When Jesus shows up, it’s never quiet. He comes with GREAT fanfare. The Bible tells us that a day is coming when the Groom (Jesus) will come to retrieve His Bride (the Church). We call this the Rapture. Christians that do not believe in the Rapture of the Church have not studied their Bibles. In fact, the apostle Paul gives us exact details of the Rapture in this passage of 1 Thessalonians 4… and also in 1 Corinthians 15. Here’s what he says.
Jesus will ascend into the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:17). He is not coming to the earth on the day of the Rapture (that will happen at the conclusion of the Tribulation). When Jesus arrives in the clouds, we will be caught up to meet Him. But He’s not coming quietly...
Jesus is coming with a commanding shout. the phrase “commanding shout” means “to summon.” One commentary writes: “This is the shout of a king or conqueror as he leaves his palace with the expressed aim of setting the captives free.” I’m guessing it will be a shout loud enough to awaken the dead (like when Jesus shouted for Lazarus to come out of the grave).
Jesus is coming with the voice of the archangel. Archangel means “top angel.” In the Bible, Michael is the only one who bears the name archangel. So, it may be Michael that accompanies Jesus. If not, it will be one of his top angels. But without a doubt, he will be leading a host of angels. Imagine that.
Jesus is coming with the trumpet call of God. Trumpets in the Old Testament were used for many reasons: a summons to meet with God, special festivals, the arrival of new seasons, and a call to battle. In relation to the trumpet call on the day of the Rapture, we can believe it is the final summons for God’s people to come meet with Him, deliverance for His people, and the arrival of a new season/new life for the Bride of Christ. And instead of a trumpet calling us to battle, it may be that the blowing of this instrument is the end of the spiritual war for the Church.
The Bible makes it clear that we do not know when this day will come, but the more I study prophecy, I believe with my whole heart that we are sitting on the threshold of the Rapture. Hence, Jesus’ return is imminent. So, what do we do with this information? First, we encourage each other with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18), and we prepare ourselves by staying committed to Jesus, remaining pure, and drawing near every day. Hope this encourages you today.