“…if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will BRING with Him those WHO SLEEP IN JESUS…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 (harpazō: to catch away) TOGETHER with them in the clouds TO MEET THE LORD in the air. And thus we shall ALWAYS be with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:14-17)
- FIRST OF ALL: Where are these who “sleep in Jesus?” Jesus said to the thief on the cross who just repented, “I assure you, TODAY you will be WITH ME in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) This is where all those who die in Christ go to peacefully await the day of the Lord.
- SECONDLY: The Lord will reunite them with their new bodies, Then they “will rise first.”
- THIRDLY: What about those who are alive and remain? “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we SHALL ALL BE CHANGED…For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die…” (1 Corin. 15:51, 53)
- FOURTHLY: We will instantly experience harpazō (Rapture: the experience of being carried away.) Carried away to where? “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Christ glory, for THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB HAS COME, and His wife (the church) has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev. 19:7-8)
-Bill Stockham