Sunday, July 31, 2011

Jesus Appearance (10) - Last Trumpet

Paul describes the Appearance of Jesus in his first letter to the Thessalonians. He begins by encouraging Christians not to be sad about Christians who have died. Jesus died and rose again to give us hope beyond death. That hope is fulfilled in the Appearance of Jesus.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thes 4:16,17).
God is always in control, so the Last Day begins with a command from heaven. The heavenly archangel will sound his trumpet to announce the end of the age and a time of restitution (Lev 25:9). The heavens will be opened. The spiritual and physical worlds will merge in one new reality. From the perspective of heaven, it will seem like Jesus has gone down to earth. From the perspective of the earth, it will seem that the Christians have gone up. The reality is that the worlds have always been close. The appearance of Jesus brings them together, so we can be with our Lord forever.

1 comment:

Noah said...

Q: Do you see 1 Thess 4:16,17 as two events?

1. Jesus comes down from heaven and raises the dead in Christ.

- Jesus leaves. He takes this first group of folks with him somewhere.

2. After that (epeita - "only then"), those who were alive and got LEFT behind (perileipomai - "to be left remaining") will be caught up in the clouds with Jesus.

To me the first part sounds like a resurrection of the dead and the second part sounds like it speaks of what happens to the living who get left behind.

The second part possibly describes what happens to the living when they "die" - they will be caught up (snatched away) into the clouds (joining the previously resurrected dead) to be with the Lord forever.

What's the point of making a distinction between the living and the dead if this is one simultaneous event in which heaven and earth unite?

Curious to hear your thoughts.

Great posts!! :)