Does Matthew 24:31 refer to the rapture or Israel’s gathering? Non-pretribulationists insist that it’s the rapture of the church. A typical posttribulationist apologetic will begin with Matt 24:29 (But immediately after the tribulation of those days) and then point to v31.
And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather (episunago) his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matt 24:31
At least two assumptions are present: one is that Christ’s Second Advent is a singular event; therefore the rapture occurs at v31. The other is that the elect is always the church. Notably, the prewrath system has several Second Advent events—even Christ taking the church to heaven and returning. But it bundles these up in a single Parousia.
For more on this single-coming prewrath concept see our previous article, Bifurcating the Parousia? For a response to the “elect” argument see Greek Grammar and Eschatology.
Going back a chapter
Christ refers to Israel’s gathering back in Matt 23:37-39 where you see a contingency for His return (as in Hos 5:15).
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather (episunago) your children together, the way a hen gathers (episunago) her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'”
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Psalm 118:26
And note that when this contingency occurs, Israel will be the “elect” in another sense.
OT Connections
The Olivet Discourse (Matt 24) directly draws from Old Testament connections which ought to be taken into account, as this demonstrates its focus on Israel. Instead, in discussions, people often bring up passages unrelated to the Olivet. Their assumptions regarding the OD affect their interpretations elsewhere. They are looking for support which isn’t explicitly there.
But the OT looms over the OD.
Compare Dan 12: 1 with Matt 24:21 (severity of the days). Also compare Zech 12:10-14 with Matt 24:30 and Rev 1:7 (pierced; weeping and mourning).
And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced. And they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born. Zech 12:10
…and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. Mat 24:30
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Rev 1:7)
Foe a more thorough discussion of the Olivet’s debt to the OT, see Michael Vlach’s book, The Old in the New.
Pettegrew’s conclusion
In the book, Forsaking Israel, Larry Pettegrew made the following observation,
The questions that the disciples ask at the beginning of the Discourse settle it. Do they ask about the future of the church or of the future of Israel? Clearly, they ask about the future of Israel in relationship to her temple, Messiah, and kingdom. And thus Christ answers these questions.
I’ll go a step further to Acts 1:6-7. If the Discourse was focused on the church and the rapture, it would have been more natural for the disciples to have asked that question. But they didn’t.
Two Videos
The challenge for prewrathers and posttribbers is to watch two videos by Michael Svigel and Michael Vlach which address Matt 24:31. Respond to the OT clear connections. Avoid appealing to passages not directly speaking to v31.
Michael Svigel: Matthew 24:29-31 and Rapture
Michael Vlach: Matthew 24:30-31 and the Gathering of Israel at Jesus’ Return
Maranatha!
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