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    1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
    Lesson 395

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:
     
    The critical point in 1 Thessalonians.
    The Second Coming (4:13-18).
     
    Be prepared (5:4-8).
     
    Verses 4:13-18 comfort the bereaved. 

    The Second Coming. 
    (Unknown artist)
    Study Tip:
     
    An excellent way to grasp difficult passages is to put them in your own words.

    The First Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Thessalonians

    The King James Bible    ​



    1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
    The Coming of the Lord

    13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  

    ​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.

    18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.


    1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
    Be ready

    1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

    2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

    3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

    4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

    5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

    6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

    7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

    8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

    9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

    10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

    ​11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

    ​
    Margin notes:
     
    "Them which are asleep." (4:13) - "Those who are dead (John 11:11-14; Acts 7:59-60)."
     
    "Jesus died." (4:14) - Why did Jesus die?  See 1 Corinthians 15:3.
     
    "Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." (4:14) - "Those who died believing in Jesus, will return with Him."  Paul is putting to rest the Thessalonian's concern that the Second Coming (Judgment Day, the Rapture) is for the living and that deceased believers will not be resurrected.
     
    "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord." (4:15) - "For these things we tell you come from the Lord."
     
    "We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." (4:15) - "We who are alive when the Lord comes will not come before those who are dead."  This means Christians alive when Jesus returns will not come before believers who have died.
     
    "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout." (4:16) - Jesus will return, as He promised in Matthew 24:30 and John 14:2-3.  See also 1 Corinthians 15:52.
     
    "The archangel." (4:16) - A top-ranked angel, like Michael the archangel.
     
    "The dead in Christ shall rise first." (4:16) - "Those who died believing in Christ will rise first."
     
    "Caught up." (4:17) - Translated from the Latin word rapio, meaning to snatch up or take away.  The word rapture comes from rapio.
     
    "The clouds." (4:17) - Jesus left in a cloud (Acts 1:9), and He will return in triumph the same way (Revelations 1:7).
     
    "The times and the seasons." (5:1) - "The time or date."
     
    "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." (5:2) - "The day of the Second Coming will arrive without warning."  Jesus also used the "thief in the night" metaphor to highlight the unexpected nature of His Second Coming in Matthew 24:42-44, Mark 13:32-37, Luke 12:39-40, and 21:25-36.  Only God knows the day of the Second Coming.  Not even Jesus (Mark 13:32) or the angels in heaven know (Matthew 24:35-36).
     
    "As travail upon a woman with child." (5:3) - "Like labor pains to a woman with child."
     
    "Ye are all the children of light." (5:5) - "You are all the children of God."  See Ephesians 5:8 and 1 John 1:6-7.
     
    "Let us not sleep." (5:6) - Refers to spiritual sleep.
     
    "Be sober." (5:6) - Be calm, clearheaded, somber.
     
    "The breastplate of faith and love." (5:8) - Just as an armor breastplate protected a soldier in battle, faith and love protects the believer.  See Ephesians 6:13-17 to read more about Christian armor.
     
    "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." (5:9) - Jesus came to save us from punishment.
     
    "Whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." (5:10) - "Whether we're alive or dead (when Christ returns), we will live with Him forever." 
     
    "Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another." (5:11) - "Encourage and strengthen (teach) each other."
    To learn more about the resurrected body, read 1 Corinthians 15:35-55.

    The "day of the Lord" is an essential biblical concept discussed in both the Old and New Testaments.
    See Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-11; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:30-32; Amos 5:18; Matthew 25:1-13; Acts 2:20;
    ​    2 Thessalonians 2:2; and 2 Peter 3:10 to learn more.


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
    The Hope of the Resurrection
     
    13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.

    14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
     
    15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.

    16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.

    17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

    18 So encourage each other with these words.
     

    1 Thessalonians 5:1-11                   

    ​1 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you.

    2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.

    3 When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
     
    4 But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.

    5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night.

    6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

    7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.

    8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
     
    9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.

    10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.

    ​11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.     

    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:

    1. How can this passage comfort the bereaved?




    Strengthen your relationship with God by studying the Bible every day.
    Answer: (Do you agree?)
     
    1. This passage comforts the bereaved with its promise that those who die in Christ will be resurrected when Jesus returns (4:16), that Christians will receive new incorruptible bodies, and that believers will be reunited forever in heavenly glory (4:17).  This is the antidote for those who fear death.  Pray and prepare yourself for the Second Coming.




    Application thought for the day:
     
    The "day of the Lord" will arrive without warning (5:2).
    Are you ready?     ​   
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    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke.  Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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