Caught Up to "Meet" Him!

By Hazel Holland

Here are some thoughts I've been considering the last few days as the Spirit has been prompting me to look at these verses.

^"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NASB).

First of all I do not believe that when believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air it means to be "raptured away"... an escapist mentality that Dispensationalist teachings promote in the "Left Behind" series.  In other words, I do not believe in a secret rapture where Christians all of a sudden disappear off the face of the earth.  For me that teaching does not have sound biblical support.

However, I think that being caught up to "meet" the Lord in the air has another possible meaning that many of us (including myself) have overlooked, perhaps because we haven't understood the normal usage of the Greek word "meet" that Paul was using here.

The same word "meet" that is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 is also used in Matthew 25:6 to describe the bridesmaids who go out to "meet" the bridegroom and then accompany him into the feast.  Furthermore, this same word "meet" is also used in Acts 28:15 to describe the Romans who go out to "meet" Paul as he arrives in their city, and then go back with him into their city.

The key factor with the normal usage of the Greek word "meet" in these instances is that the arriving dignitary: the bridegroom in Matthew 25, and Paul in Acts 28, didn't change directions and go back where he came from AFTER the people came to meet him! He continued with them into their house or city.  For me the implication here is huge and it blew me away!

So it seems to me that Paul's use of the word "meet" in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 might be talking about a similar kind of "meeting".  A "meeting" where believers who are alive and those who have been raised from the dead are caught up to "meet" Christ in the air on His way back to earth.  Yes, they will be with the Lord for evermore as the verse tells us, but it doesn't tell us that that He is going to turn around where He came from and take us back to heaven as I have always understood this verse to mean.

Rather it sounds like believers will be with the Lord as they accompany Him on His way back to earth as He "descends".  And yes, they will be with Him always.  There's no mention of being caught away and taken somewhere... like to heaven as I always have thought.

Furthermore, 1Thessalonians 3:13 says, "So that He may establish your hearts blameless...at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."  He's coming with all His saints... not to turn around and go back to where He just came from.

The central theme is that every believer, whether dead or alive will be resurrected and caught up to greet Jesus in the clouds when He returns to earth.  What a glorious day that will be when we are caught up to meet him in the air and we return with Him... yes, in glorified bodies as part of his army, dressed in white linen, riding on white horses (Revelation 19:14).

As soon as I read this verse of Scripture I began to laugh out loud and rejoice in the Spirit...  When we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air we will be changed... in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump we will have our glorified bodies... and we will be with our God forever and ever!♥  

What are your thoughts?