One common objection that people will bring up to the rapture being after the tribulation
is they will say that the comfort in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 is referring to the fact that
we don't have to go through the horrible events of the tribulation.
I mean, we're just going to live in comfort.
They take comfort as like a soft pillow or a warm glass of hot cocoa.
They don't understand what the word comfort is referring to in 1 Thessalonians chapter
4.
The Bible reads in verse 13, but I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning
them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope.
So this passage starts out by telling us that we don't have to sorrow as those who
have no hope about our loved ones who've died and gone and are now with the Lord.
And in fact, if you look at this key rapture passage, every single verse refers to the
dead in Christ or those who've died and gone to be with the Lord.
Verse 13 covered it.
Listen to verse 14.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him.
There it is again.
Verse 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.
There it is again.
Verse 17, then we which are alive and remain shall be got up together with them.
There it is again.
In the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
So in verse 13, he said, I don't want you to mourn like those who have no hope.
And then in verse 18, he says, wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Comfort one another about what?
About the fact that you've lost a loved one.
That's why this passage is popular at funerals.
Because if you've lost a loved one that was saved, you don't have to mourn like
those who have no hope.
Why?
Because if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep
in Jesus will God bring with him.
Every verse emphasizes the reunion with those loved ones who've died and gone to be with
the Lord.
So when he says comfort one another with these words, he's not saying, hey, be comforted.
There's no persecution coming.
There's no tribulation, no trouble.
You're going to be raptured in a moment before anything bad happens, before the Antichrist
happens.
You're going to be raptured before that.
Isn't that comforting?
Doesn't that feel good?
No, actually the word comfort.
Look at the last four letters, fort.
That comes from the same root word as our word fortress.
Comfort means to strengthen.
You know, God wants us to be comforted and strengthened in the knowledge that we
will see our loved ones again who've gone to be with the Lord.
He didn't say be comforted that you're not going to go through any bad times.
That's a ridiculous interpretation of this passage.
The Bible says in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.
I've overcome the world.
Amen.