The Lord's Coming To The Air

by R. A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Category: Maran Atha | Sept 1999

In 1954 the late James Martin of Wigan wrote, 'No fact of history is more clearly established than the first coming of the Lord. No future event is more emphatically foretold than His second coming'. One of the main passages of Scripture which foretell His coming again is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and it contributes greatly to our under-standing of the nature of His return.

When the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Thessalonians almost twenty five years had elapsed since the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven. The disciples in Thessalonica had suffered much because of their faith. Some had lost loved ones who had died in Christ, and they were not clear what had happened to them. They were confused and sorrowful, and this the apostle knew. It is true that when he was with them he had taught them orally (2 Thes. 2:5) but now he was writing to them 'to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled' (2 Thes. 2:2). In both his letters the recurring theme, to which he returns in each chapter, is the coming again (R.V. margin, Gr. Presence) of the Lord Jesus.

As the Lord had spoken words of peace to the troubled hearts of His disciples in the Upper Room, so Paul ministered comfort to the saints in Thessalonica. These same words of peace and comfort come to our hearts nearly two thousand years later. 'Wherefore comfort one another with these words' (1 Thes. 4:18).

What a wonderful conversion the Thessalonians had experienced, 'unto God from idols'! Now the on-going purpose of their lives was 'to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven' (1 Thes. 1:9,10). Their watch-words 'Serve' and 'Wait' should be ours too. As the apostle Paul had his reward for service, centred in his case in the Thessalonians, his 'joy, or crown of glorying' (1 Thes. 2:19) so also would they. And so shall we, if we 'have loved his appearing' (2 Tim. 4:8).

The apostle's concern was that they should not sorrow for those who had fallen asleep, like those who had no hope. For they had a hope, a sure and certain hope, and it was founded in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 'For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep through Jesus (R.V. margin) will God bring with him (1 Thes. 4:14). 'Fallen asleep' refers to the believer's body, of course, not his soul, for the born-again person who is absent from the body is at home with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:8), 'with Christ; for it is very far better' (Phil. 1:23).

Our hearts warm and thrill at the prospect of what will happen when the Lord Jesus returns, as outlined in this passage of Scripture. Clearly it will be a series of events, one following close after the other, as indicated by the words 'first', 'then' and 'so' of verses 16 and 17. We note the certainty of it, emphasized by the repeated 'shall'. 'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven... the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we that are alive shall be caught up'... and so shall we ever be with the Lord' (1 Thes. 4:13-18).

The very anticipation of it must surely fill our hearts with joy as we remember that soon maybe we shall hear the commanding shout of the Lord Jesus (Gr. keleusma, a call, summons, shout of command) as He descends from heaven. This will be accompanied by the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. The trumpet will sound more than once, for 1 Corinthians 15:52 refers to the last trump. And at the last trump, 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye... the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed'. And then raised and living saints together will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. What a meeting that will be. 'Our gathering together unto him' (2 Thes. 2:1), as the apostle Paul described it, no doubt thinking back to the Feast of Ingathering which the people of Israel were commanded by God to keep.

As we journey onward the days darken as iniquity increases and maybe the love of the many is growing cold. But let us be encouraged, for the signs around us surely indicate that 'the coming of the Lord is at hand' (James 5:8).

R. A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Sept 1999
Maran Atha