Knowledge of Hope

Are you looking forward to Jesus’ return?

Since sin came into the world, death prevailed. Maybe you have heard the song “Flesh and Blood” sung by John R. Cash. The song ends with these words:

“So when this Day was ended I was still not satisfied For I knew ev'rything I touched Would wither and would die And Love is all that will remain And grow from all these Seed;”

God, who is himself love, still remains. He has so loved his people that he will raise them up on the last day. No more will there be separation. No more will there be corruption. No more pain. No more death. Only life. Life together with God and God’s people.

Know There Will Be Reunion

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 ESV

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. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Chrysostom said, “none of this is painful to us, if we are willing to cultivate wisdom.”

1 Thessalonians 5:13–14 ESV

and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-

1 Thessalonians 4:13-

Augustine:

New Testament IX: Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Sadness and Hope

Paul didn’t just say that you may not be saddened, but that you may not be saddened as the heathen are, who do not have any hope. It is unavoidable, after all, that you should be saddened; but when you feel sad, let hope console you.

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 2.13: Gregory the Great (Part II), Ephraim Syrus, Aphrahat (Catholic Edition) Epistle CVII

Still, lest some tribulation should still maintain itself in your soul, I exhort you to rest from sorrow, to cease to be sad. For it is unseemly to addict oneself to wearisomeness of affliction for those of whom it is to be believed that they have attained to true life by dying. Those have perhaps just excuse for long continued grief who know not of another life, and have no trust that there is a passing from this world to a better. We, however, who know this, who believe it and teach it, ought not to be too much distressed for them that depart, lest what in others has a show of affection, be to us rather a matter of blame. For it is, as it were, a kind of distrust to be tormented by sadness in opposition to what everyone preaches, as the Apostle says, But we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope (1 Thess. 4:12).

In Jesus said, “our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I go that I may awaken him from sleep.” This is why Jesus will return. His friend Lazarus and many of our friends are “sleeping.” They have passed on to the intermediate state. Jesus will return so that we may all complete our journey together to glory.

So sure is Jesus’ victory and promise that perhaps we should not even call it death. Instead, perhaps we should but call it sleeping. For Christ will awaken us just as easily as we might wake a baby from a nap.

Know What Will Happen

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 ESV

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. 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. 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.

John of Damascus:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-

New Testament IX: Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Resurrection

Then after long seasons, Christ our God shall come to judge the world in awful glory, beyond words to tell. For fear of him the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and all the angel hosts shall stand beside him in dread. Then at the voice of the archangel, and at the trump of God, shall the dead arise and stand before his awful throne. Now the resurrection is the reuniting of soul and body. So that very body, which decays and perishes, shall arise incorruptible. And concerning this, take care not to be overwhelmed by unbelief, for it is not impossible for him, who at the beginning formed the body out of earth, when according to its maker’s judgment it had returned to earth whence it was taken, to raise the same again. BARLAAM AND IOASAPH 8.64

Keep Looking Up

1 Thessalonians 4:18 ESV

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The word παρακαλεω is translated as comfort, encourage, and urge in the New Testament.

It is defined as “to instill someone with courage or cheer” (BDAG).

The OT in Greek uses this word to translate Hebrew words which mean to console, comfort, move on further, become strong, restore to health, and to dream.

If we can put all that together, then we see that we are told to be comforted and be strong as we are restored and keep on dreaming of the future we have in Christ.

The first time this word is used in the LXX. is in when Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death when he married Rebekah to be his wife.

Joseph’s father refused to be comforted in when he learned of Joseph’s disappearance. If only he had known Joseph was thrown in a pit, sold into a foreign land, and was being used by God to bring about the redemption of his people. If only Jacob had known this, perhaps he could have been comforted.

One greater than Joseph has suffered for us. He has been thrown into the depths of death itself. He has destroyed the bonds of bondage and went to our future home to prepare us a place—just like Joseph did. But this is better. Jesus has given us hope. Do not refuse to be comforted. Be comforted. Rejoice in God.

Jesus promised “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted” ().

Comfort comes from God for his Christians.

2 Corinthians 1:3–7 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:4

Are you ready?