What does it mean that the dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16)?

Answer

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he writes to commend the Thessalonians and to encourage them to excel even more: “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more.”, (1 Thessalonians 4:1 and 10). He commends them for their faith, love, and hope: “remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”, (1 Thessalonians 1:3) but acknowledges that he wants them to have more knowledge regarding their hope: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”, (1 Thessalonians 4:13). In that section of chapter 4, we may ask, “What does it mean that the dead in Christ shall rise 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)?

Paul begins the section by noting that he did not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant about those who had fallen asleep (i.e., died in Christ) so that they would not grieve as those who have no hope grieve: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”, (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Grief is a normal, natural response to the loss we experience when someone passes away—even Jesus grieved when He witnessed the pain associated with Lazarus’ death «Jesus wept. », (John 11:35). Paul is not implying that the Thessalonians should avoid grieving altogether; instead, he encourages them to grieve, but not without hope. Even in times of grief, the believer holds onto hope, as Paul elaborates in the subsequent verses.

If we have faith in Jesus, we understand that those who have passed away in Christ have eternal life and that they are with Him, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8), and that He will bring them with Him when He comes back «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). However, Paul discloses something extraordinary to his readers in the following verse, and he does so affirming God’s authority on the subject: those who are alive and remain when He returns will not precede those who have passed away in Christ «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. », (1 Thessalonians 4:15). After highlighting that crucial detail in the timeline, Paul explains what will actually occur: “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the deceased in Christ will rise 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, NASB).

Paul had previously explained that God would bring those who had died with Him. Now, Paul states that the deceased in Christ will rise first. How can both statements be accurate? Paul further explains that those who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds with them to meet the Lord there «then we who 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 4:17a). It is clear that the spirits of those who have died in Christ will return with Him, and their bodies will be resurrected and rise to reunite with their spirits. Paul discusses this simply in 1 Corinthians 15:52 when he says, “The dead will be raised imperishable, and we [who are not yet deceased when the event occurs] will be changed” (NASB).

This event is commonly referred to as the rapture (from the Latin word for “caught up”), and it is a significant event that reunites loved ones. The certainty of this resurrection and the reality of eternal life provide hope even in times of sorrow. The fact that the deceased in Christ will rise 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) is merely one crucial chronological aspect of that event, demonstrating the significance of those who have died in Christ to Him. However, the greatest joy and hope of the event lie not only in the reunion of loved ones but in the fact that we will all be together with Him «then we who 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)! Due to the immense joy and hope conveyed by these words, Paul urges his audience to uplift one another with this message. The assurance of resurrection and the specifics of the rapture are significant, as they illustrate precisely how God will address the issue of death and the resulting division. Through His actions, we maintain hope even in times of sorrow.