Lord Descends From Heaven 1 Thes. 4 Part 6 (NO RAPTURE)

The Lord Descends From Heaven 1 Thes 4 Part 6 is a deeper look at the language of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in the light of the theophanies (divine appearances) in the O.T.. In each of these appearances there are attendant events and language which are very simply to the language used in Paul's discussion of the resurrection. In stead of Christ taking the saints to heaven in a literal rapture, it is rather a coming down of God to be with men. However, the setting is the cultic and typological setting of the cosmic mountain appearance of God as in the ancient near east temples formed against the backdrop of Edenic paradise.

The sound of trumpets, cloud presence, thunder, lightnings, pillars of smoke, flaming fire, and voice that shakes like an earthquake are typical of these appearances of ascent by man into the holy mountain of God and of God's descent to meet man in the Most Holy Place, "face to face".

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is an apocalyptic depiction of man entering God's Presence in the Holy of Holies at the summit of the cosmic mountain temple of God as a result of the consummated atonement where he ascends into the symbolic clouds to meet the Lord in the air, i.e. behind the veil in the kingdom of God.