Caught Up Together With the Lord

Hello and welcome to Van Life Devotions. We are in Thessalonica, now known as Thessaloniki. This is the most important city of Greece after Athens. Unfortunately, Thessaloniki has very few archaeological sites open to the public with the city built over them. In the previous devotion, Leisl shared about what happened here with Paul, Silas, some prominent women, and others according to Acts 17. Today I will share about one of the issues that Paul wrote to the church that met here.

A few months after his initial visit to Thessalonica, Paul was in Corinth, where he wrote two letters that we call 1 and 2 Thessalonians, addressed to this new church to continue to grow in godliness.

They also had questions and uncertainties about the return of Jesus. Every chapter of both Thessalonian letters has something about the return of the Lord. I want to read to you from chapter 4 verses 13-18: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For 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 word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly 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 together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV).

Paul’s main concern for this young church was that they did not lose hope about their future with the Lord. Some were worried that they would miss out if they died before Christ’s return. Paul reassures them that those who have died in Christ will be raised and will meet the Lord along with those who are still living when He comes.

This passage is highly symbolic. The images of loud calls, trumpets, and clouds recall Old Testament language that signals God’s presence in the world. Paul’s mention, in verse 17, of living people being “caught up” has been interpreted by many that in the future believers will be “raptured,” taken up from this world to protect them from the horrors of the tribulation period.

The important part of this passage is verse 18, to “encourage one another with these words” and to live a life that is kept blameless from when Jesus does return.

In his second letter to the church that met here, Paul again addresses some of their concerns about the last days. He tells them that indeed the day of judgment is coming, but before this the man of lawlessness will come. The Apostle John calls him the beast. The language of the text makes us believe that it is a real person, used by Satan. In God’s time, this man of lawlessness will be revealed and defeated when Jesus Christ returns. The main point Paul wanted them to know and do is to stand firm in the truth of the gospel.

Those letters were written nearly 2000 years ago, and Jesus is still to return. May we not lose our sense of anticipation that He may return at any moment soon. Be Ready and be hopeful.

Let’s pray.

Dear God. You have a plan that includes the return of Your Son. Help us to fulfil Your mission so that many will be ready for that Day. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

David Moyes