Now we come to one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible on when Jesus returns for His bride. Without the other passages we have already studied and the rest we will study, this passage alone drives the pre-trib rapture traditions. Let us start.
1Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
First, apparently some in the church thought they had either missed the rapture or that those who died missed the rapture. This caused great concern and confusion. So Paul tried to add to his previous teachings and clear this up.
14:15 For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep.
The saints who have died will have their physical bodies resurrected before the remaining living saints rise up to meet the Lord.
4:16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.
The Lord is only coming back once not twice as pre-trib teachers proclaim. As we studied from Matthew 13 the saints are gathered up when the Lord returns.
Matthew 13:28 He said to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them up?
Matthew 13:29 But he said, No, lest while you gather up the darnel you also root up the wheat with them.
13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary.
4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.
As we just studied in Matthew 24, this is confirmed and is in perfect alignment with 1 Thessalonians.
Matthew 24:29 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
24:30 And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory.
24:31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Here we find the great sound of the trumpet as the Lord descends and all the saints ascend to meet Him. He is coming with His army clothed in white, but they as we, are there just to watch the Lord destroy His enemies with His word.
Revelation 19:11 And I saw Heaven opened. And behold, a white horse! And He sitting on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war.
19:12 And His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns. And He had a name written, one that no one knew except Himself.
19:13 And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
19:14 And the armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
So we are to take comfort in these things, which all occur at the end of time.
First, the Lord will come to gather us to Him, those who have already died and those who have survived the persecution during the Tribulation.
Second, the evil, disobedient servants of Satan will be gathered and condemned, never to persecute us again.
Lastly, the Lord will completely, perfectly, swiftly vanquish all of His enemies.
4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.