Summary of Bible references on the Rapture

Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy[a] of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

The covenant made by God to both David and Abraham applies to the nation of Israel. Whereas the covenant made by the Son of David and the Son of Abraham is the covenant made with Christians.

So from the first verse we see how both the Old and New Testaments are intertwined in Matthew. This focus is essentially non existent in Mark and Luke. Mark begins with John the Baptist calling people to repent and Luke begins with the birth of Jesus. However, the way in which the two covenants are intertwined is explained in Romans which many consider the "Gospel according to Paul".

Now consider

Matthew 23:39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

This is not in Mark.

Now consider the context:

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate;

This is the conclusion to the woes that Jesus pronounces on the scribes and Pharisees. It is clearly a reference to Israel as a nation and their salvation when Jesus steps down on to Jerusalem and splits the mountain in two.

In Luke the difference is incredibly subtle, almost imperceptible.

Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and [k]assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

In Luke they have not seen Him yet because Luke is to those who are raptured prior to the hour of trial, in Matthew they have seen Him, but "no more". Therefore in Matthew it is after the two witnesses are killed and the whole world sees them taken up. That marks the official end of the salvation of Christians. From that point you will not see Jesus and the resurrection any more until the Jews say blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Mark is to those who are left behind in the tribulation so neither of these would apply, the rapture did take place where many Jews if not all would have seen, and the two witnesses have not yet been raptured.

Comparing and contrasting the synoptic gospels

Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

Judas is the false prophet and in Revelation there will also be a false prophet. Because he comes from the land and looks like a lamb it is understood that the false prophet during the tribulation is Jewish. Notice how the only gospel that records the death of Judas is Matthew. That makes sense if Luke is written to those raptured prior to the hour of trial, and Mark is for the left behind saints. In neither of those cases would the false prophet kill himself yet.

On the other hand only Luke has this account:

Luke 22:35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. 36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

This is describing the difference for Christians preaching the gospel before the rapture and after the rapture.

In contrast to Matthew and Luke there is almost nothing in the Gospel of Mark that is unique to Mark. However, here is one of the very few things that is unique to Mark:

Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

This would make sense if the Lord were speaking to those left behind after the rapture.

compare this word by Jesus in all three synoptic gospels

Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mark 13:6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

These two are identical.

Luke 21:8b for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Only Luke says this. No one will be trying to deceive people that "the time draweth near" after the rapture. This shows you that Luke is to those who are raptured prior to the "hour of trial".

Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Only Luke has this. I believe this is a reference to the destruction of Mystery, Babylon the Great. I believe this event will be what kicks off the "hour of trial" which is to come upon the whole earth. I think this is a direct reference to the rapture before the hour of trial, as they go up, the fire comes down.

compare this with the word where Jesus told the disciples that Elijah had come first, referring to John the Baptist. That is only in Matthew and Mark and is not in Luke. Again, this makes sense since Luke is written to those who are taken prior to the hour of trial, which includes the Antichrist, the false prophet and the two witnesses.

Only in Luke does Jesus say this

Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

The time of thy visitation refers to the rapture before the hour of trial. Those in Matthew and Mark didn't know, which is why they go through that trial.