The Rapture, I Thessalonians 1:10

Defining Your Eschatology

The definition of how and what you believe about the Lord’s return will guide much of how you interpret your Bible. When someone asks me what do I believe is going to happen concerning the Lord’s return, I quote I Thessalonians 1:10:

King James Version Chapter 1

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Jesus is going to deliver us from the wrath to come. Where is that wrath coming from? The wrath of God will fall upon mankind during the 7 year tribulation period. We are right now in this season waiting for His deliverance. He will return before the start of the tribulation. We do not know the hour of that return. It could happen at any time. It is imminent. Remember that word “imminent.” It does not mean right now or fifty years from now. It means it could happen at any time. Even Jesus said no man knows the hour of our Lord’s return. It is even bad theology to try and predict it. We know when it will be the “season” of that return, but not the day. Several years I came upon this text in I Thessalonians after being terrible embarrassed at my ordination in 1981. I had no idea people would attend who did not think like me. Little did I know there a whole multitude of men who did not share my view. When asked what my view of the Lord’s return would be, I proudly quoted I Thessalonians 4:16-18:

King James Version Chapter 4

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 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.

The man who asked the question said that the passage tells us how it is going to happen and the passage is of great comfort but it does dot prove the pre-tribulation return of Jesus Christ. I was not aware of I Thessalonians 1:10. It does a much better job. There are others, but this is very good. A closer answer to what he was seeking is found there. The Son will come from heaven and save us from the coming wrath.

When my wife and I were dating and discussing marriage and dating, we also discussed spiritual matters especially the Lord’s return. It was important to me that we be on the same page concerning eschatology. She is a very organized, math minded individual and when I told her the Lord will return previous to the tribulation, she said many do not believe that. Some say He will return during the mid-point of the tribulation and some say at the end of the tribulation. A pre-tribulation stance usually puts you on the spot. She said she was not even sure herself that I was correct. Remember her organization skills and it is a truth I am sort of a “messy” at times. My garage was a prime example of disorganization. But I am comfortable with my garage and where the tools are. I gave her this example: “sweetheart if you do not believe our Lord is coming to save us from the wrath to come, you can stay behind and clean the garage.” It was miraculous and instantaneous acceptance of belief! She believed my way in that moment because no amount of favor was going to push her into going in a cleaning the garage if I was gone.

Those who enter the tribulation( that will be anyone who had not believed before His return) are going to be the garage/garbage pickers and scavengers of the homes and businesses of the believers after we are removed from the Earth.