1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, WITH A LOUD COMMAND, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET CALL OF GOD, AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST. AFTER THAT, WE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND ARE LEFT WILL BE "CAUGHT UP" (or raptured) TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. AND SO WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER. THEREFORE, ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER WITH THESE WORDS..
In the book of John 14:1- 4 Jesus speaks of this promise as he is nearing his death and crucifixion. Our Lord says in verse I: " Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you, AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME BACK AND AND TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME.THAT YOU ALSO MAY BE WHERE I AM. YOU KNOW THE PLACE WHERE I AM GOING.
The place is Heaven. This action parallels the act of marriage of the Jewish young men of old Israel. After his bride-to-be accepted to marry him, the young man would tell his bride, I am going to my father's house to prepare a room for us, and when it is ready I will come and you will be where I am.. After a time,, he would come at an unexpected hour in the evening to snatch his bride away from her home to take her to his father's house, just as Jesus will be doing to us taking us to his Father's house. The saints on earth, us, and the ones who are asleep in him parallel the bride of the Jewish young man. Jesus calls the church of which all Christians are members, His bride. We will become one with Jesus as a married man and his wife do. Not in a sexual way as is common on earth, but in a much more unimaginable way. We will truly have the mind of Christ then, and be God's beloved forever as a young bride becomes the beloved of her husband and his family.
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS IS A VERY DRAMATIC EVENT, AND A TERRIFING EVENT FOR THOSE LEFT ON THIS EARTH.
In the book of Revelation 11:16 is a picture of Jesus coming to earth in full regalia with his church, his bride, in tow gloriously following Him. The apostle John describes the scene this way, but we must remember that the book of Revelation, though written by the Apostle John was by command and the dictation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle John was in the Spirit and was seeing all this that he then wrote down. Verse 11: I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to l strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
All this is very encouraging to us, the Christians, who must continue on this earth as long as He will permit. We do not dictate to ourselves. Dr.J Vernon McGee used to say, that if one did not like dictators, one was in trouble, as our Father God is the Dictator of all times. Though He is a compassionate One. But the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus is that in the Rapture, he comes for his bride the Church. In the Second Coming of Jesus, He comes with His bride to set up housekeeping with her. Where, will that be? That is a subect for another time.