Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (King James Version)
" But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
John 11: 25-26 (King James Version)
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
"What will happen when Jesus appears in the clouds
to catch away His followers in the air?
"I want you to know that this message is not the products of man's thinking.
It is The Word of God.
Paul, the apostle, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says that what he is telling us is a divine message, "this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord". If Christ had not died, He would not have to be resurrected.
As I studied again this portion of Scripture concerning the appearing of Jesus to rapture His Church, the Lord gave me a number of descriptive words. Today I want to share them with you. My prayer is that these words will strengthen your faith, stimulate hope and challenge your hearts.
The first word is REAPPEARANCE. The Word says here (text above) that Jesus Himself shall descend from Heaven. When Jesus ascended to the Father, two men in white apparel said, "this same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go." (Acts 1:11) The same Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary, conceived of God, raised from the dead, who ascended on high and who sent us the precious Holy Spirit. This same Jesus is going to REAPPEAR in the clouds of glory. Amen? He will appear again 7 years later from this time and literally come back to this earth. But - His REAPPEARANCE at this time will be in the air. It will not be a mistake - not a mystery nor a myth.....it will be a MIGHTY MANIFESTATION . There is much speculation as to what "His shout" will consist of. Certainly it will be a shout of authority and victory. Perhaps His shout will correspond with
Revelation 4:1 which says, "come up hither and I will show you things which must be hereafter." One thing we do know and that is His people will recognize His voice and hear His command. He said in John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me." Only those individuals who have given their hearts to the Lord Jesus will hear Him when He shouts from the Heavens. Only those who have heard His voice of pardon and forgiveness. At this moment of time it will be irrelevant if you are alive on this earth or you have already departed and have already gone to the grave. Those who recognize His voice will drop what they are doing. Can you imagine?
My next word is REVELATION. Following the shout of Jesus another voice is heard.....the voice of the archangel. Angels accompanied Jesust first appearance to earth and REVEALED Him as the Savior which is Christ the Lord. A humble babe in a manger. But, when He reappears to rapture His church the archangel will unveil Him in all of His power and glory. 2 Thessalonians 1:7.."The Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels. What the archangel says we don't know for sure...but, perhaps it will correspond with Revelation 19: 6-7, "Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us rejoice and be glad for the marriage of the Lamb is come and the bride hath made herself ready."
Have we made ourselves ready?
Are we ready for His reappearing?
Are we ready for the revelation of Himself
as Lord of Lords and King of Kings
in ALL of His power and glory?
The Lord God Omnipotent is coming!
REVEILLE is my next word. Following the shout of the King and the voice of the archangel will be the trump of God. The signal to arise! Listen.....the night is about over, a new day is dawning. Christ is about to come back. The trumpet is about to signal us home. It is REVEILLE time for God's people! We are about to get our marching orders to come a little higher. Time is so close! We can almost stop looking for signs and start listening for sounds. Listen for the shout of Jesus and the voice of the archangel. Listen for the trumpet of God.
Are we ready to rise?
The next word that God revealed to me was RESURRECTION. In response to the sound and signals from the skies, those who have previously died in the Lord will come forth from their graves. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says that "The dead in Christ shall rise first and those that are alive and remaining shall not prevent (or precede) them who had died in the Lord". Praise God! Whether we have died before Jesus comes or if we are alive when He comes....We will be caught up together (no one takes precedence over another) to be forever with the Lord. This is a resurrection from among the dead....the first resurrection. The second resurrection will be when the unbelievers will come forth to face the great white throne judgment...the resurrection of damnation.
When the saints of God come bursting forth from their graves, there are three words that will describe this scene. At this time there will be no congestion, no collisions and nothing more than the suns rays streaming....
There will be a REVIVAL. When we see our living loved ones and our Lord Jesus, it will be a REUNION like no one has ever been witness to. Talk about something to REJOICE over. If this REVIVAL, this REUNION and the unbelievable REJOICING doesn't cause us to shout with excitement, I'm not sure what will.
My next word is RAPTURE.
God's REVIVED, REUNITED and REJOICING people will be caught up to be with Jesus. At the time of rapture those alive will undergo a mighty change that is equivalent to death. 1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us that "in a moment in the twinkling of an eye" we shall shed these old bodies and put on a new body just like those that burst forth from the graves. They will be bodies that are not subject to sin and sickness but, "like unto His glorious body"....(Philippians 3:21) the glorified body of Jesus. When we see Him we shall be like Him! Hallelujah!
What a blessed hope we have as the children of God!
Revelation 22:12 says, "Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me...."
REWARD. God will reward every Christian according to this work. (Romans 2:6) At the judgment seat of Christ, every Christian will have their character and conduct tried by the fire of God. Let us now examine ourselves....judge ourselves....check out our character and conduct...and our motives, in the light of God's Holy Word that we might receive a "well done".
My final word is the word REMAINING.
Friends, Christ if coming again for those individuals who are prepared and ready for His coming.
But, what about those who have been left behind?
What about those who were not prepared
and were not ready for His return?
Yes, the coming again of our Lord is the blessed HOPE of those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. However, what a horrible dred it must be for those who are not saved and are not ready for this reunion with God. They will be subjected to the terrors and horrors of the tribulation period...the wrath and judgment of God....and the judgment bar of God. There will be the great white throne judgment and the Lake of Fire that will burn forever and forever.
(Revelation 20:11-15)
Hell is the final and eternal abode of all who reject Jesus Christ in this life.
There will be no second after death.
Today is the accepted time.....
NOW....
while you are alive and God is speaking to your heart.
Today is the day of salvation.
