A Tale of Two Ascensions
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 not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:15-18, NASB.
With verses 15-17 we come to one of the most insightful pictures of the return of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. As we read these verses we need to remember that Paul's purpose in writing is pastoral. Some of the believers have been disoriented by the death of others in the church, and he responds with words of comfort and assurance.
We have seen in verses 13 and 14 that the apostle did not want them ignorant on the topic, and that just as Jesus rose from the grave so would His followers. Now in verses 15-17 Paul states plainly what he had only hinted at in verse 13.
And his words of hope must have been extremely comforting to the distressed believers. For one thing, in verse 15 he lets them know that those who had died and were sleeping in their graves would have absolutely no disadvantage at the Second Advent. To the contrary, they would have the honor of firstness. The apostle notes that the living "will not precede those who have fallen asleep." He goes out of his way to emphasize his point by using an emphatic negative. The more accurate is "most certainly not" rather than merely "not." He wants them to have complete assurance on the point that is troubling them.
With verse 16 we can feel the excitement building up in Paul as he describes the Second Advent itself. Not only will the Lord return from heaven, as He had promised His earliest disciples (Acts 1:11; John 14:1-3), but He will do so with glory and fanfare as the trumpets blare and the archangel shouts as He calls the dead from their graves.
But for those living at the return of Jesus the best is yet to come. In verse 17 Paul adds that "we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them [those who have been resurrected] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
What a promise! Just as Jesus arose from the dead, so will those who believe in Him! And just as He ascended to heaven, so will all of those who have trusted in Him! They will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air!
As Paul tells the story, the "blessed hope" just gets better and better.
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 not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:15-18, NASB.
With verses 15-17 we come to one of the most insightful pictures of the return of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. As we read these verses we need to remember that Paul's purpose in writing is pastoral. Some of the believers have been disoriented by the death of others in the church, and he responds with words of comfort and assurance.
We have seen in verses 13 and 14 that the apostle did not want them ignorant on the topic, and that just as Jesus rose from the grave so would His followers. Now in verses 15-17 Paul states plainly what he had only hinted at in verse 13.
And his words of hope must have been extremely comforting to the distressed believers. For one thing, in verse 15 he lets them know that those who had died and were sleeping in their graves would have absolutely no disadvantage at the Second Advent. To the contrary, they would have the honor of firstness. The apostle notes that the living "will not precede those who have fallen asleep." He goes out of his way to emphasize his point by using an emphatic negative. The more accurate is "most certainly not" rather than merely "not." He wants them to have complete assurance on the point that is troubling them.
With verse 16 we can feel the excitement building up in Paul as he describes the Second Advent itself. Not only will the Lord return from heaven, as He had promised His earliest disciples (Acts 1:11; John 14:1-3), but He will do so with glory and fanfare as the trumpets blare and the archangel shouts as He calls the dead from their graves.
But for those living at the return of Jesus the best is yet to come. In verse 17 Paul adds that "we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them [those who have been resurrected] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
What a promise! Just as Jesus arose from the dead, so will those who believe in Him! And just as He ascended to heaven, so will all of those who have trusted in Him! They will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air!
As Paul tells the story, the "blessed hope" just gets better and better.
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