This is titled "those who died in Christ."
Those Who Died in Christ
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [k]in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [l]and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [m]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [n]and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
--ThessaloNians chapter 4.
Reading the entire passage, it seems obvious that Paul is talking about what happens to the dead, not anything else.
As I did much deeper research, there does not seem to be a real support for a rapture.
Daniel 7:22, 26 talks about the kiNgdoms under heaven being handed to the saints.
Micah 4 &5 when the Assyrian rises (evidently some wicked will attempt an uprisiNg, it is put down By 8 men.
Zechariah 14 Jesus returns when people serviNg God are attacked.
There is nothing about a rapture, when the saints come with Jesus it is to fight and depose the wicked.
As a side point, the rapture is a recent invention of the past 100-120 years. No other scholars outside this time talk about it.
At each step, Jesus is in actual control. There is no bizarre time when aN ungodly person has complete control. That says something and makes it sound like such ficticious stories come from something evil rather than an understanding of scripture.
Those Who Died in Christ
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [k]in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [l]and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [m]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [n]and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
--ThessaloNians chapter 4.
Reading the entire passage, it seems obvious that Paul is talking about what happens to the dead, not anything else.
As I did much deeper research, there does not seem to be a real support for a rapture.
Daniel 7:22, 26 talks about the kiNgdoms under heaven being handed to the saints.
Micah 4 &5 when the Assyrian rises (evidently some wicked will attempt an uprisiNg, it is put down By 8 men.
Zechariah 14 Jesus returns when people serviNg God are attacked.
There is nothing about a rapture, when the saints come with Jesus it is to fight and depose the wicked.
As a side point, the rapture is a recent invention of the past 100-120 years. No other scholars outside this time talk about it.
At each step, Jesus is in actual control. There is no bizarre time when aN ungodly person has complete control. That says something and makes it sound like such ficticious stories come from something evil rather than an understanding of scripture.