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OCTOBER 17
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we also forewarned you and testified. For walk properly toward those who are outside,
God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holi- and that you may lack nothing.
ness. Therefore he who rejects this does not 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant,
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reject man, but God, who has also given us brethren, concerning those who have fallen
His Holy Spirit. asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no
9 But concerning brotherly love you have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and
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need that I should write to you, for you your- rose again, even so God will bring with Him
selves are taught by God to love one another; those who sleep in Jesus.
10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren 15 For this we say to you by the word of the
who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, Lord, that we who are alive and remain until
brethren, that you increase more and more; the coming of the Lord will by no means pre-
11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind cede those who are asleep. For the Lord
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your own business, and to work with your own Himself will descend from heaven with a
hands, as we commanded you, that you may shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with
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the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ
will rise first. Then we who are alive and
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remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
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4:13 those who have fallen asleep. Sleep is thus we shall always be with the Lord. There-
the familiar New Testament euphemism for fore comfort one another with these words.
death which describes the appearance of the
deceased. It describes the dead body not the
soul (2 Cor. 5:1–9; Phil. 1:23). Sleep is used of
Jairus’s daughter (Matt. 9:24), whom Jesus 4:18 comfort one another. The primary pur-
raised from the dead, and Stephen, who was pose of this passage is not to teach a scheme
stoned to death (Acts 7:60; John 11:11; 1 Cor. of prophecy, but rather to provide encourage-
7:39;15:6,18,51;2 Pet.3:4).Those who sleep are ment to those Christians whose loved ones
identified in v. 16 as “the dead in Christ.” The have died. The comfort here is based on the
people, in ignorance, had come to the conclu- following: 1) the dead will be resurrected and
sion that those who die miss the Lord’s return, will participate in the Lord’s coming for His
and they were grieved over their absence at own; 2) when Christ comes, the living will be
such a glorious event.Thus the departure of a reunited forever with their loved ones; and 3)
loved one brought great anguish to the soul. they all will be with the Lord eternally (v. 17).

DAY 17: How does Paul describe the return of Jesus Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:15,16?

It is clear the Thessalonians had come to believe in and hope for the reality of their Savior’s
return (1:3,9,10; 2:19; 5:1,2).They were living in expectation of that coming, eagerly awaiting Christ.
First Thessalonians 4:13 indicates they were even agitated about some things that might affect
their participation in it.They knew Christ’s return was the climactic event in redemptive history and
didn’t want to miss it.The major question they had was:“What happens to the Christians who die
before He comes? Do they miss His return?”Clearly,they had an imminent view of Christ’s return,and
Paul had left the impression it could happen in their lifetime.Their confusion came as they were being
persecuted,an experience they thought they were to be delivered from by the Lord’s return (3:3,4).
Paul answers by saying “the Lord Himself will descend with a shout” (v. 16). This fulfills the
pledge of John 14:1–3 (Acts 1:11).Until then He remains in heaven (1:10;Heb.1:1–3).“With the voice
of an archangel.” Perhaps it is Michael, the archangel, whose voice is heard as he is identified with
Israel’s resurrection in Daniel 12:1–3. At that moment, the dead rise first. They will not miss the
Rapture but will be the first participants.“And with the trumpet of God.”This trumpet is illustrated
by the trumpet of Exodus 19:16–19,which called the people out of the camp to meet God.It will be
a trumpet of deliverance (Zeph. 1:16; Zech. 9:14).
After the dead come forth, their spirits, already with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23), now being
joined to resurrected new bodies, the living Christians will be raptured,“caught up”(v.17).This pas-
sage along with John 14:1–3 and 1 Corinthians 15:51,52 form the biblical basis for “the Rapture”of
the church.

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