CONSISTENT BIBLICAL FUTURISM Part III with Comments by Jerry Teets

Comment will follow at the end of the article

By Thomas Ice

http://www.pre-trib.org/articles/view/consistent-biblical-futurism-part-3

I want to now turn to dealing with specific issues in an attempt to apply a consistent, grammatical, historical, contextual method of interpretation that yields a futurist outcome. My approach will be to argue that we should move from the clear to the less clear passages to see if there are parallel items in the clear passages that help us interpret the less clear passages. I know some will dispute my judgment as to what are the clear passages, but I will provide a rationale for my decisions. I am attempting to establish a framework for development of a consistent futurism, as opposed to an inconsistent historicist-futurist model, which is too often put forth within dispensational circles in our day.

THE BOOK OF REVELATION

I believe that when it comes to establishing a framework that refers to the 70th week of Daniel, or as I call it “the tribulation,” the book of Revelation provides the clearest guidance on this matter. In fact, I cannot think of one futurist who does not believe that the boundaries of the tribulation are covered in chapters four (some begin at chapter six) through 19 of Revelation. Such agreement is an amazing consensus on the matter, most likely because it is so clear from the text as to limit dispute. There are some significant differences among futurists as to the exact sequence of events within chapters four through nineteen, but not that these chapters parallel Daniel’s 70th week (Dan. 9:24–27).

“If out interpretation is the right one there must be perfect harmony between these three: Old Testament Prophecy: Matthew xxiv:4-44, and Revelation vixix.” insists Arno Gaebelein.i

 I believe just such a harmony exists, especially between the Olivet Discourse and Revelation. This is what convinces me that verses 4–14 refer to the first half of the tribulation. Gaebelein continues:

If this is the correct interpretation, if Matthew xxiv:4-14 refers to the beginning of that coming end of the age and if Revelation vi refers to the same beginning of the end and that which follows the sixth chapter leads us on into the great tribulation, then there must be a perfect harmony between that part of the Olivet discourse contained in Matthew xxiv and the part of Revelation beginning with the sixth chapter. And such is indeed the case. ii

Revelation four and five are the heavenly prelude and cause of the tribulation that begins to unfold on earth in chapter six. This would mean that the clear teaching of Revelation is that the tribulation begins in chapter four or six and runs until Christ returns in chapter nineteen. Thus, it is significant that the seal judgments in Revelation 6 parallel “the beginning of birth pangs” in Matthew 24:8. “The acceptance of this view, in part,” observes McLean, “is dependent on how much weight is given to the parallels between the synoptics and Revelation.”iii Since all futurists see the Olivet Discourse as parallel to Revelation to some degree, it makes sense that these two portions of Scripture would be focused on the same basic time period—the tribulation. McLean has displayed these relationships in the following chart:

TEXTUAL PARALLELS BETWEEN THE SYNOPTICS AND SEAL JUDGMENTS

                              

BIRTH PANGS

Matthew 24:8 characterizes the events of verses 4–7 as “the beginning of birthpangs.” The Greek word ôdinon means “the pain of childbirth, travail-pain, birthpang.” It is said to be “intolerable anguish, in reference to the dire calamities which the Jews supposed would precede the advent of the Messiah.”v Another authority agrees and says, “of the ‘Messianic woes’, the terrors and torments that precede the coming of the Messianic Age.”vi The notion that birth pangs have been taking place throughout the entire Church Age is a historicist notion. The consistent futurist position makes more sense within the framework of the birth pangs motif. Within the context of the motif employed by Christ, we would see the pregnancy beginning with Acts 2, the beginning of the Church. The beginning of the birth pangs would parallel with the beginning of the tribulation, since these take place within a pregnancy right before the birth occurs. The birth, in this context would relate to the second coming of Christ to earth, after the tribulation, which is compared to birth-pangs.

It is likely that our Lord had in mind the Old Testament reference to birth pangs in Jeremiah 30:6–7, which says, “’Ask now, and see, if a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale? ‘Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved from it.” In the context of Jeremiah 30 the Lord clearly promises restoration to the people of Israel and Judah, however, it will be through tribulation, as noted in Jeremiah 30:6–7. Thus, the birth-pang motif encompasses what we often call today the tribulation period. These prophecies do not relate to the church age, but instead, they deal with the nation of Israel.

Randall Price explains the birth pangs of Messiah as follows:

The birth pangs are significant in the timing of the Tribulation, as revealed by Jesus in the Olivet discourse (Matt. 24:8). Jesus’ statement of the “birth pangs” is specifically that the events of the first half of the Tribulation (vv. 4- 7) are merely the “beginning,” with the expectation of greater birth pangs in the second half (the “Great Tribulation”). Based on this analogy, the entire period of the seventieth week is like birth pangs. As a woman must endure the entire period of labor before giving birth, so Israel must endure the entire seven-year Tribulation. The time divisions of Tribulation are also illustrated by the figure, for just as the natural process intensifies toward delivery after labor ends, so here the Tribulation moves progressively toward the second advent (vv. 30-31), which takes place “immediately after” the Tribulation ends (v. 29). As there are two phases of the birth pangs (beginning labor and Page full labor), so the seven years of Tribulation are divided between the less severe and more severe experiences of terrestrial and cosmic wrath, as revealed progressively in the Olivet discourse and the judgment section of Revelation 6—19.vii

Paul also uses the motif of birth pangs in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 where he says, “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” The context of this passage relates to the tribulation period, which fits the other uses of birth pangs. Raphael Patai in his helpful book, The Messiah Texts, has dozens of references to extra-biblical commentary from Jewish writings in a chapter entitled “The Pangs of Times.”viii Patai tells us that “the pangs of the Messianic times are imagined as having heavenly as well as earthly sources and expressions. . . . Things will come to such a head that people will despair of Redemption. This will last seven years. And then, unexpectedly, the Messiah will come.”ix This widespread Jewish idea fits exactly into the framework that Jesus expresses in the Olivet Discourse. The birth pangs of Messiah, also known as “the footprints of the Messiah,”x support the notion that Matthew 24:4–14 relate to the tribulation period leading up to the second advent of the Messiah since it is known as a time of great tribulation that results in Messiah’s earthly arrival.
CONCLUSION

Since we move from the clear texts to the less clear, we see that when it comes to the timing of when the judgments of Revelation six takes place, all futurists believe that they will occur during the first part of the tribulation. I consider this to be clear because all futurists hold this view and the timing of these events are not disputed within our circles. In the next step I showed the parallel between the events of Revelation six and Matthew 24:4–14. Not only are the same events mentioned in both passages, but there is also a general parallel in the order in which they will occur. Once again, the clear passage is Revelation six, which displays these events as the result of the Lamb initiating each phase by opening a seal containing the plan for each judgment to commence.

It would appear to me that the burden of proof concerning this matter would be with the futurist-historicist to show that Christ’s prophecy of events in Matthew 24:4–14 differ from those in Revelation six. The events of Matthew 24:4–14 and Revelation six are parallel to each other. Seeing these passages as parallel make the most sense and provide a framework for understanding similar passages throughout the Old Testament within the context of the tribulation, not our current Church Age. Maranatha!

ENDNOTES
 i Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, [1910] 1961), p. 476.
ii Gaebelein, Matthew, p. 481.
iii John McLean, “Chronology and Sequential Structure of John’s Revelation,” in Thomas Ice & Timothy Demy, When the Trumpet Sounds: Today’s Foremost Authorities Speak Out on End-Time Controversies (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1995), p. 323.
iv McLean, “Chronology and Sequential,” p. 326
v Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (New York: American Book Company, 1889), p. 679.
vi William F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957), p. 904.
vii J. Randall Price, “Old Testament Tribulation Terms,” in Thomas Ice & Timothy Demy, When the Trumpet Sounds: Today’s Foremost Authorities Speak Out on End-Time Controversies (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1995), p. 72.
viii Raphael Patai, The Messiah Texts: Jewish Legends of Three Thousand Years (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1979), pp. 95-103. ix Patai, Messiah Texts, pp. 95-96. x Price, “Tribulation Terms,” p. 450, f.n. 56.
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Jerry: I want to comment on Dr. Thomas Ice's third part on Consistent Biblical Futurism on the book of Revelation. Let me start off by saying that though I disagree with Dr. Ice's interpretation of Revelation, it does not mean those who take the order of revelation as the chronology of this book are "wrong." We agree on the prophetic framework of interpreting this book, we just disagree on how we arrange the order from this book. Spiritual maturity is shown on how we respond to one another when we have disagreements by still being able to work together. It is the liberty issue Paul speaks about in Romans 14.

Dr. Ice: I believe that when it comes to establishing a framework that refers to the 70th week of Daniel, or as I call it "the tribulation", the book of Revelation provides the clearest guidance on this matter. There are some significant differences among futurists as to the exact sequence of events within chapters four through nineteen (of Revelation), but not that these chapters parallel Daniel's 70th week (Dan. 9:24–27).

Jerry: Amen, I agree. It is this framework we agree on and work from. This gives us room to have different views on sequence of events within chapters four through nineteen of Revelation and the Olivet Discourse.

Dr. Ice: If our interpretation is the right one there must be perfect harmony between these three:
 
1. Old Testament Prophecy: 
2. Matthew 24:4-44
3. Revelation 4-19

Jerry: I think Dr. Ice over state his case when he says "there must be perfect harmony between these three.." The truth of the matter because there is different views on sequence of events demonstrates that this "perfect harmony" does not exist. 

(F)uture events are described (as) they are revealed in God’s own order for His own emphasis, but not necessarily in the order of their occurrence. J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M 

When we examine the chronology, there is another harmony to factor in while we study them.

It is the framework....from Daniel 9:27 that all O.T. prophecy, the Olivet Discourse and Revelation 4-19 fit within a seven year frame work:

-------->|--------3 1/2 yrs----->|----------3 1/2--------->|
........Covenant..............Abomination.................. until the end 
.........signed..........................of..........................2nd Coming
.....................................desolation

On this framework there is "perfect harmony" when these text speak on them.

Dr. Ice: The notion that birth pangs have been taking place throughout the entire Church Age is a historicist notion. The beginning of the birth pangs would parallel with the beginning of the tribulation, since these take place within a pregnancy right before the birth occurs. The birth, in this context would relate to the second coming of Christ to earth, after the tribulation, which is compared to birth-pangs. 

Jerry: I disagree. Pregnancy takes nine months. When my wife was pregnant I learned a lot about what "birth pains" mean. I am not an expert, but I do know that when a new life is growing in the womb, pain and discomfort slowly increases and get closer and more intense as the birth becomes imminent. Since 1948...when Israel became a nation...anyone can see these sign increasing in frequency and intensity.





Dr. Ice: Since we move from the clear texts to the less clear, we see that when it comes to the timing of when the judgments of Revelation six takes place, all futurists believe that they will occur during the first part of the tribulation. I consider this to be clear because all futurists hold this view and the timing of these events are not disputed within our circles.

Jerry: It is not true to say "all futurists believe that (Revelation 6)will occur during the first part of the tribulation." Those of us who take in consideration of chronology know that Revelation six and the six seals cover all of the tribulation and are determined by clues in the text. Clearly seal six when compared with Matthew 24:29-31 occur " Immediately after the tribulation of those days" and is speaking of Jesus' second coming. It is disputed, but we are in the minority and are regarded as outside of the circle of futurist he is speaking of. 

Dr. Ice: It would appear to me that the burden of proof concerning this matter would be with the futurist-historicist to show that Christ’s prophecy of events in Matthew 24:4–14 differ from those in Revelation six. The events of Matthew 24:4–14 and Revelation six are parallel to each other. Seeing these passages as parallel make the most sense and provide a framework for understanding similar passages throughout the Old Testament within the context of the tribulation, not our current Church Age. Maranatha 

Jerry: First of all, I do not have any part with mixing futurism with historicist. I can and do provide proof from the scriptures on why I interpret the way I do that differ from Dr. Ice. Like I said, he and I share the same framework, just differ on the sequence of events. Yet because I and other futurist differ, he requires us, the minority, the burden of proof. That will not happen until after we are raptured.
Dr. Ice and other Prophecy teachers will not be offering to speak to me any time soon.

Luke 17, The Lord’s Other End Times Prophecy

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

http://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/luke-17-the-lords-other-end-times-prophecy/

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Our Lord gave us a pretty thorough overview of the End Times as they relate to Israel. It’s often called the Olivet Discourse because He was speaking to four of His disciples on the Mt. Of Olives. It was just a couple of  days before He was arrested, and they asked Him about the End of the Age. Matthew’s account of His answer is in chapters 24-25. Mark’s is contained in chapter 13. Luke’s version is a little different in that it also includes a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. You’ll find it in his 21st chapter.

Since the Lord was answering questions about Israel’s future and His 2nd Coming, the focus was decidedly Jewish, so we don’t learn anything about the Church from studying it. But understanding how things will progress for Israel gives us a background that makes Paul’s prophecies about the church in the End Times, which came 20 years later, easier to understand. Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, written about 51 AD, officially introduced the notion of the Rapture and its timing to the early church, and contain clarifying information about the anti-Christ and the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit as well. The 2nd Coming is referred to in every chapter of these two letters, for an average of once in every 13 verses.

In Luke 17:20-37, the Lord gave us some additional information about the time of His coming that’s often overlooked.  But after you’ve gained the Jewish perspective from the Olivet Discourse and the Christian one from Paul’s letters, you can use Luke 17 to double check your understanding of the End times, and see if you’ve gotten it right. The fact that Luke 17 shares some language with the Olivet Discourse gives us a hint that they’re meant to be related. Let’s take a look.

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

Right off the bat, the Lord threw us a curve to make sure we’re paying attention. It came in the form of the word translated “within”.  He was responding to the Pharisees who had posed the question, and the Kingdom of God was not within them because they weren’t believers. So what was He trying to tell us? Well, it turns out that the word can also mean “in the midst of”, and the Kingdom was in the midst of them. He was the personification of the Kingdom and He was standing right in front of them. Some translations, the NIV for example, offer “among” as an alternate to “within” in verse 21.

To the Pharisees it was only true that the Kingdom was among them. But once the Holy Spirit was given, the Kingdom would also be within all believers. At that point, both of these interpretations would become true. The Kingdom of God is within us, and we are in the midst of the world. This is the spiritual, or invisible phase of the Kingdom. But as we’ll see it’s not the final phase.

Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. (Luke 17:22-25)

After being rejected and executed by the leaders of His generation, the Lord would go away, and only the invisible phase of the Kingdom would remain. It’s called the Church. But then He would return and when He did there would be no mistaking it.  The second coming will light up the entire sky, and the visible phase of the Kingdom will begin.

This is a clue as to why the Church and Israel are mutually exclusive in the world. The Kingdom of God began with Israel. He had Moses tell them so. “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6)

But then because of their disobedience it was taken away from Israel and given to the Church. In Matt. 21:43 Jesus said. “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”

But this wasn’t to be permanent. After the Church disappears, the Kingdom will be restored to Israel. The early Church understood this, as evidenced by James’ prophecy in Acts 15:13-18 where he said that the Lord would first take from among the Gentiles a people for Himself, and after that would return to rebuild David’s fallen tabernacle. Later Paul confirmed this, saying that Israel had been hardened in part until the full number of Gentiles come in, and after that Israel would be saved. (Romans 11:25-27)

The Days Of Noah

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”(Luke 17:26-27)

Like it was in Noah’s time most people on Earth at the End of the Age will be unaware that life as they know it is about to end, not because they haven’t been warned but because they haven’t believed the warning. Noah is used as a model of the believing remnant of Israel at the end of the age, preserved through the judgment while the world is destroyed. Noah and his family remained in the general location of the judgment while the unbelievers were swept away in the flood.

At the End of the Age Israel’s believing remnant will remain in the general location of the judgment but will be preserved while the Lord completely destroys the nations around them. Speaking of the time of Jacob’s Trouble (the Great Tribulation) in Jere. 30:11 the Lord said, I am with you and will save you,’ declares the LORD. ‘Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.” In the symbolic language of Revelation the Jewish remnant is represented by a woman, while Satan is called the serpent.

The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. (Rev. 12:14)

The Lord used this same terminology to describe the manner in which He delivered Israel from Pharaoh’s Army in the Exodus.  “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” (Exodus 19:4)

The Days Of Lot

“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:28-29)

At first glance this seems like another similar example. But it’s really very different. Lot was taken away from the location of the judgment to a place of safety. In fact the angels who were sent to remove him said they couldn’t bring the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah until Lot was away and safe. (Genesis 19:21-22) He was rescued from the out pouring of God’s wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah before it began.

In this sense, Lot becomes a model of the Church. Paul explained that the Church would be rescued from the time of God’s Wrath on the Earth as well.They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1 Thes.1:9-10)

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Jerry: I disagree when Jack said: "Lot becomes a model of the Church (at the rapture)." When you study prophecy BEFORE the cross, it is Old Testament. This means the Church >>is not<< found in Old Testament prophecy. Old Testament prophecy about Jesus' second coming is >>only<< for Israel and the Gentiles. 
With this in mind, what is Jesus' point of mentioning Lat after Noah? 
Noah represents the righteous:

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Gen. 6:9

The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Gen. 7:1

He did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. 2 Peter 2:5

Thus Lot is the opposite of Noah:

He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)-- if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. 2 Peter 2:6-9

Inwardly Lot had righteousness imputed by faith in God as Abraham had. But unlike Abraham, his outward life did not show this righteousness. Lot struggled with and gave in to carnality as a pragmatic business man. His witness for the true God was non-existent to the lost idolaters around him. But like God promised to Abraham:

Far be it from you to do such a thing-to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

The LORD said, "If I find fifty [ forty-five,forty ,thirty, twenty , ten) righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Genesis 18:25-33
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God could not spare Sodom because Lot did not share his faith with the people. Yet God's spare Lot and his family because God regarded him as righteous and godly in his soul.

The promise Jesus is making to the Israelites at the time of the great tribulation is that righteousness...either like Noah or like Lot...will lead to their deliverance. Carnality will not deter God from rescuing the righteous and godly. 

When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 12:13-17 

This principle relates to the Rapture in this way. There will be no partial rapture in which the carnal Christian is left behind to be tried by the tribulation to come. Christians who have more in common with Lot than Noah will be rescued from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10). We may look at a Christians living in carnality and wonder "Are they saved or are they false professors?" We cannot see into their heart and soul and see them as God does...as He did with Lot. 

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 2 Timothy 2:19

The Greek word translated “from” in verse 10 means the Church will be removed from the time or place or any relation to the coming wrath. Just like it was with Lot and the judgment of Sodom , we have to be away and safe before the End Times judgment of Earth can begin.

I’ve often said that Jesus didn’t teach the doctrine of the Rapture and didn’t even tell His disciples about it. But if you already know it’s coming you can find hints of it in the Gospels. This is one of them, and by using Lot as a model the Lord confirmed the timing. Before the judgment.

“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”

“Where, Lord?” they asked.
He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.” (Luke 17:30-37)

In Matt. 24:17-18 Jesus warned the people alive at the beginning of the Great Tribulation not to go back into their houses for anything but to flee quickly, so it’s reasonable to assume He means the same thing here. It wouldn’t make any sense for Him to be speaking of the actual day of His return because by then it will be too late to run.  Those who cling to the ways of this world at the beginning of the Great Tribulation will find themselves losing everything.  But those who abandon them in favor of the next world will gain eternal life.  I think Lot’s wife is a graphic model of those “in-name-only” Christians who attend church and even do lots of good things, but aren’t born again.  Though they claim to be Christians, their hearts continue to long for the things of this world.  When the time comes they’ll be left behind, and many will perish in the End Times judgments.

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Much of the material in Luke 17:20-37 found its way into the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. When you remove Matthew 24:28 and 37-40...then this parallel's with Mark 13. Additionally when Matthew 24:28 and 37-40 is placed in the context of Luke 17:20-37, then the text makes more sense.

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As in Matt. 24:40-41 the word translated “taken” literally means received, and the word for “left” means to put away, as in a divorce.  After the Lord returns, some tribulation survivors will be received directly into the Kingdom. They will have become believers after the rapture and will be welcomed into the Kingdom as their reward. But those who have persisted in their unbelief will be put away, off the planet, in the place prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41) This statement summarizes the judgments the Lord will conduct just after His return.  Matt. 25 describes then in detail.

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Some read a lot of symbolism into the comment about dead bodies and a vulture, but I see it as a simple parable. Vultures don’t gather any place in the sky except over the carcass of a dead body. The dead body is really the purpose of their gathering, it’s where they belong.  The use of this parable was just the Lord’s way of answering the disciples’ question, “Where, Lord?” which pertains to both groups.   He said each group will be gathered to the place where they belong.  Believers will be received to Him and will enter the Kingdom.  Unbelievers will be put away, taken off the planet.  It’s a summary of the Sheep and Goat judgment, and does not describe the rapture.
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Jerry: This disciples understood then mention of vultures from Ezekiel's prophecy in chapter 39:

"Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: 'Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls-all of them fattened animals from Bashan. At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,' declares the Sovereign LORD . vs 17-20

You may be reading this prophecy and say "Wait haven't I read this also in Revelation 19? Indeed you have:

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Revelation 19:17, 18 & 21

This is know as a "double reference prophecy. Ezekiel's will be fulfilled after the coming war with Magog, and be fulfilled again after the Battle for Jerusalem (typically called Armageddon).

Know this about Jesus' answer to the disciples question" "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." vs 37 also illuminates the meaning of the previous verses:

I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

The world population will be so devastated by God's judgments that the Beast will need to build up his army to attack Israel. To keep agriculture and industry operating it will cause him to enact forced conscription of every other man and woman to gather to his army in Armageddon (Revelation 16:13 & 14). It is history repeating itself. Nazi Germany, toward the end of WW II did some thing like this.

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So in Luke 17:20-37 the Lord explained the two phases of the Kingdom, the invisible phase (the Church) and the visible one (the Millennial Kingdom).  He said he was going away and then coming back, and that His 2nd Coming will be physical just like His first one.  He also said there will be three groups on Earth at the time.  A believing remnant will be preserved through the End Times judgments that precede His return (Israel),  another group of believers will be removed to a place of safety before the judgments begin (the Church), and a third group called Tribulation survivors. Upon His return, some of the Tribulation survivors will be received into the Kingdom as a reward for believing, while the rest will be sent to the place prepared for the devil and his angels for refusing to believe.  It’s a remarkable overview of the Great Tribulation and 2nd Coming.  You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 01-15-11

Olivet Discourse

http://www.bereanbaptistchurch.org/images/userimages/Coming%20of%20the%20Lord%20Chart.jpg

http://www.thesecondcomingofchrist.org/od-compare.htm

http://www.believersmagazine.com/images/2009/b200908i1.jpg

Original Chart by Jerry Teets February 7th 2014

http://chaunceynavarro.businesscatalyst.com/images/olivet%20discourse-chart.jpg
I modified this chart to fill in need details

http://heraldofhope.org.au/images/graphics/olivetmat24.jpg

Modified to parallel Matthew 24:28,37-41 with Luke 17:20-37. I believe the text from Luke 17:20-37 was inserted into Matthew 24. When Matthew 24:28, 37-41 is removed, then this Discourse parallel's Mark 13.

http://www.thesecondcomingofchrist.org/survey_of_timelines-for-interp.htm#2

http://www.thesecondcomingofchrist.org/images/tl_aezek_37_rev.gif

http://www.thesecondcomingofchrist.org/survey_of_timelines-for-interp.htm#7

Will there be a Gap after the Rapture?

 There are number of Old Testament prophecies to be fulfilled like the War of Ezekiel 38 & 39, Israel's Revival and the rebuilding of the Temple. 

When they will be fulfilled and how much time will the events take for fulfillment is debated among Futurist. The fact that Israel and the Church are presently co-existing have some trying to separate what happens to Israel as occurring after the rapture of the Church.

Thomas Ice and other teachers solution is to have a gap between "the rapture" and the "day of the Lord" for these prophecies to be fulfilled.

Examples of the Rapture Gap:

"The Rapture precedes the Tribulation, but it does not begin the Tribulation, a fact confused by many Pretribulationists. It is not the Rapture, but the seven-year covenant which begins the Tribulation. The Rapture will merely come some time before this, and may very well precede the Tribulation by a good number of years." "The Rapture precedes the Tribulation, but it does not begin the Tribulation, a fact confused by many Pretribulationists. It is not the Rapture, but the seven-year covenant which begins the Tribulation. The Rapture will merely come some time before this, and may very well precede the Tribulation by a good number of years." The Footsteps of the Messiah, Dr. Fruchtenbaum

The rapture ends the church age, but does not start the tribulation. The seven-year tribulation begins when the Revived Roman Antichrist makes an agreement to protect Israel (Dan. 9:24–27). Thus, the interval could be days, weeks, months, or years in length in order to fully set the stage for the events of that seven-year period.
Since there will be an interval of days, weeks, months, or years between the rapture and the start of the tribulation, there could be millions of Christian converts even before the tribulation begins. Thomas Ice


However 2 Thessalonians 2 does not appear to allow such a speculation. From my youth I had always been taught from the Bible one event is the cause that leads to the other. This teaching is only been around recently as way to solve Israel's prophetic fulfillment that over laps during this Church age. However this is not necessary. Jesus' Olivet Discourse was fulfilled while both Israel and the Church co-existed in 70 A.D. ...and history will repeat itself.

The flaw to this Gap theory is that with the Church gone, there will be no witness to the world of the gospel of God's grace or of the gospel of the kingdom of God. Even with Israel's revival after the Magog War will not satisfy this need because the nation still rejects Jesus as their Messiah. Thus their return to the Law will not be a return to God in repentance.

In this chart I represent a scenario without the Rapture Gap:

 

The Coming Fourteen Years 

Before Daniel's Seventieth Seven is fulfilled, there are other prophecies for Israel that should happen. When Israel became a nation on May 1948, this set in motion the dry bones prophecy of Ezekiel. The Ezekiel prophecy clock is in motion.
After the dry bone prophecies there is the coming war of Ezekiel 38 & 39. This war very well could be the catalyst for the Temple to be built. Muslim and world opposition to Israel will be eliminated by this devastating event.

It will take Israel seven years to burn the weapons. This will be more than enough time for this Temple to be constructed.

The timing of the Rapture is not determined by theses events...i.e. they do not serve as signs to the Church that the Rapture will happen in X number of years after these events.

The Rapture is an event unique for the Church and is not determined by Israel's prophecies. It is determined by the Lord when the last Gentile is saved (Romans 11:25).

As we should have learned by now...and we should know this too....since the Church is co-existing with Israel....whatever prophecies for Israel are being fulfilled now...will impact the Church. This will be the norm until we are taken out of the way.

This is why we need to be rapture ready...we do not know when our Lord is coming to gather us...so we need to be always alert and always prepared.