(13) “But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; (17) then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
Questions
1. Of what would the Lord not have His children ignorant? What should they not do? Verse 13. Note 1.
2. What is the basis of the hope that those who die in Jesus will rise again? Verse 14. Note 2.
3. What assurance does the apostle give that those who live when Jesus comes will have no preference over those who sleep? Verse 15.
4. What will be the manner of the Lord’s coming? What will then take place? What change will be wrought in those who are raised from the dead? Verse 16. Note 3.
5. Who will then join the risen ones? Whom will they all meet in the air? For how long will they be with Him? Verse 17. Note 4.
6. For what has God given these words to the sorrowing? Verse 18.
Notes
1. Dark and devious as are all sin’s ways, of the final outcome there need be no doubt to the child of God. Satan has endeavored to blind the world to the nature of death, to make men believe that it is something which it is not. To the child of God it is a dreamless sleep, which, were it not for Christ’s power, would know no waking. To those who know not Jesus, whom the apostle here calls “the rest”—those outside the fold of Christ—there is no hope of seeing again those who have died. But over the cloud of His people’s sorrow God hangs the covenant-bow of hope in Him.
2. As SURELY as Jesus died and rose from the dead, just so surely will those who sleep in Him arise. As God brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great “Shepherd of the sheep,” so will He bring the sheep with the Shepherd. Heb. 13:20; 2 Cor. 4:14. Christ, the Head, is not complete without His body, the church. But when He was raised from the dead, His people were in promise raised with Him, and when they are brought from the grave in fact, they are still brought “with Him” in the fulfillment of the promise.
3. AMONG the erroneous theories everywhere prevalent concerning our Lord’s second coming is that one of the Greek words rendered coming (parousia) is said to mean a secret coming, the “secret rapture of the saints,” when Christ will manifest Himself to the elect among His people, and not to the world. But verse 16 of this lesson forever settles as to what shall be the manner of Christ’s coming (parousia, verse 15). “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout,” with mighty voice, with trumpet. The whole thought of the text is that of grandeur, glory, noise, commotion. It is an event that all the earth shall witness. He shall come “with all the holy angels” (Matt. 25:31), illuminating the whole heavens from the east to the west (Matt. 24:27). And “every eye shall see Him.” Rev. 1:7. It will be “the Lord Himself,” and not another, “this same Jesus,” and not a representative. It will be His own personal, bodily presence; for so the original word means. See 2 Cor. 7:6, 7, where the word is applied to the bodily coming of Titus; and to Stephanas (1 Cor. 16:17), and to Paul (Phil. 1:26). In all cases it refers to manifested, bodily, personal presence.
“Archangel” means chief angel. This is Michael, meaning “who-is-like God,” another name of our blessed Lord. Compare Dan. 10:13; 12:1; Jude 9. Christ is chief over all the heavenly host (Joshua 5:13, 14), and He holds the keys of death and the grave (Rev. 1:18; John 5:28, 29).
The righteous dead do not arise from the grave, then to be judged and changed. They come up immortal (1 Cor. 15:52), showing that judgment has already passed upon their cases, and that they are counted worthy to obtain a resurrection out from among the dead ones (Luke 20:35). The thought in the text is not that the dead in Christ will rise first, that is, before the dead out of Christ arise, tho that is true, but that the dead in Christ arise before the living are caught up to meet the Lord.
4. Our Lord at His coming does not touch the earth. As it rolls to meet Him in the air, it brings all His captive dead, escorted by angels of light. These He takes to the glorious mansions on high (John 14:3), where they reign with Him a thousand years in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 20:4). At the end of that time, Jesus comes, and all the saints with Him. Zech. 14:5. Then His feet will rest upon the earth, a place will be prepared for the holy city (verse 4), sin and its fruits will be forever destroyed, and the long, blest reign of God’s people will begin, never more to end.
