37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, 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 will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then there will 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.”
Suddenness is an apt description for the rapture event, so described. For awhile now Jesus had been telling the disciples that He would be coming back—and this despite the fact that they had not fully comprehended in the first place that He was leaving! He had just said there would be indicators of His return, giving His followers ample warning, but for unbelievers the event would seem abrupt.
The Lord conveyed this in two ways. First, He reminded them of the well-known story of the days before Noah’s flood. Scoffers and cynics ignored his warnings and carried on with life’s merriment—even up to the point of Noah entering the ark and being taken up on the flood waters. Second, Jesus pictures for them a couple of scenarios where two individuals are together, and one is taken while the other is left behind. Christ’s return will, by analogy, be so sudden that most people will experience it as an immediate interruption of the normal happenings of life.
Traditionally, this teaching has been understood as referring to the rapture of believers from earth before the second coming of Christ, where the ones “taken” are believers. Some, more recently, have suggested that this refers rather to judgment, where those “taken” are non-believers like the people of Noah’s day who were destroyed by the flood. Yet, the more natural interpretation would be to see Noah and his family being “taken” away from the rest who were left for the judgment flood. So, this passage probably does refer to the rapture of believers who will be taken away, while unbelievers are left behind (see 1 Thess 4:13-18 for more on the Rapture).
Scripture tells us that in the last days, “… mockers will come …saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation’ ” (2 Peter 3:3-4). Nothing is more pathetic than people carrying on with life, in willful ignorance of impending disaster. Christians, walking by faith, are neither oblivious nor scared; we are motivated to live in a constant state of anticipation of His return!
Lord, keep reminding me when I am feeling down that Your return could come at any time. Let my daily focus not be on the things of the world, but on You!
No one is working during the tribulation, unless they have the mark of the beast. If this is the end of the tribulation, both would be going to hell, as one must have the mark of beast, in order to work. So, obviously this(v36-41) is the rapture. And don’t forget, Luke 17:28-29… Lot was taken, then, fire rained down on Sodom. Many prophets have seen fire balls descending as we ascend. v. 36 in Matthew no one knows the day of this event. Yet, Daniel 12;11-12 states that there is 1290 days left when the beast enters the 3rd Temple and stops animal sac. and declares that he is God. So, Matthew 24 :36-41, is not the end of the tribulation as we know how much time is left in the tribulation… and wouldknow the day.