PAUL IS SPEAKING OF THE RESURRECTION
Paul is NOT speaking of the normal passing of human beings as most of the pagan world around them saw it. He is informing the believers not to worry as others do about their loved ones. Some pagans thought the dead were gone for good. Note how Paul alleviates the fears and grief of the believers.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 NKJV 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.
Paul is describing them as SLEEPING-not alive in heaven. They are alive but in a state of sleep. Jesus shocked the religious leaders of Israel and the people with this truth.
Matthew 22:31-33 NKJV 31 "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." 33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
The gospel of Jesus is all about the coming government or kingdom of God arriving at his second coming. Then believers will be resurrected as kings and priests to help Christ in his bringing paradise to earth. The second coming of Jesus is what this part of Paul's letter to the Thessalonians is all about. He is encouraging them with wonderful news of the resurrection of believers in the first resurrection.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-16 NKJV 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.
Paul is reminding the believers that death in Christ is not the end, but for them soon a wonderful new beginning. Further those of us who live until the second coming will not precede them into the Kingdom of God. This letter is all about the resurrection of Christians at the second coming of Jesus Christ; note verse 16. They will rise to meet Christ in the air, the atmosphere over this earth. Verse 17.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 NKJV 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.
Thus we will all be with the Lord in the air, the clouds, the atmosphere of earth.
WHERE WILL THE MESSIAH GO UPON HIS RETURN?
Then what? Where do the angels and Jesus and the saints go upon the second coming? Since all believers will be with Christ in the air, the question is where will Christ be when he lands upon earth? Christ is coming to this earth. Zechariah 14:1-4 shows that on the very day mentioned in I Thessalonians 4:17, Christ will be standing on the Mount of Olives which is on the EARTH.
Zechariah 14:1-4 NKJV 1 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,...2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem.... 3 Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. 4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east...
While on earth he will force all nations to keep the Feast of Tabernacles and God’s true religion, see Zachariah 14: 16-17.
He will bring about order and truth to our previously chaotic and disturbed planet. He is coming in all glory with His angels to judge and rule all nations note Matt 25:31-32.
Matthew 25:31-34 NKJV 31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him.... 33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Believers will inherit power in God's kingdom which at that time will also rule on the earth. His saints we true believers, will be given power to rule the nations with a rod of iron. See Rev 2: 26-27. They will be kings and priests with Him ruling on the EARTH. See also Rev 5:10.
Revelation 2:26-27 NKJV 26 "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations-- 27 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels' --as I also have received from My Father;
Revelation 5:10 NKJV 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."
Believers will rule on earth under Christ at his victorious second coming. Jesus came the first time to die for our sins and He will return to take dominion over all nations and lead them to righteousness. All deceased believers are asleep awaiting this glorious second coming.
NO ONE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN
The Bible says no one has ascended to heaven including great prophets of the past like David. See Acts 2:29, 34 and John 3:13.
Acts 2:29-34 NKJV 29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this
day. 30 "Therefore, being a prophet.... 34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand,
This is part of the very first sermon given at Pentecost in the new covenant era. God's church taught the truth from the beginning. No one has entered heaven with the exception of Jesus Christ.
John 3:13 NKJV 13 "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.
None of the great saints and prophets of the past are in heaven. Possibly in the distant future, we will all as part of God's family, do wonderful things in the newly reorganized universe.
Revelation 21:1-2 NKJV 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The remodeled earth will then be apparently the headquarters of a new universe.
