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Answer
In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul delivers a message of hope to the Thessalonians. While in his letter, Paul had praised the Thessalonian believers for their faith and love (1 Thessalonians 3:6;1 Thessalonians 5:8), it appears he aimed to assist them in enhancing their hope. Paul presents an overview of the future to his readers so that they may not mourn like those without hope «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. », (1 Thessalonians 4:13).
As part of this future scenario, Jesus will descend with the voice of the archangel «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: », (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Paul clarifies that Jesus will come back for believers who are still alive at that moment. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul educates his readers on how Jesus will then return to judge those who are left on the earth (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4). Believers are not appointed to face that judgment or the forthcoming wrath «For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, », (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Paul desired the Thessalonians to be informed about the future events so that they could have hope «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. », (1 Thessalonians 4:13).
That you sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). In particular, he didn’t want them to grieve hopelessly at the loss of saved loved ones who had already died. As surely as Jesus died and rose from the dead, God will bring with Him all those who had died in Christ Jesus “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
When Jesus returns for His own, He will descend with the voice of the archangel “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:” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Believers who are alive and remain when Jesus returns will be caught up with Him in the air “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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Heralding that event will be Jesus’ descent with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God “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:” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Those who have already died and whose spirits are with the Lord will come back in the clouds with Jesus “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
(1 Thessalonians 4:14), and their bodies will be raised and glorified first “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:”, (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Then all who remain will be caught up with them, and they will be together with the Lord “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.”, (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This message comforts believers and provides hope even when believers are faced with death “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”, (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
Believers in Christ can look forward hopefully to the day when Jesus will descend with the voice of the archangel. There are two mentions of archangels (or “first” angels) in the New Testament. One is in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The second, in Jude 1:9, identifies Michael as “the archangel.”
In Daniel 12, the angel Gabriel told Daniel that Michael will “arise” one day, and then a time of severe distress would come from which many of Daniel’s people would be rescued “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”, (Daniel 12:1). Perhaps this indicates that Michael will be present when Jesus returns in the cLouds at the rapture. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Michael’s vocalizing will be among the events of the rapture (or the “catching up,” described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Alternatively, the statement that Jesus will descend with the voice of the archangel could simply indicate that Jesus’ voice would be like that of an archangel, since the phrase can literally be translated “in the voice of an archangel.”
Paul explains that there will be three audible signifiers of this event: the shout, the voice of an archangel, and the last trumpet. It seems most likely that the statement that Jesus will descend with the voice of an archangel simply describes concurrent events that will take place when Jesus returns for those who have believed in Him.
