First Thessalonians 4 Part 5 Rapture And Resurrection Of Life!

We are comforted knowing we have resurrection hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 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. 

Paul comforts us by instructing us about a right view of death. 

We should view the death as a portal into the heavenly kingdom of God. When a Christian dies, Paul describes them as falling asleep.

Yes, we may fear the manner in which we die (heart attack, stroke, cancer and so on) but we need not fear death. Our Lord Jesus Christ overpowered sin, death, Hell, the Devil and the grave by His resurrection. 

Each saint who dies is precious in the sight of the Lord. Our loving Father takes note when one of the sheep of His pasture dies. 

He cares for each one of us and loves us greatly. 

Our Father demonstrated this by allowing His own Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place to pay for our sins. Jesus endured the wrath of God that should have been poured out on us.

Paul was stoned, left for dead and later revived at Lystra.

Acts 14:19-23  And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20)  Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21)  And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22)  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 23)  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 

Here is a record of something that happened during Paul's ministry. The Spirit of God guided Luke to record this tragic event.

Paul preached the gospel at Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium. The Jews mounted fierce resistance and he had to leave.

He and his companions journeyed on to Lystra where Paul preached the gospel. The same Jews who persecuted Paul at Iconium followed Paul to Lystra and incited a riot against the apostle.

Paul was dragged out of the city and stoned, and was left for dead.

Some new converts to Christ and those who traveled with Paul were stunned that Paul was stoned and was apparently dead. 

What were they to do? Should they arrange for Paul's burial? Who would assume Paul's ministry of the gospel? What happens next?  

Luke simply tells us that Paul rose up and they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. Paul established elders, confirmed their faith in Christ before he prayed and fasted with them.  

Now, we will see what happened to Paul when he was stoned and left for dead. In the following text, Paul is speaking about himself, as the Holy Spirit guided him. 

Paul was briefly absent from the body and present with the LORD.

2 Corinthians 12:1-7  It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2)  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3)  And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4)  How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5)  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6)  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7)  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

In this account, Paul is actually telling us about an event that happened to him when preaching the gospel at Lystra. 

During the interval of time when he was stoned and left for dead, and when he revived, this is what the apostle experienced.

He saw glory and visions and revelations of the glorified Lord Jesus Christ. Paul already experienced this one time at the moment of his conversion (Acts 9).

Now, guided by the Holy Spirit, he is telling us what it was like when he was absent from his body after his stoning.

The man Paul said he knew about 14 years prior was himself, for the timeline of his stoning was 14 years earlier!

The apostle was not even sure whether he was in the body or out of the body, but his description makes it clear that he was absent from his body.

Paul was caught up to the third heaven. 

Generally, it is taught that the first heaven is the atmospheric envelope around earth. 

The second heaven is where all the sun, moon, stars, planets and galaxies reside. The third heaven is the abode of God.

We know Paul is speaking of heaven because he used the word caught up to paradise. 

What happened while Paul was absent from his body and present with the Lord in heaven? He heard unspeakable words of which he was not permitted to speak of.

He saw the overwhelming glory and majesty of the Godhead, and of the seraphim, cherubim and all the angelic host. 

He saw the glory of the altar and the perfect heavenly tabernacle that served as the pattern for the one made by Moses.

He saw abundant revelations from God, no doubt given to encourage the apostle because of the intense persecutions and afflictions he suffered for the sake of the gospel. 

God gave Paul a thorn in his flesh, some type of a physical ailment in order to keep his beloved apostle humble. 

Paul could have been filled with pride over this heavenly experience and this is why the Lord permitted a messenger of Satan to afflict him.

Paul was used of God to write 14 books of the New Testament. As you read each of Paul's letters, there is no evidence of any pride on his part. He remained a faithful servant of His Lord until the day of his martyrdom. 

So Paul experienced what it is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.  He temporarily left his earthly tabernacle and and saw the glory of Christ's resurrection power (See 2 Corinthians 5:1-10). 

I shared this account so that we continue to build a right theology of death and the resurrection life. 

This helps us understand the great comfort, joy and glory of Paul's teaching to the Thessalonians. 

Christ returneth! O, glorious day!

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18  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. 

Paul is going to teach us about the "rapture" of the church. 

When will this event happen? 

It can happen at any moment, for nothing else on God's prophetic calendar needs to occur before Christ takes His bride, the church, home to heaven. 

This is why we must be watching and waiting for Christ's return. 

This is why we must be those who serve Him, love Him and work for Him until He returns. 

This is why we must grow spiritually so that we can live a life that is worthy of our Lord and honoring to our God. 

On the day of the "rapture" of the church, Jesus will return from heaven. He will bring all the dead in Christ who have temporary heavenly bodies (See 2 Corinthians 5:1-10).

It necessarily follows that all Christians who sleep, those who are in Christ when they died, will God bring with Him. 

He will raise them up as Jesus was raised from the dead, in the same manner Jesus was raised from death, by His own eternal power. 

Jesus will bring them with him for He is the head of the Church, which is his body.

The grave will open and lifeless corpses will be raised and glorified and reunited with their new man in Christ (See Philippians 3:21). 

The dead in Christ will experience the glorious resurrection of life and their soul and spirit will be joined with a glorified body. 

Paul communicates this truth with the Divine authority of God's Word and the fullest confidence that absent from the body is present with the Lord. 

By using the pronoun "we" Paul does not refer to himself or the Thessalonians to whom he was writing. 

He is speaking of all genuine Christians who will be living when Christ comes to take His bride, the Church, home to heaven for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Those who are alive in that day shall not pass through death, but will be suddenly changed, transformed by the Lord and made fit for heaven. 

However, Paul wants us to know that they shall not go to glory before those that are dead. 

The dead in Christ shall rise first. They shall be raised, their bodies made glorious, and be caught up with the Lord, before the others shall be changed.

The Lord Himself, Jesus Christ shall descend from heaven. 

He shall descend in like manner as he was seen by his disciples to ascend, coming in the  clouds and great glory.

Jesus will appear bodily but infinitely glorious and awe inspiring, just as John saw Him (See Revelation 1:9-20).  

Jesus, with all the dignity and splendor of His eternal majesty, shall descend from heaven to the earth’s atmosphere (See Acts 1:9-11).

Then a mighty shout, a victorious command shall be given by the Lord Jesus Christ for the dead to arise.

Next the archangel, as the herald of Christ, shall repeat the order for the dead in Christ to rise from their graves. 

When all the dead in Christ are raised, then the trumpet shall sound, as the signal for all to gather at the throne of Christ.

It was by the sound of the trumpet that the solemn assemblies, under the law, were convened.

When the dead in Christ are raised, their vile bodies will be made like unto his glorious body, then, those who are alive shall be changed, and made immortal.

May these words bring great comfort to us.

May we be encouraged that we will meet our loved ones in Christ, who died and are currently in heaven with our Lord.

May we find strength from Paul's Spirit guided teaching, to live each day to the fullest, for our Lord. 

Bob