have accepted the Savior already. Jesus is waiting to spare us if we will trust in his finished work on the cross.

If I were a supervillain…

If I were a superhero…

Captain America vs. Captain America???