In approaching this study it is necessary to point out that the scriptures teach that the second coming of Christ will take place in two stages. All the prophecies of the Old Testament tell us of His coming in power as the Son of man to reign and to rule. But there are two important passages in the New Testament which tell us that before our blessed Lord returns to the earth (Zechariah 14:4), as Son of man (Matthew 24:27, 30), for Israel’s deliverance (Zechariah 14:3), publicly (Revelation 1:7) and to take vengeance on His enemies (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8) – before He comes like this, He will come into the air to gather to Himself all His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). His coming in power and glory will be ushered in by signs (Matthew 24), but His coming into the air for His Church could happen at any moment. This is called “the rapture of the Church”, because when He thus comes He will “catch away” all His people and take them to be with Himself. The two important passages which reveal this truth are: (1) 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; (2) 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16: “the Lord himself”; “this same Jesus” (Acts 1:11), the unchanging One (Hebrews 13:8). Yes, the same glorious One who in the days when He was upon earth was so loving and gracious and kind, and the One who died for us upon Calvary’s Cross, is the One who is coming again for us. Jesus Himself is coming!
1 Thessalonians 4:16: “loud command…voice…trumpet…” Whether the “world” will hear or understand what is happening we cannot say, (compare Acts 22:9), but that every believer will hear and understand we can be quite sure! Divine intervention has always been sudden and stupendous (compare the Flood, the Exodus and Pentecost). The ascension of our Lord was dramatic (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9).
1 Thessalonians 4:16: not all the dead, but all the dead “in Christ”, that is, all believers. This will be “the first resurrection”. All who were saved before Christ came to die, and all who have been saved since and who have died, will rise from the dead in their glorified bodies. Until He comes their bodies “sleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:51), but when He comes, their spirits, which are with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8; Ephesians 3:15; Philippians 1:23) will be clothed with bodies which are incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:52).
1 Thessalonians 4:17. This is what 1 Corinthians 15:51 means – “we shall not all sleep”; some Christians will never die, for they will be alive on the earth when the Lord comes and will be clothed upon with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53), and in place of their earthly body they will receive their new heavenly body (1 Corinthians 15:35-49) – and this will take place “in the twinkling of an eye!” Every true believer will suddenly be raptured into the presence of the Lord. The millions of Christians who are alive when He comes will suddenly disappear, as Enoch disappeared (Hebrews 11:5); as Elijah disappeared (2 Kings 2:11); and as Jesus Himself disappeared (Acts 1:9).
1 Thessalonians 4:17: “together with them”. What a gathering that will be! To be “together” implies recognition of our loved ones and of all the saints of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:17. What a meeting: to meet the Lord, our own beloved Savior!
1 Thessalonians 4:17. This is the goal (Psalms 23:6; 16:11; John. 17:24).
What comfort there is in this blessed hope (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13)! After our Lord has returned and gathered His saints to Himself, He will come in power and great glory to reign upon the earth (Luke 1: 32-33).
