Thessalonians
The letters to the Church at Thessalonica contain those verses that sparked the imagination of the pre-trib advocates. So we need to focus on these verses for a few minutes to see what is being address here. From the beginning of the letter Paul brings our focus to the return of our Lord.
“… to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1Th 1:10 AV)
And he never gets far from that theme as he continues to teach and exhort them.
The Coming of the Lord
“11 ¶ Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. 12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you: 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1Th 3:11-13 AV)
Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:26, and 1Thessalonians 4:17 are the only references in Scripture to the Saints being caught up to meet the Lord in the air, or raptured. The Matthew and Mark accounts place the timing of this event in relation to the coming of the Lord in power and glory. Here in Thessalonians the focus is on those who have died prior to Christ’s return.
Concern for the Dead
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.” (1Th 4:13 NAS)
It is important to note the issue that is being address in these scriptures. Obviously it is a concern for those who had died. At the writing of these letters there were probably still some who had witnessed the risen Christ and had seen His ascent into heaven. It must have been a glorious event, for the angel had to exhort them to stop gazing into the sky. With this experience they could have only imagined how glorious it would be when He returned. The resurrection and anticipation for Christ’s return was a focal point for the believer then as it should be for us today. But in the mean time believers were passing away. Were those who had passed on going to miss out on that glorious event? So to comfort those who were concerned Paul shared with them what had been revealed to him. Those who had passed on were indeed going to share in that glorious event. In fact they would be raised first and those who were remaining alive would then join them in the air as they were gathered together to meet the Lord on that glorious day.
“14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1Th 4:14-17 AV)
“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Th 4:18 AV)
Arguments From Silence
Pre-tribers will argue that the lack of discussion about tribulation is evidence that this event is different than Christ returns to render judgment on the unbelievers. As any good theologian will tell you, an argument from silence is never a very strong argument. The subject being addressed concerned those that had died, those essentially beyond tribulation, so why would tribulation enter the discussion?
Harmonizing Scripture
What is interesting is that the details concerning our gathering together with Jesus at His return harmonize with Matthew 24. The information Paul provides us with about the dead in Christ rising first and those of us remaining being caught up to meet the Lord, open our understanding of why Jesus said that the angels would gather the elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Indeed these verses harmonize on all points, for Matt. 24:30 states that all the tribes of the earth will see Christ coming in the clouds, with power and glory. Thess. 4:17 says that we will be caught up to meet them in the clouds. Both texts talk of the trumpet being sounded. Unless we interject preconceived assumptions, there is perfect harmonization between these texts.
As Paul continues in the 5th chapter of Thessalonians he reminds us to be watching and ready, just as Jesus did in the following verses in Matthew 24. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. But it will not overtake us as a thief, for we are children of light. “Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.” (1Th 5:6 AV)
Maintaining Readiness
“23 ¶ And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful [is] he that calleth you, who also will do [it].” (1Th 5:23-24 AV)
Paul concludes this letter with a prayer for their holiness and that their whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes.
Paul ends on the same note he started this letter with, a focus on the return of our Lord.
II Thessalonians
“So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:” (2Th 1:4 AV)
As Paul begins his second letter to the Thessalonians he addresses the subject of persecutions and tribulations. He commends them for enduring tribulations not escaping them. He continues telling them that God will recompense the evil done to them when Christ returns.
The End of Tribulation and Suffering
“5 ¶ [Which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6 Seeing [it is] a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” (2Th 1:5-8 AV)
Notice in verse 7 when it is that we receive rest from our tribulation. Rest comes when Jesus is revealed from heaven with power and glory, in flaming fire taking vengeance.
“9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” (2Th 1:9-10 AV)
This time of vengeance is linked together with the time when Christ is glorified in His saints. The clear reading of the text gives us a much different picture than the pre-triber’s scenario that requires them to devise a scene based upon assumptions and conjecture.
Beware of False Teachers
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him,” (2Th 2:1 AV)
Again we are confronted with Scripture that is in complete harmony with Matthew 24 as it presents the coming of the Lord with our gathering together. The concern here, as in Matthew, is about those false teachers that would stir up God’s people to believe a lie.
“That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” (2Th 2:2 AV)
The Time of Christ’s Appearing
As Paul continues he tries to clarify the time frame in which the day of Christ will come.
“3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2Th 2:3-4 AV)
Paul makes it perfectly clear that the day of the Lord will not come until certain things take place. First there will be a falling away, or apostasy. Also that man of sin will be revealed as the son of perdition. We are given a description of how he exalts himself above all that is called God. He even sets himself up in the temple as God.
It appears that Paul has given us a description of that man so that when he lifts himself to this position it is the revelation that he is the son of perdition. Throughout the last 2000 years there have been times of apostasy in various places. There have several evil men that have been suspected of being that man of sin. But none to date have completely fulfilled the entire description of that man.
“Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?” (2Th 2:5 NAS)
This verse leaves us wondering what we don’t know that those in Thessalonica had been told when Paul was there. Speculation will be fruitless here and only leave us with someone’s opinion. But lack of information does not discount the information that we do have.
The Son of Perdition
“6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains [will do so] until he is taken out of the way.” (2Th 2:6-7 NAS)
There are a lot of opinions about what restrains him and what it means that when he who restrains is taken out of the way. Those in Thessalonica may have known but I’m not sure that we do. Is it the governments, the Church, the Holy Spirit, an angel, or what? It seems to me that he who restrains would have to have more power that the one who is enabled by the might of Satan. Would it not have to be a power from God? More to the point is that there is one who restrains this power from Satan and when he is removed the anti- Christ will be unrestrained and revealed the son of perdition.
“8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 [that is,] the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” (2Th 2:8-12 NAS)
I scratch my head wondering how pre-tribers can read these verses and still think the Church will be raptured before the last seven years of Satan’s dominion on this earth. We are given in these verses of instruction of how we will know who the anti-Christ is. That revelation comes shortly before Christ consumes that evil one at His coming. The remnant of God’s people will be here, why else the instruction.
“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil [one.]” (2Th 3:3 NAS)