Good evening to you, welcome to tonight's
study with Word of God fellowship. Tonight
we will be reading from 1sth thes. 4 beginning is v. 13.
This chapter holds special meaning for me because not only has my family
used these scriptures on a few occasions in the past, a very old and dear friend
passed again to the Father this morning. Mr. Ronald Brown, mostly referred to as Ronny B. by friends
passed on to the Father on this 26th day of sep. in the year of our Lord 2002.
Those of us who knew him will hold the memories in our hearts and minds until
again we see our brother in the kingdom of our Father.
We Love you brother Ronny, and we will never forget you.
We ask that the Lord God watch and keep our brother and return him to us
once again with the coming of your son Jesus Christ, and in His name we pray,
Amen.
And with that, we begin
tonight's study, Where are the dead.
1Th 4:13 But1161
I would2309 not3756
have you5209 to be ignorant,50
brethren,80 concerning4012
them which are asleep,2837 that2443
ye sorrow3076 not,3361
even2532 as2531
others3062 which have2192
no3361 hope.1680
Here is our subject. Paul
is beginning to instruct them on the subject of those who have departed this
world. We are not to be as those
with "no hope". What is
this "hope"?? the Greek
word used here is:
G1680
ἐλπίς
elpis
el-pece'
Fromἔλπω elpo¯
which is a primary word (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation
(abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.
We are to anticipate the return of our departed loved ones with pleasure,
certain that they will return with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1Th 4:14
For1063 if1487
we believe4100 that3754
Jesus2424 died599
and2532 rose again,450
even so3779 them also which sleep2837,
2532 in1223 Jesus2424
will God2316 bring71
with4862 him.846
Here is a
basic statement or our "hope" of the resurrection.
1Th 4:15
For1063 this5124
we say3004 unto you5213
by1722 the word3056
of the Lord,2962 that3754
we2249 which are alive2198
and remain4035
unto1519 the3588
coming3952 of the3588
Lord2962 shall not3364
prevent5348 them which are asleep.2837
The word used
here for "prevent" is:
G5348
φθάνω
phthano¯
fthan'-o
Apparently a primary verb; to be beforehand,
that is, anticipate or precede; by extension to have arrived
at: - (already) attain, come, prevent.
This word
would be better translated in this context as "precede".
Why can we who remain until the second coming precede those who have
passed on??
Ecc 12:5
Also1571 when
they shall be afraid3372 of that
which is high,4480, 1364
and fears2849 shall
be in the way,1870
and the almond tree8247 shall
flourish,5006 and the grasshopper2284
shall be a burden,5445 and desire35
shall fail:6565 because3588
man120 goeth1980
to413 his long5769
home,1004 and the mourners5594
go about5437 the streets:7784
It is plain
to see that we are speaking of the moment of death for the physical body.
Ecc 12:6
Or5704 ever834,
3808 the silver3701
cord2256 be loosed,7368
or the golden2091 bowl1543
be broken,7533 or the pitcher3537
be broken7665 at5921
the fountain,4002 or the wheel1534
broken7533 at413
the cistern.953
This is figurative
speech of the moment of death. the
word used for "loosed" is:
H7368
ّç÷
ra^chaq
raw-khak'
A primitive root; to widen (in any
direction), that is, (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove
(literally or figuratively, of place or relation): - (a, be, cast, drive, get,
go, keep [self], put, remove, be too, [wander], withdraw) far (away, off),
loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way (off).
By the time
this cord (line, as in live line, remember this is figurative.) is removed what
is taking place??
Ecc 12:7
Then shall the dust6083
return7725 to5921
the earth776 as it was:7945,
1961 and the spirit7307
shall return7725 unto413
God430 who834
gave5414 it.
The spirit
returns where?? To God who gave it.
And I will point out one more time that the spirit "RETURNS" to
God who gave it.
1Th 4:16
For3754 the3588
Lord2962 himself846
shall descend2597 from575
heaven3772 with1722
a shout,2752 with1722
the voice5456 of the archangel,743
and2532 with1722
the trump4536 of God:2316
and2532 the3588
dead3498 in1722
Christ5547 shall rise450
first:4412
Again, why
will the dead in Christ rise first?? Because
they are ALREADY WITH HIM.
1Th 4:17
Then1899 we2249
which are alive2198 and
remain4035 shall be caught up726
together260 with4862
them846 in1722
the clouds3507 to meet1519,
529 the3588 Lord2962
in1519 the air:109
and2532 so3779
shall we ever3842 be2071 with4862
the Lord.2962
Before you
start thinking "rapture", read v. 16 again and ask yourself a
question. Which "trump"
are we referring to here??
1Co 15:51
Behold,2400 I show3004
you5213 a mystery;3466
We shall not3756 all3956
sleep,(2837) but1161
we shall all3956 be changed,236
1Co 15:52
In1722 a moment,823
in1722 the twinkling4493
of an eye,3788 at1722
the3588 last2078
trump:4536 for1063
the trumpet shall sound,4537 and2532
the3588 dead3498
shall be raised1453 incorruptible,862
and2532 we2249
shall be changed.236
This makes it
very clear that this happens at the LAST trump.
Satan shows up on the fifth and sixth trumps. We will look at the beginning of him entrance now.
Rev 9:1
And2532 the3588
fifth3991 angel32
sounded,4537 and2532
I saw1492 a star792
fall4098 from1537
heaven3772 unto1519
the3588 earth:1093
and2532 to him846
was given1325 the3588
key2807 of the3588
bottomless12 pit.5421
No, this is
not to loose him for a short time, that is explained in Rev.20:3
Rev 9:2
And2532 he opened455
the3588 bottomless12
pit;5421 and2532
there arose305 a smoke2586
out of1537 the3588
pit,5421 as5613
the smoke2586 of a great3173
furnace;2575 and2532
the3588 sun2246
and2532 the3588
air109 were darkened4654
by reason of1537 the3588
smoke2586 of the3588
pit.5421
Rev 9:3
And2532 there came1831
out of1537 the3588
smoke2586 locusts200
upon1519 the3588
earth:1093 and2532
unto them846 was given1325
power,1849 as5613
the3588 scorpions4651
of the3588 earth1093
have2192 power.1849
Rev 9:4
And2532 it was commanded4483
them846 that2443
they should not3361 hurt91
the3588 grass5528
of the3588 earth,1093
neither3761 any3956
green thing,5515 neither3761
any3956 tree;1186
but1508 only3441
those men444 which3748
have2192 not3756
the3588 seal4973
of God2316 in1909
their848 foreheads.3359
This is to
say, the Truth of the word in their minds.
Rev 9:5
And2532 to them846
it was given1325 that2443
they should not3361 kill615
them,846 but235
that2443 they should be tormented928
five4002 months:3376
and2532 their848
torment929 was
the torment929 of a scorpion,4651 when3752 he
striketh3817 a man.444
Rev 9:6
And2532 in1722
those1565 days2250
shall men444 seek2212
death,2288 and2532
shall not3756 find2147
it;846 and2532
shall desire1937 to die,599
and2532 death2288
shall flee5343 from575
them.846
Rev 9:7
And2532 the3588
shapes3667 of the3588
locusts200 were
like unto3664 horses2462
prepared2090 unto1519
battle;4171 and2532
on1909 their848
heads2776 were
as it were5613 crowns4735
like3664 gold,5557
and2532 their848
faces4383 were
as5613 the faces4383
of men.444
Why do they
have the faces of men?? Satan uses
men the same as the father does. Remember
that.
Rev 9:8
And2532 they had2192
hair2359 as5613
the hair2359 of women,1135
and2532 their848
teeth3599 were2258
as5613 the
teeth of lions.3023
Rev 9:9
And2532 they had2192
breastplates,2382 as it were5613
breastplates2382 of iron;4603
and2532 the3588
sound5456 of their848
wings4420 was
as5613 the sound5456
of chariots716 of many4183
horses2462 running5143
to1519 battle.4171
Rev 9:10
And2532 they had2192
tails3769 like unto3664
scorpions,4651 and2532
there were2258 stings2759
in1722 their848
tails:3769 and2532
their848 power1849
was to hurt91
men444 five4002
months.3376
Rev 9:11
And2532 they had2192
a king935 over1909
them,846 which
is the3588
angel32 of the3588
bottomless pit,12 whose846
name3686 in the Hebrew tongue1447
is Abaddon,3
but2532 in1722
the3588 Greek tongue1673
hath2192 his
name3686 Apollyon.623
Now if there
is any doubt left as to who this is:
G3
Ἀβαδδών
Abaddo¯n
ab-ad-dohn'
Of Hebrew origin [H11]; a destroying angel:
- Abaddon.
and the hebrew word this came from:
H11
àلمجهï
'ăbaddo^n
ab-ad-done'
Intensively from H6; abstractly a perishing;
concretely Hades: - destruction.
and finally, the word "Apollyon":
G623
Ἀπολλύων
Apolluo¯n
ap-ol-loo'-ohn
Active participle of G622; a destroyer
(that is, Satan): - Apollyon.
And the word from which this came:
G622
ἀπόλλυμι
apollumi
ap-ol'-loo-mee
From G575 and the base of G3639; to destroy
fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:
- destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
This is the son of perdition.
Just a little extra tidbit of information
there. To finish up the subject at
hand, Jesus Christ will bring our loved ones with him when he returns as King of
Kings and Lord of Lords, and we will be with the savior as well as our departed
loved ones once again.
1Th 4:18
Wherefore5620 comfort3870
one another240 with1722
these5125 words.3056
And as I said at the beginning of this study,
my family and I have used these words to
comfort each other more than once. So,
be it a departed brother, sister, mother, father or our own dearly loved Ronny
B., they are at this moment in the presents of the Father and quite happy and in
no pain. wherefore we comfort one
another with these words. And as we
learned in last nights study, we even have the power through the Lord Jesus
Christ to pray and even be baptized on behalf of these departed loved ones.
So, comfort one another my friends, and may God bless you and yours always
in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.