According to Paul: Shofar Call

Introduction

When we started this series we spoke about how the obscure passages should be interpreted in light of the plain and straight-forward passages. You might remember this slide that includes the foundation of the Gospels, with the letters resting on them and the apocalyptical visions at the top.

We have now covered the account of the Olivet Discourse in the three synoptic gospel, and the farewell discussion that Yeshua told his talmidim as recorded by John. Last week we also covered the Resurrection and ascension of Yeshua found in Acts 1, Zech. 14, and 1 Cor. 15.

This brought us to the Letters of Paul. Today we will continue that theme and begin to look at the first letter to the congregation in Thessalonica. To begin we will read the passage from 1 Thes. 3:11 - 4:18. I want to read the entire passage, because there are many timeline events as well as principles that we need to incorporate into our lives.

1 Thessalonians 3:11–4:18 TLV

Now may our God and Father Himself and Yeshua our Lord direct our way to you. May the Lord also cause you to increase and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you, in order to strengthen your hearts as blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Yeshua with all His kedoshim. Amen. Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and appeal in the Lord Yeshua—just as you received from us the way you ought to walk and please God (as in fact you are walking)—that you keep progressing more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Yeshua. For this is the will of God—your sanctification: to abstain from sexual immorality; to know, each of you, how to gain control over his own body in holiness and honor— not in the passion of lust like the pagans who do not know God; and not to overstep his brother and take advantage of him in this matter— because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, as we told you before and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness. Consequently, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but God, who gives His Ruach ha-Kodesh to you. Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write you—for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. In fact, you even practice it toward all your brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to keep progressing more and more and aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, just as we directed you— so you may behave properly toward outsiders and not have need of anything. Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, so with Him God will also bring those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua. For this we tell you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will 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 encourage one another with these words.

The Coming of Yeshua

The majority of the letter to the believers of Thessalonica is extremely encouraging. The congregation was applying all of the teaching of Paul to their lives, and to their way of life. I picked up here at the end of chapter 3, because it introduces the rest of the letter.

I hope that our community would also receive the same praise that Paul mentions here. It would be my greatest joy that we would “increase and overflow in love for one another and for all people.” What is interesting is that Paul gives a side benefit of this brotherly-love, by increasing in love within the community, they were preparing themselves for the return of Yeshua! By learning to love one another, we grow in blameless holiness, and are strengthened for when Yeshua returns.

There is one timeline event, and that is found in the last verse of chapter 3, and leads us into chapter 4. Paul states that when Yeshua returns, all His kedoshim will come with him. Did you catch that? We know that Yeshua will return at the head of armies of angels, as it says in Rev. 19:11-16

Revelation 19:11–16 TLV

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One riding on it is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and many royal crowns are on His head. He has a name written that no one knows except 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, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword—so that with it He may strike down the nations—and He shall rule them with an iron rod, and He treads the winepress of the furious wrath of Elohei-Tzva’ot. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “King of kings, and Lord of lords.”

But this passage simply calls them “armies of heaven” and does no go into the detail, whereas Paul explicitly states that the kedoshim will be coming with Yeshua. Now I don’t know how much fighting we will be required to do (I think that Yeshua is more than able to take care of that himself), but we will be with him. Why come with him if we will not stick around?

The language that Paul uses is actually quoting from Zech. 14:5 which we talked about last week. Remember that the entire prophesy of Zech. 14 is around the “Day of Adonai.”

Zechariah 14:5 TLV

Then you will flee through My mountain valley because the mountain valley will reach to Azel. Yes, you will flee like you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then Adonai my God will come and all the kedoshim with Him.

Did you catch that, at the end? After Adonai splits the Mount of Olives, then he will come with all the kedoshim with Him.

Walking in Sanctification

The beginning of chapter 4 details how we ought to live our lives. Paul emphasises that this is all the more important as the day of Yeshua’s return comes closer. Paul mentions that all these character qualities are directly from the teachings of Yeshua. We need to remember that the majority of the Gospels were written later, with the exception of Mark. Let’s look at a few of the qualities that Paul reminds us to incorporate in our lives.

abstain from sexual immorality

gain control over our own bodies

do not act in the passion of lust

do not take advantage of our brethren

be filled with brotherly love

We can clearly see that these things align with the fruit of the Ruach that we are called to have in our lives. Paul is completely consistent throughout all his letters. Gal. 5:19-24

Galatians 5:19–24 TLV

Now the deeds of the flesh are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, witchcraft, hostility, strife, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, just as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit God’s kingdom. But the fruit of the Ruach is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The Shofar Call

The second half of chapter 4 gives us a few more timeline events. Paul starts with a verse that I have often quoted at funerals. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 “Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope.”

I am reminded of this again with the passing of my Aunti Robyn last Saturday. The sorrow that we feel is for ourselves who are currently left behind. She is not missing us, but we are missing her.

Paul once again reminds the believers that Yeshua will be bringing those believers in Yeshua with Him when He returns. This is an important fact, as evidenced by the repetition. Paul wants the Thessalonians to know that when Yeshua returns, the follows of Yeshua are returning with Him.

I point this out, because this certainly seems very public, and why get all dressed up in your nice white clothes, if you are not going to a wedding party? It does not seem like the rapture will take us away to live in heaven, but rather meet the Lord Yeshua in the air, and come back with all of the other believers who are returning with Him.

Now for clarification, Paul lays out the exact order of the events:

we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep.

For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout,

with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar, and

the dead in Messiah shall rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will 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.

Now this is the only time in Scripture where the word “rapture” is used. So let me ask you, does this sound like it is going to be a quiet, secret event, with no one else knowing about it? Or does it sound like a public event that occurs immediately after Yeshua returns?

Michael Brown and Craig Keener write the following in their book, Not Afraid of the Antichrist: Why we don’t believe in a pre-tribulation rapture:

When we are “caught up” in 1 Thess. 4:17, it is to “meet” the Lord in the air. What does it mean to “meet” the descending Lord? The term used here for “meeting” was sometimes conjoined with Parousia (coming). When an important personage was coming to a city (in a Parousia), a delegation from the city would go out to “meet” him and then escort him on his way into the city. That is, the term used here for “meeting” most often means meeting someone on his or her way and then accompanying that person the rest of the way. That is also its sense in its other New Testament uses (see Matt. 25:6, Acts 28:15). Jesus does not meet us on our way up to heaven; rather, we meet Him on His way down to rule the earth.

When Yeshua returns, He will have His work cut out for Him. We read in 1 Cor 15:23-26

1 Corinthians 15:23–26 TLV

But each in its own order: Messiah the firstfruits; then, at His coming, those who belong to Messiah; then the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

We read this passage last week, because Yeshua is the “Firstfruits” of those who have risen from the dead. But when Yeshua returns, His first task will be to bring the entire world (all rule and all authority and power) under his authority. I am not certain how long that will take, but I do know that the nations that refuse to submit to Yeshua, will not get rain, as we read in Zech. 14:16-19

Zechariah 14:16–19 TLV

Then all the survivors from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot, and to celebrate Sukkot. Furthermore, if any of the nations on earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot, they will have no rain. If the Egyptians do not go up and celebrate, they will have no rain. Instead, there will be the plague that Adonai will inflict on the nations that do not go up to celebrate Sukkot. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate Sukkot.

The reason that the Egyptians are singled out, is that Egypt was supplied water by the river Nile, not just rain. So even if a nation thinks that they can last without rain, Yeshua will have multiple tools at His disposal to bring all nations into alignment.

Summary

Let us summarize and have another look at the Summary slide and the Timeline.