There Is NO Rapture in Matthew

Matthew chapters 24 and 25 are called the "Olivet Discourse" because Jesus gave the discourse sitting on the Mount of Olives.  Many people try to find the Rapture of the Church in these chapters, but it is NOT there.  Finding it there will lead you to a mid-tribulation or a post-tribulation Rapture doctrine, which is inconsistent with the rest of the New Testament on the subject.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus is speaking of things during the Tribulation period, after the Rapture has already happened.  Then at the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will return to Earth to rule and to reign for 1,000 years, so all the references here to his coming are references to that event, not to the Rapture.  It would be helpful to mark in your Bible all the places in the chapter that indicate this.

Of particular note is the emphasis on Israel in the events of the chapter, so we will note this as well.  Why does that matter?  Because after the Rapture, God resumes His program for the nation of Israel.  The Tribulation is "the time of Jacob's trouble."  The emphasis in this chapter is on Israel, not the Church.

Verse 5 - "saying, I am Christ."  Christ means Messiah.  Many will come, presenting themselves to Israel as Messiah.

Verse 7-8 - "...Famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows."  The beginning of the Tribulation period, during the first 3.5 years, as recorded in the Revelation.

Verse 9 - "ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."  "Nations" tells us this is dealing with people groups.  Israel, as a people or nation, will be hated by other nations.

Verses 15-19 - Events are clearly in and around Jerusalem.  This is the halfway mark of the Tribulation, 3.5 years into it.

Verse 20 - Mention of fleeing on the Sabbath.  Still in the context of Israel.  This fleeing of Israel, halfway through the Tribulation, takes place in Revelation 12:6.

Verse 21 - The last 3.5 years is called "great tribulation."

Verses 23 and 24 - Again, mention of false Messiahs to Israel.

Verse 27 and following - Obviously not the Rapture, but Christ's visible and triumphant return to the earth to rule.

Verses 40 & 41 - "two in the field...one taken" etc.  This is commonly misunderstood as the Rapture.  These are not taken in the Rapture, but taken away to judgment.  Context is from verse 37 forward, those taken by the Flood were taken in judgment, not to salvation.  See I Thessalonians 5:3.

There is NO Rapture in Matthew chapter 24 !!!!  It is about the events after the Rapture through the return of Christ to the earth.  To my recollection, there is absolutely nothing in the entire book of Matthew mentioning the Rapture.  After all, Matthew was written to the Jews, the nation of Israel, presenting Jesus as their King and Messiah.  The Rapture is not for Israel but for the Church.  The Tribulation is for Israel, to prepare her to receive Jesus as Messiah and King.

VM