I Thessalonians chapter 4:13-18 & chapter 5
If you read what God has written, along with my inner verse dribble … the coming of our Lord Jesus (rapture) …will be quite evident.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
We are not to be ignorant (conversely, God wants us to be informed) so He’s going to tell us what is happening.…
“Brethren” is addressing those at Thessalonica and all the believers in Christ…. the letters are/were encyclical and still applicable today.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
This is addressing the living believers concerning the ones who have died (sleep in Jesus). It is NOT referencing anybody else except those who have fallen asleep in Jesus….No Old Testament Jews or Gentiles…that is what the resurrection(s) are about …and this is not called a resurrection, because there are still those who are alive.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout (keleusma) with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Shout = A stimulating cry, an order, command, ….. with the voice of the archangel… and trump of God ….Not quite like a thief in the night….
The ones who are raised, are the dead in Christ, those born again ….no one else.
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Whoever is alive and remains are caught up together (with those who were dead in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
We are the body of Christ….. Christ is the head. Currently we are seated in the heavenlies IN Christ, that is our citizenship (Phl 3:20) … but when the rapture takes place, we will (with our spiritual bodies) be with Him wherever Christ is, whether we are in heaven or on earth.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I Thesalonians 5:1 begins with a contrasting conjunction which distinguishes itself from the previous event when the Church of God is caught up together to meet the Lord in the air…(Remember in the originals …there were no chapter divisions)
This section contrasts the two groups of people children of the light and children of the day …with those who are of the night and of darkness → (them and they)
Keep an eye on the pronouns (I have bolded and underlined them for the distinction) It will delineate between the two.
The day of the Lord or the Lords Day always references the tribulation.
The gathering together unto Him….the day of redemption….our glorious hope…the coming of our Lord Jesus (and a few others) give reference to the rapture.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord (tribulation) so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch (be vigilant) and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath NOT appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
If you read what God has written, along with my inner verse dribble … the coming of our Lord Jesus (rapture) …will be quite evident.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
We are not to be ignorant (conversely, God wants us to be informed) so He’s going to tell us what is happening.…
“Brethren” is addressing those at Thessalonica and all the believers in Christ…. the letters are/were encyclical and still applicable today.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
This is addressing the living believers concerning the ones who have died (sleep in Jesus). It is NOT referencing anybody else except those who have fallen asleep in Jesus….No Old Testament Jews or Gentiles…that is what the resurrection(s) are about …and this is not called a resurrection, because there are still those who are alive.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout (keleusma) with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Shout = A stimulating cry, an order, command, ….. with the voice of the archangel… and trump of God ….Not quite like a thief in the night….
The ones who are raised, are the dead in Christ, those born again ….no one else.
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Whoever is alive and remains are caught up together (with those who were dead in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
We are the body of Christ….. Christ is the head. Currently we are seated in the heavenlies IN Christ, that is our citizenship (Phl 3:20) … but when the rapture takes place, we will (with our spiritual bodies) be with Him wherever Christ is, whether we are in heaven or on earth.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I Thesalonians 5:1 begins with a contrasting conjunction which distinguishes itself from the previous event when the Church of God is caught up together to meet the Lord in the air…(Remember in the originals …there were no chapter divisions)
This section contrasts the two groups of people children of the light and children of the day …with those who are of the night and of darkness → (them and they)
Keep an eye on the pronouns (I have bolded and underlined them for the distinction) It will delineate between the two.
The day of the Lord or the Lords Day always references the tribulation.
The gathering together unto Him….the day of redemption….our glorious hope…the coming of our Lord Jesus (and a few others) give reference to the rapture.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord (tribulation) so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch (be vigilant) and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath NOT appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.