Does Luke 17:34-36 Teach the Secret Rapture?
“I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left”.
Luke 17:34-36
Some use Luke 17:34-36 to teach the secret rapture belief but in order to understand the complete picture of this passage, we need to read the verses before and after. In verse 26, Jesus resembled the days of Noah with His second coming: “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” Before the flood, some people were taken inside the Ark and some were left outside. The ones taken were saved and the ones left were the ones destroyed by the flood.
Then, Jesus gives another example for the same concept “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed” (Luke 17:28–30). Again, we learn that the people taken out of the city were the saved. And the ones left were the ones destroyed by fire.
Now let’s read the verses you are referring to in (Luke 34–36): “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other 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.”
In each case of separation, the ones taken were saved and the ones left were the ones destroyed. And verse 37 confirms that as well “And they answered and said unto him, Where Lord? And he said unto them, wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together” (Luke 17:37). After Jesus said, one would be taken and the other left, the disciples asked where they would be left. His answer clearly reveals that all who were left would be dead and their bodies would be food for the eagles. And this is in perfect harmony with what the rest of the Bible says on the subject.
In Luke 17, as you can see there is no indication whatsoever that the final separation of the saved and lost will be done in any secretive manner. Sadly, this verse has been used to support the secret rapture belief. Further, Jesus teaches that the ones left will be destroyed completely not have seven years of another chance to repent as the secret rapture belief teaches.
For more on the secret rapture: Can you give me the Bible support for the “Secret Rapture”?
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
