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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17–18 (ESV)
I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 addresses the doctrine of eschatology; the doctrine of the last things. The word eschatology comes from a combination of Greek words meaning “the study of last things.” This doctrine includes physical death, the intermediate state, the afterlife, judgment, the millennium, heaven, and hell.
Eschatology also refers to the time of Jesus’ second coming. The Apostle Paul continued to affirm the orderliness of the return of Christ, and the homegoing of believers in Christ, which he began in I Thessalonians 4:15-16.
The bodily resurrection of believers in Christ who are physically dead occurs first at the coming (Parousia) of Jesus Christ. All believers in Christ who are still alive at the Parousia of Christ will be caught up (ἁρπαγησόμεθα; harpagesometha), snatched or taken away by the Lord.
The Apostle Paul emphasized that this event involves all living believers “together” (ἅμα; hama) or at the same time. They will join the resurrected saints in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
Paul invoked the personal pronoun “we” to include himself, Silas and Timothy regarding those alive and left following the resurrection of the those who were dead in Christ. This was because at the time he wrote this, he was still physically alive in Christ on the earth. This would change when he physically died (2 Tim. 4:6-8). He would then become part of the first category of believers (I Thess. 4:16), as is the case for all saints who physically die before the Parousia of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul added a significant promise at the end of today’s featured text; “…and so we will always be with the Lord.” All believers in Christ will remain with the Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity.
This echoes the Apostle John’s words from his first epistle. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:1–2 (ESV)
The apostle then added a significant command; “Therefore encourage one another with these words.” To encourage (παρακαλεῖτε; paralaleite) means to presently actively, collectively and obediently earnestly exhort and comfort fellow believers with the truth of the Lord’s Parousia. This command is for all believers in Christ throughout history.
“In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Paul makes reference to what has come to be known as the rapture of the church, the catching up of believers to meet Christ in the air. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the subject of the rapture has received particularly close attention in evangelical circles. Often, the discussion revolves around the timing of the rapture and the rest of the events of the second coming of Jesus, with Christians debating whether the rapture comes before, during, or after the tribulation,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“The debate over the rapture remains an ‘intramural debate’ between true Christian believers; however, let us note that 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 does not seem to endorse many popular views in evangelicalism.”
“From a straightforward reading of the passage, it seems that the rapture and the final resurrection will take place at roughly the same time. In fact, if anything happens first, it is the resurrection and not the rapture. Paul says that first the dead will rise, and then those who are alive will join them to meet Christ in the air (vv. 16–17). There is no intervening period between the rapture and the final judgment revealed in this passage,” continues Dr. Sproul.
“Paul’s focus is not on the timing of these final events. Whatever view one takes on the relationship of the rapture to the resurrection, the Apostle tells us that we will not be able to date the end. As he says, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (5:1–2). Just as we cannot predict when a thief will break in and steal from us, we cannot know the day or hour of Christ’s return to judge creation. Jesus Himself tells us as much, and we dare not speculate where God is silent (Mark 13:32–37).”
“We do not know precisely when Christ will return, but we know that the “day of the Lord”—the final judgment (Ezek. 30:1–3; Zech. 14)—and the destruction of the wicked will come as “labor pains come upon a pregnant woman” (1 Thess. 5:3). The sense here is the suddenness and inevitability of the Parousia or coming of Jesus. Likewise, the Lord’s return must happen, but we do not know when.”
“Yet, 1 Thessalonians 5:3 says that impenitent sinners will be caught off guard when Jesus comes. Their lives will be going on as normal—they will think that they are enjoying peace and security. But that will prove to be an illusion when Christ returns as Judge,” concludes Dr. Sproul.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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