The Same Day: Part 3

The Day of Lot

In Luke 17:28-29, after comparing his sudden, unexpected coming to the days of Noah, the Lord compares his coming to the days of Lot.

“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But THE SAME DAY that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.”

Lot and his family, as you may recall, were rescued/taken out by angels (see Matthew 24:31). The SAME day that they were taken out, Sodom was destroyed by fire.

The Lord sent angels to rescue the righteous, and on the same day, he rained down unexpected fire to destroy the unrighteous.

The Lord goes on to say,

“I tell you, IN THAT NIGHT there shall be two men in bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

This is a reference to a worldwide event! Jesus says “in that night” but he also mentions daytime activities like grinding and working in the fields. The ONLY way for something to happen “in that night" and also happen during the day is for it to be a global event.

What happens in this global event? Some people are taken and some people are left.

And what is meant by the word “taken”? Is this a reference to the Rapture? Yes, in this passage it is.

The Greek word for taken (in Matt. 24:41 and Lk. 17:34-35) is paralambano meaning to “receive near,” i.e. to associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation). The idea is to take to oneself.

For example:

• “fear not to take unto thee Mary” (Matt. 1:20)

• “and taketh with him seven other spirits” (Matt. 12:45)

• “will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more” (Matt. 18:16)

The idea of association may not be explicit; it may be merely implied:

• "Arise, and take the young child [to yourself]…, and go” (Matt. 2:20)

• “…so Barnabas took Mark [to himself], and sailed…” (Acts 15:39)

Paralambano is the word that Jesus used when he said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself;…” (Jn. 14:3) In the epistles, paralambano is always translated as ‘receive.’

Noah and Lot were the ones who were TAKEN.

Noah was taken from among the people of the earth just before they were destroyed. Lot was taken from a city just before it too was destroyed.

The Lord received them to himself, just as he will take us to himself on the SAME DAY that He destroys the unrighteous who are not taken.