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The Lord's Coming

1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

Good News Translation (GNT)

13  Our friends, we want you to know the truth
   about those who have died, so that you will
   not be sad, as are those who have no hope.
14  We believe that Jesus died and rose again,
   and so we believe that God will take back with
   Jesus those who have died believing in him.
15  What we are teaching you now is the Lord's
   teaching: we who are alive on the day the
   Lord comes will not go ahead of those who
   have died.
16  There will be the shout of command, the
   archangel's voice, the sound of God's trumpet,
   and the Lord himself will come down from
   heaven. Those who have died believing in
   Christ will rise to life first;
17  then we who are living at that time will be
   gathered up along with them in the clouds to
   meet the Lord in the air.
   And so we will always be with the Lord.
18  So then, encourage one another with these
   words.

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Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament Commentary'
(Kingsway)

The Coming of the Lord

The Thessalonians had supposed that Christ was going to return again before any of them died. However, a few of the Thessalonian believers had recently died.

Therefore, the Thessalonians were perplexed, and wanted to know what was going to happen to those who had died. In this section, Paul gives them the answer to their question.

When Paul mentions those who fall asleep, he is referring to those believers who have died. They will not remain "dead" forever.

We Christians have the sure hope and faith that after our earthly bodies die, we shall live again. Therefore, the Thessalonians do not need to have any anxiety about those who have died.

They are "sleeping" now, but will soon "wake up."

In one sense, then, we don't need to grieve for believers who die. We are really grieving over our own loss, and that is natural.

But even as we grieve, let our hope of eternal life overcome our grief. Let us rejoice that our loved one is now in Christ's hands.

How do we know that we will be raised? We know, because Jesus Himself died and rose again. We know that He certainly did rise, then we too, after we die, shall certainly rise again.

Paul says that when the Christ comes again, believers who have fallen asleep (who have died) will rise to life first; then, after them, those who are alive, at the coming of Jesus, will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Thus, those who have died will always be with the Lord; they are at no disadvantage!

The Thessalonians don't need to be anxious about them. Paul says that what he has written here, is according to the Lord's own word. This is the only place in the New Testament where the Lord's word, on this subject, is mentioned.

Paul briefly describes what will happen at the Christ's second coming.

At that time, those who are living will be joined again with those who have died, and from then on, all believers will live together with the Lord forever.

Therefore encourage each other with these words.

The New Testament does not tell us in detail what will happen when Jesus comes again. In fact, the New Testament contains very little teaching on this subject.

We simply do not know all the things that will take place; and it is pointless to speculate and argue about it. No one knows the day when Jesus will come again. But there is one thing we do know, and that is that all believers must always be ready for that day.

What will the Lord find us doing when He comes?

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