There is a marvelous promise in 1 Thessalonians. If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you are familiar with it, perhaps even memorized it … maybe even long for its fulfillment every day.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive 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 HCSB]
Lots of scholarly discussion around this verse (and other similar ones). There is always lots of discussion about End Time events. Does this indicate a Rapture? Or is it speaking of the Second Coming? If there is a Rapture, will it happen at the beginning of the Tribulation, or perhaps in the middle? Will Christians go through the Tribulation, all of it or maybe just a bit of it?
Christians are often divided on End Time events and how they will unfold. Most of us have formed an opinion. Want to know what I believe?
Jesus is coming back for us.
If we are dead, we are going with Him.
If we are alive, we are going with Him.
We will all meet up with Him in the air.
And the best part of it all … “we will always be with the LORD!”
I do not have to know when or how all that will happen. The LORD knows. It does not matter if I believe in a Rapture or not. I believe in the LORD, I am HIS, so I’m going no matter when He comes for me.
And whenever, however, all this takes place, we will always … ALWAYS … be with our Precious Savior, Christ Jesus the LORD!
