One will be Taken

Another common error is to interpret Matthew 24:40-41 as a clear picture of the rapture.  They say the “one taken” is taken in the rapture, and the “one left” is left to face judgment.  Gundry offers an argument based on the Greek language, observing that “two different words appear for the action of taking, alrw (v. 39) and paralambNnw (vv. 40, 41).”²   He goes on to state that this is a clear change in topic, because paralambNnw is used just days later in John 14:3 to describe the rapture. 

Undisputedly, the immediate context of Matt. 24:38-39 describes how the world went about its normal routine until Noah entered the ark.  In v. 39 we see that the flood came and “took” them in judgment, while Noah and his family were “left” in the ark.  One only has to visit the parallel account in Luke 17:34-37 to discover that the context remains the same in Matt. 24:40-41.  In the Lukan account we see the same type of illustrations given, again with the use of paralambNnw.  In v. 37 the disciples ask “Where, Lord?”, wondering where the one was being taken to.  Christ answers them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”  Hardly a picture of being taken with the Lord to live in paradise!  We can confidently conclude that the illustration of Matt. 24:40-41 does not have the rapture in view.  “One will be taken” in judgment, and “one will be left” to enter the glorious millennial kingdom of our Lord Jesus.