be alive when Christ returns. Frequent ly, as in II Cor. 4:14; 5:1, he identifies himself with those who will rise from the dead when Christ returns. His atti tude is that of all true Christians in every age. We should look for the com ing of our Lord as an event the time of which is absolutely unknown, an event which may occur in any generation. The special word of instruction is that in {he great drama of the return ing Christ the very first act will be the resurrection of the dead. As to the exact nature of that glorious return it is use less to speculate. One cannot tell just what is meant by the “shout,” the '‘voice,” the “trump.” We are assured, however, that when Christ does appear, then will occur the resurrection of dead believers. The next act will be the rap ture of the living. As to the previous state of the blessed dead, the resurrec tion body, or the transformation of the living, nothing is said here. The nature of that body and of that miraculous change is considered in I Cor., Ch. 15. Here the thought is centered upon the reunion of those who have gone to be with Christ and of those who are liv ing when Christ returns. They will meet “in the air.” More important still, they will “meet the Lord in the air.” The reserve and restraint of the apos tle are remarkable. He speaks in figures which he does not interpret, nor does he let his imagination play upon de tails which must have been alluring. He sums up the whole message of bless edness and glory, not by descriptions of physical or material splendor, but in one great spiritual reality: “So shall we never be with the Lord.” This is the great consummation. This is the realization of our highest hopes, to be “together” and to be “with the Lord,” forever and forever. There is far too little here to satisfy our curiosity. A hundred questions come to mind to which no answer is given. But there is enough here to give courage and consolation, even in “the valley of the shadow of death.” There fore, Paul can express thus the real purpose of his message: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 22
THE LORD'S RETURN (cont.) usual and surprising that most modem translators prefer to change the order of the words and to read, “Them also that are fallen asleep will God through Jesus bring with him.” This would draw attention to a fact which Paul frequently states, namely, that the res urrection of believers will be wrought by the power of Christ. In virtue of His resurrection, and because He is the Saviour and Redeemer, He will bring back in the fullness of immortal life those who for a time have “fallen asleep” in death. Whichever translation is preferred, it is interesting to note that this is the first mention, in all literature, of the resurrection of Christ. Paul must have writen the words within twenty years after that event. It was thus a cardinal doctrine of primitive Christianity, and with it was associated the belief in the resurrection of the followers of Christ. About this resurrection Paul now continues to speak. He touches upon the particular point which concerned his readers. He assures them that, far from missing the blessedness attending the return of the Lord, believers who had died will be the first to share in that blessedness. “This we say unto you by the word of the Lord,” writes the apostle, intimating that his message is in substance a divine revelation. “We that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.” The order of events is to be as follows: “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; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” Paul thought that he might live to see the Lord return. He never asserted that he would or that he would not. To make either assertion would be to assume a position against which he warns his followers in the paragraph which follows. Sometimes, as here, he identifies himself with those who will
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