1st Thess 4
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.
The comfort or ''blessed hope'' is that the dead will be raised at the coming of Christ. The fact that the living will also be caught up when this occurs is a insignificant side note. Our comfort is that if we know Christ rose we will rise as well. This passage has nothing to do with escaping the Tribulation. Matter of fact it is clear that the resurrection or the ''rapture does not occur until the post trib 2nd coming. Pretribbers better face it we will be here for the trib unless we die first.
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.
The comfort or ''blessed hope'' is that the dead will be raised at the coming of Christ. The fact that the living will also be caught up when this occurs is a insignificant side note. Our comfort is that if we know Christ rose we will rise as well. This passage has nothing to do with escaping the Tribulation. Matter of fact it is clear that the resurrection or the ''rapture does not occur until the post trib 2nd coming. Pretribbers better face it we will be here for the trib unless we die first.