[Mt 24:36–41 Bible Knowledge Commentary] (Mark 13:32–33; Luke 17:26–37). The precise moment of the Lord’s return cannot be calculated by anyone. When the Lord spoke these words, that information was said to be known by only the Father. Christ was obviously speaking from the vantage of His human knowledge (cf. Luke 2:52), not from the standpoint of His divine omniscience. But the period before His coming will be like the time in the days of Noah. People then were enjoying the normal pursuits of life, with no awareness of imminent judgment. Life continued normally for the people of Noah’s day for they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. But the Flood came and took them all away. It was sudden and they were unprepared.

As it was in Noah’s day, so it will be before the glorious coming of the Lord. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Analogous to Noah’s day, the individuals who will be “taken” are the wicked whom the Lord will take away in judgment (cf. Luke 17:37). The individuals “left” are believers who will be privileged to be on the earth to populate the kingdom of Jesus Christ in physical bodies. As the wicked were taken away in judgment and Noah was left on the earth, so the wicked will be judged and removed when Christ returns and the righteous will be left behind to become His subjects in the kingdom.

Clearly the church, the body of Christ, cannot be in view in these statements. The Lord was not describing the Rapture, for the removal of the church will not be a judgment on the church. If this were the Rapture, as some commentators affirm, the Rapture would have to be posttribulational, for this event occurs immediately before the Lord’s return in glory. But that would conflict with a number of Scriptures and present other problems that cannot be elaborated on here (cf., e.g., comments on 1 Thes. 4:13–18 and Rev. 3:10). The Lord’s warning emphasized the need to be prepared, for judgment will come at a time when people will least expect it.

24:42–44. The Lord encouraged His disciples to keep watch (grēgoreite, the word rendered “be alert” in 1 Thes. 5:6), because they could not know on what day the Lord would come (cf. Matt. 25:13). The limits of the Tribulation period are known to God, for the Seventieth Week of Daniel will have a definite starting time and a definite ending time. But the people living then will only know in generalities the limits of the time. Therefore watchfulness is important. If a person knows the approximate time a thief may come to break into his house, he takes precautions and prepares accordingly. Likewise believers in the Tribulation, who will be looking forward to the coming of the Lord of glory, should be alert. They will know generally, from the signs of the end, when He will return, but they will not know the exact time. Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 78–79). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.