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| PentecostalTheology.com
by Mark A. Becker
Introduction
Lately I’ve been hearing many in the church insist the Olivet Discourse – found in Matthew 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37, and Luke 21:7-36 – does not mention the rapture of the church and is solely for Israel in light of Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). What troubled me most, is that some of these people believe in a pre-Tribulation rapture. This vexed me so much that I thought I should write an article on the subject. Is the rapture of the church in the Olivet Discourse?
The Lord is teaching His disciples – the very men who would start His church – about the end-times and His second coming. The confusion comes about because of our Lord’s focus on what Israel will be going though during the Tribulation and, once that is completed, He seemingly turns to another subject – a “mystery” the Apostle Paul would later reveal in His divinely inspired epistles (1 Corinthians 15:51-58 & 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and others). Why wouldn’t our Lord allude to the rapture? He has the seed of His church listening intently to his revelation of the end-times. What better opportunity to show them this than at this time?
I believe He does reveal the mystery of the rapture of the church at the end of all three discourses found in the synoptic Gospels. It’s as if He is saying, “What I’m about to share with you, you won’t understand now –- but you will.”
The verses that we’ll be studying are: Matthew 24:36-51 and 25:1-13 (The Parable of the 10 Virgins); Mark 13:32-37; and Luke 21:34-36.
Let’s go in reverse order and start with Luke.
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Emphasis mine).
Always remember to differentiate between “them” and “us/we” in prophetic Scripture. The “snare” will come on “them that dwell on the face of the whole earth;” not on us, the Lord’s bride.
If anyone attacks you for your belief in a pre-Tribulation rapture of the church by calling you an escapist, point them to Luke 21:36 and remind them that Jesus Himself commanded us to “pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” This statement goes hand in hand with Revelation 3:10, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” I can think of no clearer way for the Lord to communicate the resurrection of His church at the rapture.
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” (Emphasis mine).
Whenever the prophetic Scriptures allude to the “day or hour” that “knoweth no man,” or our Lord coming as “a thief in the night,” rest assured that this is always referring to the rapture of His church. Such verses include: 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 2 Peter 3:10 (a fascinating verse covering the rapture until the Lord recreates the heavens and the earth after the millennial Kingdom in one short statement), Revelation 3:3, Matthew 24:43, and others.
We will know the season – and we see those signs today – but we can’t know the “day or the hour,” when it comes to the imminent rapture of the church.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Emphasis mine).
This verse is not talking about the Second Coming and the separating of the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), as some claim. Those that say this are trying to tie the two together, but it just doesn’t work.
First, in Matthew 25:33 it says, “and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” There is no “taking away” as they are all gathered together unto Him in the same place.
Second, Matthew 25:31-46 is a Second Coming passage and not a rapture passage. In the rapture passage above (Matthew 24:40-42) it is happening all over the world; hence the “two in the field” and “two… grinding at the mill.” In a parallel passage in Luke 17:33-36 (after Jesus warns the Jews of their fleeing from Jerusalem after the Abomination of Desolation), He immediately shifts to the rapture, and says, “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”
Notice we have added here two men in a bed, presumably at night, showing that this event is happening all over the world at the same time. There is no other prophetic event that accurately describes what is being said here, other than the rapture of the church. (I do have a commentary on Luke 17:37 and Matthew 24:28 – “The Eagles be Gathered Together”).
Important Note: Some might say, “How can you say that? How can Jesus immediately jump from a description of the Abomination of Desolation that happens in the middle of the Tribulation to an account of the rapture?” The answer is that, just like He put the rapture verses at the end of His Olivet Discourse, He is putting the rapture at the end of this teaching as well. There is ample precedence for the blending of two things together in prophetic Scripture. Prophetic Scripture is littered with near and far ranging predictions leveled against the same empires at different times in the future.
One example of this blending is in Isaiah 61:1-2 (which the Lord Himself quoted in Luke 4:18-19, leaving out the Second Coming portion of this Scripture): “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.”
Notice the two comings of the Lord Jesus Christ – His first coming and His second coming wrapped up into two verses. This is where rightly dividing of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15) is so essential. Jesus is the Word of God, so this consistency of melding different aspects of future prophecy should be a surprise to no one. The fact is, these verses can be nothing other than the rapture – it does not, and will not, fit the Second Coming.
Lastly, notice that everyone mentioned in these verses are carrying on their daily activities as if nothing is unusual. There is no chance, whatsoever, that “life as normal” will be happening at the Lord’s Second Coming, as all will be expecting and looking for Him.
Everyone will know when Jesus is coming back, as everyone will be waiting for Him – from Antichrist and his armies with the other armies of the world at Armageddon, to believers and unbelievers alike – as all they have to do is count exactly seven years from the signing of the covenant Antichrist makes with Israel (Daniel 9:27). Jesus will come on the exact day assigned to Him, just as He did on His first advent (Daniel 9:24-26). Again, everyone will know and be waiting for the Lord at the Second Coming – some in an attempt to battle Him and some to welcome Him with gladness, joy, and worship. This will not be a surprise to the remnant left on earth after seven years of the wrath of God being poured out on man.
Conclusion
Those that insist the rapture is not in view in Christ’s Olivet Discourse, I humbly assert, do much harm to the intent of the message of the text. As we can see, the rapture is clearly in view at the end of each of the synoptic Gospel accounts of the Olivet Discourse.
Why did Jesus say that only the Father knows the day and the hour His Son would come back for His bride in what is known as the pre-Tribulation rapture of the church? Because of the event’s relationship to the Jewish wedding (The movie/documentary “Before the Wrath” documents this well, as does many fine articles and books).
We should conclude our study with the most picturesque of all of Christ’s allusions to the rapture of His bride in relation to this Jewish wedding – The Parable of the 10 Virgins…
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
Anonymous
needed 2B stated once again Philip Williams Duane L Burgess Brett Dobbs Kyle
Anonymous
Troy Day those taken by Noah’s Flood were destroyed. Those left were saved.
Anonymous
It is not mentioned… Half of it is about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 the other half of it is about the Great Tribulation culmination in the battle of Armageddon and the Return of Christ.
Anonymous
Michael Chauncey well true but Philip Williams believes its America
Anonymous
Troy Day USA is nowhere in Scripture, but God is sovereignly, providentially using it.
Anonymous
Duane L Burgess I believe that John Mushenhouse Philip Williams
Anonymous
Michael Chauncey yes? Brett Dobbs
Anonymous
Michael Chauncey where is your RAPTURE post from 1-2 days ago It was SPOT on
Anonymous
The Church and rapture are not found in the Olivet discourse. Matt. 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13 are about national Israel in the 7 year Tribulation.
The Church is unknown in the OT, and practically unknown in the Gospels. The Gospels pick up where the OT left off and continued the ministry of Yahweh to Israel.
Jesus came in fulfillment of the first 69 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy and while being the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, He also came “only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” for God’s specific plans and purposes.
“Ekklesia” appears in two passages in the Gospels. One is reiterating Deuteronomy about 2 or 3 witnesses and going before the “church” (the assembly).
The other is when Jesus said, “I will build my Church” (which began at Pentecost).
Even after His resurrection the disciples asked if, at that time, He would restore the kingdom to Israel. They did not yet understand the “church.”
Anonymous
I believe that Link Hudson Michael Chauncey Brett Dobbs
Anonymous
Duane L Burgess God only has one elect people. And it’s the people he’s in covenant with. He’s not in covenant with physical ethic Israel. He’s in covenant with those who profess faith in him in whose souls he’s saved.
God carried out Israel’s final judgment in 70 AD. As told In Deuteronomy chapters 28-29.
Luke 21:21-24 (ESV) 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
As it is written. And those things were fulfilled. Everything except the fullness of the gentiles. Then once that occurs. Then it’s over. The final resurrection of the elect on the last day. That’s when Israel will be saved and restored. For we the church are part of Israel. Then we will reign with him for eternity.
Anonymous
Duane L Burgess Ekklesia is used in the Old Testament (in Greek translation) in reference to the assembly. Hebrews quotes, “In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”
Gentile believers are grafted in and are partakers of the promises through faith in Christ.
If you read Revelation, the Revelation there in that chapter 19-20 section, the first resurrection, is a resurrection of saints. How does it make sense to you that the massive resurrection of the church would come before the first resurrection? Where is the Biblical justification for turning the coming of Christ into two events, the resurrection into two resurrections.
II Thessalonians 2 speaks of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering unto Him, and says that the lawless one would be destroyed at His coming. Now, pre-trib has the beast doing all kinds of things AFTER the coming of the Lord and our gathering unto Him, but the book of Revelation sets the beast being thrown into the lake of fire after the tribulation.
Asserting that Jesus comes back an extra time and that there is an extra resurrection of the dead not laid out in scriptures that lay out sequences of events… or interpreting references to the coming of the Lord as separate events… that is a really big deal. It deserves to have some really clear Biblical evidence.
Instead we get rather weak arguments trying to create some kind of problem when there isn’t really one there (e.g. appointed unto wrath) or allegorical interpretations of parables as the evidence to create a whole additional return of Christ, or try to argue that the return of Christ lasts seven years. It’s not very convincing, and there is no reason to think any Christian believed it before the Islamic invasions.
Anonymous
Link Hudson as usual you manipulate the BIBLE to fit your thesis but you failed again and John Mushenhouse caught you spot on
Ekklesia is used in the Old Testament (in Greek translation) in reference to the assembly. Hebrews quotes, “In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”
your premise is OT but you manipulate to cite the NT – Hebrews
thatS about as much as you do theology nowadays
The word CHURCH is not in the OT
Everything else you said was wrong and Duane L Burgess Neil Steven Lawrence Michael Chauncey will take time to prove it today
Anonymous
Troy Day my post just simply presented facts about scripture and the LXX translation. You can see ekklesias here in Psalm 22:22 in the LXX. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lxx/psa/22/1/t_conc_500022
Nothing I wrote should be considered controversial in tge least. But you made a nasty little accusatory personal attack. Why don’t you refute any statement I made instead?
Anonymous
Link Hudson the attack is actually on the nonsense you posted
but you take it personally since you equate yourself with nonsense
TRUTH IS: you have simply presented NO facts about scripture
next v23 specifically states
ye the seed of Jacob,
all ye the seed of Israel
This has nothing to do with the NT church of course
And because you realize this very well in your lack of evidence you chose to attack me instead of your faulty theological dislogic #ohWell
Anonymous
Troy Day The next verse does not disprove anything I wrote. Ekklesia was used in reference to the assembly of Israel. That underscores what I wrote.
Is there anything in my post you object to that was not a straightforward fact that can be proven from scripture, aside from the questions which you did not bother to answer… but instead chose a personal attack?
Anonymous
Link Hudson YES – assembly of Israel NOT the NT church #sorry
YouVE got NO way to prove the psalmist meant NT church
This type of faulty logic is becoming a great problem for you https://www.pentecostaltheology.com/all-will-take-the-mark-of-the-beast/
Anonymous
Troy Day If you have or see a problem, that doesn’t mean it is a problem for me. Let’s look at Hebrews 2
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:
“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again:
“I will put My trust in Him.”
And again:
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
(NKJV)
Are the sons being brought to glory, those being sanctified mentioned in verse 11, only physical descendants of Israel? Are only Hebrews freed from the fear of death? Aren’t Gentiles also? Doesn’t he give aid to the children of Abraham by faith who are Gentiles, and not only to believing Hebrews?
Jews who did not believe were cut off. Gentiles who believe were grafted in.
Anonymous
Let’s NOT look at Hebrews 2 as I already pointed out your faulty logic
You cannot prove your hypothesis by jumping around
Lets look at psalm 22 22 – prove your hypothesis there FIRST
Then and only after you can prove that
You can jump on other verses
This cherry picking of yours stops here
Anonymous
you know Duane L Burgess Michael Chauncey that Brett Dobbs Philip Williams have generally struggled with showing resurrection in MT 24 non the less 2 resurrections as some assert when they are confused about pre-trib rapture
Anonymous
Troy Day all who die in Christ live with him in their Heavenly bodies.
Anonymous
Philip Williams verse from MT 24 LK 21 pls
Anonymous
Troy Day the wicked will be taken away from the earth as happened with Noah’s Flood when the meek inherit the earth at the Lord’s Coming.
Anonymous
Philip Williams many generally struggle showing resurrection in MT 24
Anonymous
Troy Day Jesus Christ is the resurrection!
Anonymous
Philip Williams u2 struggle showing resurrection in MT 24
Anonymous
Troy Day if Jesus is there, the resurrection is there.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” John 11:25
Anonymous
Philip Williams says WHO?
Anonymous
Troy Day Jesus says this. Heaven and earth will pass away but his words will never pass away.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?””
John 11:25-26
Anonymous
https://www.pentecostaltheology.com/all-will-take-the-mark-of-the-beast/