SEPARATION! Where, why, and when? It is something that takes place in the last days; for Matt. 24:38–40 the solemn affirmation is made that “as in the days that were before the flood, . . . shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” That after stating that the people of that time were carried away with the current of worldly events, that they knew not till the flood came and took them all away, the Lord passes over to our own times, for an application of the comparison. The record says: “Then shall two be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left.” By these statements sufficient information is imparted to enable us to draw some very solemn conclusions:— It is the outcome that attaches itself to a religious movement of the last days, just preceding the coming of the Son of man. It applies to those who are closely associated in the common walks of life, like two men working together in the field, or two women grinding together at the mill, as women used to do in New Testament times. Women do not now grind meal by that process; but they are equally associated in other spheres of activity, and the figure sets forth such association. Up to a certain time, men and women are associated in commercial occupations. But before Christ appears, a change comes over communities in this respect. People are separated into two classes, and assigned respectively to the conditions—one is taken and the other is left. And what these conditions are, we are not here informed, nor why this separation takes place. That it is the separation between the righteous and the wicked may be plainly inferred; for the instance is a warning to a wicked world not to perish as the antediluvians did. They perished, because they gave themselves wholly up to the demands of appetite. They were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, and knew not till the flood came and took them all away. They had signs sufficient to forewarn them; for the wickedness of men had risen above all obligations of right, and the earth was filled with violence. They should have learned from this that the world could not long continue10for violence must lead to dissolution. But besides all this, there was a preacher of righteousness, who was sounding in their ears the notes of warning, and showing that he had been warned of God, by building such a structure as the world had never before seen nor needed,—an ark to ride upon the waters. And thus he testified that a destruction was coming which would require extraordinary means for escape. But yet they knew not. The odors from appetizing viands, to stimulate and gratify the palate; the sight of the fair daughters of men, whom they lusted after ostensibly for wives, stole away their senses, and they knew not till the flood came and took them all away. And it is to be in the last days as it was then. Some shall be taken, and the others will be left. To consider how it was then will give light as to the present and impending situation. Those who were “taken” then were those who were taken by, and perished in, the flood; and those “left” were Noah and his family, who took refuge in the ark, and escaped; and so it will be now. Parting with friends is generally a sad and painful experience; but the last partings in the great day will be, to some, seasons of wordless agony; for it will be forever. Those who were parted by the flood enjoyed one another’s society no more. Our Lord’s words in Luke 17 bring to view still closer relations in life which will be affected by this occurrence. He mentions the two men in the field, and the two women grinding at the mill, spoken of in Matthew, the one taken, and the other left; then he comes to relations still closer: “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.” This shows that the scene touches all classes, and affects every relation of life. Luke 17:31 speaks of cutting loose from property. Then the testimony is extended to the people—two men engaged together in agricultural pursuits; two women engaged in domestic employments; and finally two men in one bed. Bedfellows, even, are to be separated in that decisive hour. Other declarations of Scripture make it very plain that the righteous and the wicked will not be so closely associated up to the moment when the Lord appears, as these statements indicate that those spoken of will be at the time when these scriptures apply; and that his actual revelation to the world will not find them in the positions here mentioned. We must, therefore, locate these scenes at some point briefly preceding the personal appearing of Christ. If, then, we can not defer these experiences of being “taken” and “left” to the actual moment of Christ’s coming, what shall we understand is meant by one being “taken,” and one being “left”? One giving these passages only a cursory reading might, perhaps, innocently enough, at once conclude that the scene is laid at the visible coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven; and that those who are “taken” are those who are caught up to meet him in the air, and that those who are “left” are those who are, at that time, left here on the earth. This is a common view. But, besides the general tenor of the Scriptures, which discountenances such an application, the definition of the Greek words employed also shows that such an interpretation of the passages is inadmissible. The word for “taken” is paralambano, which, by both Bagster and Greenfield, is defined to mean, in Matt. 24: 40, 41, and Luke 17: 34–36, the very passages in question, “to seize, take captive, carry away;” and the word for “left” is aphiemi, which is defined to mean “to send away, to dismiss, suffer to depart;” the idea being the opposite of that of being held in captivity. The sentences may, therefore, be correctly paraphrased thus: “Two men shall be in the field, and two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be seized, and the other escape;” the one party, given over for their sins to destruction, as were the antediluvians, are seized upon, as by a wild beast, for destruction; the other escapes that destruction which the first receives. So the Lord, in view of this, instructs his people to watch unto prayer: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21: 36. We may then study the subject from this basis: that here are two classes, the righteous and the wicked; one is to be seized, as a wild beast seizes its prey, and the other is to escape this destruction; and as this is to take place before the Lord appears, the question arises, When is it to be? and under what circumstances? The disciples asked, virtually, the same question, only in a little different form. They said, “Where, Lord?” Luke 17: 37. And in reply the Lord said unto them, “Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” One of the definitions of the word “body,” as used here, is “a dead body, a corpse.” This corresponds with the statement concerning the same event, in Matt. 24: 28, where, speaking of his coming, the Lord says: “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Calling this body a “carcass” preserves the consistency of the figure, and of the scene throughout. There is something altogether repugnant in the thought that here is a picture of the second coming of Christ, likening him to a dead body; and the saints, who are caught up to meet him in the air, to eagles, which gather about to devour. The wicked would very properly be likened to a dead body, or carcass; and the eagles, which gather about this dead body for its destruction, may well represent the plagues and the judgments of God, which come down to consume his enemies. This also is a consistent figure. But in this case who or what are the eagles? This question has been already answered. They are that which God makes use of to destroy his enemies, and prominent among these agents are the seven last plagues. In the Scriptures such agencies are often likened to eagles hastening to their prey. One nation rushing against a hostile nation, is spoken of as eagles swiftly hastening to devour. Deut. 28: 49. And when the last stage in the great controversy between righteousness and sin is reached, the seven last plagues, as the climax of God’s controversy with sin, will begin to fall; and they come upon those who have the mark of the Beast, and who worship his Image. The falling of the plagues is the first installment of the separation that is to occur between the righteous and the wicked. Up to the time when these plagues begin to fall, the two classes are mingled more or less closely together, so that two might be together in the field, two grinding at the mill, and even two in one bed. They have each been developing characters for their respective destinies. Those who have maintained their connection with Christ, their court advocate above, and have refused to receive the mark of the Beast, or to worship his Image, are shut “in the secret place of the Most High,” and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps. 91: 1); and these are passed by when the destroying angels go through the land (Eze. 9: 4, 5), and escape destruction; while all others are seized by the plagues, and do not escape. For them the day of grace is then ended; and it is no longer necessary that the two should mingle further together; for the righteous can then do the wicked no more good. Hence the children of God gather in little companies by themselves, while the wicked round about are seeking to destroy them. This is the time referred to in “Early Writings,” when true believers will gather together by themselves, outside the cities and villages, while the wicked are suffering under the last judgments of God. “Where Lord?” Luke 17: 37. Wherever the carcass is,—the carcass, the incorrigible hosts of the enemies of the truth,—wherever these are found, there the eagles, the seven last plagues and other judgments of God, will be ferreting them out. “For his hand will find out all,
In that day.”
“To the writer it seems absolutely beyond reasonable question that this is the sense of the expressions about one being “taken,” while the other is “left,” and about the “carcass,” and the “eagles,” which are found gathered together wherever that carcass is. And this is offered in reply to many queries received on the subject. These judgments gather out of God’s kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; after which the righteous shine forth as the sun forever, therein. Matt. 13: 41–43. Christ says, “I appoint unto you a kingdom.” Luke 22: 29.