Prophecy Line.
The Church goes up – then the day of the Lord comes.
John Wharton 10-10-24
In 1 Thessalonians 4-5 Paul show us the order of the Churches Catching Up and then the Day of the Lord coming. Let’s check it.
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We have to understand the order of the Bible Prophecies
1Thess 4:13 AKJV/PCE 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.
1Thess 4:14 AKJV/PCE For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Thess 4:15 AKJV/PCE 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.
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The Lord catches the Church up
1Thess 4:16 AKJV/PCE 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:
1Thess 4:17 AKJV/PCE 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.
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And they are comforted by this knowledge
1Thess 4:18 AKJV/PCE Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
A THOUGHT – This has to be Good News for them to be SO Comforted by it. So don’t tell me that Paul is saying they are going through the Great Tribulation!
They and We are going up with Christ!
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Then the Day of the Lord comes
1Thess 5:1 AKJV/PCE But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Thess 5:2 AKJV/PCE For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
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It brings sudden destruction
1Thess 5:3 AKJV/PCE 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.
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We Christians should not be overtaken by it
1Thess 5:4 AKJV/PCE But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Thess 5:5 AKJV/PCE Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Thess 5:6 AKJV/PCE Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Thess 5:7 AKJV/PCE For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Thess 5:8 AKJV/PCE 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.
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God hasn’t appointed us to this wrath
1Thess 5:9 AKJV/PCE For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Thess 5:10 AKJV/PCE Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Instead of the wrath that the day of the Lord brings – We Christian’s have a hope of salvation – A final full saving as we go to be with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Instead of wrath we get to go be with the Lord.
And Paul is clearly saying this here!
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Then Paul again tells us to be encouraged with this knowledge
1Thess 5:11 AKJV/PCE Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
So what Paul has just shown us about the Catching Up of the Church and the day of the Lord has to be something very encouraging to us.
And going through the Great Tribulation is not that kind of encouraging!
Going up with the Lord away from the wrath hitting this earth is that kind of encouraging.
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