clothing "Left Behind"

Long before the Left Behind series ever came along, Christians who believe in the rapture have believed that the faithful will be caught up and EVERYTHING ELSE - including their clothes - will be left here on earth.

Basic rule of thumb? It's your story. Your Choice. Go for it.

There's no biblical basis for the clothing being left behind during that event of which I know. There are three main sets of verses which describe the event, and several smaller ones. The main ones are

Matthew 24:37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

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and

1 Thessalonians 4:15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

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and

1 Corinthians 15:51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

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The writer of the left behind series believes this event will somehow occur before the great tribulation and before Christ's millinal return. Many Christians reject that and believe the event will occur at the same time as Christ's return.

The only reference I know of is when Elijah was carried away by the chariot, part of his clothing (I forget what exactly) was left behind for Elisha.

When Elijah was caught up into heaven, his mantle (or coat, cloak, etc) was left behind. Elisha took the mantle and wore it himself. Whether or not that's where the clothes left behind came from, it was a common idea before the Left Behind series.

Another reference in the Bible would be the resurrection of Jesus. His body was gone, the grave clothes were still there (where the supposed Shroud of Turrin comes from).

If you want outside fictional references, look at something like Stephen King's Langoliers. I think he did the same thing, on the plane everything synthetic stayed behind.

And with the story of the Anasazi, their homes were vacated with everything in tact - including food on the tables. I'm not sure if there were clothes found or not.

I think you're good.

Not biblical, but from the apocrypha - Mary (Madonna, not Magdalene) was supposedly taken up bodily into heaven on her death, and as proof, her belt was left behind, still fastened. That's the closest I know of other than the shroud of Turin.
Medieval legend, not biblical authority, so you should have free rein in your own story.
-Barbara