Christ Comes for His People

The first two chapters of the Bible describe for us God’s power and care in creating this world. God made the universe and this planet; He made all the animals, and last of all, He made man as a special union of body and spirit. Everything is very good, until we come to Genesis 3.

Satan deceives the woman, and both she and the man disobey God, bringing a curse upon the world. That curse is the manifestation of rebellion and difficulty in both the physical and spiritual spheres of life.

Physically, the woman’s pain in childbearing is increased, and she is also going to rebel against the leadership of her husband. For the man, his pain is increased as he must now work a cursed land that will rebel against his work. There will be thorns and thistles.

The physical aspects of the curse also introduced sickness and death. Externally, we have all kinds of diseases that can afflict us, and internally, we have bodies that are subject to pain and to decay.

Spiritually, the effect of the curse was a sinful nature that now rebels against God’s design for us as humans. We were created to reflect the glory of God and the character of God. But rather than submit to Him and fulfill His purposes, we live for ourselves.

Romans 5:12 says that sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Verse 14 says that death reigned.

This is the inescapable reality of our life. Death reigns. Apart from some miraculous intervention of God, everybody dies. Because of the curse, everybody is affected by the pain of sickness and death, which bring a very distinct kind of pain.

The Thessalonian church understood that pain because they had said goodbye to a number of saints. But their grief, as we saw last week in verse 13, did not have the hope of Jesus Christ. They didn’t have a complete theology about the dead and about the end of this phase of life.

So, Paul writes to comfort them and to encourage them. He wants them to know the truth that will bring a true hope.

What is that truth? What is it that we Christians are waiting for? What’s going to happen with those Christians who have died?

We’re continuing our study today in verse 16, and I want you to see that our passage shows us three phases, if you would, of what’s to come. I will tell them to you now, but if you’re taking notes, don’t worry about writing it all down, because we’ll cover them one at a time.

The first phase is the declaration of the Lord. The second phase is the resurrection of the dead. And the third phase is the transformation of the living. Let’s start by looking at the first phase: the declaration of the Lord.

This is what Paul describes for us in verse 16—For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

How many of you caught the little hints that Paul is switching to metaphorical language? I don’t think you caught it, because it’s not there. There is no indication here that Paul does not intend his words to be taken literally. It doesn’t make sense that Paul intends the Thessalonians to take him literally in the previous verses, but suddenly, he shifts on them. He intends this to be taken literally, and that’s how I take it.

He is not describing some spiritual reality of the present age. He is describing a future event. Jesus Himself, Paul says, will come for His church, and it will be a loud and triumphant declaration.

Now, just to fill in the picture a little bit, verse 17 says that at this point, we are going to be gathered with Jesus in the clouds. So, it doesn’t appear that Jesus comes all the way down to earth at this point, although some will disagree with that. We’ll talk more about that eventually. But coming down from the glory of heaven, Jesus will call His people to Himself. That’s phase one: the declaration of the Lord.

Paul specifically describes three sounds that will mark this declaration. They might happen all at once. They might happen one after another, but there is every indication that these sounds will be heard.

First, there will be a cry of command. In the Greek, it’s just one word. The reason it’s translated as a “cry of command” is because this is a shout that conveys authority. An authoritative order will be given.

The word here was used for hunters shouting orders to their dogs. It was used for charioteers shouting orders at their horses. And it was used for military officials giving orders or commands to the soldiers under them.

We live in a culture that rejects authority, and connected to that idea is the rejection of shouting. Some say it’s not polite to yell at someone, ever. It doesn’t matter if a house is on fire or if someone’s life is in danger. Shouting too loud might trigger someone’s sensibilities. Well, we know that an angry shout is a lack of sinful lack of self-control, but there are times when a shout is appropriate. Well, when Christ comes there will be a shout of authority, and the world will hear.

A good parallel here might be the order Jesus gave when He raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11. It says Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” And that’s what happened. This is the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. He gave orders to a dead man, and the man obeyed Him. Some pastors have speculated that Jesus called Lazarus by name because if He didn’t specify whom He was talking to, all the dead might have come out.

One day, Jesus will come with an urgent shout of authority. He will summon His people. And those who belong to Him will respond.

It reminds me also of when Peter saw Jesus walking on the water. He didn’t ask, “Lord, can I do that too?” He said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Peter understood that if Jesus commands the miraculous, it's going to happen.

Now, just because someone is crying out, doesn’t mean that the world is going to understand. It seems to me that the world will recognize something astonishing is taking place, but that doesn’t mean they will know its true significance.

There is an instance in John 12, when Jesus prays to God, and the Father responds audibly. God spoke from heaven, but some in the crowd said that it was thunder, and others said that an angel had spoken. They didn’t understand.

The same kind of thing happened at Paul’s conversion. In Acts 9 it says that the men who were with Paul heard the voice, meaning they heard the sound of it. But in Acts 22, Paul says the people around him saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking.

I think the same kind of thing will happen when Christ calls His own. The world, in general, will not understand what’s going on. Personally, I believe they are going to deny anything related to Jesus. But they will hear the sound.

The second sound Paul describes is the voice of an archangel. The word for voice also means “sound,” so this could be referring to a sound being made, or to words being spoken. I don’t think Paul is saying that Jesus will sound like an archangel. I think he’s saying that an archangel will be present, and with him will be an amazing sound, perhaps something related to the sound of thunder.

An archangel refers to a higher rank of angel. This is the rank given to Michael in the book of Jude. In Daniel 10, Michael is referred to as a chief prince. He is the only angel given that title, so maybe it will be Michael that comes with the Lord, possibly with another posse of angels.

Christ’s first coming was announced by angels. They made the proclamation to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born. Christ’s resurrection was also marked by the appearance and the announcement of angels. We also have numerous passages that speak of Christ coming in glory with the holy angels, so it’s possible that many angels will come with Christ. If so, what are the angels going to be doing?

Well, it seems there will be at least one angel producing the third sound listed in verse 16. There will be the sound of the trumpet of God.

So, the first sound is the cry of command. Second, is the sound of the archangel. And third, you’ve got the sound of the trumpet of God. And this is all part of the declaration of Christ.

We mainly think of trumpets as musical instruments, but in biblical culture, that wasn’t their main function. Trumpets were primarily used as signals. They were used in war to rally troops or intimidate enemies, and they were used as part of formal ceremonies like military exercises or funeral processions.

The Greek goddess of victory Nike was sometimes depicted with a trumpet in her hand which was announcing her triumph.

Trumpets are not a subtle instrument. They are loud, and they are piercing. And that’s how it will be when Christ comes for His people. The world will know that a life-altering event has taken place. This is the declaration of the Lord. That’s the first phase of what Paul is describing here.

Now, what is it that is going to be announced with a cry of command, and with the sound of an archangel, and with a blasting trumpet? What’s the next phase?

Phase 2 of what Paul is describing for us is the resurrection of the dead. So, we have the declaration of the Lord and then the resurrection of the dead. Look at the end of verse 16. The sounds will come, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Those precious brothers and sisters whom the Thessalonians loved so much and for whom they grieved at their death—they are going to rise from the dead. They’re not going to miss anything when Christ’s program moves into its final stages. In fact, they’re going to get a front-row seat. Again, verse 16 says they are going to rise first.

Remember, this is all meant to be corrective to the false and hopeless beliefs of the Thessalonians. Verse 15 says those who are alive when Christ appears will in no way precede those who have died. And now, we’re told that those who have died will rise first. They will be the first to receive their glorified bodies.

It makes no sense to say that they rise like zombies from the ground. This is a resurrection like the resurrection of Jesus. The souls will come with Christ, and they will be reunited now with a glorified body, perfectly made to spend eternity with Christ.

Philippians 3:20 says “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Our all-powerful Lord, who rules over the universe, and will destroy all His enemies, is going to give His adopted brothers and sisters new bodies similar to His own.

Romans 8:23 says that right now, we Christians groan because we have the perfect Holy Sprit but we are stuck in this body of death. We’re burdened by sin and sickness. We are waiting for the fulness of our adoption as sons, and that is the redemption of our bodies.

Second Corinthians 5 says something very similar. We groan right now. We are living in an earthly tent, but one day we will receive our heavenly dwelling. We’re not trying to get rid of the body; we are waiting to be given a superior body.

What is that body going to be like? That’s a great question to ask. The Corinthians asked the same thing, and Paul gave them an answer.

Mark your place here in Thessalonians but jump back for a moment to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. First Corinthians chapter 15. This is a chapter specifically dealing with the resurrection of Christ’s people. Look at 1 Corinthians 15:35.

I’m not going to spend too much time analyzing it, but I want you to see it for yourself. First Corinthians 15:35.

It says this—But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

Basically, Paul wants the church to know that the kind of body we have now, in this life, is not the same kind of body we are going to receive in glory. The new body will be at another level, in the same way that the glory of a tree is greater than the glory of the seed which was planted.

Let’s keep reading. Verse 42—So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

That might not answer all the questions you have, but the basic idea is that all the negatives of this life aren’t going to be there anymore.

Your body right now is like a piece of fruit. It started out small in your mother’s womb, and then you were born, and you kept maturing. But eventually, all of us are going to perish. This body starts going bad. It deteriorates, and then it dies. It happens in different ways and at different speeds for us, but it happens for all of us. None of us live forever. This body will perish. But the new body is imperishable. It’s made to endure for eternity.

There will be a physical incorruptibility, and there will also be a spiritual incorruptibility. Rather than being pulled down physically and spiritually, those who have surrendered their lives to Christ in humble repentance, will move into an eternity of flourishing.

This life is also a humble one. There are plenty of reasons to be humble, both physical and spiritual. But the new body will be one of splendor and glory. In other words, “You’re gonna like the way you look. I guarantee it!”

You’re also going to enjoy what you will be able to do. There will be no more weakness or powerlessness. Spiritually, you will have the capacity to live to the fulness of your potential as a child of God. No more frustration. Instead, there will be spiritual strength.

That’s what Paul means in verse 44 when he says we will have a spiritual body. He doesn’t mean we’ll be a ghost; that’s not what the Bible teaches. What he means is that this new body will be perfectly aligned with the Spirit of God.

That should excite you. That is our hope in Jesus Christ. No more disease. No more sickness. No more weakness. No more shame and frustration. Those who belong to Christ will receive a glorified new body, just like Jesus.

It doesn’t matter how they died; it doesn’t matter where or in what condition their body is; all that matters is that these people repented of sin and trusted in Jesus Christ, the Lord who died and rose again for their salvation. Like their Lord, they will rise again. Then what happens? What’s the next phase?

Go ahead and turn back to First Thessalonians 4. It’s nice to know that the dead will rise, but what about the people who are alive when Jesus comes? What happens to them?

This is the final phase of our study. Phase three: the transformation of the living. The transformation of the living.

Verse 17 continues—Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

It’s silly to think that the people who died will get new bodies but the people who are alive won’t get it. Once the dead are raised, it’s time for the living to be transformed too. The transformation isn’t specifically mentioned, but it’s implied because we’ll be together.

Verse 17 says the living are going to be “caught up” in the clouds. The Greek verb there is harpádzo, which is not a familiar word. It’s a pretty violent term. It means to be snatched up, or taken, by an outside force.

In Matthew 11, it used in connection to violent men seizing a kingdom. In Matthew 12, it’s used for a thief carrying off the stolen property. In Matthew 13, it’s used for Satan snatching away the truth from the heart of an unbeliever.

In John 10 it’s used for a wolf snatching away sheep. In Acts 8, it’s used for the time that Philip disappeared after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch. And in Acts 23, it describes Paul being pried away from a violent mob by the Roman soldiers.

Those are a lot of examples, but it’s to give you some images associated with the word Paul uses. Christ is going to snatch away His people.

In the Latin translation of the Bible, the verb used is rapior and that is related to the Latin term rapturo, which might sound a little more familiar. This is where we get the English word “rapture.”

First Thessalonians 4:17 is the only passage in the Bible that directly speaks to what many refer to as the rapture of the church. God is going to snatch us away. It’s an alien abduction, if you will, by the Supreme Alien, the one and only Creator of the universe.

The Christians who are alive when Christ returns aren’t going to taste death. But they will be immediately transformed.

The final section of 1 Corinthians 15 calls this a mystery, meaning it was something that hadn’t been revealed before. But Paul says, “We shall not all sleep, 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 imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

The church age is going to end, and those who trusted in Christ, whether living or dead, are going to be transformed.

Now, like I pointed out last time, Paul is not just trying to fill in the people’s theology. He’s writing to comfort them concerning those who have passed. Look at verse 17 one more time, and notice how Paul emphasizes the fact that in the grace of Christ we will all be reunited.

He writes—We who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

For those who have received the grace of Christ, the living and the dead are going to be reunited in a glorified body. And forever, we will be together, and we will be with our Lord and Savior who has graciously given us eternal life. This is meant to encourage us. Verse 18 says, “Therefore encourage one another with these words.” Keep repeating these truths to yourself and to those around you. Death is not the end.

Our church is no stranger to sickness and sorrow and death. We have people who have been afflicted with severe illnesses and conditions that make life very difficult. We’ve also already lost brothers and sisters, grandsons and granddaughters, grandmas and grandpas, sons and daughters.

I’ve been on staff here full-time for almost 8 years. Many of you know that my first week here was preparing for a funeral. Since then, I and our church have been a part of 30 more funerals. That’s 31 funerals, by my count, in less than 8 years. And that’s not counting those who passed before I came on staff. But you know who they are.

We know what it is to face death and tragedy. We know what it means to live under the curse. But death for us has an expiration date. Death doesn’t get the final say. Christ has won the victory, and we will be raised together with our Lord. Encourage one another with these words.

To the world, it sounds like science fiction, but we know it’s the truth. This is what the word of God has told us, and we can be confident that this is what will take place. This world is running right on time with God’s calendar. And nobody is going to change His perfect plan and His perfect timing.

What we need to do is keep setting our sights on that day. First John 3 says—Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Set your hope in Christ and He will purify you until the day you see Him. When is that day? When is Christ going to initiate the next phase of human history? Lord willing, we’ll talk about that next time.