Another common misconception is that the "one taken, one left" scriptures denote a pre-tribulation rapture. Actually, these scriptures contain no reference at all to a rapture, as we can see once we include all scriptures on the subject. the one most often referred to is the one in the Book of Matthew, so we shall begin there, in the 24th chapter...
40.Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41.Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

    It's easy to see that these verses, alone, are susceptible to any interpretation one would like to attach to them. But that's not how the Bible is written. The Word of God will not contradict itself.

    (There is a primary rule to follow in studies of the scriptures: No matter what conclusion you reach when reading any particular passage, it MUST AGREE with the rest of the Book! If it does not do this, then your conclusion is wrong!)

    Let's look at more scriptures and try to piece the puzzle together. Here is Luke, Chapter 17...

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.

    These are tares who are removed during the tribulation. How do we know?...Read on...

Luke 17:37, 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.

   So the next question is: where are the eagles gathered? the Book of Job, Chapter 39, verses 28 through30 tells us...

28. She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.
29. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
30. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

    So where are they taken?... to where the slain are, where the Eagles (the biblical word for vultures) are gathered together. That certainly doesn't sound like heaven to me. Can we prove this?... Read Matthew 13, beginning with verse 24...

......Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25...But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26. .But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27. .So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28.. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29.. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30. .Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

    Verse 30 states that the tares are gathered first. If there is any question about when this takes place, it is answered in Matthew 13 , beginning with verse 37, Jesus' own explanation of the parable of the tares.

37... He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man.
38... The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39. .. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40. .. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41.... The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42... And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43.. . Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

    So we see then that the tares are taken out first. But out of where? Are they removed from the earth? Well, let's look and see. Jesus said, they are taken out from the wheat. In other words, they are separated from the Christians. They are gathered in bundles to be burned. How is this done?

    Consider the scripture in Revelation 9 and 4.
4.... And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

    There you have a picture of the tares, and how they are bundled to be burned. They have not the seal of God in their foreheads. We know that the sealing takes place during the Great Tribulation, that's how the tares are separated from the wheat. But when does the burning take place?

    If we refer again to Revelation, chapter 6. we find that it takes place after the Tribulation period, when the sixth seal is opened, the heavens rolled back, "and Jesus returns. Note the passage in verse 17...for the great day of his wrath is come"...

    Does the picture begin to clear up now? During the Great Tribulation the condition of not being able to buy or sell separates the tares from the wheat. Christians will place themselves in the hands of God, and refuse the mark of the Beast. But the tares, not knowing God, will rely on the mark to keep them alive, allowing them to buy and sell and not be persecuted by the Beast and his "World Church". From that point, they are irrevocably lost. They have separated themselves from the wheat; they are "taken out", and they are bundled to be burned.