What is your understanding of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18?

Question

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 which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them 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. - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

Answer 1

The belief that faithful Christians will be bodily caught up from the earth, suddenly taken out of the world, to be united with the Lord “in the air.” The word “rapture” is understood by some persons, but not by all, to be the meaning of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The word “rapture” does not occur in the inspired Scriptures.

When the apostle Paul said that Christians would be “caught up” to be with the Lord, what subject was being discussed?

1 Thess. 4:13-18, RS: “We would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep [“those who sleep in death,” NE; “those who have died,” TEV, JB], that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (Evidently some members of the Christian congregation in Thessalonica had died. Paul encouraged the survivors to comfort one another with the resurrection hope. He reminded them that Jesus was resurrected after his death; so, too, at the coming of the Lord, those faithful Christians among them who had died would be raised to be with Christ.)

Answer 2

This is a brief summary of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the first resurrection -- the resurrection of the saints, true Christians. But MY interpretation is worthless; read God's interpretation.

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.... Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet [the seventh trumpet], and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:27-31)

Paul gives more information:
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep [die in the flesh], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (I Corinthians 15:51-52)

Elsewhere we read of the last and seventh "trump of God":
"Then the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet -- see Rev. 8:2]: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15)

This is the end of the reign of Satan and the beginning of the reign of Jesus Christ and the saints upon the earth for 1000 years:
"...This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:5-6)

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Answer 3

That's a great question. I am a former pre-trib, pre-mil, dispensationlist. I used this text as my proof text. I often forgot that there is a I Thessalonians 5 (there was no chapter divisions so sometimes chapter divisions are not helpful because it ruins the train of thought). Anyway, verse 2 of chapter 5 talks about the "day of the Lord" as distinct from the rapture in the pretribulational position. But the train of the thought of Paul does not seem to indicate such a division. II Thess 2:1-2 says, "concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, not to be soon shaken in mind as though the day of the Lord had come." I think they believed this because false teachers were expounding it. Probably making some money from it as well. verse 3 says, "let no one deceive you" so the problem since the beginning of the church age is false teachers creeping into the church defying apostolic doctrine. It seems that Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "today you will be with Me in Paradise" and Philippians 1:21-22 and II Corinthians 5:7 indicate that believers are immediately ushered into the Lord's presence. No, we do not exhort one another enough with these words. God bless.

Answer 4

A day is coming when Jesus will return to earth. On that day, those Christians that have died walking after Christ's ways shall arise from the dead, other Christians that are still alive that day and following Jesus' ways will rise and meet Jesus in the air.
It it simple those that died that were not following Jesus when they died will not arise in physical bodies, but their spirits shall remain in the depths of the earth.

Answer 5

It discusses the rapture/second coming of Christ (for we are told in the gospel that Christ will remain in Heaven until His second coming [John 14:1 - 14:3])

However, I do not think this passage is to tell of a prophecy, rather it is to comfort us who are living that have lost loved ones (as illustrated by the end, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words")

Answer 6

Well, clearly it describes the "Rapture", the only thing that one can rightfully debate about that event is the timing of the rapture in relation to the Great Tribulation. I am one who believes that the Bible leaves the timing uncertain intentionally, because God wants us to always remain ready and waiting, and at the same time, He wants us to be willing and ready to go through the great tribulation if that is His will.

I do believe that Pre-Trib rapture is more likely, based on certain scriptures and types and similes found throughout scripture, but I am not dogmatic about that pre-trib timing.

Answer 7

Its literal.....Jesus will Return and everyone will hear and see......and those who have died in christ will rise first......( which is proof that when U die U DONT go to heaven but u're soul is asleep) and they will be caught up in the clouds with those who are alive when Jesus returns. and people who believe in the return of God should comfort one another with this promise. thats all

Answer 8

It means exactly what it says it means. Jesus will return to earth, and all the bodies of the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then all Christians who are still alive will join the other Christians in the air, and we will all "meet up" with Jesus. Then we'll all go to Heaven.

Answer 9

It is talking about the last day when Christ returns to receive His people (those born again/saved through Him) unto Himself. :D

Answer 10

Briefly.

When Jesus would gain heavenly power (which he did in 1914) all those who are chosen to rule in heaven who had died (dead in Christ) before that would be resurrected. Those who were also heaven-bound but still alive at that time, when they did die, would not sleep in death but receive their heavenly reward immediately ("in the twinkling of an eye")

If you need more details, feel free to email me.