Topic: THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS
Text: : 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen [b]asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who [c]sleep in Jesus.
4:15 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 by no means precede those who are [d]asleep.
4:16 For 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.
4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
STUDY:
From our text today, Apostle Paul did not want the Thessalonian church to be ignorant of the Second Coming of Jesus in His glory. The word ‘rapture’ is not explicitly mentioned in the Scripture. The pictorial final position of the saints triumphant and militant described in our text today, clearly represents rapture. This is the taking up of the saints, both dead and alive, to meet the Lord in the cloud as he descends from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God.
This is a great comfort to all believers, especially when we lose a dear one in Christ and undergo all kinds of challenges. We know that one day, we will be together again in God’s glorious kingdom. As a faithful bride, let us be encouraged with this fact that a pay day is coming in which our Lord will reward us greatly for all our labour of love (1 Cor. 15:58). We shall ever be with Him, and this should be our consolation in this world.
Prayer:
Father, may I be prepared and alert in the spirit always as I wait for your coming in glory. May I not be caught unawares, Amen.
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