One Taken One Left

One of God’s commands for the believer today is that he "RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH" (II Timothy 2:15). Many efforts have been made over the ages to follow this command. We have the division between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Some have divided the words spoken by our Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry from the rest of the record of the Scriptures, but I'm sure these are not the answer to Paul's admonition to Timothy in his second letter. Rather, I believe we must allow the Scriptures to be their own interpreter. If we want to know HOW we are to "RIGHTLY DIVIDE" the Word of Truth, we must allow the Holy Spirit to tell us what the divisions are that we are to recognize. The Holy Spirit does give us this information in Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25. These Scriptures tell us that there was a body of truth that was "MADE KNOWN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN" and there was a body of truth that was "KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN."

If something was made known and something was kept secret, they must of necessity be different. Paul's admonition to Timothy is to divide between those things he finds recorded in the Scriptures that speak of that program God had "MADE KNOWN" from those things God had "KEPT SECRET," since the world began.

One thing that will help us in our efforts to "RIGHTLY DIVIDE" the Word of Truth, is to remember that it is ONLY in Paul's epistles alone, that you will find anything (and everything) concerning the program that was "KEPT SECRET." Paul calls the revelation given to him "THE MYSTERY" (or Secret) and speaks of this message as "MY GOSPEL" (Romans 16:25). If we want to do some serious practice in Rightly Dividing the Scriptures, I would suggest you divide a sheet of paper into two parts, labeling one side, THINGS MADE KNOWN and the other side THINGS KEPT SECRET. Then, as you read any passage of Scripture; list the things spoken of in that portion of God's Word according to whether they were part of that program that was "MADE KNOWN" or if they were part of the program that was "KEPT SECRET."

To help us in our efforts to RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word of Truth, let me give you some Scriptures that have caused untold confusion in the minds of many of God's servants who do not know anything about "RIGHTLY DIVIDING" the Word of Truth. Let us look at some Scripture that have to do with Israel's Hope and the Hope of the Body of Christ.

The Scriptures are clear that God gave up the Nations in Genesis eleven, at the Tower of Babel. The record of this judgment is recorded in Romans 1:24, 26-28. In Genesis Twelve, we have God calling Abraham and giving to him the promise that through his seed all the nations (those just given up) would be blessed. This "SEED" of Abraham becomes the Nation of Israel (Jacob's name was changed to Israel [Genesis 35:10] and his children became known as the Children of Israel). It was to this nation that God gave His Law; His Blessings; His Protection; and His Deliverance. The nation of Israel was to have been a Light-house in the midst of the Nations that had been given up by God to show to them what God would do for the nation that would follow Him. Israel was to have been an example to draw the other nations to God.

Instead of being a Light-house for God, Israel failed in her commitment. She didn't keep the Law and she didn't remain faithful to God. She became worse than the nations around her, BUT God had a covenant with these people and His Name was at stake, thus He continued to deal with this rebellious nation. God had promised to establish Israel in her own land, the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:5,7).

He also promised to establish David’s Throne, his House and his Kingdom in this land that was given to Israel. The nation of Israel was to become the HEAD of the other nations of the earth and was to dwell safely in their own land, being a blessing to all the families of the earth.(Note: Ezekiel 36:35-36; Micah 4:4 & Zechariah 8:23).

In contrast to the Hope of Israel, which was the subject of all the Prophets, Paul, by revelation, shows that the Hope of the Church is not to be here on the earth nor does it have anything to do with Political entities. The Hope of the Church is spoken of as each individual believer looking for the return of Christ to take the collective body of believers up into the clouds to meet our Lord in the air and forever to be with Him in the heavenlies (Titus 2:13; First Thessalonians 4:13-18 & Ephesians 2:6-7).

With this background, let us consider a portion of Scripture and see if we can fit it into the proper place in our Rightly Dividing of the Word of Truth. When reading any portion of Scripture, always ask yourself questions that will help you understand what is being said. To help in understanding any passage of Scripture, always ask yourself four basic questions: (l) Who is speaking? (2) To whom is he speaking? (3) At what time in history is he speaking, before or after the Cross? and (4) What is he speaking about?

Let us consider Matt 24:32-44 where we have the record of some who are taken and some who are left. To determine if this passage is speaking of the Rapture of the Church or the preparation for the establishment of the kingdom, let us ask these four questions and see if we can place this portion of Scripture in its proper place in our Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth.

In answer to the first question, we know that CHRIST is the one speaking. He is speaking to His Disciples during His earthly ministry and is answering their question asked in verse 3. Let us look at the question asked in verse 3. Our passage under consideration is answering the last question, but do we know when the "END OF THE AGE" is? What "AGE" were the disciples talking about? To help us understand the question the Disciples asked in verse 3, let us look at the parable in Matt 13:24-30. This will help us lay a foundation upon which to build.

We do not have to guess at what this parable is talking about for our Lord gives us the meaning in verses 36-43. Let us notice the events of this parable, the order in which they take place and who is doing what at what time. We find the Man of the Parable is Christ (v.37). The Field is the World; the good seed are the children of the kingdom and the tares are the children of the wicked one (Satan)(v-38). The enemy is the Devil. The harvest is the "END OF THE AGE".

Here is the subject we are looking for. The "AGE" spoken of in Matt 14:3 is the end of the age of HUMAN GOVERNMENT, just before Christ sets up His kingdom upon the earth. The reapers are the Angels (v.39). (It will take an Angel to tell the children of God from the children of the Devil). The tares are to be destroyed (v-40). Fire, in the Scriptures always speaks of judgment. This judgment will come at the end of that age, BEFORE the kingdom is set up. Verse 41 tells us the kingdom will be set up where the tares are growing, for they are to be gathered "OUT OF THE KINGDOM" and burned (judged) (v-42). The children of God will shine in the kingdom as they reflect their Father (v-43).

We know that God owns the world. He placed good seed (Adam and Eve) on the world and commanded them to multiply and fill the earth. (Adam was called the Son of God). In a later day, God placed Abram in the land of Canaan and told him to possess it and multiply in it. (Abram was also a Son of God).

While these men were sleeping (not watching and looking to the spiritual needs of their children) the enemy (the Devil) planted his seed among the seed of God. We see this in the children who were born to these men. Some of these children were Spiritual and followed God. Others followed their father, the Devil (John 8:44).

Many of God's servants have desired to rid the world of those who oppose the program of God. They have wanted to destroy all the unbelievers, but God has compassion for His children and does not want any of these destroyed with the unbelievers. It would be hard for any man to determine who is, and who is not, a Child of God, just by looking at him. This is why God left the Wheat and the Tares to grow together until the "HARVEST." Their fruit will identify who is a Child of God and who is a Child of the Devil. Only the Angels will be able to discern the Tares from the Wheat. Revelation 14:14-20 gives us a picture of when and how the judgment spoken of in Matt 24 will take place. At the "HARVEST," the Angels are the reapers. They gather the Tares (the Un-saved) to be judged and taken out of the kingdom. After this judgment of the Tares, the children of the kingdom become the Priests of God (Exodus 19:4) and are shining examples of their Father.

Let us return to Matt 24 and we will see that the end of the age spoken of is that age which precedes the kingdom - the age in which the disciples were living. They wanted to know what to look for just before the kingdom was set up (v.3).

REMEMBER: The twelve Disciples DID NOT KNOW anything about any other ages. They only knew what the Prophets had spoken. LET US NEVER READ INTO ANY SCRIPTURE THINGS THAT HAD NOT YET HAPPENED OR HAD NOT BEEN MADE KNOWN AT THAT TIME. To help us understand who are taken and who are left, let us take note of the example our Lord gives in verses 37-39. Who were TAKEN in the Flood of Noah's day - the Saved or the Un-saved? The same kind of judgment will take place at the Coming of Christ to set up His kingdom. Notice again what this passage says. "FOR THEN SHALL TWO BE IN A FIELD." The one taken here is a TARE - the un-saved. He is taken to be judged - taken out of the kingdom while the one left is left to be blessed in the kingdom.

This taking of one and the leaving of another is very much like the activity spoken of by the Apostle Paul regarding the Rapture of the Church, BUT the one taken in the Rapture is the Saved individual, taken to heaven to be blessed of God.

If you are looking for a sign for the end of this Dispensation of the Grace of God, don't go to Matt 24 to find one. Go rather to the epistles of Paul and search them for the signs of the end of this age. The signs for the end of this dispensation are found in II Timothy 3:1-7. When these things have come to pass, this age will end as Paul describes in First Thessalonians 4:13-17.