Jesus And Lucifer Clarified
I think your comment to the one asking about “Jesus and Lucifer” may need to be clarified. The writer stated, “Also, the passages that talk about two people in a field and one disappears — we take that to mean that that disappeared person is one who will cease to exist in the Kingdom.” I always understood these passages to refer to God calling His chosen ones to Himself (possibly via the rapture), not to a judgement that causes people to “cease to exist.”
Q. I think your comment to the one asking about “Jesus and Lucifer” may need to be clarified. The writer stated, “Also, the passages that talk about two people in a field and one disappears — we take that to mean that that disappeared person is one who will cease to exist in the Kingdom.” You wrote the inquirer was correct because the passages referred “to some being received into and some excluded from the Kingdom, since the context for both is the Day of His Coming.”
If I understand the inquirer’s question correctly, it appears the inquirer is confused about the “disappeared person” was not the chosen one. The word “taken” in both Matt. 24 and Luke 17 is the Greek word “paralambano” (Strong’s 3880), meaning:
“to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.”
I always understood these passages to refer to God calling His chosen ones to Himself (possibly via the rapture), not to a judgment that causes people to “cease to exist.”
A. The writer was referring to Matt 24:40 “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.”
For clarification, here’s the question again along with my answer.
Q. Also, the passages that talk about two people in a field and one disappears — we take that to mean that the disappeared person is one who will cease to exist in the Kingdom.
A. You’re correct in your view that the passages about one being taken and the other left in Matt 24 and Luke 17 refer to some being received into and some excluded from the Kingdom, since the context for both is the Day of His Coming.”
The key to the question is the phrase “in the Kingdom ” The one taken doesn’t disappear. That person is received into the Kingdom as the Greek word paralambano indicates. But the Greek word translated “left” in the passage is alphemi. It actually means “send away.” That person won’t be seen in the kingdom.
Aside from the fact that the context is the actual day of the Lord’s coming, making it too late for any of the rapture positions, this is why Matt. 24:40 can’t be referring to the rapture. At the rapture some are taken, it’s true, but the others are not sent away. They’re left alone, unaware until after the fact that anything’s happening.
So the one taken (paralambano) will be received into the kingdom and will be seen by all. The one sent away (alphiemi) will disappear, and will not exist in the Kingdom. Matt 24:40 is a summary of the sheep and goat judgment of Matt. 25:31-46.
