ESOCS Devotional 13 May 2024 – Rapture of the Saints
MEMORY VERSE: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain 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: 16-17 NKJV
TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
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The rapture is a reference to the great events foretold in scripture when dead believers will rise from the dead to be with the Lord. Those still living are mysteriously changed. Then, together all believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This event has been identified by both theologians and evangelicals with the Second Coming of Christ. It has also been said that this will mark the end of the present world system (Matthew 24:29-30; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).
In regard to the resurrected saints, their bodies that were buried will be the seed that will give birth to a changed and transformed spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:35-57; Philippians 3:20-21). The believers in Christ will be resurrected to be with the Lord, while unbelievers will also come forth from their graves, to face judgment and everlasting torment (Matthew 25:41). Moreover, once the saints are embodied again with a spiritual body, then they are destined to everlasting dwelling with the Lord. This is the final desire and destination of every believer in Christ Jesus. That is, to be granted a spiritual body, and to be with the Lord forever in the new heaven (John 14:3; 2 Peter 3: 10-13).
It follows therefore that, since our hope is to dwell in eternal bliss with our loved ones in His presence, there is a need to comfort and edify one another with these thoughts in our hearts (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13). Though we do not, and may not understand fully the nature of this mystery, we must discuss it as our living hope, in order to bring comfort to ourselves in this world of suffering and sin. For now, we can only walk by faith; and then, trust wholly in the witness of the scriptures that report to us concerning the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 10:17).
By and large, all who have been resurrected with Jesus from the grave of baptism, will be resurrected to walk with Him in the new world order that is yet to come (Romans 6:3-6). Blessed be the Name of the Lord, whose mercies endures forever.
- But some argue and say, “How are the dead raised up? Are you also sceptical?
- Lord Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life. Please help my unbelief.
Further Reading: Exodus 7:25-8, 15; 1 Kings 12:25-33; Mark 3:13-30
ESOCS Devotional 13 May 2024
