1 THES. 4 [13] 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. [14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [15] 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. [16] 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: [17] 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. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1THES.4 – voice – clouds – trump of God – sorrow not as others -
ZEPH. 1 – voice – clouds – the trumpet – man shall cry bitterly -
ZEPH. 1 [14] The great DAY OF THE LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even THE VOICE of the day of the Lord: the mighty MAN SHALL CRY THERE BITTERLY. [15] That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a DAY OF CLOUDS and thick darkness, [16] A DAY OF THE TRUMPET and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. [17] And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
No doubt about it. Both scriptures are speaking of the same event. Both scriptures speak of what happens on the Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord takes place AFTER the tribulation period. So how in the wide wide world of sports can someone claim 1Thes.4 takes place 7 years prior to the Day of the Lord?
No Wall, both scriptures are not speaking about the same event! You always have to keep in mind the scriptures that state that believers are not appointed to suffer wrath and that Jesus rescues us from the coming wrath.
Neither the word "clouds" or "trumpet" are unique or exclusive in referring to a specific event. For example, in Matt.24:31 which is at the time when Jesus returns to the earth to end the aged, He will send out His angels with a "loud trumpet call". Yet, that trumpet is not the same trumpet as the one in 1 Thes.4:16 nor is either of them the same as any of the seven trumpet judgments. Be careful not to pigeonhole words and thereby misapply them to the event of your choice.
I Thes.4:13-17 = The event of the gathering of the church. With the trumpet call of God, the church will be caught up
Zephaniah 1:1-3 = The events of the day of the Lord, the time of God's wrath
These two scriptures above are speaking about two different events. Since the church is not appointed to suffer wrath and Zephaniah is referring to the time of God's wrath, then it cannot be referring to the church.
"I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," "When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth," declares the LORD.
I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea-- and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble." "When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth," declares the LORD"
The above scripture is speaking about the day of the Lord, when God pours out His wrath upon the earth, which will be carried out via the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord."
The scripture above is in reference to when the Lord keeps His promise to come and gather His church prior to His wrath, in fulfillment of John 14:1-3, I Thes.1:10, 5:9 and Rev.3:10
The bottom line is that, those who have received Christ have been credited with righteousness and have been reconciled to God, which means that His wrath no longer rests upon the believer and will therefore not being exposed to God's wrath.
I would advise looking up all of the instances in Scripture referring to "the day of the Lord" to see who the day of the Lord is directed at. For it certainly isn't going to be directed at those who have believed in His Son.
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"They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—
Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently,
I will also keep you out of the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth."