Chapter 18: I Thessalonians 4:14-17
After you’ve studied this article, take a second look at the “Rapture” article that follows it.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
Verse 14, “For IF we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them (believers) also which sleep (have died) in Jesus will God (Jehovah) BRING with him.”
“If” is conditional, it depends on the individual, to believe in Christ, or not.
The word “bring” in verse 14 is a verb and is used in the same sense of bringing or leading to.
“Them also which sleep in Jesus will God (Jesus) bring with him.” “To bring with him” Where is He going to bring them, “Into heaven,” collectively with verse 17, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (believers who were resurrected from the dead) to meet the Lord (Jesus) in the air.”
Let’s examine the word “up,” a synonym for up is, above. Up is an adverb, denoting a place where, Acts 2:19, “In heaven above.” Revelation 5:3, “In heaven.” Hence, as an adjective, what is above, upper, referred to heaven, and therefore heavenly, celestial. So, heaven, John 8:23, “I am from above,” compare with John 3:13-31, “No man hath ascended up to heaven,” and John 6:38, 17:5. But things above, heavenly or divine things.
Verse, 15, “For this we say unto you (believers) by the word of the Lord, that we (believers) which are alive (breathing) and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them (believers) which are asleep (have died.)”
Verse 16, “For the Lord (Jesus) himself shall descend (come down) from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (trumpet) of God: and the dead (those who have fallen asleep believing) in Christ shall rise first:”
To “Rise” is a verb that expresses action and limited to the agent, in this case those who have been resurrected from the dead. Is also in the pluperfect, meaning an action or event that took place previous to another past action or event. And as a Middle term of a syllogism meaning when two extremes are separately compared, as in, death to life. So, to arise from the dead, and return to life, is what arise means.
The word “first.” It means a division or distribution, as referring to a series or succession of circumstances and followed by other adverbs of order, as in sequential, after, to follow, or time expressed or implied: Or “and then, or, then, or secondly.”
Examples:
1 Corinthians 12:28, “First apostles, secondly prophets —.”
Mark 4:28, “Then the ear, AFTER that the full corn.”
James 3:17. Mark 16:9, “When Jesus was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene –,” collectively with, verse 12, “After that he appeared in another form.”
Now verse 16 ends in a colon, not a period. Therefore, the thought and the subject are the same in verses 16 and 17. To refresh your memory as to what a colon is.
It’s to mark a major division in a sentence, indicating what is to follow is a summation, of what preceded. It is NOT a different thought taking us to a different period of time.
Verse 17, “Then we (believers) which are alive (breathing) and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:”
To be “Caught up:” is used as a transitive verb, a verb that expresses an action that passes from the agent (God) to the object (those being resurrected).
It speaks of what is snatched suddenly away; used in the common form; to carry away, to hurry off, by force and involuntarily; spoken of persons, John 6:15, “Would come and take him by force.” Acts 8:39, “The Spirit — caught away Phillip.” Acts 23:10, “take him (Paul) by force.” 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, “Caught up to the third heaven.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Shall be caught up together.”
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com