Was Jesus talking about the rapture or judgment in Luke 17:34-37?
Luke 17:34 - 37
ESV - 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.
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Asked July 23 2021
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Jack Gutknecht
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For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Shirley H
But,it is promised to believers, that we will not experience God's wrath. So if they are left behind, when is the tribulation and Jesus’ return? Judgment is mentioned, but believers will be judged for reward only....
Jack Gutknecht
Hi, Shirley. Yes, it is true that we as believers will not experience God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Believers won't be left behind. I think the Luke 17 passage cited is talking about The Tribulation period when "one will be taken away" for judgment. "The one left" is left to enter the Millennium.
Jennifer Rothnie
Wrath is not the same concept as tribulation. They can at times happen together (such as times when God oured His wrath on Israel by handing them over to their enemies so they would go through tribulation,) but the ideas themselves are distinct.
The wrath of God is when He pours out judgement. Believers can get caught up in events of judgement, but we are never under God's wrath since there is no condemnation in Christ. Wrath is the opposite fate of salvation, whether one is speaking of earthly punishment vs. deliverance, or of eternal punishment vs. our final spiritual deliverance.
Tribulation, conversely, is when God's people are persecuted by the world. There may also be accompanying hardships that create a 'trial' His people go through. Israel has been through many tribulations, the greatest around 70A.D. when they lost half their population as well as the temple, but have been horribly persecuted over the millenia in many ways. Christians have also faced many tribulations. These are not "God pouring His wrath out" on us, but the world trying to tear our faith down.
See more over here: https://ebible.com/questions/4088-why-is-it-that-isaiah-2-11-says-that-the-lord-alone-will-be-exalted-in-the-day-of-the-lord-yet-revelation-and-daniel-describe-a-tribulation-period-when-antichrist-will-be-worshipped-and-served-by-the-unsaved-for-seven-years