Revelation Chapter 14

VERSE 13-14 continued “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, [but] their works follow [with] them.” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.”

The Rapture of the Church

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring [from the dead] with [by] Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thess 4:13-18)

“Paul counsels the flock of God not to be despondent concerning their brethren who had fallen asleep in death. He informs the living disciples that the gates of death would not forever prevail against those loved ones, for as God had raised Jesus from death to life, so likewise would the Father deliver the deceased brethren and lead them forth at the Second Advent “with him,” that is, as well as or in addition to Jesus. That God’s purpose was to raise not only Jesus but also the Church was, the Apostle reminds the Thessalonian Christians, the logical outgrowth of their belief and faith in God and in the resurrection.

Many think the passage cited above refers to a physical rapture of the Church at the close of the Gospel Age.

It is assumed that both the living and the dead saints will, at the same time, be translated (raptured) together to heavenly glory at the second coming and appearing of Jesus Christ.

However, the Apostle declares that:

(a) those “which SLEEP IN JESUS” will God lead forth with him, and

(b) the living saints at this time will not precede (Greek phthano) but will follow the dead or sleeping members in resurrection change, because

(c) “the dead in Christ shall rise first.” In other words, the resurrections of the two classes, the dead and the living, do not take place at the same time as many suppose.

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”

The word “then” (Greek epeita), having the significance here of a subsequent event, might better be translated “afterward.” Nor is it necessary to hastily conclude that the living saints must be “caught up” immediately following the sleeping members’ change to resurrection likeness of their Lord.

The same Greek word is used in 1 Cor 15:46, where Paul draws a comparison between the two Adams. The first man, Adam, the natural father of the human race, is spoken of as being “of the earth, earthy”; and the second Adam, the risen Redeemer, is referred to as being spiritual— “the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:47). “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward [epeita] that which is spiritual” (1 Cor. 15:46). Since several millennia elapsed between the appearance of the first Adam and “afterward” the introduction of the second Adam, “that which is spiritual,” the possibility arises that, similarly, a period of time, though in this instance of relatively short duration, could also exist between the resurrection change of the sleeping saints and the translation of the tarrying members of the body of Christ, who, being alive during his presence, are “then [that is, afterward] . . . caught up together with them [the raised sleeping saints].”

The word “together” (Greek hama) should not always be associated with concurrent motion or activity, for it can also mean place irrespective of the time element. Indeed, in this very epistle just eleven verses later (1 Thess. 5:10), the brethren are informed that Jesus “died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together [hama] with him.” Place and association are clearly signified in this verse, but it would be inappropriate to substitute the phrase or thought of living at the same instant or the same time. However, an intended double meaning holds true for 1 Thess 4:17. Yet even the definition of the term “together” as being indicative of place and association with Jesus constitutes but half its full significance, as will be explained shortly.

Unless a deeper meaning is implied, it would be difficult to account for the peculiar stress the Apostle lays upon the fact that the living saints will by no means—shall in no wise precede, but will follow in resurrection change those previously fallen asleep. This Paul additionally declares to be “the word of the Lord.”

The emphatic distinction (between the time of the resurrection of the dead and the living saints) would be strange indeed if the resurrection changes of the sleeping saints and the living membership were to occur simultaneously—or nearly so. However, if an appreciable interval of time was to separate the two events, then surely it can be understood why the Apostle would wish to accentuate such particularity. Paul knew such an occurrence would be a surprising development, most unanticipated, and those for whom it was intended would require special reassurance that this was truly the Word of the Lord. Thus, the saints living at this critical point in time are specifically instructed in no uncertain terms.

Continued with next post.