You think so, yes. And, to an extent, you did. But you went... above and beyond. :)
:)
Ah, getting combative on me. That's... regrettable.
Hmmm... :)
In Genesis 7 and 8, Rebuilder, that Noah and his family entered the ark (7:7), the animals followed (7:8-9), and the waters came (7:10) and continued for forty days, lifting the ark high above the earth (7:17). Every other living thing died, but Noah and those who were with him in the ark were left/remained alive. Eventually, the water subsided, and God renewed the covenant of life with Noah. Neither Noah nor any of the other passengers were "taken into the sky." They were certainly kept safe in the ark, which was floating on the water through the flood, but not "removed" in the sense of not having to endure it. To phrase it a slightly different way, no one was "left behind," but only... not kept safe... left to themselves, without protection.
As for Jesus and how He "frames things" in Matthew 24... He says, "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, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (24:38-39). He's talking about the suddenness and the unexpectedness of His return, Rebuilder, nothing more, and nothing less. Yes, He does go on to talk about some being taken and some being left, but I would submit that pre-tribulation believers misunderstand who is actually taken and who is actually left. As I'm sure you know, Jesus relates the same parable in Luke 17, and there He likens it to the days of Lot ~ who was certainly not "taken into the sky," neither was he removed from Sodom but left obediently ~ when Sodom and its inhabitants were destroyed, saying that like Lot's wife, "...(w)hoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it" (17:33). Then Luke also relates the some taken and some left language, and the disciples ask, "Where, Lord?" And Jesus answers, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather" (17:37). So again, I would submit that pre-tribulation believers misunderstand who is actually taken and who is actually left.
Grace and peace to you, Rebuilder.