Jesus is Coming Soon

Rapture: In Latin the word for “caught up” is rapturo, from which comes the term “Rapture.” This is the Rapture of the church, when Christians are caught up to meet Christ in the clouds..

Second Coming:

Revelation 19:11–21 ESV

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Previous mentions of His return

1 Thessalonians 1:10 “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

1 Thessalonians 2:12 “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?”

1 Thessalonians 3:13 “so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

Jesus Does Not Know When He will Return

Mark 13:32 ““But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14 “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”

1 Thessalonians 4:15 “For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16 “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. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17 “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.”

1 Thessalonians 4:18 “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 4

The word “cemetery” means a sleeping-place

The fear of death Fallen Asleep = Dead

Mark 5:39 “And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.””

John 11:11 “After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.””

Daniel 12:2 “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Ecclesiastes 12:7 “and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

Grief

Hope

The raptured promise:

is as sure as the resurrection of Jesus

comes directly from the Lord

Christ will leave His position at the right hand of the Father to descend to earth Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Acts 1:11 “and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.””

A series of loud noises will herald His coming

Cry of command John 11:43 “When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.””

Voice of the Archangel

Trumpet of God

Soul and flesh will once again be reunited

The current living believers will meet them in the air 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 “Behold! I tell you a mystery. 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.”

We will be changed

We will forever be with the Lord John 14:2–3 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”