Re: PreTrib is invalidated because it does not uphold "no one knows the day or hour"
No, you're right. There are some foretold events described in Matthew 24 that are probably outside of the 70th Week -- maybe some of the "famine, pestilence, earthquake" stuff. I guess am focusing of the abomination of desolation and forward. In other words, the second half of the 70th Week. Wait a minute -- are you another Pret trying to sneak in the side door, or something? Maybe when Jesus referred to "pestilence", that's what He was......oh, nevermind.
Hah, actually, no. I'm a pretribulationist and I believe that Jesus is referencing the pretribulation rapture in Matthew 24:32-25:13.
Pretribbers are scared to deal with this section because they believe it will lead to post-tribulattionalism,so they say there is no reference to the church in Matthew 24-25. It's all for Israel. And so forth.
The reason I believe, however, that Matthew 24:36-44, to just take a section of it, is the pre-tribulational rapture is for these reasons:
#1) The narrative doesn't fit the beginning half of Matthew 24. Jesus just talked about signs in the heaven, cosmic disturbances, stars falling, sun not giving light, diseases, false Christs, and persecution. Suddenly, Jesus says in verse 37 "But as the days Of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
In the days of Noah, there were no cosmic signs as to the Lord's return. Just a crazy man and a boat and the preaching of righteousness. It was not until the flood came that anyone took seriously God's impending judgment, but it was too late. So too, Matthew 24:36-44 is describing a day with similar factors.
#2) We are told in verse 38 that the people were marrying, given in marriage, eating, and drinking. REALLY? How could that be if, as we said in #1, they saw all these cosmic signs? They saw the whole earth shaken, persecution - and what is their response? To eat, drink, and be married - the common, everyday things of life? Is that even physically possible if there has been damage done to the earth? Would you go out and party as normal after horrible disasters like that occur? However ... it does make sense if this is truly like the days of Noah, where there are no signs (or sign-less event). In other words, something different is going on in that portion of Matthew 24.
#3) The analogy of God's flood and Noah's boat is perfect; people who boarded Noah's boat escaped the wrath, the rest were damned. It fits perfectly with v. 40 - one shall be taken, one shall be left.
#4) The event is described as "ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Then the thief analogy is given. It is not just "suddenness" that is in view, but unannounced suddenness. No clue. Just like a deck of cards that are all marked with end time events, if the next event on God's calendar is the Rapture - we have no clue when God will turn over that first card. But if He turns it over at any other time within the deck, we can say - "Oh see, we know it's going to be in the next 7 years or less." That takes away the idea of no warning of His coming, or no signs.
This is verified for us in verse 42 - "Ye know not what hour your *Lord* doth come." This is not a message for unbelievers, this is not a message for unconverted sinners. For Jesus uses the term 'Lord' to describe the point of the Noah analogy. We must be ready, we don't know when 'our Lord' or 'your Lord' comes.
This is further bolstered in that Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:1 we don't know the "chronos" or the "cairos" of the coming day of the Lord. That is, the 'times and the seasons' or general time period. So we are not even supposed to have a 'hint' or a 'glimpse' of when the Day of the Lord is coming ... which could only make sense if it begins simultaneous to or immediately after the Rapture of 1 Thessalonians 4.
If Matthew 24:36-42 is really stuck somewhere in the middle of the tribulation, then we would know. We could just say "Oh, see - there's the Rapture. So we know Day of the Lord is starting soon, at least 4 years or less" or whatever numbers you put to it. We would know a 'general' idea, a general chronos or cairos - but 1 Thess 5 told us we won't know.
The purpose of the "thief" analogy was not to just illustrate a 'sudden' appearance, but a 'sudden' appearance without warning. That makes little sense if Jesus just warned the disciples with a whole bunch of end time cosmological signs; Christians would be aware of it.
#5) Notice verse 36 simply says - of that day or hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, buy my Father only. It continues to reiterate that the event he was just to describe (those taken those left) would happen at a time we thought not. Again, if signs have already occurred - that statement is contradictory.
#6) Also, there are some who might say - hey, this section is for unbelievers. For the reasons stated above (use of the words 'your Lord' to unconverted sinners doesn't make sense, atmosphere is different, etc.) - I actually propose that the people of the earth know **exactly** what is happening to them. When we open the 6th seal of Revelation - we hear them asking the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb to come. I don't see that statement as an announcement that wrath is beginning, but rather that wrath of God has been occurring and the unconverted ones on the earth don't want to experience it anymore - they'd rather be crushed to death than continue in the state they are in.
For these reasons, I believe that in response to the disciples questions about the end times - Jesus in Matthew 24:36-42 is not describing merely some sort of "other" end time gathering, but rather He is describing in detail the Pre-tribulational Rapture. While there are no signs the Rapture will occur, the Rapture itself is a sign and should awaken the unbelieving world to realize the tribulation is upon them and it should be the impetus of holy living for the wayward Christian - including myself.