Christians and Death: Part 2 - 1 Thes Lesson 29

What Happens to Christians at Death – Part 2

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

 Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 4 again this morning. We should complete our study of this chapter this morning. We are taking our second look at verses 13-18. In this passage Paul is addressing a concern the Thessalonians had concerning their brothers and sisters in Christ who had died. Paul had learned of this concern from Timothy. Paul had sent Timothy back to encourage the Thessalonians and when Timothy met back up with Paul and gave him the report, Paul sat down and penned this letter to this fellowship in the city of Thessalonica. 

 One of the things Timothy learned while there among the Thessalonians was that they needed additional teaching regarding things to come. The Thessalonians were living with an expectation of the Lord’s return. Paul had taught them concerning the return of Christ while he was with them at the establishment of the church. They, as well as Paul and the other first century Christians, believed that the Lord would return in their lifetime. When He did return, the Thessalonians wondered what would become of those who had died, either by natural causes, or as martyrs for their faith? Would they miss out on the blessings that were associated with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ?

 So Paul addresses that concern in this section of this letter. He will follow this instruction with more insight into the day of the Lord in chapter 5. So we are in for an extended period of instruction regarding last things. There is a strong eschatological flavor to this letter, as well as the second letter Paul wrote to this church, which we are going to study when we finish this letter. Eschatology is the study of last things.

 Let me give you the outline of this passage before we read it. Paul addresses the problem in verse 13. He provides the answer to the problem in the form of a promise in verse 14. He gives the process by which this promise comes to pass in verses 15-17. And he gives us the product of this instruction in verse 18. Stand together and read the passage.

 We saw the problem. The Thessalonians were uninformed regarding what was going to happen to those who were asleep. This is a euphemism for those who had died. We don’t know exactly what their concern was for those who had died, but we know there must have been some question about the status of the dead and what happens to them when the Lord returns. Something was causing them to grieve like those who have no hope. Thankfully, problems that are caused by ignorance can be fixed by enlightenment from the truth of God’s word. And we know of the Thessalonians that they were a people who received what Paul taught, not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God. He stated that to their credit back in 2:13.

 To address the problem, Paul gives them the promise in verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus dies and rose again…this being not a doubtful issue. It had been believed by the Thessalonians. Otherwise they would not be the transformed people they had become. The promise follows: “Even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” This would be a tremendously encouraging promise to the Thessalonians. This would give them comfort and assurance regarding those who had fallen asleep in Jesus. Those who had died would not miss out on anything. They would be included in all of the blessings related to the return of Christ and His rule over His creation.

 It is important to note that Paul says that only those who have fallen asleep “in Christ” will be among those whom God will bring with Christ at this time. This is a promise of a resurrection. This is a promise of a glorious reunion. This is intended to be a source of comfort. All who are in Christ at the time of this event will be included. Those who die outside of Christ will not be included at this time. We will talk about more details as we move on. This is just a review of what we saw last week. 

 Having addressed the problem, and having providing the promise in response to the problem, Paul now moves on to the process by which God will bring this promise to pass. The process is described in verses 15-17. There are four things described in the process. We will see the sequence, the signal, the snatching away, and the setting.

 Before we get into the details I want to let you know that there is no widespread agreement on the meaning of these verses among evangelicals. Time will not allow me this morning to go into every different view or possible interpretation. I will give you my understanding of these verses. My interpretation is shared by a number of reputable theologians. And I will tell you that there are a lot of theologians who are much more learned and intelligent than me who would say I have this wrong. I might. It is not often that I teach you something without the highest degree of confidence that what I am telling you is 100% accurate. It is humbling for me to tell you that I might not be 100% accurate on this interpretation.

 We don’t skip the stuff that is hard to understand or may be somewhat controversial. We do acknowledge the challenges and press on to the best of our abilities. The interpretation I hold to on these verses is the one that I believe is based on the interpretational principles I have been teaching the men on Wednesday nights. I believe I hold to a literal, historical, biblically cohesive position. Those who hold to a different view would also make the same claims. The reality is that we will likely all have our eschatology rearranged somewhat when Jesus does return. Just like there were very few who fully understood what was happening prior to the first coming of Jesus, there may be even fewer who are able to fully discern all the details surrounding His second coming.

 The purpose of this message isn’t to confuse. The purpose of this passage isn’t to confuse. It is to comfort. If we are not all on the same page on our eschatological positions, we can still fellowship. I have a lot of respect for an ever increasing number of brothers and sisters in Christ who hold to a different interpretation of this text than I will present today. This is debatable, but it should not be divisive. Time will not permit me to fully defend my interpretation against every possible argument for another position. Quite frankly I’m not interested in arguing with those who hold to a different position. I am willing to give grace in this area, and I am hoping to receive grace from any who might hold to a different position.

 I won’t get very far into my explanation of this passage for most of you to recognize that I am coming from the position of a pretribulation premillennialist. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, don’t worry about it. I have material I can share from our study of last things we did a couple years ago that will help you understand it. Most people hold to one of three positions and all of them are in relation to the Millennium. The word millennium means “thousand.” Revelation 20 describes a thousand year reign of Christ. This will be a time when Satan is bound and Christ will rule the world in righteousness. The Old Testament prophets give us the most details about this reign of Christ.

 The three eschatological positions include mine which is called Premillennialism, a second position called Postmillennialism, and a third position called Amillennialism. I don’t have time this morning to explain these three positions but I think it is important to understand them. If you don’t understand them, take out your phone after the service and text me your email address and I will send you these notes from our study of this topic from several years ago. This explains the three positions objectively.

 My understanding of the way that last things will play out is that the next significant event to happen will be the rapture of the church. Following the rapture of the church will be the events of Revelation 6-19 when the time of great tribulation will occur on the earth. I don’t believe the church will be here for the Great Tribulation because there is no mention of the church in those chapters in Revelation. Also, this is a time in which God’s wrath is being poured out on the earth and Jesus has already endured the wrath of God for His elect. We are not destined for wrath. The Bible teaches that after the time of tribulation the Lord will return to the earth and will establish His throne and rule as King of His creation. We will reign with Him. After this millennial kingdom (millennium means 1,000) the existing earth and heavens will be destroyed and a new earth will come down out of heaven, the New Jerusalem, which will be our eternal dwelling.

 That is the 10,000 foot flyover of end time events. I believe Paul is describing in our text the event we call the Rapture of the church. Those who argue that this does not describe the Rapture of the church say that this is the only place the idea of a Rapture is mentioned and that the word “rapture” isn’t even used. They are right that the word “rapture” isn’t used, but I think there are at least two other significant passages that describe the same event Paul describes here, and neither of them use the word rapture.

 Turn to John 14:1-3. This was a promise given by Jesus to His disciples at a time of great distress. He had just told them He was going away. He was everything to them.  They could not imagine life without Him. They knew Him to be the Messiah. They had Messianic expectations of His reign and them ruling with Him. The message of His departure was troubling to say the least. So Jesus promised that He was going to His Father, who had a house with many dwelling places. Jesus was going there to prepare a place for them. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

 Where did Jesus go when He left? He went to heaven to be with His Father. He sent the Holy Spirit to come as a Comforter and teacher. But He promised that He would come again and receive them to Himself and take them to where He was going to be. This is not a promise of a return to reign on the earth. This is a promise to take them with Him to where He would be.

 Another passage where I think this event is described is in 1 Cor. 15:51-52. “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

 Based on my understanding of the Scriptures, there is an event coming during which the dead in Christ and the believers alive at that time will be gathered. This is an event that will create a lot of confusion in the world, as many disappear instantly. I don’t think the number who disappear is as extensive as is portrayed in many popular books and movies that have been made about this event. But all true Christians alive at that time will be taken away.  The influence of the church and righteousness and truth will be taken away and Satan and the Antichrist will have a field day deceiving the world. The time of Great Tribulation will begin.

 Paul begins these verses with, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord…” Some would say that Paul is referring to something Jesus said during His earthly ministry. There are many things Jesus said about end times and His coming back. But there isn’t really anything definitive Jesus said about a Rapture of the church. The promise in John 14 indicates that something is going to happen whereby Christ gathers His disciples to take them with Him to where He is, but that passage doesn’t spell out the details. So Paul tells these believers that this is something that has been revealed to Him as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Clearly, direct revelation was given to the Apostles. The entire gospel and the way of salvation was revealed directly to Paul. So too were the details of this event. Previous to this revelation this was a mystery. 

 The first detail was the sequence. Look at verse 15. “…we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” Verse 16 reiterates this fact by saying, “…and the dead in Christ will rise first.” The first to experience the transformation described in 1 Cor. 15, where the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, will be those who have died in Christ. Again, “in Christ” is a key. Those who die outside of Christ are not raised at this time. This happens so those who died in Christ can go be with Christ where He is during the time of Great Tribulation on the earth.

 Verse 17 goes on to say, “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” We will come back to this for more detail, but for now we are talking about the sequence. The dead in Christ rise first. It has been suggested that they get a head start because they have six feet further to travel. I don’t think that’s relevant. The bodies of those who have died will be raised and glorified, just as described in 1 Cor. 15. Those who are alive and remain will be transformed. Philippians 3:20-21 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has to subject all things to Himself.”

 The second detail described in the process is the signal. We find in verse 16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God…” The signal will be the Lord Himself descending from heaven. This will be accompanied by audible subsequent signals. There is a shout. There is the voice of the archangel. There is the sound of the trumpet of God. This will be the signal that initiates the resurrection of the dead and the translation of those believers who are alive.

 The word “shout” is a Greek word commonly used of a military commander calling His troops to fall in. The dead saints will be called to join their living brothers and sisters in the ranks of the righteous. This won’t be the first time our Lord’s voice has commanded the dead to life. This is what Jesus did at the tomb of Lazarus. John 5:25 records these words of Jesus. “Truly, truly I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of God, and those who hear will live.”

 The voice of the archangel will also be a signal. While he is not specifically named here, Michael is the only archangel named in Scripture. Jewish tradition holds that there are seven archangels but we don’t know that for certain. So it is impossible to say if this is Michael or another archangel. Regardless, the voice of the archangel will be heard at this event.

 The trumpet of God will also sound. This was affirmed in the passage we read in 1 Cor. 15:52. Trumpets were used in Scripture for many reasons. They were sounded to signal the beginning of religious feasts and other celebrations. I believe this signals the celebration of the wedding feast, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. They were sounded to call men to war. Sometimes they were sounded to call the people to assemble or make an announcement. The purpose of this trumpet sound is to call the saints of God to assemble, to be gathered together with the Lord where we will be with Him forever.

 The third element of this process is the snatching away. Verse 17 says, “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them…” The word translated “caught up together” is “harpazo” in the Greek. It describes a violent snatching or removal by force. In John 10:12 it describes a wolf snatching a sheep. In John 10:28-29 Jesus said that no one could snatch His sheep from His hand nor from the Father’s hand. In Acts 8:39 says, “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him.”

 Where do we get the word “rapture?” The Latin word “rapto” means to seize, to carry off. We get our English word “rapture” from this. We call it this because that is the essence of what Paul describes as happening in this passage. God will seize and carry off, He will forcefully snatch and remove those who belong to Christ and we will be caught up together with the Lord.

 Finally, Paul gives us the setting where this process happens. Paul tells us in the last part of verse 17 that this is “in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” Clouds are often associated with divine appearances. Clouds covered Mt. Sinai when God was present on that mountain. Clouds filled the Tabernacle when the presence of God was there. Jesus was received into the clouds when He ascended to heaven in Acts 1.

 Once we are united with Christ in the clouds the promise of John 14 is fulfilled. We will return to heaven to be with the Lord. We will be spared from the wrath of God that is poured out on the world during the Great Tribulation. We will enjoy the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Christ will have His bride and we will be joined to Him. At the end of the Tribulation period we will return with Him and reign with Him during His millennial reign.

 The final piece of this is the purpose for which Paul gives this information. We saw the problem. We saw the promise given as the answer to the problem. We have seen the process by which the promise comes to pass. Verse 18 tells us the purpose for which Paul gave this instruction. “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” This was tremendously comforting to the Thessalonians who did not know what was going to happen to those who had died in Christ. It is tremendously comforting for us to know that we don’t have to worry about enduring the wrath of God during the Great Tribulation.  It is comforting to know that we will be united with Christ and taken to our home in the house of God. It is comforting to know that God has all the details of the future planned out. He will bring His plans to full and final fruition.

 Juanita Strauss was a retired missionary who was among the first people to attend this church back in 1991. She was heard often to say, “I’m not looking for the undertaker. I’m looking for the upper taker!” She went home to be with the Lord several years ago. If I am alive when the Lord comes with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God, I will meet Juanita in the clouds. We will see the upper taker.

 Warren Weirsbe entitled his commentary on First and Second Thessalonians, “Be Ready.” If the doctrine of the Rapture compels us to anything, it calls us to be ready. We have been living in the last days ever since Jesus came the first time. We need to be ready for the return of Christ. We need to be ready with prepared lives. The church needs to be ready. We, as followers of Christ need to be expecting the return of our Lord. He taught the importance of readiness in parable of the two servants in Matthew 24. He taught the need to be ready in the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. He taught of the need to be found faithful with our opportunities in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. 

 There is nothing left that needs to happen from a prophetic standpoint before the Lord comes to gather His church and those who have died in the Lord. It could happen at any time. It could be today, and it might not happen for another thousand years. I don’t know when it will happen and neither does anyone else. I teach the Scriptures with a focus on a biblical gospel. Many of the gospel presentations today are not biblical. If the gospel message is not a biblical gospel message it will not save. It might deceive some into believing they have been saved, but it will not save. I also focus on teaching the redeemed how to walk in a manner worthy of their calling.

 I focus on a biblical gospel because I want you to know you are among the redeemed. I focus on teaching you how to walk in a manner worthy because this is the proof that you are among the redeemed. If we are among the redeemed, we don’t have to worry about how things in the end play out. We win. So even if we don’t have a 100% correct understanding of how things play out, we have a 100% confidence that we shall always be with the Lord.

 Let’s pray.