Sunday, March 15, 2009


“One Shall be Taken - The Other Left”
Who’s Taken and Who’s Left? A Serious Warning to Post-Trib Promoters!

There is a movement sweeping the ranks of Ministers and Teachers  that are Post-Trib Christians. That movement is an attempt to prove that there'll be no Pre-Tribulation Rapture of God's Church. The new teaching appears to be a perfect rebuttal to Pre-Trib, but, instead of refuting Pre-Trib, it actually promotes the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory. The new teaching we refer to says that when Jesus said, "there will be two in the field, and the one shall be taken, and the other left," the "left" are the saved and the "taken" are the lost. Promoters of this think their new-found interpretation is the opposite of the Pre-Trib Rapture Theory. It is NOT! The notion that the "Taken" are bad and the "Left" are good is exactly the official position of the Pre-Trib Rapture promoters. Although it is true  there may be some untrained Pre-Trib Ministers teaching that the "taken" are the bad and the "left" are the good, such Ministers simply have not studied official Pre-Trib material. We ask the Post-Trib Ministers, do you want to refute the untrained Pre-Tribbers, or do you want to deal with the official Pre-Trib teachings? Let's look closer.

There are thousands of paintings depicting Christ's Second Coming based on the following Bible prophecy: "And He shall send His Angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt24:31)!  These paintings depict people standing on the ground looking up with great joy as they anticipate being caught up in the clouds and going to Heaven with Jesus. 

Pre-Trib Reverses the Pictures!
What we reveal now is going to be a serious shock to most Post-Trib Promoters, as well as a great many Pre-Trib Promoters. It is true that Pre-Trib teaches there will be good people "Taken" to Heaven at what they call the "Rapture," and bad people "Left" Behind at the same time. However, Pre-Trib's official position concerning the actual Scripture passages using the words, "One shall be taken, and the other left," is the exact opposite. Pre-Trib says the "taken" are the bad and the "left" are the saved. Pre-Trib says those looking up and smiling should not be rejoicing, but rather terrified!! Pre-Trib says those lifted into the cloud at Christ's Second Coming are wicked people who'll be carried by these angels to a Judgment, after which they'll be cast into Hell, while the people, "Left Behind" are good people who'll be allowed to enter a thousand year Millennial Kingdom here on earth! For more information and documentation on Pre-Trib reversing the, "Taken" and the, "Left," see Blogsite "Left Behind Problems for Pre-Trib." Here in this Blogsite we will look at the serious problem that some otherwise honest Post-Trib Promoters have created for themselves because of being unaware of Pre-Trib reversing the, "Taken" and the, "Left." Many Post-Trib Ministers are unaware of Pre-Trib's official position because Pre-Trib Ministers continually quote the, "taken and left" Scriptures as proof their Pre-Trib Rapture. Pre-Trib Ministers quote it while being completely aware that they are using it contrary to Pre-Trib's position, but because the wording fits their Rapture view, they use it anyway. The Authors of the "Left Behind" books are absolutely aware of Pre-Trib's official position.
 
How is this a Problem for Post-Trib?
Post-Tribulation is the view that there will be only one Second Coming of Jesus. In other words, no two-phase coming; no Rapture before Christ's Second Coming. Post-Trib says Christ comes after the Tribulation, thus the name Post-Trib. So what's the Problem? With Pre-Trib Ministers preaching "Rapture" sermons, and quoting the, "taken and left," Scriptures as proof of their version of Christ's "Rapture" occurring before the Tribulation, and with books titled, "Left Behind," selling over 65 million copies, Post-Trib Ministers assume that Pre-Tribbers actually believe and teach that the, "taken," are the good people, and the, "left," are the bad people Left Behind at the Rapture.  Thus these Post-Trib Ministers are preaching sermons on TV and other media in an attempt to disprove Pre-Trib by promoting the view that the, "taken" are the lost, and the, "left," are the saved. So what is the problem? Post-Trib Ministers think they are refuting the Pre-Trib Rapture theory, when, in fact, they are helping promote it. This Author has studied end-time prophecies carefully for over 40 years, and concludes that Post-Trib is the correct view of Christ's Second Coming. We believe the Bible clearly teaches that the, "taken," are the Elect taken to Heaven with Jesus, and the, "left" are lost wicked destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming.  The lost wicked drop dead to the earth where they lie unburied for a thousand years. Jesus said He will, "Send His Angels to Gather His Elect" (Matt.24:31), thus, "One shall be Taken (gathered) and the other left"  (Matt.24:40)! Let's look closer:

Well-Meaning Post-Tribbers
We have no way of knowing when certain Post-Trib Ministers first began promoting what they assumed was a rebuttal to Pre-Trib, but we do know that Post-Trib Ministers are sharing it with their fellow Post-Tribbers, and the view that the, "taken," are the bad guys is be spreading throughout their ranks. This Author has discussed this with some Post-Trib Ministers and explained Pre-Trib's true view. In each and every discussion so far, the Post-Trib Ministers were completely shocked, and had no idea they were actually promoting Pre-Trib's view. Thus far most of these Post-Trib Ministers, even after they discover they are promoting the Pre-Trib view, and even after seeing the totally overwhelming Bible proof that the taken are the saved and the left are the lost wicked, it appears their pride prevents them from correcting their mistake. We plead with them to pray earnestly about this.

Does It Really Matter?
If the taken are the wicked and the left are the saved, would it compromise the Bible interpretation of last-day events? If not for the fact that Pre-Trib has already reversed these in an attempt to make Christ's words fit their version of a Millennial Kingdom here on earth, it would make no difference. It would make Christ's words confusing, however.

 "Gather His Elect"
Jesus said He will send out His Angels to "Gather His Elect." Will these Angels reverse Christ's, command, and, instead of, "Gathering His Elect,"  gather (take) the wicked and leave the Elect? Rejecting and reversing Christ's words is never a good thing, and always leads to false teachings. So, does it matter? Yes, it matters. Nowhere in Scripture is there a true description of angels, "taking away" the unsaved wicked, and certainly not at the Second Coming. There are parables and illustrations that could be interpreted as such, but no real descriptions of the real, physical Second Coming of Jesus. The only possible exception could be at the end of the thousand years when Satan, his Demons, and the lost wicked stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. But actually, not there either. The resurrected wicked are deceived by Satan and, of their own free will, join his Magog army. These,"encompass the Holy City," apparently marching there being led by Satan himself.

"Lamented neither Gathered nor Buried - Dung on the Ground" Scripture says that at the Second Coming, the wicked lost are, "destroyed by the brightness of His Coming" (2Thess.2:8). They die and fall where they stand (See Zech.14:12; Rev.19:21), and they lie there on the ground in that very same spot, unburied for a thousand years (Isa.34:3; Jer.25:33).
"And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground" (Jer.25:33).
Except for some parables and illustrations, all Biblical descriptions show the wicked being killed by the brightness of Jesus and His angels. As far as real events that will literally occur at Christ's Coming, there is only one recording of Angels literally, "Gathering" people. This is when Jesus said He would send His Angels to, "Gather His Elect," at His Second Coming (Matt.24:31).

Parable of Wheat and Tares
In a Parable, Jesus told of a Farmer planting his field with wheat, and at night an enemy came and sowed, "tares."  The Farmer allowed the Wheat and Tares to grow together till the Harvest. Jesus ended His Parable by saying: "The Son of Man shall send forth His Angels and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them who do iniquity. And shall cast them in a furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt.13:40-40)! This parable has been used by Pre-Trib to justify their position, and now some Post-Trib promoters that are unwittingly joining Pre-Trib's position. We should always remember that parables should always be understood as illustrations only. A careful examination of what Jesus revealed to John in Revelation clearly shows that it will not be at His Second Coming that Angels "gather" the lost wicked. It will be when the lost wicked are "Cast into the Lake of Fire"  at the end of the Millennium when the lost wicked are destroyed with fire. At the end of the Millennium, the dead wicked are resurrected, Judged, then, "fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them" (See Rev.21:11-15). When describing this same scene later in Revelation, John explains what Jesus was referring to concerning people being cast into fire. "And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of fire" (Rev.21:14-15).  This is too clear to miss.

In a moment we will look at the Flood, and, Sodom and Gomorrah, the two comparisons Jesus used when telling His Disciples about His Second Coming. These two illustrations are also used by those promoting the Pre-Trib view.

Jesus Sending Angels to Gather (Take) His Elect
Jesus said, "Immediately AFTER the Tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall SEND HIS ANGELS with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall GATHER together His Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt.24:29-31).

Jesus stopped here and told a parable of the fig tree, then He continued outlining the events. "But of that day and hour [His Second Coming when He sends His Angels to Gather His Elect] knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matt.24:36-41). Jesus said His Angels will, "GATHER His Elect." How can it be that Jesus, "sends angels to gather His Elect," and then these angels, "leave" the Elect, and, "take" the lost wicked?

The next night after Jesus told His Disciples about the "taken and the left," He explained to them where they would be, "Gathered and Taken." He said He was going to His Father's House, preparing a place for them, and returning to, "Receive them unto Himself"(See Jn.14:1-3). In other words, "take," them to His Father's house in Heaven.

Paul also wrote concerning this, "Gathering together unto Him (Jesus)" (2Thess.2:1). He said they'd "meet the Lord in the air"(1Thess.4:17). In every account from every Bible Prophet, the, "GATHERING" is for God's People. Thus, when Jesus said, "One is Taken," He was referring to gathering His Elect. When He said, "One is LEFT," He was referring to the lost wicked. This so very clear!

Where Lord? Where the Eagles Gather!
This statement from Jesus might appear to give credence to those who insist the, "Taken" are the bad and the, "Left" are the saved. Both Matthew and Luke record Jesus telling His Disciples about, "one taken and one left." Luke records a question from the Disciples that is used by Pre-Trib to support the view that the wicked will be taken: "And they (the Disciples) answered, and said unto Him, Where Lord? And He answered and said unto them, Wherever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Lk.17:37).

When the Disciples asked the question, "Where Lord," were they asking where the, "taken" will be taken to, or, were they asking, "Where will the left people be left?"  The Ministers using Luke's text as proof that the, "taken," are the bad, and the, "left," are the good, may not be aware that Mathew records this also. In Matthew's account Jesus told His Disciples about the Tribulation, and described the devastated condition of earth when He returns. All Bible prophecies of Christ's Second Coming describe bodies scattered unburied (Jer.25:33; Isa.34:3) everywhere on the ground where they had fallen dead because of the brightness of His Coming. "For as the lightening cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together"  (Matt.24:27-28). It should be clear from Christ's words that He is explaining how the brightness of His coming will destroy the lost wicked, leaving "Carcasses for the eagles and vultures." Matthew's account supports the view that the good are taken and the bad are left, however, we do not want to cast aside Luke's account as if it doesn't matter. So, let's look closer.

If we don't take into consideration the mindset of the Disciples at that time, we could assume they were asking where the, "taken," will be taken, but Scripture records exactly what they were thinking about and arguing about at that particular time. They were arguing as to who would sit next to Jesus in His Kingdom, a Kingdom they thought would be centered in Old Jerusalem here on earth. Underscore "here on earth." Only hours earlier they helped him as He rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey as a signal that He was about to become King. The Disciples assumed that Jesus was on the verge of setting Himself up in Jerusalem as King of the Jews in preparation to rule the entire world. So when Jesus said He was going "Send His Angels to gather His Elect," the Disciples assumed these Angels would "take" His Elect to Jerusalem where Jesus would be King. So the obvious question from them would be, "Lord, where will the left be left." 

"Let Not our Hearts be Troubled"
Let's go back for just a bit. Before John the Baptist baptized Jesus, John was preaching, "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt.3:2). Before Jesus chose His twelve Disciples, He began preaching, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt.4:17). Soon after He chose His twelve Disciples, Jesus sent them out, telling them to proclaim throughout Israel, "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt.10:7). As far as Scripture records, up until His Last Supper, there was never a time Jesus explained completely to His Disciples that He was going to Heaven to prepare a place for them. At His Last Supper, Jesus began explaining that the time had come for Him to die, and this greatly troubled them. So, He said to them, "Let not your hearts be troubled," then He went on to tell them He was going to His Father's House, and return to take them there. We must remember that when Jesus told the Disciples about going to Heaven, this conversation was at least one day after He told them about His Second Coming. But they still did not understand. Forty days later, as He was preparing to go back to Heaven,  He told them that within a few days they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit, to which they replied, "Wilt Thou Then Restore Jerusalem?" (Acts 1:6).

So when the Disciples asked Jesus, "Where Lord," it would be safe to assume that they were not asking this concerning the, "taken and the left." It is more likely that, having just heard Jesus explain how the Great Tribulation will completely devastate their nation, and since Jesus had not yet told them that He was going to take them to His Father's house, the Disciples were probably wondering where else but Jerusalem would they all go. It also seems apparent that Jesus sensed that they were still hoping for Jerusalem to be the capital city from which they and He would rule the world. Thus when He answered, "Where the body is, there will the eagles gather," He was probably trying to bring them back to the reality of what He was telling them. If we look at Luke's and Mathew's recording of the phrase, this is the only logical explanation. Perhaps He was reminding them that there would be a time when un-numbered multitudes of dead bodies will be scattered all over the earth and scavenger birds will eat their flesh (See Isa. 34:3 and Jer.25:33)! Perhaps we, today need this same reminder! Almost all Christian Churches are now teaching that Jesus will set up an Earthly Kingdom during the Millennium. The Bible is clear that there will be no Millennial Kingdom set up here on earth. Christ's Kingdom will not be Millennial, it will be forever and ever. See, "Satan's Millennial Bottomless Pit" and, "Christ's Millennial Kingdom."

The Flood
There is a phrase that Jesus used concerning the flood that says, "And (the lost) knew not until the flood came and took them all away" (Matt.24:39). Post-Trib and Pre-Trib promoters promoting the reversed version of the taken and left, use the word, "took," to prove that when Jesus said, "one shall be taken, the other left," He was saying the bad are, "taken." Ministers promoting this view have even provided the original Greek word as proof. In a moment we will see that the "took" in Christ's words about the Flood and the word "taken" He used for the people He sends His Angels to "gather" are completely opposite words. The "taken" is a positive word, and the "took" is a negative word. Also, in the case of the Flood, who was really taken, and who was really left? Noah's Ark took the righteous to safety, and left the wicked where they drowned. So, let's look at the words Jesus used for, "took," concerning the flood, and, "taken," concerning His Second Coming. "Taken," at Christ's coming is, "paralambano," in the original Greek, and means, "to receive," and is used elsewhere to indicate marriage. When Jesus said the flood, "took them all away" (Matt.24:39), the word is, "airo," and is in no way connected to, "paralambano." The words are pretty much opposites.

Sodom and Gomorrah
We need no spend much time here. Angels literally, "took" the good people and took them away from the city, and absolutely, "left" the bad people. Just as when Jesus comes, the bad were destroyed exactly where they stood.

Greek - "Taken" - Paralambano
Post-Trib promoters teaching that the, "Taken" are the bad and the, "Left," are the saved, tell us to look up, "Taken and Left," in the original Greek. So, let's do it! As we mentioned above, "TAKEN," in the original Greek is "Paralambano."

Strong's Concordance - Paralambano - "Taken" #3880 "To receive near, to associate with one's self (in any familiar or intimate relationship); by analysis; to assume an office; learn, receive, take (unto - with)"

Let's look at some other places, "paralambano," is used:
Second Coming - "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive (paralambano) you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn.14:3).  "One shall be taken (paralambano) the other left" (Matt.24:40-41; Lk.17:34-36). We could probably stop here, but let's look at one more:
Joseph and Mary - The Angel said to Joseph, "Fear not to take (paralambano) unto thee Mary, thy wife" (Matt.1:20). "Then Joseph....did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took (paralambano) unto him his wife" (vs.24).

Greek - "Left" - Aphiemi
Strong's Concordance - Aphiemi - "Left" #863 "Forsake, lay aside, leave, (let alone)(let be) let have, omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up."
Second Coming - "One shall be taken, the other LEFT (aphiemi)" (Matt.24:40-41; Lk.17:34-36).
Jesus - Jerusalem Jews - "Your house is LEFT (aphiemi) unto you desolate" (Matt.23:38).
Peter to Jesus - "Lo, we have LEFT (aphiemi) all, and followed Thee" (Mk.10:28).
Peter to Jesus - "Behold we have FORSAKEN (aphiemi) all, and followed thee" (Matt.19:27).
Disciples - "And when they had brought their ships to land, they FORSOOK (aphiemi) all, and followed Him" (Lk.5:11).

"Aphiemi," is pretty much a standard word used dozens of times throughout the New Testament, and translated, "Forsaken," "Forsook," and, "left." Never is it translated, "cherish," or "keep," or anything that would help to justify reversing the, "Taken and Left."

Conclusion
 So, we say to our Post-Trib friends who were unaware of Pre-Trib claiming the, "Taken" are the bad, and the, "Left," are the good, "NOW YOU KNOW! We took your advise and looked up the Greek meaning of, "Taken and Left," and presented the results here."
To our Pre-Trib friends that have also encouraged us to look up the meanings, "We did, and the results are shown above."
To all of our Readers, Post-Trib and Pre-Trib, "Please pray about this because we are all Christian believers and all of us want to be correct in our interpretations of God's Word!"

Let's close by reading Christ own words. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, "And He shall send His Angels with a sound of a great trumpet, and they shall gather together His Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt.24:30). Jesus then told a parable of a fig tree, told how we should be watching, and told how Noah and his family were taken in the Ark while the lost wicked were left outside and drowned, then Jesus, referring back to those Angels He will send out to "gather His Elect,"  said, "Then shall two be in the field; one shall be taken (received), and the other left (forsaken). Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken (received), and the other left (forsaken)" (vss.40-41).
There is really no way for this to be more clear.  The Elect are gathered and taken to Heaven, and the left die where they stand and lie unburied till the Great White Throne Judgment.


Thank you SO much, Dear Reader for your time. Let's Pray for God's Holy Spirit to Guide us as we prepare for the SOON COMING of Jesus!!!Below is a complete list of our other Blogsites.
Your Brother in Christ
Walter C. Martin Jr.
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Check Our Other Blogsites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus

Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr
 
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