Reference

Luke 17:26

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
24

For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

25

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

26

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Gathering of Saints

The verse explicitly compares the "days of Noe" (Noah) to the "days of the Son of man," focusing on the general conditions and events of those times, not specifically on the gathering of believers. The parallel to Noah's time primarily emphasizes a period of normal life preceding a sudden, catastrophic event, rather than a specific act of gathering.

Two-Stage Return

The verse states a comparison between the "days of Noe" and the "days of the Son of man," indicating a general parallel in conditions or events, but it does not describe the mechanics or timing of the Son of man's return, nor does it mention distinct stages.