One taken to heaven and the other left to face the Tribulation...

[Randy Kluth]

Let's look at this closer...
Paul speaks of a taking to heaven.....

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Paul speaks of a thief....

5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Paul speaks of a drunk.......

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.



Now Jesus speaks of a taking of a saint.....

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Then Jesus speaks of a thief.....

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 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.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Next, Jesus speaks of a drunk.....

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

This is not a scriptural coincidence, but Paul (sequentially) quoted the words of Jesus.....For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord....

This doesn't appear to be a "closer look," but actually, a re-presentation of the same points, lacking any kind of argument. Again, you're comparing the Church being "taken" in 1 Thes 4 with a completely different concept--that of 2 men in a field, 1 taken away and the other left to continue in the field. There is no relationship between these 2 passages. Being taken away by an Army into exile is not being taken up into heaven!

Unless you have an argument in this regard, there's no value in just repeating the same statements. Can you prove that the 1 taken in the field was taken up to heaven? No, but I can prove that it has to do with an Army judging Israel and taking them away into captivity.

Luke 21.24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

 

[Truther]

This doesn't appear to be a "closer look," but actually, a re-presentation of the same points, lacking any kind of argument. Again, you're comparing the Church being "taken" in 1 Thes 4 with a completely different concept--that of 2 men in a field, 1 taken away and the other left to continue in the field. There is no relationship between these 2 passages. Being taken away by an Army into exile is not being taken up into heaven!

Unless you have an argument in this regard, there's no value in just repeating the same statements. Can you prove that the 1 taken in the field was taken up to heaven? No, but I can prove that it has to do with an Army judging Israel and taking them away into captivity.

Luke 21.24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Boy are you mixed up.

Are you a preterist?

 

[Randy Kluth]

So Jesus took half the nation of Israel and left the other half of them?
When?

I didn't say that. The entire nation was taken. 50% of those among the Jews who claimed to follow Jesus did so by appearance only, whereas the rest truly followed him in spirit and in truth. That's how I would take it.

Salvation, to be true Salvation, unites a man with Christ in an eternal union, in an eternal marriage. These virgins had not yet been married, but were participating in the preparation for this marriage, for this "New Covenant." Only half of them succeeded, and these were the Jews who truly converted to Christianity. The vast majority of the nation did not even pretend to be Christian!

 

[Randy Kluth]

Boy are you mixed up.
Are you a preterist?

I'm not mixed up at all. And no, I'm not a preterist--it sounds like you are mixed up! Maybe you should ask me what I am before declaring that I'm "mixed up?"

To be fair, I understand, if you disagree with my position, how you could think I'm a preterist. I hold to positions in common with Preterism, though I'm not a true Preterist.

Preterists believe that the book of Revelation, the Olivet Discourse, and most future prophecy was fulfilled in the Early Church and in the ancient Roman Empire.

I don't agree with that, though I do agree with the Church Fathers that the Olivet Discourse was focused on the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, which is precisely what Jesus said at the beginning of this Discourse!

Jesus dealt with 2 subjects, and not just 1 in his Olivet Discourse. He dealt both with his 2nd Coming and with the 70 AD destruction of the temple. But the focus was on the destruction of the temple, and the destruction of Jerusalem, leading to an age-long punishment of the Jewish People.

After all, Jesus was speaking to the Jewish People *before* the cross, warning them what was to befall them, since most of them would reject him as their Messiah. He was acting as a prophet to the nation, warning the few who would repent not to go along with the nation in their corruption.

This was a prophecy focused on his own generation, but done in the light of eschatological judgment, in which the whole world would be judged for their sins. Judgment would begin with Israel, but in the end would encompass the world.

 

[Truther]

I didn't say that. The entire nation was taken. 50% of those among the Jews who claimed to follow Jesus did so by appearance only, whereas the rest truly followed him in spirit and in truth. That's how I would take it.

Salvation, to be true Salvation, unites a man with Christ in an eternal union, in an eternal marriage. These virgins had not yet been married, but were participating in the preparation for this marriage, for this "New Covenant." Only half of them succeeded, and these were the Jews who truly converted to Christianity. The vast majority of the nation did not even pretend to be Christian!

You are wrong.

No Jew was the "virgin", and Jesus never took anyone yet.

The "virgin" are the Acts 2 folks, which are made pure by Acts 2:38.

Those left behind to find oil are the carnal ones that were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, giving them spiritual virginity, but they do not walk in the Spirit(oil runs out).

 

[Truther]

I'm not mixed up at all. And no, I'm not a preterist--it sounds like you are mixed up! Maybe you should ask me what I am before declaring that I'm "mixed up?"

Whew, glad you are not a preterist.

You are mixed up by saying Matt 25 is Luke 21:24.

 

[Truther]

Incidentally, I am the preterist's worse nightmare.

 

[Truther]

I'm not mixed up at all. And no, I'm not a preterist--it sounds like you are mixed up! Maybe you should ask me what I am before declaring that I'm "mixed up?"

To be fair, I understand, if you disagree with my position, how you could think I'm a preterist. I hold to positions in common with Preterism, though I'm not a true Preterist.

Preterists believe that the book of Revelation, the Olivet Discourse, and most future prophecy was fulfilled in the Early Church and in the ancient Roman Empire.

I don't agree with that, though I do agree with the Church Fathers that the Olivet Discourse was focused on the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, which is precisely what Jesus said at the beginning of this Discourse!

Jesus dealt with 2 subjects, and not just 1 in his Olivet Discourse. He dealt both with his 2nd Coming and with the 70 AD destruction of the temple. But the focus was on the destruction of the temple, and the destruction of Jerusalem, leading to an age-long punishment of the Jewish People.

After all, Jesus was speaking to the Jewish People *before* the cross, warning them what was to befall them, since most of them would reject him as their Messiah. He was acting as a prophet to the nation, warning the few who would repent not to go along with the nation in their corruption.

This was a prophecy focused on his own generation, but done in the light of eschatological judgment, in which the whole world would be judged for their sins. Judgment would begin with Israel, but in the end would encompass the world.

Aaah, a partial preterist?

Do you want to start a thread on partial preterism vs futurism?

We could have fun hashing these concepts out.

 

[Truther]

I'm not mixed up at all. And no, I'm not a preterist--it sounds like you are mixed up! Maybe you should ask me what I am before declaring that I'm "mixed up?"

To be fair, I understand, if you disagree with my position, how you could think I'm a preterist. I hold to positions in common with Preterism, though I'm not a true Preterist.

Preterists believe that the book of Revelation, the Olivet Discourse, and most future prophecy was fulfilled in the Early Church and in the ancient Roman Empire.

I don't agree with that, though I do agree with the Church Fathers that the Olivet Discourse was focused on the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, which is precisely what Jesus said at the beginning of this Discourse!

Jesus dealt with 2 subjects, and not just 1 in his Olivet Discourse. He dealt both with his 2nd Coming and with the 70 AD destruction of the temple. But the focus was on the destruction of the temple, and the destruction of Jerusalem, leading to an age-long punishment of the Jewish People.

After all, Jesus was speaking to the Jewish People *before* the cross, warning them what was to befall them, since most of them would reject him as their Messiah. He was acting as a prophet to the nation, warning the few who would repent not to go along with the nation in their corruption.

This was a prophecy focused on his own generation, but done in the light of eschatological judgment, in which the whole world would be judged for their sins. Judgment would begin with Israel, but in the end would encompass the world.

Randy, shall we start with Luke 21?

 

[Randy Kluth]

You are wrong.

No Jew was the "virgin", and Jesus never took anyone yet.

The "virgin" are the Acts 2 folks, which are made pure by Acts 2:38.

Those left behind to find oil are the carnal ones that were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, giving them spiritual virginity, but they do not walk in the Spirit(oil runs out).

If you don't think Jews were virgins, why did Jesus give this parable to Jews or about Jews? If virgins did not apply to them, who then was Jesus applying them to?

Obviously, you're wrong. Jesus was applying these 10 virgins to the Jewish people, specifically to those who expected the coming of Christ to consummate the New Covenant with Israel.

It was a 50-50 proposition because those who believed in Jesus either followed him in reality or they followed him artificially. Those who let their oil run out were not concerned about the spiritual element that was required to prepare for the New Covenant.

And in reality, the Jewish People rejected the Spirit of Christ, and ended up under punishment, with the exception of a few who did receive both the Spirit and the New Covenant. Again, it was a 50-50 proposition, and most of Israel never even got to the place where they claimed to follow Jesus for any length of time.

I think Jesus here is more concerned with Messianic Jews than with the whole nation. These were only 10 virgins who served to prepare for the Wedding, representing the New Covenant. The idea was to choose between preparing for this marriage in a spiritual way or purely by tradition. True wedding preparation was spiritual, in Jesus' story.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Whew, glad you are not a preterist.

You are mixed up by saying Matt 25 is Luke 21:24.

That's not "mixed up." I never said Matt 25 is Luke 21:24! Matt 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, and Luke 21 are all part of the same story, that Israel would be punished in the NT era, beginning in 70 AD. The initial signs of this coming "desolation" would be a variety of indications that Israel was ripe for judgment.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Aaah, a partial preterist?

Do you want to start a thread on partial preterism vs futurism?

We could have fun hashing these concepts out.

Again, you're wrong. You really need to slow down and get your facts right before labeling me one thing or another. Granted, I may sound like a partial preterist to you, but I'm not. I believe in a future Antichrist, a literal future 3.5 year Antichristian reign of terror, the coming of Christ, and a literal Millennial Age. The book of Revelation indicates all this--it is not a book about the Early Church!

 

[Randy Kluth]

Randy, shall we start with Luke 21?

I know it well. Again, I'm not a preterist, so you need to lay out exactly where you disagree with my position?

 

[Truther]

If you don't think Jews were virgins, why did Jesus give this parable to Jews or about Jews? If virgins did not apply to them, who then was Jesus applying them to?

Obviously, you're wrong. Jesus was applying these 10 virgins to the Jewish people, specifically to those who expected the coming of Christ to consummate the New Covenant with Israel.

It was a 50-50 proposition because those who believed in Jesus either followed him in reality or they followed him artificially. Those who let their oil run out were not concerned about the spiritual element that was required to prepare for the New Covenant.

And in reality, the Jewish People rejected the Spirit of Christ, and ended up under punishment, with the exception of a few who did receive both the Spirit and the New Covenant. Again, it was a 50-50 proposition, and most of Israel never even got to the place where they claimed to follow Jesus for any length of time.

I think Jesus here is more concerned with Messianic Jews than with the whole nation. These were only 10 virgins who served to prepare for the Wedding, representing the New Covenant. The idea was to choose between preparing for this marriage in a spiritual way or purely by tradition. True wedding preparation was spiritual, in Jesus' story.

The context of Matt 24-25 was end time prophecy, which we are now in. His bride is now the Acts 2:38 bride. He never took anyone as the groom yet.

 

[Truther]

That's not "mixed up." I never said Matt 25 is Luke 21:24! Matt 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, and Luke 21 are all part of the same story, that Israel would be punished in the NT era, beginning in 70 AD. The initial signs of this coming "desolation" would be a variety of indications that Israel was ripe for judgment.

These passages were for the entire church age to read, then at the very end(our days), witness the signs of the times, look up. then be caught away. The next phase of our journey is Rev 19 at the marriage supper, which Jesus also spoke of taking the bride there in Matt 25.(Matt 25=Rev 19)

 

[Truther]

Again, you're wrong. You really need to slow down and get your facts right before labeling me one thing or another. Granted, I may sound like a partial preterist to you, but I'm not. I believe in a future Antichrist, a literal future 3.5 year Antichristian reign of terror, the coming of Christ, and a literal Millennial Age. The book of Revelation indicates all this--it is not a book about the Early Church!

Got it, thanks for clarifying.

I am just trying to see in what aspect you agree with preterism.

I would like to discuss it.

 

[Truther]

I know it well. Again, I'm not a preterist, so you need to lay out exactly where you disagree with my position?

Question; do you think Luke 21 is past prophecy?

 

[Truther]

I know it well. Again, I'm not a preterist, so you need to lay out exactly where you disagree with my position?

Do you agree with the assessment that Jesus was speaking of the entire church age?

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

They asked Jesus ONLY about the destruction of the temple here, but Jesus gives them more info than they actually asked for, just like Matt. 24...



8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven......
Now this above is the series of General signs before His 2nd coming.



Notice now..."but (before) all these", addressing their original question...
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. At this point, Jesus is finished with the destruction of Jerusalem explanation and proceeds to speak of His 2nd coming signs...


25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. These above are the signs that Jesus wanted to point out of His 2nd coming in these end times.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Here, Jesus gives us a warning to watch for these signs, before His return...FOR THE WHOLE EARTH....LOOK BELOW

34 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.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the (whole earth).

36 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.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Do you agree with the assessment that Jesus was speaking of the entire church age?

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

They asked Jesus ONLY about the destruction of the temple here, but Jesus gives them more info than they actually asked for, just like Matt. 24...

They were asking about *both* the destruction of the temple and the 2nd Coming--not just about the destruction of the temple only! You need to correct this if you're going to make any arguments following.

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven......
Now this above is the series of General signs before His 2nd coming.

This is a declarative statement, and not an argument. Are we to believe these are "general signs of the 2nd Coming" simply because you interpret it as such, or is this actually being said?

In my view, Jesus was dealing with their focus upon the destruction of the temple, which was his initial statement and the major concern of his disciples. They couldn't understand how Israel could achieve final salvation, as promised in the Prophets, if Israel was to be destroyed yet again?

So Jesus explained that indeed Israel was to be destroyed again, and yet still saved after another long period of tribulation for the nation. The sign of this impending destruction was the gathering of a Roman Army like eagles to its prey.

Israel's sins would be exposed by their persecution of Jesus' followers. Their hatred would become apparent. And God's judgment would be seen to be approaching.

These were the initial signs--the "birth pains"--of this coming destruction in 70 AD. Jesus' Disciples were to be looking for it, because *this judgment was not for them!* They could escape when the time came, assuming they were spiritually prepared, and listening to the word of God to their hearts.

Notice now..."but (before) all these", addressing their original question...
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. At this point, Jesus is finished with the destruction of Jerusalem explanation and proceeds to speak of His 2nd coming signs...

Yes, Jesus was asked about the problem of conflating the Salvation of Israel with his declaration that Israel would be judged once again. And so, Jesus separated these two events, by a long duration called the "great tribulation."

It was to begin in their generation (70 AD) and continue all through the age, as long as the Gentiles were given to oppress them. But one day Christ would return to save the Jewish nation, and all Gentile oppression of that nation would be ended.

There was, however, a correlation that Jesus drew between his 2nd Coming and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. In both instances Jesus showed that he was coming to bring salvation to the repentant and destruction to the rebellious.

In 70 AD Jesus brought the judgment he had prepared for by his 1st Coming--those who refused to repent in Israel were destroyed in 70 AD. In the same way, his 2nd Coming will bring salvation to those who have repented, and judgment to those who don't.

The 2nd Coming will finalize both salvation and judgment on earth, much as he did at his 1st Coming. Only at his 1st Coming Jesus initiated this process with Israel, and began to expand the same process with all nations on earth. The 2nd Coming will bring an end to this process of dealing with rebellion in the world against Christ's Kingdom. All nations, including Israel, would be judged at the 2nd Coming.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. These above are the signs that Jesus wanted to point out of His 2nd coming in these end times.

Yes, this is the 2nd Coming.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Here, Jesus gives us a warning to watch for these signs, before His return...FOR THE WHOLE EARTH....LOOK BELOW

I don't believe this has to do with the "whole earth," since Jesus is speaking to his own generation about what they would experience alone. When Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God being "at hand," he was talking about his own appearance in the world with the word of both salvation and judgment. Final judgment was in the hands of Jesus at his 1st Coming, and his own generation in Israel was accountable.

Jesus was the Messiah, and he made salvation immediately available to the nation, even though most would not accept it. A harvest was ready, and the fruits trees had blossomed. But there would be little fruit--none, with respect to the nation as a whole. They would be destroyed as a nation until the 2nd Coming. Instead of the fig tree blossoming for salvation, it would blossom for judgment.

Jesus said "this generation will not pass away before such and such happens." That specifically had to do with the generation in which Jesus' disciples lived. It did not refer to the endtimes--it referred, rather, to the coming catastrophe in 70 AD. Jesus was answering their question about *when* the temple would be destroyed. It would happen, said Jesus, in "this generation."

34 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.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the (whole earth).

36 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.

The disciples of Jesus who literally took to heart Jesus' warning about this coming tragedy did recognize the sign of the "gathering eagles," ie the Roman Army, to bring judgment upon the Jews who refused to repent. They escaped to Pella, while Jerusalem was destroyed.

Those who delayed leaving, and did not make plans to get around Sabbath prohibitions etc., literally escaped only with the clothes on their back. If they had not left Jerusalem itself by the time the Roman Army arrived, they were largely killed.

Some Jews were taken away into exile. A relative few were left to mind the fields for the Romans and to pay tribute. "Some were taken and some were left."

 

[Rocky Wiley]

Did you know that the rapture verse Paul was speaking of in 1 Thes 4 was actually a quote of Jesus' words in Matt 24 (one taken the other left)?

The rapture was of those that died under the age of Law.

We now live in the age of Grace. When this body dies we go right on to be with God.