Hope Is Not Wishful Thinking

The present text is one of the most well-known passages in 1 Thessalonians, and perhaps even in the Bible. This passage stirs up the curiosity of even the most casual readers of Scripture, primarily because of Paul's reference to the "snatching away" or "rapture" of the church. Indeed, the topic of the rapture has served as the story line for dozens of books and movies and has also been the topic of much speculation, debate, and fanaticism through the centuries. One pastor has rightly observed, "If you want to get a crowd at your church, then just open your Bible and start talking about the rapture." The truth is that many people are more fascinated by the mysterious nature 108of the rapture than they are interested in knowing its implications for their lives and for human history.

Human beings have an insatiable curiosity about the future. From horoscopes and stock speculators, to the Farmer's Almanac and Nostradamus, we want to know what the future holds—from the size of our 401(k) when we retire to what the weather will be like this winter. Of course, there's a bit of irony in all of this. Although human beings take great pride in their intellectual acumen and technological achievements, when it comes to knowing the future, every human being must claim ignorance. Thus, despite your best prognostications, if you desire to know anything about the future, you are going to need help. Fortunately, God's Word provides you with the help you need. Indeed, the Bible paints such a vivid picture of the future that it leaves no doubt as to God's ultimate plan for human history, including the ultimate fate of every person who has ever lived.

This uncertainty about the future was a pressing issue for the Thessalonians. After visiting Thessalonica, Timothy brought back word to Paul that the Thessalonians were struggling with how to reconcile their understanding about the return of Christ with the recent deaths of some fellow believers. They feared that those who died prior to Christ's return would somehow miss out on the great gathering of God's people that would occur at the end of human history. To make matters worse, false teachers were adding to their confusion by circulating a letter, purportedly from Paul, suggesting that the day of the Lord's judgment had already come (2 Thess 2:1-2). Considering their ongoing suffering and persecution, some of these young believers were convinced that they had missed the rapture and were now experiencing the Day of the Lord. Despite their reception of God's truth (1 Thess 2:13) and their spiritual growth (3:6), the church was shaken and confused.

Paul 109will address their confusion in two specific ways. First, he will remind them of truths that they already know and firmly believe. Second, he will further expand on truths that he previously introduced by applying them to their current confusion. Thus, on the one hand, he will point them back to the historical fact of the cross and the resurrection; on the other hand, he will point them forward to the promise of the glorious return of Christ. In other words, Paul teaches them to look back and be grateful for what Jesus has done and to look ahead and be hopeful for what Jesus is going to do. Sensing their anxiety, Paul will seek to quell their doubts by unveiling one of the greatest promises of the Christian faith—the return of Christ for His church.

Before we carefully examine his teaching about this great event, perhaps a general observation about the passage will be helpful. Notice how Paul begins by addressing the Thessalonians' confusion. He writes, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope" (4:13; emphasis added). Paul clearly reveals that their grief and hopelessness was the direct result of their failure to understand death from God's perspective. Theological ignorance invariably leads to confusion, worry, and frustration. Think of all the sleepless nights and restless days we can avoid if only we learn to view every circumstance through the lenses of God's Word.

Fortunately, however, the passage ends on a much better note than it begins. When we jump ahead to verse 18, the picture is much more hopeful. Paul concludes with this admonition: "Therefore encourage one another with these words" (4:18; emphasis added). Do you see the connection between their encouragement and the exposition of God's Word? The passage begins with confusion, hopelessness, and grief but ends with understanding and encouragement. Clearly, the "revelation from the Lord" in verses 14-17 was sufficient to address their most profound confusion. In a very practical sense, Paul has provided an illustration of the power of expository preaching.

You can also see a similar illustration in Jesus' incognito encounter with two confused disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Like the Thessalonians, these men failed to view their circumstances through a biblical perspective. As a result of their ignorance, they were discouraged (v. 17), confused (vv. 19-20), and hopeless (vv. 21-24). After Jesus confronted them with the Scriptures (vv. 25-27), their perspective was dramatically transformed. Their personal, firsthand testimony of the transforming nature of Scripture is powerful: "Weren't our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?" (v. 32; emphasis added). Only Scripture can transform a heart in this way. No wonder David could exclaim,

One final word is necessary. Paul's instruction is more pastoral than it is theological. His concern is to give pastoral exhortation to a grieving church, and not to provide detailed theological explanation about future events. In this regard, this text will not answer every question about future events. In some ways, more questions will be raised than will be answered. But Paul's exhortation includes some magnificent insights concerning the future hope of every believer at Christ's return, including some that we learn only in this passage. As we work through this text, we cannot miss his point: God's promises about tomorrow enable us to live a hopeful life today.

A Fundamental Question: What Happens to Christians Who Die?

1 Thessalonians 4:13

The centerpiece of Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians concerned the imminent return of Christ (1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:14-17; 5:23; 2 Thess 1:7; 2:5, 8). The context of both letters reveals the Thessalonians' belief that Christ would come in their lifetime. This conviction had positive and negative impacts on their church. Positively, the promise of His imminent return brought them strength to persevere in trials and gave them courage to endure persecution (1:10; 3:13; 5:9, 23). Negatively, the expectation of His imminent return provided some with an excuse to quit their jobs and cease doing any meaningful activity while waiting for His arrival (4:11-12; 5:14; 2 Thess 3:6-12).

Without question, the return of Christ was anything but an afterthought for the Thessalonians; it was their preoccupation. For this they were to be commended. Apart from the lazy believers who refused to work, the majority of the Thessalonians were serving faithfully and living expectantly. In fact, this is exactly what Jesus taught His disciples to do. The promise that His return could come at any moment was intended to create a sense of expectancy, urgency, and obligation for the church to be busy with things that mattered. In Matthew's Gospel Jesus gave four parables to teach His disciples about His coming (24:42-44, 45-51; 25:1-13, 14-30). 111In each case His point was inescapable: be prepared and be busy. In the final chapter of the book of Revelation Jesus Himself drives this truth home in three separate verses by warning that He is coming quickly (22:7, 12, 20). The promise of Jesus' coming then is a reason to be hopeful and a call to be fruitful.

The Thessalonian believers eagerly worked and patiently waited for the Lord's return. But Jesus was not coming as quickly as they expected, and their trials and persecution were continuing. To make matters worse, some of their fellow church members were dying. Questions flooded their minds: Would those who died miss out on this glorious gathering? What about their bodies? If their souls are in heaven, will their bodies forever remain in the grave? These questions weighed so heavily on the Thessalonians that their hope had given way to grief (4:13).

Death Is a Certainty (1 Thess 4:13)

Three times in this passage Paul refers to Christians who "sleep" (4:13, 14, 15). He is using the word sleep as a euphemism for death. Paul recognizes the source of the Thessalonians grief and confusion. His primary focus is to address the question that was weighing so heavily on the Thessalonians' minds: What happens to Christians who die prior to the return of Christ?

We cannot overlook the significance of Paul's use of the word sleep to describe death. There is a reason the biblical authors, including Jesus, describe believers who die as being asleep (Matt 9:24; 27:52; Mark 5:39; John 11:11-14; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor 15:6, 18, 20, 51). Sleep is never final; it is always temporary. Paul uses the word sleep to refer specifically to the physical body. When believers die, their bodies sleep. Paul is not referring to "soul sleep." The concept of soul sleep is completely foreign to Scripture. On the contrary, the Bible explicitly affirms the eternal consciousness of every person. In other words, there will never be a time when a person ceases to exist or ceases to be conscious of his existence. This is true for both the believer and the non-believer. For example, when Christians die their bodies go into the grave but their spirits go directly into the presence of God (2 Cor 5:8). By contrast, when non-Christians die their bodies go into the grave but their spirits go immediately to hell (Luke 16:22-23). Nowhere does the Bible teach that a person ever loses a conscious awareness of where he is or what is happening to him after he dies. Hence, at death your existence does not end. Your physical body goes to sleep, but your spirit continues to exist.

112One day your body will be united with your spirit in a glorified form (1 John 3:2). So, for now your body sleeps until God awakens it at the resurrection (1 Cor 15:51-52). For the Christian, death has no final word. Leon Morris states this well:

For Christians death is no longer that adversary whom no person can resist, that tyrant who brings all worthwhile existence to a horribly final end. Death has been overcome by the risen Lord, and that has transformed the whole situation for those who are in Him. (Morris, First and Second, 136)

Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that those who die suffer no defeat and experience no loss. Their bodies may be asleep in the grave, but a day of awakening is coming! The Thessalonian Christians therefore had every reason to be hopeful and optimistic (1 Cor 15:54-57).

Ignorance Creates Confusion (1 Thess 4:13)

As settled as the Thessalonians were about other doctrinal issues, surprisingly they were confused when thinking about the Lord's return. Their confusion was evidenced in two ways. First, some of the Thessalonians were guilty of extremism. Their overzealous reaction to the Lord's return was creating conflict with each other and sending the wrong message to a watching world. Convinced that Christ was on His way, some deadbeat members of the fellowship had apparently quit their jobs and were depending on others to meet their needs (2 Thess 3:11-12). As you can imagine, such irresponsible conduct bred frustration within the church. Perhaps even more troubling, however, was the poor testimony these Christians were conveying to a lost city. I think that it is safe to say that excessive eschatological fanaticism does more to drive people away from Christ than it does to draw people to Him.

A second way that we can see the Thessalonians' confusion is by their willingness to believe misinformation. Whether from a false prophet on the outside or a misguided teacher on the inside, the Thessalonians were building their end-times theology on speculation rather than Scripture (2 Thess 2:1-3). The end result is confusion and ignorance.

To balance their extremism on one hand and to clear up their misinformation on the other, they needed to hear from God. Paul was not content to add more speculation to their lives. He knew that the Thessalonians didn't need more questions; they needed answers. And the place to go to find these answers was God's revelation.

A Foundational Truth: Our Faith Is Backed Up by Fact

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1 Thessalonians 4:14-15

Anyone familiar with the art of rhetoric has heard of Socratic reasoning. The principle underlying the Socratic method proposes the use of a series of questions in order to expose weaknesses and contradictions in your opponent's thinking. The goal of such an exercise is twofold: to help your opponent arrive at a particular conclusion and to create for your opponent an awareness of his limits of knowledge. Good teachers recognize that one of the best ways to help students learn is to begin where they are and build from there. The goal is to lead them on a journey of self-discovery to arrive at the proper conclusion.

Paul was a master teacher. He would begin where the audience was and build from there. His goal was to take the people from where they were to where they needed to be. To clear up the Thessalonians' confusion and to answer their questions, Paul was going to begin with what they already knew was true—the historicity of the Christian faith.

We Have a Forgiven Past: Jesus Died (1 Thess 4:14a)

Paul begins by reminding the Thessalonians of the most significant truth of the Christian faith: "We believe that Jesus died and rose again." We might ask why Paul would begin an eschatological discussion by speaking about the resurrection. His rationale is fairly easy to discern. The Thessalonians' confusion was the direct result of a lack of theological understanding and perspective. Their ignorance led to their grief and sorrow. Paul's aim is to use logical reasoning to help them discover that their excessive grief is unnecessary and unwarranted. The place for him to begin such a discussion was the resurrection. Christianity is a historical faith. It is not some whimsical religious belief that is detached from the real world. It is rooted in verifiable history. It's not simply a faith; it's a reasonable faith. It is on the foundations of this reasonable faith that the future hope of every Christian rests.

So, Paul takes them back to the fundamentals of their faith—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is laying a foundation on which he will build his teaching about the destiny of the "dead in Christ." The statement "Since we believe that Jesus died" is the cornerstone of this foundation (1 Cor 15:1-3). Without the death of Christ, Christianity crumbles. Paul therefore begins here. By referring to the death of Christ, he confronts the Thessalonians with a number of powerful truths:

• 114Jesus Christ was not some mythological god amidst the pantheon of Greek gods. He actually existed in human history. Christianity is built on a historical Jesus (1 John 1:1-4).
• By His death, Jesus accomplished something for us that we could not accomplish for ourselves (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:24).
• His death transforms our death into sleep. He died "once for all" so that all who look to Him would not have to experience death (Rom 6:10; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 3:18).
• By means of His death, we are delivered from God's wrath and delivered into God's kingdom (1 Thess 1:10; 5:9-10).

The Thessalonians needed to be reminded of the very truth that transformed their lives. Grief was a normal emotion as they thought about their dead loved ones, but to sorrow like those who did not have hope was to forget the very purpose for which Jesus came.

Such a reminder is important for every generation. Have you noticed that the further you get from your conversion experience with Christ, the less you tend to think about it? It is not unimportant to you, but you simply move on to bigger and better things. We must never lose the wonder of what Christ has done for us. Without His sacrifice we have no standing. Nothing in our lives is "bigger and better" than what Christ has done for us. Like Paul, may it be your desire to know nothing "except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2).

We Have a Verifiable Faith: The Resurrection (1 Thess 4:14b)

Paul shifts the discussion from Jesus' death to His resurrection. His reasoning goes like this: That Jesus died is essential, but that He was raised from the dead is imperative. A dead Jesus does nothing to bring Christians hope. Paul therefore reminds them of a transforming truth: the death of Christ purchased their redemption, but the resurrection of Christ proves their redemption. This is the amazing way that God works. He backs up His promises with proof. To be sure, God's promises are true regardless of the proof that He chooses to provide. After all, because He is God, He can be fully trusted. David declared that God's way is "perfect" and His Word is "pure" (2 Sam 22:31). His Word can withstand scrutiny. He is always true to His Word and He always keeps His Word (Ps 119:140).

However, God does far more than to share His promises; He fulfills His promises. This truth is illustrated throughout Scripture. When some 115friends went to great extremes to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus (Mark 2:1-11), Jesus' immediate reaction to their passionate faith was to say to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Hearing Jesus' words, the scribes accused Him of blasphemy for claiming to have the ability to forgive sin. Sensing their contempt, Jesus told the man to get up and walk. His response is classic. Ignoring the scribes, He said to the man, "So you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins ... I tell you: get up, pick up your mat, and go home" (Mark 2:10-11). By healing the man's physical problem, Jesus proved that He was more than able to deal with his spiritual problem. Proof was not necessary to procure the man's forgiveness. He was forgiven because Jesus declared Him forgiven. But Jesus chose to back up His promise with proof. Again, this is how God works. He not only tells us that He loves us, He proves He loves us. "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" (Rom 5:8; emphasis added).

Paul thus points to the historical fact of the resurrection as proof that God will also resurrect every believer who dies. He wants the Thessalonians to see that such a promise is not based on wishful thinking but is instead built on the foundation of a fact. Since God was faithful to raise Jesus from the dead, the same promise holds true for those who love Him. Paul is imploring the Thessalonians to look back at what they know. They know that Jesus is not in the tomb. They know that the resurrection is not an abstract theological concept; it is a historical fact and a life-transforming truth. Paul is saying to them, "If you want to know what God thinks about your loved ones who have died, look no further than the resurrection!" Every Christian can and should live with the hope of this promise. As Paul would later write to the Corinthians, "We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you" (2 Cor 4:14). The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance that God keeps His Word. The death of a fellow believer may bring grief for a moment, but the resurrection of Christ guarantees our hope for eternity. As Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live too" (John 14:19).

Despite Paul's assurances about the resurrection, questions still lingered concerning the future fate of the bodies of their deceased loved ones. The Thessalonians clearly understood the implications of saving faith. They knew that to be "out of the body" was to be "at home with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). The issue for them was not about where their loved ones were. The issue was how the return of Christ fit into all of this. Since believers were dying before He returned, questions about 116bodies in the grave were creating much confusion. Paul comforts them by helping them to see what will happen to their loved ones' bodies when Christ does come. He states that "in the same way" that God raised up Christ from the grave, He will "bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus" (4:14b). Those dearly loved friends who have died will not miss out when Christ comes for His church. God did not allow Jesus' body to remain in the grave, and He will not allow their loved ones' bodies to remain in the grave either. What greater hope could we have as followers of Christ than to know that one day "we will always be with the Lord" (4:17)?

We Have a Trustworthy Guide: The Scriptures (1 Thess 4:15a)

Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to anchor their hope in the work of the cross and the certainty of the resurrection (4:14) by looking back at God's activity in the past. He is now going to encourage them to anchor their hope in the future based on the promise of God's activity in the future. Interestingly, he begins by saying, "For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord." Commentators are divided about the specific source of this "revelation." Some suggest that Paul may have in mind a specific word from Jesus concerning the future (perhaps not recorded in the Gospels). Others contend that he may be referring to special insight concerning future events given to Him by God Himself. Though any guess is only speculation, we can be certain that God intended for us to have a reliable written record of these things (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21). The confusion in Thessalonica rested on misinformation and false teaching. Paul wanted them to understand that his teaching was not simply another opinion to consider. He wanted them to know that He was speaking for God.

A Future Promise: The Lord Is Coming

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17a

This section focuses on one of the most discussed and debated passages in the Bible. The focus of this debate is centered on Paul's reference to the snatching away or rapture of the church (4:17). Admittedly, the word "rapture" does not appear in the passage. The word comes from the Latin translation of the Greek word that Paul used to describe the church as being "caught up" in the clouds. The word means "to seize or snatch away." It implies a sudden, violent event. While the exact term 117rapture is not used in this passage, one must not miss the unmistakable fact that the promise of Jesus' sudden return for His church is presented here. Throughout history there have been many ways that interpreters have sought to understand this text.12 Before exploring the text more carefully, we must note again that the meaning of the text is not in question. The passage portrays one of the most significant events in the history of God's church: the "Day" when Jesus gathers His church to be with Him. Regardless of where commentators land in their various interpretations of this text, the hope and comfort offered by it must not be missed. If the element of encouragement is in any way removed, the entire text loses its meaning. There is no element of encouragement in this passage if the promise of the rapture is not central.

The debate surrounding this passage is focused on many different issues that spill over into other passages of Scripture. Paul did not write this text with the purpose of providing his readers with a comprehensive eschatological overview of the Bible. So we cannot walk away from this passage expecting to have answers for every question about the end times. We can identify, however, several truths that this passage emphatically teaches:

• Jesus is coming again.
• He is coming for His church.
• The "dead in Christ" will not miss this event.
• When He comes, there will be a glorious reunion with Christ.
• The expectation of this event is to be a reason for encouragement.

Having put forth what we do know from this text, there are also several questions that this text raises:

• Will Jesus return before or after the Day of the Lord?
• When He comes, will the church go with Him to heaven or will He come with the church to the earth?
• Does Christ's return happen in two stages: the rapture and the second coming?

118Clearly, the most effective way to answer these questions is to start with what is known and then allow the context to lead you to the answers. Note facts that we can glean from this passage.

The Certainty of His Coming (1 Thess 4:16)

Without question the Bible teaches that Jesus is coming again. For instance, 23 of the 27 books in the New Testament state that He is coming. One out of every 30 verses in the New Testament either speaks directly of His coming or of the end times surrounding His coming. For every biblical reference to Jesus' first coming there are eight that point to His return. Clearly the biblical writers did not want their readers to miss this truth. From the perspective of the biblical authors, Jesus' coming was never intended to be a subject for speculation; it was always intended to be a reason for anticipation and motivation. Such an awareness of Christ's imminent return is vividly portrayed in the Thessalonian letters. In the Greek of this passage, he refers to Christ's return as the parousia (4:15). The word points to the arrival of an important person or dignitary. The Thessalonians were to be watching, waiting, and expecting the day when Christ Himself would come for them.

The Suddenness of His Coming (1 Thess 4:16)

Paul introduces the subject of the Lord's return with these simple words: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel's voice, and with the trumpet of God." No advance warning, no heads-up, and no notice given. With a shout, a voice, and a trumpet, the Lord will come. Paul makes this same point to the Corinthians when he writes,

We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. (1 Cor 15:51-52; emphasis added)

Scriptural support for the imminent return of Christ is not lacking (Phil 3:20; Col 3:4; Jas 5:8; Rev 3:3). The resounding message of the New Testament is that Christ could come at any moment. Consider Paul's words to Titus: "We wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

The promise of Christ's coming is to be a source of encouragement for God's people. In this passage Paul reveals two reasons why Christians 119should be hopeful as they anticipate this event: Christ's return will bring a reunion, and Christ's return will bring relief. Let's examine each of these more closely.

Christ's return will bring a reunion. When Jesus comes for His church, at least three reunions will occur. First, the bodies of the dead in Christ will be reunited with their spirits (1 Cor 15:23, 52-54). We know that when believers die, their bodies go in the grave but their spirits go to be with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23). When Christ comes, He will gloriously reunite body with spirit. Second, those who are alive when Christ returns will be united with Him (1 John 3:2). Finally, in one magnificent gathering, both those who were alive at Christ's coming and those who were dead will be reunited in the presence of the Lord. Paul is saying that grief over the loss of loved ones need not lead to hopelessness. The grave is not the end. Death is not final. Just as you have the absolute assurance that you will see Jesus one day, so too you have the same assurance that you will see your loved ones again. This promise of a coming reunion should give every believer a present hope.

Christ's return will bring relief. The truth of Christ's coming brings more than just the hope of a reunion; it also brings the promise of deliverance. Life was difficult for the Christians in Thessalonica. Their faith in Christ resulted in severe persecution and intense hardship (1:6; 2:14-15; 3:3-4; 2 Thess 1:4-6). Christ's return would bring them the relief they longed for. Even the presence of severe hardship and intense suffering could not steal their joy or diminish their hope. They could live with the anticipation of that day when Christ would judge their enemies and deliver them from their suffering (2 Thess 2:6-8).

The Timing of His Coming

Despite Paul's assurances, the Thessalonians were still concerned about their future. Their desire to know more details about the coming "Day of the Lord" (5:1-2) gives some insight into their concerns. Apparently, false teachers were claiming that the Day of the Lord had already arrived (2 Thess 2:1-3). We can imagine how unsettling this news must have been. After all, they were anticipating that Jesus would come in their lifetime to deliver them from wrath and judgment. Yet, from their limited perspective, their present circumstances were painting a very different picture. With their loved ones dying and the presence of persecution and trials increasing, some in the fellowship had become convinced that they somehow missed Jesus' return. This led them to the 120conclusion that perhaps the false teachers were correct and the Day of the Lord had already arrived.13

The reasons for Paul's mention at the beginning of this passage of their ignorance now becomes more clear (v. 13). For whatever reason, the Thessalonians had chosen to interpret their circumstances and to build their future on false teaching and speculation rather than on the truth. Yet Paul had taught them much more about Christ's return than you and I have available to us (2 Thess 1:5). Perhaps this gives us a better idea as to why Paul expressed concern over their ignorance. The Thessalonians should have known better than to worry about their deceased loved ones or the coming Day of the Lord.

As you look carefully at the context of Paul's instruction here and also in the larger context of the Thessalonian letters, seemingly he taught them to anticipate Christ's return (the rapture) before the Day of the Lord.14 There is little doubt that the Thessalonians were eagerly looking for Christ's return. However, there is little indication that they ever expected to experience the Day of the Lord. In fact, given the Thessalonians' concern about being caught in the Day of the Lord, you may safely conclude that they were fully anticipating not being around for it. There is no doubt that Paul taught them about the Day of the Lord. Yet there is no suggestion that he ever sought to prepare them to be in it. Rather, his intention was to give them sufficient truth to clarify their confusion about it. The implication is Paul knew that the church would be gone because Jesus was coming to rapture the church out of the world before this day would come (John 14:1-3). The focus of the passage is encouragement. Just as Paul sought to comfort the Thessalonians about their departed loved ones, so also he attempted to reassure them about their future. If he knew that believers would be 121alive at the time of the Day of the Lord, he would have most certainly sought to prepare them for such a time.

To be sure, although their persecutions were real, they were not indisputable signs of God's wrath. As Paul told them, "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:9). In His letters to the seven churches, Jesus makes a similar promise to the church of Philadelphia: "I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world" (Rev 3:10). The Thessalonians could anticipate Christ's coming because He would remove His church from the terrible judgment that was to come. They were eagerly waiting for Jesus who would "rescue" them from the "coming wrath" (1 Thess 1:10). What an encouraging promise for the church—a reunion with the ones we love and a rescue from the wrath to come.

The Specifics of His Coming (1 Thess 4:16-17)

Whenever the subject of Christ's return is discussed, the conversation invariably turns to signs and dates. The Thessalonians were not unlike you and me in many ways. They, too, wanted to know when Christ would come. After all, if they somehow missed His return, as the false teachers purported, then they needed to know all they could about the "times and the seasons" (5:1). Paul reminded them that they had all the information they needed. Their concern should not be the date when Jesus will come. Their concern should be how faithfully they are living until He comes. The emphasis is not on the when of His coming, but on the how of His coming. Stated another way, since we know that He is coming, how are we living in light of His coming (Rev 22:8-12)?

While Paul did not give them specific insight into the date of His return, he did provide them with a specific sequence of events that will occur when Christ returns. First, he says, "the Lord Himself will descend from heaven" (4:16). What stronger word of encouragement could be offered to a Christian? Paul says that the "Lord Himself" will come to gather His people. He left heaven the first time to come to earth for us, but He will leave heaven again to take believers from earth to be with Him. Jesus offered these words of hope and comfort to His disciples:

Could you think of a better antidote for a troubled heart than to know that Jesus Himself will come and take you to be with Him? Jesus will fulfill this promise when He comes for His church.

Second, Christ's return will be initiated by three specific calls: "a shout," "the archangel's voice," and "the trumpet of God" (4:16). To know why Paul chooses each of these terms is difficult. However, the thought that Paul wishes to communicate by using them is not difficult to discern. The shout, the voice, and the trumpet will be God's inescapable call to His people that Jesus is coming. This call will be loud enough to reach both those who are alive and those whose bodies are in the grave (John 11:43).

A third event that will occur at Jesus' return concerns the order in which the church will be caught up to be with Him. Paul says, "The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them" (4:16-17). This passage underscores the purpose for which Paul writes. He is reassuring the church that those who die will not miss Christ's return. To drive this point home, he says that they will in fact, "rise first." Death did not separate them from the Lord, and it will not separate them from the Lord's return (Rom 8:38).

The final event that Paul mentions is when the church is "caught up together" to be with Christ (4:17). Those "dead in Christ" and those alive in Christ will be gathered together to be with Him. It will be the most impressive family reunion in history. Paul adds some detail by stating where this reunion will take place—"in the clouds." His reference to the clouds is another way to emphasize that this majestic gathering will take place in Christ's presence (Exod 16:10; Ps 104:3; Dan 7:13; Acts 1:9). But the cloud reference also points to his statement that we will "meet the Lord in the air" (4:17). No specific indication is given as to where God's people go following this reunion. However, the logical reading of the passage suggests that they go to be with the Lord in heaven (John 14:1-3). There is no reason to believe that Paul has in mind a return to the earth. Why would He gather His people "in the air" only to bring them back to earth? He will return to earth one day. When He does return, He will not be coming for His church; He will be coming with His church (Rev 21:1-4).

What an amazing picture Paul paints in this text! With an economy of words, he provides a description of one of the most significant events 123in human history—an event reserved only for those who have put their hope in Christ alone. Jesus Himself will come to gather His church (past and present) together, and the church will assemble in the clouds to "meet the Lord in the air."

A Fitting Conclusion: Our Hope Is Secure

1 Thessalonians 4:17b-18

As noted above, Paul's description of Jesus' coming is brief, leaving us with many questions—perhaps even more questions than the text answers. In working through this text, we must be careful not to miss the point of the passage. Paul's concern here is pastoral and not eschatological. we may wish that he had divulged more details, but that was clearly never his intention. Fortunately, however, by a "revelation from the Lord" (v. 15) he does open our eyes to some transforming truths. These truths are meant to encourage and not to confuse. Paul's aim was to provide answers and not to create more questions. To make this clear, he ends his discussion with two promises.

We Have Assurance About Tomorrow (1 Thess 4:17b)

We live in a world where there are few guarantees. Most of us would admit that the only certainty about life is its uncertainty. John Lennon even wrote a song about life's uncertainties. In a memorable line from that song he says, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" ("Beautiful Boy [Darling Boy]," 1981). James said it much better when he wrote,

The Thessalonians' uncertainty about their future and the fate of their dead friends had undermined the Thessalonians' hope and robbed them of joy. They needed assurance and they needed it quickly. What greater assurance could Paul have given them about their future than to assert, "and so we will always be with the Lord" (4:17b)? Their questions and uncertainties about the future are swallowed up in that word, always. Those who die in Christ are with Him now, they will be with Him when He comes, and they will be 124with Him always. The same guarantee is offered to those who are alive. One can find no greater assurance than to hear that the Lord Himself wants nothing more than for His children to always be with Him.

We Have Hope for Our Lives Today (1 Thess 4:18)

Verse 18 presents a striking contrast with where the passage began. What begins with ignorance, grief, and hopelessness ends with comfort. Only God could take the deepest of human sorrows and in only six verses transform them into hope. That is exactly what this passage is about—hope. Death does not have the final word. The false teachers do not have the final word. Human speculation does not have the final word. Into the darkness of our confusion, God shines the light of His truth. God's truth can transform ignorance into understanding, grief into joy, and hopelessness into assurance.

Conclusion

A few years ago while visiting a small Argentinian town in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, I was awestruck by the surrounding beauty of the landscape. From nearly every vantage point in town I could see the towering peaks off in the distance. Curious, I asked a local shop owner if he ever tired of seeing the majestic mountains in the distance. I will never forget his reply: "I hardly even notice them." How could it be possible for one to be surrounded by the majesty of the Andes Mountains and yet miss their beauty? I suppose it's not difficult for someone who sees it every day.

Jesus made a promise to you and me. He told us that he would come back one day and take us to be with Him. This promise towers over us from every conceivable vantage point of our lives. If we look up and see it, we will find hope. It will always be there. We cannot forget Jesus' words, "If not, I would have told you" (John 14:2). He did tell us. Yet I wonder how often we fail to look up and see what He said. It's no wonder that we struggle to find peace today and we worry about life tomorrow. When we ignore His promises, that's exactly what we should expect, but if we truly want comfort, then we have to look up. We have to see His truth towering over us. Jesus is coming. He is coming soon. He is coming for His church. We as believers will always be with the Lord.

Reflect and Discuss

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1. How would you state the main point of this passage in a sentence?
2. Why were the Thessalonians experiencing sorrow and grief? What are some examples today where ignorance of biblical doctrine creates confusion and grief?
3. What are the two foundational doctrines of the faith that Paul calls to remembrance? Why?
4. What argument does Paul use to convince the Thessalonians that their loved ones will not miss Christ's return? How does this give us hope today?
5. What do you think Paul meant by a "revelation from the Lord"?
6. Explain the reunions that will take place at Christ's coming. How do these reunions reverse the curse of Genesis 3?
7. How will the rapture deliver a believer from the "coming wrath"?
8. Explain how this passage is more pastoral than eschatological. What questions remain?
9. How should you live in light of Christ's imminent return? Give some specific examples.
10. Explain the contrast between verse 13 and verse 18. What did Paul discuss in verses 14-17 that would enable the Thessalonians to move from sorrow to hope?