In the last post we learned about “No Empty Exhortations.”
Before we get into the biggest subject of the letter, Paul gives 2 exhortations to the Thessalonian Christians:
- Stay away from sexual sin
- Live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your own hands
These exhortations suggest that there were are least some in the church who were having problems in these areas.
Coming from a background of Greek idol worship where sexual behavior had little to no restraints, it’s a big change to suddenly become either monogamous or celibate. Verse 6 of chapter 4 suggests there may have been some adultery going on. It seems there were some who thought Christian morality was “optional.” Paul sets them straight.
“Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”
1 Thessalonians 4:8 NLT
Christian morality isn’t about earning points for salvation. It’s about keeping the temple holy because God dwells in us.
The 2nd exhortation seems to be directed toward those who are spending more time talking and meddling in other people’s business than in taking care of their own. If they will “buckle down” and get to work…
“Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.”
1 Thessalonians 4:12 NLT
Now we get to the big topic…
THE COMING OF THE LORD
Question: What happens to Christians when they die? Will they miss out on the Kingdom?
Answer:
- God brings the dead in Christ WITH HIM (4:14)
- The dead in Christ rise from the grave when the Lord descends from heaven with a shout. (4:16)
🤨 Wait a second… How can the dead be in two places at once?
🤔 Are they with God in heaven or in the ground?
Yes.
🪑
Have a seat and think on that one.
Where are their bodies?
😐 In the ground. 🪦
Where are their souls?
🤔 Uhh… with God…in Heaven.
So is it possible for the dead bodies to rise from the graves AND God brings their souls from heaven to be reunited with bodies which get an immediate resurrection upgrade to “Glorified” status?
😐 I guess that works.
So the dead will not “miss out” on the Kingdom. God will “wake up” the saints who sleep in death when He comes.
Paul also explains what happens to the living saints in that moment.
“Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17 NLT
In Greek the word for this is:
When Jerome translated the Bible into Latin for the Roman world, he used the word rapiemur to translate harpazo. It means the same thing. We will be snatched away. Medieval Latin nouns raptus and raptura mean “a carrying off” or even “abduction.” This is where the word “rapture” comes from.
There have been endless debate over when this catching away happens. Personally, I don’t think it’s that mystical. Paul says very clearly that it happens right after the dead in Christ rise. That’s the resurrection. Jesus said repeatedly in John “I will raise him up at the last day.” So…
The catching away happens at the resurrection.
The resurrection happens at the last day.
Easy.
Instead of scouring Revelation looking for “The Rapture” why don’t we just look for the Resurrection? Cause it’s WAY easier to spot. I think people are just a little uncomfortable with where it sits.
I’m not going to tell anyone what to believe on this because, until it actually happens, no one knows the exact day or the hour.
Paul is not trying to give them a complete eschatological timeline. His purpose was to comfort these new believers who were stressed out about their dead loved ones and worried about facing the end of the world.
We Need To Talk About
“The Day of the Lord”… Again
If you’ve been on this journey with me, we got a LOT of “Day of the LORD” language in the prophets leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile. That moment when the armies broke through, destroyed the temple and leveled the city was called “The Day of the Lord.” But it was also a microcosm of the ultimate Day of the LORD which was described as involving the sun going dark and the stars falling from heaven and everyone getting judged in heaven and on earth.
In order for some end-times interpretations to “work” the Resurrection/Rapture, “Judgement Day” and “the Day of the Lord” have to be broken up into separate events. The text itself is not always so tidy.
If we’re honest, “the coming of the Lord” in 4:14-17 and “the Day of the Lord” in 5:1-4 are used like synonyms. If they are in fact the same event, that has huge implications.
Read this carefully. It doesn’t sit perfectly square with many end-times teachings:
“For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.”
1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 NLT
The “Thief in the Night” is how the unsaved will experience “the Day of the Lord.” But not the Christians. If that’s so, then why do we insist on preaching that the day of the Lord is going to take us by surprise? Just because no one knows a day or hour doesn’t mean we can’t know the season.
A friend of mine recently got engaged. She did not know the day or the hour of the proposal, but she knew it was coming. She was kinda surprised but kinda not. And she was ready and said “yes.”
Also, we tend to equate “Judgement Day” with earthquakes and volcanoes 🌋 and wars and probably zombies 🧟♀️ and Terminator robots.🤖
Paul doesn’t say, “When people are saying, ‘Everything is on fire 🔥 and the world is coming apart at the seams!” He says “When people are saying, ‘Everything is peaceful and secure,” that’s when destruction comes.
Just before the end, things are going to finally be peaceful and secure. I expect that humanity will finally achieve world peace. We might all get paid to relax on the beach while robots do all the work. I dunno. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. The AntiChrist and his system will probably be the best thing to happen on earth since Jesus.
Don’t Be Fooled.
When everyone is stockpiling buckets of freeze-dried food in their bunkers they are expecting the end. They’re not saying “Peace and safety.” They’re saying “Buy more ammo.” If you only expect destruction and war and upheaval to precede the Day of the Lord, what will you do when it goes away? Perhaps for years on end? Some people will abandon the Gospel. Mankind, or perhaps the new A.I. gods, will have saved us. To quote Admiral Ackbar…
I think we all need to at least have a space on our End Times BINGO card for “Dawn of the Golden Age of World Peace.”
The Wrath of God
There’s a huge difference between:
- The wrath of Satan
- The wrath of Man
- The wrath of God
Only one can utterly destroy the entire cosmos and (as Jesus said), “destroy both soul and body in Hell.”
The Church is not destined for the Wrath of God. That does not mean the Church will not experience the other two. We have. They’re both pretty hideous and involve death
Paul tells the Thessalonians to be sharp and pay attention. Keep our lives clean and holy.
Even as they face continued persecution Paul exhorts them to be at peace and not return evil for evil. Still good counsel.
I love his last minute list of reminders in 5:16-22. Verse 18 is one of a pair of verses that spell out exactly what God’s will is for our lives. If you’ve ever wrestled with “What is God’s will for my life?” Here’s your answer:
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification…”
1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV
“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV
The Thessalonians are going to get this letter. And it’s going to raise a LOT of questions.
- Has the Day of the Lord already happened?
- How will we know if Jesus has returned?
- Can I quit my job and just wait for Jesus to return?
And Paul will write to them again and answer those questions. That letter is one of the most important pieces of inspired teaching on the return of Christ. We’ll read it tomorrow.
