1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 The Rapture Of The Church, Part 1

by | Jan 30, 2025 | 1 Thessalonians, New Testament

Understanding The Mechanics

NOTE- The word “rapture” is not found in the Bible.
It is from the Latin word rapturus, which was used in translating the words “caught up”, in 4:17.
The Greek word is harpazo, which means to seize, to carry off by force, to snatch out of the way.

I. Death For The Christian

A. Death Referred To As “Sleep”                  V. 13

1. Acts 7:57-60 57Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 & they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
2. Physical death for the Christian doesn’t mean non-existence, unconsciousness.
3. The body ceases to perform, & physically dies, but the rest of the person continues on. The soul/spirit/emotion/mind/intentions, etc.
4. ‘Death’ is sometimes called ‘sleep’ because the Christian will be physically raised again at some point in the future, just as one wakes from sleeping.
5. Physical death of the mortal body is not the end of any future physical existence.

B. What Happens To A Christian At Death?

1. Philippians 1:21-24 21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.

a. To die is gain, it is far better, it is to be with Christ.

2. 2 Corinthians 5:1-9 1For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

a. “Earthly tent” versus “eternal building”- (speaks of physical existence)
b. Death doesn’t leave us unclothed, but eventually, further clothed
c. God has prepared us to be further clothed; down payment of Holy Spirit
d. Absent from the body is to be present with the Lord
e. We make it our aim to be well pleasing to him, whether here or there.

3. Being immediately, aiming to please him, all points to the fact that physical death for the Christian does not end the consciousness of the Christian.
4. V. 13- Paul says that Christians ought not to sorrow as others who have no hope.

a. We sorrow as being absent from a loved one who has gone on a long trip.
b. We will see them again, but perhaps not for a long time.
c. Death isn’t dying, it is moving your realm of consciousness.
d. It is a struggle as the body gives out, but it could be compared to struggling in trying to sleep, but them waking up renewed and refreshed.

5. The Adventist Church teaches the doctrine of “soul sleep”.

a. Soul of the believer is unconscious and/or nonexistent until resurrection.
b. This is not supported by what we have examined.
c. Absent from the body is present w/the Lord. Immediate & permanent.
d. How could unconscious, suspended animation be better than being consciously in communion with God? That doesn’t make sense.

II. The Thessalonians’ Questions

Keep in mind that Paul is answering questions and concerns the Thessalonians had.
We can guess what the questions were based on the answers that Paul gave.

A. What Is The State Of Christians Already Dead?                                            V. 14

1. The “answer” that Paul gives implies that the Thessalonians were concerned that those Christians who had recently died, had somehow missed out on something.
2. Paul’s statement seems to imply that the church at Thessalonica was expecting the soon return of Jesus, also called the “imminent return” of Jesus.
3. Paul had been w/them only 3 weeks but had taught them to look for Jesus’ return.
Refer to 1:9, 10; 2:18, 19; 3:13
4. They believed that Jesus had died & been raised again. Paul said that that gave them rightful expectation that Christians would also be raised from death.
5. That Jesus would bring w/Him, the souls of departed saints, to receive glorified bodies at the resurrection of the dead.

B. What Is The Chronology Of The Resurrection       V. 15

1. Their question seems to have been, “Who goes first to heaven. Do the dead saints have to wait, or are they delayed entering into heaven?
2. Paul explains that at the coming of the Lord, the Christians who had died will not be at a disadvantage, and the living saints will have no advantage.

C. Paul’s Detailed Answer Re. The Rapture Of The Church                                 Vs. 16, 17

1. Jesus will descend from heaven w/a shout, voice of archangel, & trumpet sound
2. Dead in Christ will rise first, the living Christians will immediately be changed
3. Dead and living saints will meet the Lord in the air.
4. From that point forward, we will immediately and forever be with Jesus.
5. NOTE- It is at this time that the body of the dead saint is raised and reunited with the soul/spirit. No longer unclothed, but further clothed.
6. See 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

D. This Teaching Is Meant To Bring Comfort       V. 18

1. The death or rapture of the Christian will place the Christian in the immediate and eternal presence of God.
2. Think of your best moments w/God. Imagine that experience unbroken forever.
3. Consider all the negatives you experience in this life. Imagine them gone forever

A few hours before Dwight L. Moody died, he caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him. Awakening from a sleep, he said, “Earth recedes, heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go!” His son who was standing by his bedside said, “No, no father, you are dreaming.”

“No,” said Mr. Moody, “I am not dreaming; I have been within the gates; I have seen the children’s faces.” A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle, he spoke again: “This is my triumph; this my coronation day! It is glorious!”