Yes, He’s Coming Back

What’s the next event on God’s timeline?

Paul answers that question with what many call one of the most important prophetic passages in Scripture—the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Contrary to what many think, imminent doesn’t mean immediate. The Lord’s return may or may not happen in our lifetime. But if you’re alive when Jesus Christ calls for His church to join Him in the air, you’re in for quite a ride! Just look at 1 Thessalonians 4:17:

“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.”

Those words “caught up” mean “to snatch up or to rapture.” The rapture of the church can take place at any moment; it is the next event to happen in God’s program.

Paul writes the Thessalonians about the rapture because they were worried. Paul had taught them the Lord Jesus might come at any moment. Since then, some in their congregation had died. The Lord hadn’t come yet, so had these loved ones missed the rapture?

We must remember the Thessalonians lived in the earliest days of the church. We’ve lived two thousand years since. Literally millions of believers—most of the church—have already walked through the doorway of death. Only a small minority remains in the world. What will happen to all those saints who have died?

Paul says to them, “I don’t want you to feel like you’re in the dark on this. About the people who ‘have fallen asleep,’” he says, referring to the death of the body (since our soul never dies). To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 5:8). These old bodies will be put in a grave, and there they are going to sleep. The spirit goes to be with the Lord.

Believers can grieve the temporary loss of a loved one, but we can look forward to that day we are reunited in the air! You can tell by the way the people weep whether they have that hope or not.

Ready for a beautiful picture? The rapture will go like this: first the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel that will sound in quality, majesty, and authority like the trumpet of God.

Then, the church will respond in a very orderly process.

The dead will rise first out of their graves. Maybe Stephen will lead the procession since he was the first martyr (see Acts 7). Then there will be the apostles and all those millions who have laid down their lives for Jesus. They will just keep coming from right down through the centuries. Finally, if we are alive at that time, we will bring up the rear of the parade.

We not only should comfort each other with this reminder but we should challenge each other and talk about these things.

So to answer the question—what will happen to those who have died? They will be snatched out of their graves! Then whoever is alive at that time will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air.

And from that moment on into eternity, we will be with the Lord.

Next: Is Jesus the “thief in the night?”