1Thessalonians 5:9-11 For God had not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also you do.
‘For God had not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.’ God has not appointed Christians to go through the tribulation wrath, the sudden destruction of 1Thessalonians 5:2-3; Revelation 6:1-19:21 and Matthew 24:15-21, or the wrath of eternal hell, but to be delivered by the rapture [resurrection] so that whether we live or die we should live together with Him forever (5:9-10; 4:13-18; 2Thess. 2:7; Rev. 4:1).
‘Whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.’ This refers to the rapture of 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 and proves that all in Christ – dead or alive – will be raptured and live with Christ forever and that all will escape the wrath of 1Thessalonians 5:1-3, 9; Matthew 24:15-21 and Revelation 6:1-19:21.
‘Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another.’ This expression is used in 1Thessalonians 4:18 and here, and in each passage, it refers to comfort because of the rapture and escape of the wrath which will be poured out upon men after the rapture and before the second coming (Rev. 6:1 – 19:21).
Living the Word 