THE NATURE OF THE COMING KINGDOM
Luke 17 is the first time Jesus spoke to His disciples about the second coming in any detail. If you look closely, you will see that the primary subject of this discourse was the coming and establishment of Christ's Kingdom. (Click here to read the entire discourse).

Luke 17:20-21
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
(KJV)

The rest of this discourse is centered around the question of when and how the Kingdom will arrive. Jesus was responding to the Pharisees who demanded that He tell them when His Kingdom was going to come. Jesus told these same people that they would not inherit the Kingdom of God (Matt. 5:20, Matt. 21:43). Yet, here Jesus replied, "the Kingdom of God is within you." The words "within you" are often misunderstood. A-millennialists point to this passage as proof that Christ's Kingdom is "spiritual" in the hearts of believers now rather than a physical coming Kingdom on earth. But, they misunderstand this passage because of a questionable translation of the Greek word "entos." While the KJV says "within you," this doesn't seem to make sense because the Pharisees were certainly not saved. In fact, they were trying to trap Jesus with His words. So, how could God's spiritual kingdom be within them? The 1611 KJV translators were not sure how best to translate this word, so they included a marginal note with the alternate reading, "among you." This is obviously the true meaning of the word in this context. It is translated "among you" or "in your midst" in various other translations. We can also see a parallel statement by Jesus in the following verse.

Matt 12:28
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
(KJV)

Here Jesus was referring to Himself as being the embodiment of the Kingdom at that time.

In Luke 17, Jesus was standing in a crowd of Pharisees who were antagonistic toward Him and the idea that He was the Messiah who would fulfill the Old Testament prophecies of the coming King, to sit upon the Throne of David, and reign over the nation of Israel. They demanded that He tell them when His Kingdom would come. In other words they were saying, "If you're the Messiah, where is your Kingdom?" Perhaps they were really implying, "you're not seriously going to overthrow the Romans and establish your Kingdom with this little band of disciples, are you?" Jesus responded by saying, "the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation." In other words, you are not going to see it come. Jesus knew that His physical literal Kingdom would not come until His second coming. And He knew these antagonistic Pharisees were lost and would not be resurrected to inherit His Kingdom when it did come. While Jesus the Messiah was present in their midst, He was the embodiment of the Kingdom. That is why He said, "the Kingdom of God is in your midst." He was saying, "hey, you're looking at the Kingdom of God!" Jesus Himself was all the "Kingdom" they were going to see.

Jesus did NOT mean the Kingdom of God will never "come with observation." He meant His Kingdom would not come in this manner YET, at His first coming. This is apparent from other statements by Jesus. For example:

John 18:36
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but NOW is my kingdom not from hence.
(KJV)

The key word here is "NOW." Jesus was saying that at His first coming His Kingdom would not appear as a physical Kingdom. The implication is that it will come later. Jesus did not deny the coming of His literal Kingdom. Rather, He taught that its arrival was delayed until His second coming. This fact is clear two chapters later when Jesus was speaking among a much more sympathetic crowd.

Luke 19:11
11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
(KJV)

In the parable of the Talents that follows, Jesus indicated that He must go away leaving His servants in charge. But, He would return at some point "having received the Kingdom," and would then judge His servants. The rewards given to the faithful in His absence would be authority as rulers in His coming Kingdom.

The antagonistic exchange between the Pharisees and Jesus in Luke 17 occurred in the presence of the disciples who were also expecting the Messianic Kingdom to appear. Some of them were even concerned about where they would sit in relation to Jesus' throne in His coming Kingdom, [Matt. 20:21-23]. No doubt, Jesus' answer to the Pharisees caused them great concern. Jesus understood their concern and turned to reassure them.

22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
(KJV)

Jesus' strategy is quite obvious here. He told the Pharisees, who demanded that He produce His Kingdom as proof that He was the Messiah, that they would not see His Kingdom and that He Himself was the embodiment of the Kingdom standing in their midst. He Himself was all of the Kingdom they would see. Then, knowing the concern of His disciples, He turned to them to reassure them that His Kingdom would indeed come, and it would come in a blaze of glory at His second coming. But first, He had to accomplish the work of atonement.

DETAILS OF THE SECOND COMING
Following this, Jesus began for the first time to share with His disciples more of the details of His second coming.

Luke 17:26-30
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
(KJV)

Jesus emphasized the fact that the righteous will be delivered the same day the wicked are utterly destroyed. The sudden and total destruction mentioned by Jesus can only refer to the battle of Armageddon, when Jesus will destroy the Antichrist and his armies, [Rev. 19:11-21]. It cannot refer to a prolonged judgment such as the plagues of Revelation. Since the deliverance of the righteous will occur "the same day" the wicked are utterly destroyed, it is logical to place this supernatual deliverance immediately before the battle of Armageddon. This is precisely what Paul wrote in 1 Thess. 5:1-2, that Jesus' coming "as a thief in the night" will bring "sudden destruction" on the ungodly yet relief for Christians who are watching for His coming.

Jesus used both Noah and Lot as illustrations of the rescue of the righteous while the wicked are left to be destroyed. Notice from both illustrations, it was the righteous who were relocated to safety, while the wicked were left in place to be destroyed. In Noah's case, the righteous were lifted up above the waters in the ark while the wicked were left behind to drown. In Lot's case, the righteous were escorted away by the angels while the wicked remained behind to be pelted with flaming brimstone. These examples clearly illustrate how this passage should be understood. The righteous will be supernaturally rescued just before total destruction falls on the ungodly. Next, Jesus went into detail about how the righteous would be removed from the scene just before judgment falls.

Luke 17:31-37
31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
32 Remember Lot's wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
(KJV)

This is the very first time the Scriptures record Jesus' description of the rapture for His disciples. Notice the righteous will be supernaturally "taken" from their beds, the fields, and at work, while the wicked will be left behind.

THE PLACE OF SAFETY
The disciples' curiosity prompted them to ask, "Where Lord?" [vs. 37]. They wanted to know where the righteous will be taken at the rapture. Noah had an ark, and was lifted up above the waters of destruction, where he viewed the devastation of the world by the flood. Lot was escorted by the angels to a place of safety, yet in full view of the burning of Sodom. The disciples wanted to know what they could expect when this scenario begins to unfold. Jesus' response was to paint a word picture that they were all quite familiar with. Many times the disciples had observed the birds of prey circling in the sky, hovering above while animals were being attacked by other animals. The birds would hover above the scene until all signs of life were gone. Then they would take the spoils. If we tie this word picture into Jesus' previous statement about the destruction of the wicked, the picture Jesus painted becomes quite obvious. At the battle of Armageddon, prophesied so clearly in several Old Testament [Zech. 14 & Joel 3], the Lord will destroy the wicked and the saints will take the spoils [Dan. 7:18]. The carnage of the wicked will cover the landscape below, while the birds of prey hover in the sky above out of harm's way until the battle is over.

We see from these passages that the righteous, gathered from all around the world, will be brought to a single location. Where? In the clouds above the battle scene, where Jesus is going to wipe out the armies of the nations so He can establish Himself as King of all the earth. When the righteous are gathered they will hover above in the clouds like eagles while the carnage covers the landscape below all around Jerusalem. When the battle is over, the righteous will take the spoils. "But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." [Dan. 7:18]. On the Day of the Lord, after Jerusalem is attacked and rescued by the return of the Lord, "your plunder will be divided among you." [Zech. 14:1]

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE RAPTURE
Luke 17 provides us with two very important facts, both of which require a post-trib rapture.
1. The righteous will be delivered the same day the wicked are destroyed.
2. Those who are "taken" (caught up in the air) will immediately proceed to the location in the clouds above the battle scene.

Revelation also places Christ's coming for believers at the time of Armageddon.

Revelation 16:15
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
(KJV)

Verse 16 above provides the context - the Battle of Armageddon. Yet, this is the coming for which Christians are instructed to watch.

PRE-TRIB DENIALS THAT LUKE 17 IS THE RAPTURE
Many pre-tribbers deny that Luke 17 describes the rapture, for obvious reasons. They claim those "taken" are the wicked, not the righteous. However, the context and the Greek words for "taken" and "left" argue against that view.

In the context, both examples of Noah and Lot show that the righteous were first supernaturally relocated to a place of safety and then the remaining wicked were destroyed. Jesus said it will be the same at His coming. At the rapture, the righteous will be caught up, then the wicked will be destroyed "the same day."

The Greek words for "taken" and "left" further strengthen this interpretation. According to Strong's Greek dictionary, the word "taken" #3880 means: "to receive near, i.e. associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation)." Likewise, the word "left" #863 means: "to send forth, ...forsake, lay aside, leave, let alone, ...send away...." Obviously, the Lord Jesus will not receive the wicked unto Himself, and lay aside or forsake the righteous! Therefore, it is obvious that those taken are the righteous, and the wicked are left to be destroyed "the same day." The righteous are received by Christ to spare them the destruction that falls immediately on the ungodly who are left.

Go to: "The Olivet Discourse"

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