1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 “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. (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.”
In this section we want to discuss the beginning of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Obviously the Lord’s millennial reign will begin at His second coming, and so in this section we want to discuss the first event linked to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ i.e. the rapture. Scripture teaches us that when Jesus returns, He will not come directly to the earth to begin His millennial reign. Rather as revealed to us in the above quoted passage of scripture, the Lord will descend to a spiritual realm located just above the earth called “the air”. This realm is not to be confused with the physical atmosphere of the earth however, because it is actually a heavenly realm. It is from this realm that Satan and his angels currently rule the earth, for scripture refers to Satan as being the prince of the power of “the air” (Ephesians 2:2), and his angels as being spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). So why will Jesus descend to a realm inhabited by Satan and his angels? The answer to that question is that Satan and his angels would have been expelled from that realm approximately seven years earlier, for scripture teaches us that just prior to the start of the reign of the anti-Christ, war will break out in heaven when Michael and his angels go to war with Satan and his angels (Revelation 12:7). Satan and his angels will lose that war, resulting in their being expelled from the heavenly realm called “the air” and being cast to the earth (Revelation 12:7-8). And so we see that when the Lord Jesus returns He will descend to that realm, which is why the apostle Paul teaches us in this passage that the church will rise to meet the Lord in “the air”. This passage declares that the dead in Christ will rise first, referring to the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5-6), and the saints who are alive at that time will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is the event that is more commonly known in the church as the rapture.
Matthew 24:37-41 “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (38) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, (39) and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (40) Then two will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. (41) Two will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.”
When the church is removed from the earth, at that time the wrath of God will be poured out on the earth. In the above quoted passage of scripture our Lord Jesus teaches us that the sequence of events at the end of the age will be similar to the Flood; for just as Noah first entered the ark before God destroyed that generation, so it is that the church will first be removed from the earth before God pours out His wrath on the last generation. This passage reveals to us that when the rapture takes place, the unbelievers on the earth will be continuing with their daily lives completely unaware of the devastation that it about to come upon them. The apostle Paul puts it this way, “For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). The church will be absent from the earth for a period of three years while God’s wrath is poured out (I discuss this point in another section).
Psalms 50:2-5 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. (3) Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. (4) He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people: (5) "Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."
It is important to note that when the rapture of the church takes place, the saints will leave this physical realm and enter into the spiritual realm to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. When the saints enter into the spirit realm, at that point they will step outside of time. So why is that concept important for us to recognize? It is important because of the simultaneous events that will take place both in heaven and on the earth during that period. I have already mentioned that God’s wrath will be poured out on the unbelievers on earth during that time. Nevertheless in the heavenly realm events will also be taking place which affects the church. The first thing that will take place is that the Lord Jesus will at that time enter into judgement with His church. In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit reveals to us that when the Lord Jesus returns to the earth that He will gather all of His saints from both heaven and the earth so that He may judge His people. In other words it will be at that time that each saint will stand before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account for their lives conducted in the earth. The outcome of that judgement will result in each saint being either rewarded for being faithful or suffering loss for being unfaithful (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Revelation 19:5-9 “Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" (6) And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (7) Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (8) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (9) Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' “And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God.”
Once all the saints have been judged and have received their various crowns, the church will finally be ready to be married to the Lord Jesus Christ. In confirmation of that truth, the above quoted passage of scripture declares that His wife would have made herself ready and to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. The Lord Jesus will then take the church into heaven to stand before the throne of God, where Jesus will present His spotless bride to God the Father. It will be at that point that the church will be married to her Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ, thus becoming the queen of heaven (Psalm 45:9). This passage then declares that the marriage supper of the Lamb will take place.
Revelation 19:11-16 “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (12) His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. (13) He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (15) Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of kings and Lord of Lords.”
Once the marriage supper of the Lamb is ended the Lord Jesus will finally return to the earth with His bride the church. The above quoted passage of scripture describes that event, telling us that Jesus who is called faithful and true will be seated on a white horse and the armies in heaven (speaking of the church), clothed in fine linen, white and clean, will follow Him on white horses. And so we see that when our Lord Jesus finally returns to the earth to begin His millennial reign, that He will return with His bride the church. It is important to remember that throughout this time, the unbelievers on the earth would have been experiencing the outpouring of God’s wrath on the earth.
Michael E.B. Maher
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