Rapture Or Sheep And Goat Judgment?

Q

I was wondering, if you could tell me, when scripture says in Matthew 24:40-41 about the ” one taken and the other left…” if this is about the Rapture or the sheep & Goat Judgement?

A

I believe Matt. 24:40-41 is a reference to the Sheep and Goat judgment of Matt. 25:31-46 for the following reasons. First, according to Matt. 24:39 these verses describe an event that will happen “at the coming of the Son of Man”. The rapture will have already taken place by that time.

Second, the Greek word translated “taken” means “to take to one’s self” but the one translated “left” actually means “to send away”. In the rapture the Lord will take the Church to Himself, but He won’t be sending unbelievers away at that time. They will remain in their place. The event that happens at the time of the 2nd coming and includes both taking to Himself (Matt. 25:34) and sending away (Matt. 25:41) is the Sheep and Goat judgment .