Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord.

“Well, then, what difference is there between heathens and Christians, if the same prison awaits them all when dead? How, indeed, shall the soul mount up to heaven, where Christ is already sitting at the Father's right hand, when as yet the archangel's trumpet has not been heard by the command of God, -when as yet those whom the coming of the Lord is to find on the earth, have not been caught up into the air to meet Him at His coming, in company with the dead in Christ, who shall be the first to arise? To no one is heaven opened; the earth is still safe for him, I would not say it is shut against him.”

“For at that time the trumpet shall sound, and awake those that sleep from the lowest parts of the earth, righteous and sinners alike. And every kindred, and tongue, and nation, and tribe shall be raised in the twinkling of an eye; and they shall stand upon the face of the earth, waiting for the coming of the righteous and terrible Judge, in fear and trembling unutterable. For the river of fire shall come forth in fury like an angry sea, and shall burn up mountains and hills, and shall make the sea vanish, and shall dissolve the atmosphere with its heat like wax. The stars of heaven shall fall, the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood. The heaven shall be rolled together like a scroll: the whole earth shall be burnt up by reason of the deeds done in it, which men did corruptly, in fornications, in adulteries, and in lies and uncleanness, and in idolatries, and in murders, and in battles. For there shall be the new heaven and the new earth.”

“"Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him "is the voice which shall be heard from heaven, and the trumpet, when the saints, all their bodies being raised, shall be caught up, and shall go on the clouds to meet the Lord. says, that after the cry all the virgins arose, that is, that the dead shall be raised after the voice which comes from heaven, as also Paul intimates,”

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and afterwards shall be the voice of a trumpet by the archangel; and in that interval shall be the revival of those that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all His saints with Him, with a great concussion above the clouds, with the angels of His power, in the throne of His kingdom, to condemn the devil, the deceiver of the world, and to render to every one according to his deeds. "Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into life eternal," to inherit those things "which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such things as God hath prepared for them that love Him;" and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus.”

“I believe the words of the wise, that every fair and God-beloved soul, when, set free from the bonds of the body, it departs hence, at once enjoys a sense and perception of the blessings which await it. This happens to the extent that whatever darkened that soul has been purged away, or laid aside—this is the only way I can express it—such that it feels a marvelous pleasure and exultation and goes rejoicing to meet its Lord. This soul has escaped, as it were, the grievous poison of life here and has shaken off the fetters which bound it and held down the wings of the mind. And so the soul enters upon the bliss laid up for it, a bliss of which it has even now some conception.… Why, then, be faint-hearted in my hopes? Why behave like a mere creature of the day? I await the voice of the archangel, the last trumpet, the transformation of the heavens, the transfiguration of the earth, the liberation of the elements, the renovation of the universe. Then shall I see Caesarius for myself, no longer in exile, no longer laid upon a bier, no longer the object of mourning and pity, but brilliant, glorious, heavenly, such as in my dreams I have often beheld you, dearest and most loving of brothers, pictured thus by my desire, if not by the truth itself.”

“Shall we, then, think of festival days in terms of eating and drinking? On the contrary, let no one call us to account in respect to eating, "For we know that the law is spiritual.""Let no one, therefore, call you to account for what you eat or drink in regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. These are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ." So let us seek the body of Christ which is the voice of the Father from heaven, the last trumpet, as it were, showed to you on that occasion when the Jews said that it thundered for him. Let us seek, I repeat, the body of Christ which the last trumpet will reveal to us, "For the Lord himself with cry of command, with voice of archangel, and with trumpet of God will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise up 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: 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: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." But wherefore with the trumpet? For we see this on Mount Sinai too, and Angels there also. But what means the voice of the Archangel? As he said in the parable of the Virgins, Arise! "The Bridegroom cometh." (From Matt. xxv. 6) Either it means this, or that as in the case of a king, so also shall it then be, Angels ministering at the Resurrection. For He says, let the dead rise, and the work is done, the Angels not having power to do this, but His word. As if upon a king's commanding and saying it, those who were shut up should go forth, and the servants should lead them out, yet they do this not from their own power, but from that Voice. This also Christ says in another place: "He shall send forth his Angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Matt. xxiv. 31) And everywhere you see the Angels running to and fro. The Archangel therefore I think is he, who is set over those who are sent forth, and who shouts thus: "Make all men ready, for the Judge is at hand." And what is "at the last trumpet"? Here he implies that there are many trumpets, and that at the last the Judge descends. If He is about to descend, on what account shall we be caught up? For the sake of honor. For when a king drives into a city, those who are in honor go out to meet him; but the condemned await the judge within. And upon the coming of an affectionate father, his children indeed, and those who are worthy to be his children, are taken out in a chariot, that they may see and kiss him; but those of the domestics who have offended remain within. We are carried upon the chariot of our Father. For He received Him up in the clouds, and "we shall be caught up in the clouds." (Acts i. 9) Seest thou how great is the honor? and as He descends, we go forth to meet Him, and, what is more blessed than all, so we shall be with Him. But as to the saying, that they are gathered together; they arise indeed everywhere, but are gathered together by the Angels. The former therefore is the work of the power of God commanding the earth to give up its deposit, and there is no one who ministers in it, as He then called Lazarus, "Lazarus, come forth" (John xi. 43); but the gathering is the work of ministers. But if Angels gather them together, and run to and fro, how are they caught up here? They are caught up after the descent, after that they are gathered together.”

“"The hour cometh," saith He. Doubtless thou, imbued with a faith of the resurrection of the flesh, didst look for the hour of the end of the world, which, that thou shouldst not look for here, He added, "and now is." Therefore He saith not this, "The hour cometh," of that last hour, when "at the command and the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet Christ in the air: and so shall we be ever with the Lord." That hour will come, but is not now. But consider what this hour is: "The hour cometh, and now is." What happens in that hour? What, but a resurrection of the dead? And what kind of resurrection? Such that they who rise live for ever. This will be also in the last hour.”

“Then after long seasons, Christ our God shall come to judge the world in awful glory, beyond words to tell. For fear of him the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and all the angel hosts shall stand beside him in dread. Then at the voice of the archangel, and at the trump of God, shall the dead arise and stand before his awful throne. Now the resurrection is the reuniting of soul and body. So that very body, which decays and perishes, shall arise incorruptible. And concerning this, take care not to be overwhelmed by unbelief, for it is not impossible for him, who at the beginning formed the body out of earth, when according to its maker's judgment it had returned to earth whence it was taken, to raise the same again.”

“Above he led them to restraint from desires, and restrained them from idleness; here he restrains them from disordered sadness. First he sets down an admonition, second he assigns the reason, at for if we believe. They are forbidden, therefore, namely lest they be sad in a disordered way, hence he says as also the rest. But the apostle seems indeed to grant that one may be sad for the dead, yet to forbid something, namely lest they be sad in a disordered way, hence he says as also the rest. For that someone should be sad, namely concerning the dead, belongs to piety. First, on account of the failing of the failing body. For we ought to love them, and the body on account of the soul. Ecclesiasticus 41:1: O death, how bitter is thy memory to a man having peace, et cetera. Second, on account of the departure and separation, which is painful to friends. 1 Kings 15:32: does bitter death separate thus? Third, because through death there comes a remembrance of sin. Romans 6:23: the wages of sin is death. Fourth, because there comes a remembrance of our own death. Ecclesiastes 7:3: for in that the end of all men is called to mind, and the living considers what is to come, et cetera. Thus, then, one should be sad, but moderately. Hence Ecclesiasticus 22:11: weep a little over the dead, because he has rested, et cetera. And therefore he says as also the rest who have no hope, namely because these believe such failings to be perpetual, but we do not. Philippians 3:20-21: we await the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will reform the body of our lowliness, conformed to the body of his glory. Hence he says significantly of those who sleep. John 11:11: Lazarus our friend sleeps. For one who sleeps does three things. He lies down in hope of rising. Psalm 10: does not he who sleeps go on to rise? So too does he who dies in faith. Likewise, in one who sleeps the soul keeps watch. Song of Songs 5:2: I sleep, and my heart watches, et cetera. Likewise, afterward a man will rise more refreshed and vigorous. Thus the saints will rise incorruptible, 1 Corinthians 15:52. Then when he says for if we believe, the reason for the admonition is set down. And first he establishes the resurrection; second he excludes the suspicion of delay, at for this we say to you; third he sets down the order of the resurrection, at for the Lord himself. Now it must be known that the apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:12 establishes our resurrection from the resurrection of Christ, because that is the cause of ours, hence he argues through the topic from cause. And the resurrection of Christ is not only a cause, but also an exemplar: because the Word made flesh raises up bodies, whereas the Word simply raises up souls. For indeed, by the fact that Christ took on flesh, and rose again in it, he is the exemplar of our resurrection. Nor is this all, but he is also the efficient cause: because the things that were done by the humanity of Christ were done not only according to the power of the humanity, but by the power of the divinity united to it. Hence, just as his touch healed the leper insofar as it was the instrument of the divinity, so the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection not insofar as it is of a body, but insofar as it is the resurrection of a body united to the Word of life. And therefore the apostle, firmly supposing this, argues thus: for if we believe, firmly, that Christ rose again, so also those who have fallen asleep, et cetera. Those have fallen asleep through Jesus who have been made conformed to his death through Baptism. Or through Jesus, those whom he will bring with him, namely with Christ himself. Zechariah 14:5: and the Lord my God will come, and all his saints with him, et cetera. Isaiah 3:14: the Lord will come to judgment with the elders of his people and their princes. Then when he says for this, he excludes the delay of the resurrection; as if to say: we know that they will rise and come with Christ, therefore we ought not to grieve so much. For those who will be found alive will not obtain the glory of the resurrection before the dead. And therefore for this we say to you, not from human conjecture, but in the word of the Lord, whose words do not fail, that we who are alive, that is, those who are alive, will not first obtain consolation from the coming of Christ before the dead do. And therefore he says we who are alive. From which it seems to those who do not understand, that the apostle here says that this would come to pass while the apostle himself was still living, and this also seemed so to the Thessalonians. And therefore he writes them another epistle, in which he says, 2 Thessalonians 2:2: be not moved from your sense, et cetera. But he does not speak from his own person, nor of those then existing, but of those who will then be found alive. We who are left, that is, those who will be left after the persecution of Antichrist. We shall not precede them, that is, they will not first receive consolation. 1 Corinthians 15:52: for in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, et cetera. Then when he says for the Lord himself, etc., he shows the order and manner of the resurrection. First he sets forth the cause of the resurrection; second its order and manner, at and the dead; third he concludes their consolation, at therefore comfort one another. He shows the first, saying the Lord himself. Here it must be noted that, as has been said, the common cause of the resurrection is the resurrection of Christ. But if you should say that it has already occurred, why then does its effect not follow? I respond. It must be said that it is the cause of our resurrection according as it operates by divine power. But God operates according to the order of his wisdom. Then, therefore, our resurrection will be, when the order of divine wisdom has disposed this. That he may show that Christ is the cause, he shows that at the presence of Christ all the dead will rise. Now for bringing about the common resurrection a threefold cause concurs. One principal, namely the power of the divinity; a second instrumental, namely the power of the humanity of Christ; a third, as it were ministerial, namely the power of the Angels, who will have some effect in the resurrection. For Augustine proves that the things which now come about through bodily creatures come about from God by their mediation; but in the resurrection some things are to be done through them, such as the gathering of the dust; but the reintegration of bodies, and the union of the soul to the body, will be immediately through Christ. These three causes, therefore, he sets down. First, the glorious humanity of Christ, saying the Lord himself, et cetera. Acts 1:11: as you have seen him ascending into heaven, so will he come. In a command. In the first coming, he came as one obeying. Philippians 2:8: he became obedient unto death. And this, because that was a coming of humility, but this will be one of glory. Luke 21:27: he will come with great power and majesty. Second, the power of the Angels, when he says with the voice of an Archangel. Not that he operates in his voice, but by his ministry. And he says of an Archangel, because all the Angels minister to the Church under one Archangel. Apocalypse 12:7: this is Michael, the prince of the Church. Or with the voice of an Archangel, that is, of Christ the prince of the Angels. Isaiah, chapter 9: the Angel of great counsel. And the resurrection will be in his voice, whether bodily or spiritual. John 5:28: they will hear the voice of the Son of God, namely: arise, dead, and come to judgment, and they will obey that bodily voice. Third, the power of the divinity, when he says with the trumpet of God. This is the divine power, because it is called the voice of an Archangel, insofar as it will come about by the ministry of the Archangels, and the trumpet of God, insofar as it will come about by divine power. And it is called a trumpet on account of its resonance, which comes forth from God raising up the dead. Likewise a trumpet is fitting for offices, whose use was manifold in the old testament, as for war: and then the whole world will fight for him, Wisdom 5:21. Likewise its use was for solemnities, so this one is for the heavenly Jerusalem. Likewise for moving camp, and then the saints will move camp. Hence if it is a bodily voice, it is called a trumpet for these reasons; or it will not be a bodily voice, but the divine power of Christ present and manifest to the whole world. Then when he says and the dead, the order of the resurrection is set down, and concerning this he does three things: for first he sets down the resurrection of the dead; second the meeting of the living, at then; third the blessedness of both, the saints, at and so always. On the occasion of these words some believed that those who will be alive at the end would never die, as Jerome says in a letter, on account of what he says, then we, etc.: for otherwise he would distinguish the living from those dying in vain. But against this, 1 Corinthians 15:51: we shall indeed all rise again. Likewise: as in Adam all die, etc., as is found in Romans 5:12; therefore death passed unto all. It must be said, therefore, that some will be found alive at that time when Christ will come to judgment; but in that moment of time they will die and immediately rise again. And therefore, on account of the slight interval, they are reckoned as living. But then there is a question, because it is said here and the dead who are in Christ shall rise first, and then we, et cetera. Therefore the dead will rise before the living meet Christ, and in this meeting they will die. Therefore some will rise first, and thus the resurrection of all will not be at the same time, which is against that saying, 1 Corinthians 15:52: in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, et cetera. I respond. It must be said that there is here a twofold opinion: for some say that the resurrection will not be at the same time, but the dead will first come with Christ. And then, at the coming of Christ, the living will be caught up in the clouds, and in that being caught up they will die and rise again. And therefore what is said to be in a moment is understood as meaning that it will happen in a short time. And if it is said that it will be in an instant, then this is not to be referred to the whole resurrection of all, but to the resurrection of individuals, because each individual will rise in an instant. But others say that all will rise together and in an instant. What he says, therefore: they shall rise first, denotes an order of dignity, not of time. But this seems difficult, because among the living many will be proved in the persecution of Antichrist, who will excel in dignity many who died earlier. And therefore it seems that it must be said otherwise, that all will die and all will rise, and at the same time. Nor does the apostle say here that those will rise before these, but that those will rise before these meet. For the apostle does not set down an order of resurrection to resurrection, but an order to the rapture, or to the meeting. For when the Lord first comes, those who will be found alive will die, and then immediately, together with those who had died earlier and are rising again, they will be caught up in the clouds, etc., as the apostle says here. But there is this difference between the good and the wicked, that the wicked will remain on the earth, which they loved, while the good will be caught up to Christ, whom they sought. Matthew 24:28: wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. In the resurrection also the saints will be conformed to Christ, not only as to the glory of the body, Philippians 3, but also as to position, because Christ will be in a cloud. Acts 1:9: and a cloud received him; and: as you have seen him, et cetera. So too the saints will be caught up by clouds. And why this? To show their god-likeness. For in the old testament the glory of the Lord appeared by way of a cloud. 3 Kings 8:10: the Lord came in a cloud. These clouds will be prepared by divine power for the display of the glory of the saints. Or the very shining bodies of the glorified will appear as a kind of clouds to the wicked, who will be on the earth. Matthew, chapter 25:6: behold the bridegroom comes, go forth to meet him. Then when he says and so always, he shows the blessedness of the saints, because they will always be with the Lord, enjoying him. John 14:3: I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am, you also may be. This the saints desire. Philippians 1:23: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Then when he says therefore, etc., he concludes that consolation ought to be had concerning the dead, saying: since the saints rise again, and suffer no detriment, therefore be consoled concerning the dead. Isaiah 40:1: be comforted, be comforted, my people, says the Lord your God.”

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven,.... Not by proxy, or by representatives; not by the ministry of angels, as on Mount Sinai; nor by the ministers of the word, as under the Gospel dispensation; nor by his spirit, and the discovery of his love and grace, in which sense he descends in a spiritual manner, and visits his people; but in person, in his human nature, in soul and body; in like manner as he went up to heaven will he descend from thence, so as to be visible, to be seen and heard of all: he will come down from the third heaven, whither he was carried up, into which he was received, and where he is retained until the time of the restitution of all things, and from whence the saints expect him: and this descent will be with a shout; the word here used is observed by many to signify such a noise or shout as is made either by mariners, when they pull and row together; and shout to direct and encourage one another; or to an army with the general at the head of it, when about to undertake some considerable action, to enter on a battle, and make the onset; Christ will now appear as the King of kings, and Lord of lords, as the Judge of the whole earth, attended with the host, or armies of heaven, and the shout of a king will be among them: perhaps the same is intended, as by the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters, and of mighty thunderings upon the coming of Christ, the destruction of antichrist, and the marriage of the Lamb, in Rev 19:1. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions render it, "in", or "with command"; and the Arabic version, "with his own government", or "authority"; that is, he shall descend, either by the command of his Father, as man and Mediator, having authority from him, as the son of man, to execute judgment; or with his commanding power and authority over the mighty angels, that shall descend with him: it follows, with the voice of the archangel; so Michael is called, in Jde 1:9 with which compare Rev 12:7 and who perhaps is no other than Christ himself, who is the head of all principality and power; and the sense be, that Christ shall descend from heaven with a voice, or shall then utter such a voice, as will show him to be the archangel; or as the Syriac version renders it, "the head", or "prince of angels"; and which whether, it will be an articulate voice, such as was expressed at the grave of Lazarus; or a violent clap of thunder, which is the voice of God; or the exertion of the power of Christ, is not certain: it is added, and with the trump of God; called "the last trump", Co1 15:52 because none will be blown after it, and may be the same with the seventh trumpet, Rev 11:15 and here the trump of God, because blown by his order; or by Christ himself, who is God, and so be the same with the voice of the archangel; and these figurative expressions are used, to set forth the grandeur and magnificence in which Christ will come; not in that low, mean, and humble form in which he first came, but with great glory, and marks of honour and respect; with angels shouting, trumpets blowing, and saints rejoicing. This is said in allusion to the trumpet which was heard on Mount Sinai at the giving of the law, and of which the Jews say (d), that it "quickened the dead"; for they have a notion, that, when the Israelites first heard the voice of the Lord, they died; but upon hearing it the second time, they returned to life (e): and they suppose also in the time, to come, at the resurrection of the dead, a trumpet will be blown, which will quicken the dead (f), and the day of judgment (g); and this is reckoned by them as one of the signs of the Messiah's coming (h): "Michael shall shout with a great shout, and the graves of the dead shall be opened at Jerusalem, and the holy blessed God will restore the dead to life, and Messiah the son of David shall come,'' &c. And the dead in Christ shall rise first; the same with those that are asleep in Jesus, Th1 4:14 not only the martyrs that died for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel; nor merely those who die in the lively exercise of faith in Christ; but all that die interested in him, and in union with him: and these shall "rise", in consequence of their being his; being given to him, made his care and charge, and engaged for by him, and in virtue of their union to him; and shall rise to an entire conformity to his glorious body, and in order to enjoy eternal life and glory with him: and these will rise "first", before the wicked, which is the first resurrection, Rev 20:5 even a thousand years before them; the righteous will rise in the morning of the resurrection, and so will have the dominion in the morning, Psa 49:14 even at the beginning of the thousand years, as soon as Christ will come; but the wicked will not rise till the evening of that day, or till the close of the thousand years: and this agrees with the notions of the Jews, who thought that some will rise before others; "Wheresoever thou findest the dead, take them and bury them, and I will give thee the first place in my resurrection.'' (2 Esdras 2:23) Having mentioned those words in Psa 116:9 "I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living", it is asked (i), "is there no land of the living but Tyre and its neighbours, and Caesarea, and its neighbours, where is cheapness and fulness? says R. Simeon ben Lekish, in the name of Bar Kaphra, the land in which the dead live, "first", in the days of the Messiah:'' and on the same place elsewhere (k) they observe, that "our Rabbins say two things, or give two reasons, why the fathers loved to be buried in the land of Israel, because the dead in the land of Israel , "live", or "rise first", in the days of the Messiah, and shall enjoy the years of the Messiah:'' and in another place (l) they take notice of what is written in Isa 26:19 "and the earth shall cast out the dead": says R. Jochanan, "the dead which are in the land (i.e. of Israel), they shall "live first"; as it is said, "thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise": these are they that are without the land; "awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust", these are they that die in the wilderness:'' and again (m), "as it is said, Isa 40:26 "that bringeth out their host by numbers", come see, it is said, all that die in the land of Israel , "shall rise first", because the holy blessed God shall awake them, and raise them, according to Isa 26:19.'' Once more they say (n), "they that study in the law as they ought, these are they that shall "rise first" to everlasting life, as it is said Dan 12:2, "and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life", &c. and these are for everlasting life, because they study in everlasting life, which is the law:'' to which may be added the following passage (o), "they that are worthy to be buried in the land of Israel, shall "be raised first"--and they shall be raised and quickened before the rest of the children of the world, who draw the waters of the law; and they draw, because they study to draw out of the waters of the law; and they are strengthened by the tree of life, and they shall go out "first", because the tree of life is the cause why they shall "rise first":'' they sometimes endeavour to fix the time, how long they will rise before the rest (p); ""many of those that sleep", &c. these are the righteous that shall "go before" others in life, and how many years shall they go before them? R. Judah says, two hundred and ten years; R. Isaac says, two hundred and fourteen; according to others, the righteous shall go (or be raised) a year before the rest of men; says R. Nachman, it will be according to the computation (of time) that the carcass has been in the dust; R. Jose replies, if so, there will be many resurrections.'' These instances may suffice to show, that the Jews had a notion of some persons rising before others, to which the apostle may have some reference; though his sense is not only this, but also that the dead in Christ shall rise before the living saints are changed, and taken up to be with Christ, and so shall not go before to him; which illustrates and proves what he had before asserted. (d) Targum Jon. in Exod. xx. 18. (e) Kettoreth Hassamamim in ib. (f) Mechilta in ib. & Abarbinel, Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 11. 4. (g) Zohar in Lev. fol. 42. 2. 4. (h) Abkath Rocel, p. 138. Ed. Huls. (i) T. Hieros. Kilaim, fol. 32. 3. & Cetubot, fol. 35. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 74. fol. 65. 1. (k) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 96. fol. 83. 4. & 84. 1. & Shemot Rabba, sect. 32. fol. 135. 2. (l) Zohar in Gen. fol. 68. 4. (m) Zohar in Gen. fol. 79. 3. (n) lb. fol. 100. 3. (o) Ib. fol. 103. 1. (p) Ib. fol. 83. 1.”

“The Lord himself - That is: Jesus Christ shall descend from heaven; shall descend in like manner as he was seen by his disciples to ascend, i.e. in his human form, but now infinitely more glorious; for thousands of thousands shall minister unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before him; for the Son of man shall come on the throne of his glory: but who may abide the day of his coming, or stand when he appeareth? With a shout - Or order, εν κελευσματι· and probably in these words: Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment; which order shall be repeated by the archangel, who shall accompany it with the sound of the trump of God, whose great and terrible blasts, like those on mount Sinai, sounding louder and louder, shall shake both the heavens and the earth! Observe the order of this terribly glorious day: 1. Jesus, in all the dignity and splendor of his eternal majesty, shall descend from heaven to the mid region, what the apostle calls the air, somewhere within the earth's atmosphere. 2. Then the κελευσμα, shout or order, shall be given for the dead to arise. 3. Next the archangel, as the herald of Christ, shall repeat the order, Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment! 4. When all the dead in Christ are raised, then the trumpet shall sound, as the signal for them all to flock together to the throne of Christ. It was by the sound of the trumpet that the solemn assemblies, under the law, were convoked; and to such convocations there appears to be here an allusion. 5. When the dead in Christ are raised, their vile bodies being made like unto his glorious body, then, 6. Those who are alive shall be changed, and made immortal. 7. These shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. 8. We may suppose that the judgment will now be set, and the books opened, and the dead judged out of the things written in those books. 9. The eternal states of quick and dead being thus determined, then all who shall be found to have made a covenant with him by sacrifice, and to have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, shall be taken to his eternal glory, and be for ever with the Lord. What an inexpressibly terrific glory will then be exhibited! I forbear to call in here the descriptions which men of a poetic turn have made of this terrible scene, because I cannot trust to their correctness; and it is a subject which we should speak of and contemplate as nearly as possible in the words of Scripture.”

“himself--in all the Majesty of His presence in person, not by deputy. descend--even as He ascended (Act 1:11). with--Greek, "in," implying one concomitant circumstance attending His appearing. shout--Greek, "signal shout," "war shout." Jesus is represented as a victorious King, giving the word of command to the hosts of heaven in His train for the last onslaught, at His final triumph over sin, death, and Satan (Rev 19:11-21). the voice of . . . archangel--distinct from the "signal shout." Michael is perhaps meant (Jde 1:9; Rev 12:7), to whom especially is committed the guardianship of the people of God (Dan 10:13). trump of God--the trumpet blast which usually accompanies God's manifestation in glory (Exo 19:16; Psa 47:5); here the last of the three accompaniments of His appearing: as the trumpet was used to convene God's people to their solemn convocations (Num 10:2, Num 10:10; Num 31:6), so here to summon God's elect together, preparatory to their glorification with Christ (Psa 50:1-5; Mat 24:31; Co1 15:52). shall rise first--previously to the living being "caught up." The "first" here has no reference to the first resurrection, as contrasted with that of "the rest of the dead." That reference occurs elsewhere (Mat 13:41-42, Mat 13:50; Joh 5:29; Co1 15:23-24; Rev 20:5-6); it simply stands in opposition to "then," Th1 4:17. FIRST, "the dead in Christ" shall rise, THEN the living shall be caught up. The Lord's people alone are spoken of here.”