Tackling Tradition 59: 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 17

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, ESV)

Some people think that this passage prophesies a single event, the General Resurrection.  Others think that it refers to a Pre-, Mid-, &/or Post - Tribulation Rapture.  Which view is correct. 

Let’s begin here: 

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  (Matt. 27:51 - 53)

The text is a species of apocalyptic / eschatological language.  Thus, this text prophesies over multiple events. 

The text of 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 17 encompasses the Incarnation too.  He arrived with an Annuciation.  Mary, representing the dead in Christ, rose first, indicating she was regenerate & engaging in an act of worship.   

This happened at His birth too.  This time the angels appear to shepherds who make their way to Bethlehem. 

This happens again at his crucifixion, while He was deceased, & then His resurrection.  

It also applies to the application of redemption throughout all of human history.   His Person & Work underwrites the entire covenantal system. 

It happens again when people are removed & retained pneumatically when they die.  The Bible says that God Himself takes note when His people cross over,  as if He rises from His thrown to recognize their homecoming.  He finds ways to paraclete them.  

As to the rapture, there only needs to be a mechanism in place for Christ to figuratively descend from heaven toward the earth when His people are removed & retained.    If He wants to walk out from His residence and enter the plane of earth without setting foot upon it, then sobeit.  

The Second Coming qua 2nd Coming is when Christ sets foot upon the Earth literally.    A literal descent from heaven but not to Earth doesn’t contradict any part of the Bible, & if you pay close attention to Revelation 1,  John is actually removed & retained & Yeshua appears to him somewhere that isn’t His customary residence/throne room.   John represents the dead in Christ as a living person drawn up to heaven then sent back.

It’s about multiple Judgment Day events. 

Every covenant is punctuated with an event like this:

1. Creation 
2. The Fall
3. The Flood
4. The Fall of Sodom & Gomorrah 
5. 10 gods & 10 plagues
6. The Conquest of Canaan 
7. The Assyrian Exile
8. The Babylonian Exile
9. The Story of Esther 
10. The Return Home 
11. The rebuilding of the Temple & Jerusalem 
12. The Incarnation 
13. The Nativity
14. The life of Christ
15. The Crucifixion 
16. The Descent Into Hell
17. The Resurrection & Ascension • The
18. Circumnavigation of the Law & Gospel 
19. The General Resurrection & Christ’s Return
20. The New Creation