(1Th 4:16) “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:” One should be careful when interpreting Scripture to leave out assumptions, or at least acknowledge to self they are assumptions. Most say, “…with the voice of the archangel speaks of Christ being over the angels.” Maybe. This we do know, He is Lord over all, (Heb 1:7) “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. (8)  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:”  Jesus as Lord could be using the angel to shout, to speak, to command others. The next chapter says we (man) are lower than the angels. If they obey Him, so should you and me!  

(1Th 4:16) “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:” The Lord always keeps His Word. He said to the disciples: (John 14:2c) “… I go to prepare a place for you. (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”  Notice the emphasis of our verse, “For the Lord HIMSELF….” My God is the Promise-keeping God!  

 (1Th 4:16) “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:”  I wonder what the Lord will shout: “Come forth”, as He did at Lazarus’ grave? There, the Lord Jesus specifically said, “Lazarus, come forth”, for one has well said, “If He had specified Lazarus, all in the graves would have come forth.” Will He shout, “Come home”? Such a shout would include those who are alive at that time. My heart will continue to listen for the shout, and no matter what the words, my body, soul, and spirit will respond in joy! 

(1Th 4:15)  “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.” The whole subject of the this and the next few verses that follow is the resurrection and the taking of our bodies to heaven. This is very much a part of the hope of salvation. After seven years from that point those bodies (the saved) will be allowed to return with Christ Who will reign a thousand years. Point: the hope of the Christian is not being a spirit to lie on a cloud and play a harp all day. The hope of the saved is to live, work, serve, and enjoy life as it was meant to be.

(1Th 4:14) “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”  Notice those that sleep (the body in the grave) are not in the grave, but with God. The Lord Jesus will bring them back to unite with their bodies, (verse 16) “…and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”  Paul penned that he was looking forward to being, “absent from body and present with the Lord.”  I look forward to that day!  

(1Th 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.”  Those who give themselves to Jesus in salvation come to a different end than those who do not. The body of the lost die to corruption, the saved to “sleep”, meaning that body will rise again, changed. What a blessed hope!  

(1 Thess 4:12)  “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”  “….that ye may have lack of nothing.”  The Lord gives us health, abilities, and the mental acuity to supply our own needs. He therefore will not do for us what He has given us the means to do for ourselves. He does not do for the lazy. It is true of our private life and is true of our work for Him in His church. We are to be busy. He then blesses the work of our hands. Let us with joy work in His fields.  

(1 Thess 4:12)  “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”   “Toward them that are without”, referring to the unsaved. This is not figurative speech, but plain honest spiritual truth. Those who receive spiritual life from above, by that very occurrence, are made different, separated from this world. Our citizenship transfers to another place – God’s home. Our nature changes making our desires different. Our relationships change, for we are made children of a new Father. It is an exclusive position of the redeemed by the blood of God’s Son. The question you should honestly ask yourself is this: “Am I in or out?”   

(1Th 4:11) “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; (12)  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” “Work” so that you may “walk honestly” in the sight of the unsaved. The more wicked this world becomes, the more such men and women shine in the darkness. We want the blessings of the Lord. The Lord never blesses sin, so He will never bless the dishonesty of one of His children. Do right!  

(1Th 4:11) “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;”    I once heard a preacher say, “The Lord always calls people who are active, doing something.”  I know when He calls a man into the ministry, it is always those who are already busy for Him. Laziness is the essence of living for self. I am afraid churches have a great many lazy people. We are saved to work through the New Testament church to minister and reach others. The Lord is not as concerned about your comfort as He is His work. What is it that you do in your church?