1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Today’s verses are very exciting! Anyone having an ounce of Bible prophecy knowledge knows they will not be here when the Tribulation begins! We will see later on in this series that the Tribulation period begins with the Antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel. (Daniel 9:27) If the Church is to live through the Tribulation, it would mean that it would have to suffer through the most horrible and difficult time to come upon the whole earth. When I first heard of the Tribulation, it frightened me in a way I had never been frightened before. So grab your favor beverage, make yourself comfortable and let’s discuss these things! 😃
Notice how verse 18 says to comfort one another with these words? Come on, Paul! How can one be comforted when there’s about to be seven years of horrible events coming to the earth? How can we be comforted when in fact, one fourth of the earth’s population will die during the fourth and fifth seals in Revelation 6? Christians will be martyred during this times as we see in Revelation 6:9-11. In fact, so much so, that we see in Revelation 11:7 and Revelation 13:7 that the Antichrist will overcome the Tribulation saints! What comfort is there in that??? So why is Paul telling us to comfort one another? To what is this comfort referring to? The topic of these verses is the coming of the Lord. This is not referring to His coming to earth: Christ’s return to earth will be at the end of the Tribulation. This coming of the Lord refers to Christ meeting born-again believers in the air. It can be viewed that His Second Coming is in two parts: one in the air to meet the Church at the Rapture and then second part is when Christ actually steps foot on the earth with His church!
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
So let’s think about this for a moment: if we are to go through the Tribulation, as proponents of Mid-Tribulation and Post-Tribulation believe, what comfort is there in that? How can we comfort one another as Paul tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 4:18? I certainly would not be comforted knowing that with each judgment in the seals, trumpets and bowls as written in the Book of Revelation were ahead of me. There’s no comfort or solace in that – there is only fear and apprehension! Where is your next meal coming from because you didn’t take the mark of the beast? Where can you hide without being caught? Where do you sleep? All this apprehension lies within the hearts of Tribulation Christians. The Church is Christ’s Bride, reader! What groom would subject his wife to go through such torment? NONE! Our Groom is awaiting to be told by His Father to go get His Bride, the Church! Jesus spoke of this in the verses below! Why would Jesus prepare a house for His Bride and she wouldn’t go there to be with Him? The post-Tribulation viewpoint doesn’t take that into consideration. They claim that the Millennial Kingdom is the Father’s house with many rooms. But that is not scriptural. Jesus doesn’t enter the Millennium until after the Tribulation. It’s common sense!
John 14:2-3 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
We can only comfort ourselves IF we believe that we will be kept from those coming judgments! The snatching of the church and taking her to the clouds to meet Christ “in the air” is going to be an event like no other. If you’re a Bible reader, you’ll remember that Enoch and Elijah never died. They were taken up by God. So this is no new occurrence.
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
Jesus spoke of this in:
Matthew 24:36-42 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (37) But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (38) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (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. (42) Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
In fact, Paul was taken to the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2 and Philip in Acts 8:39. Both were taken or caught away and both Greek terms were “harpazo”! This is where the word Rapture comes from. Friend, God is able and He will protect His church from the coming wrath on the children of disobedience. This term is used three times in the New Testament and all refer to God’s wrath! (Ephesians 2:2, 5:6; and Colossians 3:6)
If you are a born-again Christian and have never studied this out, I hope you are blessed by it and encouraged in your heart. If you are not born again, I urge you to settle the matter right now! Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!