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Left Behind or Taken Away Have you noticed that the title of the very successful fictional Left Behind series, supposed to be descriptive of the unfortunate unbelievers left behind at the "pretribulational rapture of the church," is instead actually descriptive of those who are not judged at the second coming of Christ. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, the authors, apparently got the title for their books from Matthew 24:37-40. But in the Old Testament story of Noah cited by Jesus as an illustration of the need for preparedness concerning the events surrounding His second coming, those "taken" are not being "raptured," they are being judged as they are "taken away" by the flood waters. The same is true of the men in the field, and the women at the mill. In each example the ones left behind are the ones NOT JUDGED! I'm sorry to say that this imprecission in selecting a title for their books is typical of the pretribulationist' method of Bible study. You be the judge. The passage is reproduced below. Matthew 24:37-41 (follow where the theys and them go) 37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left."
The New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1986, S. Mt 24:37 |
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