A Shout, A Voice and A Trump.
1Th 4:16 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 are three particulars mentioned here.
1. With a shout. (the Lord himself)
2. With the voice. (the Archangel)
3. With the trump. (the trump of God)
With a shout (Greek, Keleuma – a cry of incitement, shout). This word does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.
Who shouts?
The Lord Himself descends with a shout. It is the shout of Jesus Himself. It means to bid and exhort, a cry of command.
The Lord himself; This is distinguishing Jesus the Angels and to his saints, but is emphatic, "the Lord himself," the Lord in his own proper Person.
Shall descend from heaven; where the crucified and risen Jesus is now enthroned, seated at the right hand of God.
With a shout; a word denoting a commanding shout as that of a leader to his host when he leads them into the battle, or of the army when it rushes to the fight. Some refer this shout to what follows, meaning, the voice of the archangel and the trump of God; but there are three particulars mentioned here.
There are those that believe that because the shout is followed by “the voice of the Archangel” that Jesus and the Archangel are one and the same.
However, we know from scripture that all angels are created. Whereas, Jesus Christ was not created but begotten of God.
Ps. 148:2, 5. “Praise ye him [God], all his angels ... let them praise the name of Jehovah; for he commanded, and they were created”
Neh. 9:6. “[God] made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their hosts ... and the host of heaven worships you”
Hebrews 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Jesus is not an Angel or Archangel but “the Lord Himself”
Jesus is the bridegroom. He said that He was going away and that where he was going, the disciples could not go but He would come back to receive them to Himself.
Jesus said, I am going to prepare a place for you so that where I am, you can be also.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
In our passage of scripture we see the Bridegroom coming from the Father to receive His bride (the church)
No one knows the time or the hour but the Father only.
Matt 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
In a Jewish wedding, the bridegroom comes for his bride.
The bride has been preparing herself for his coming. When the bridal home has been prepared and the father deems it ready, he sends his son to get his bride.
The bridegroom would abduct his bride secretly, like a thief in the night and take her to the wedding chamber.
As the bridegroom approaches, he would shout with a cry of command and a shofar would be blown (a rams horn trumpet). The bridegroom and his companions would enter the brides house and take her.
Just as the bridegroom would come for the bride in the middle of the night, with a shout and the sound of a shofar, so the Lord will come for us.
The three separate sounds:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, (1) with a loud command, with (2) the voice of the archangel and (3) with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
So it would appear that it will be the Lord Himself who shouts.
How can we say this is true?
We can say this because scripture tells us who’s voice is heard at the resurrection.
Jesus raises ALL the dead by His mighty voice.
Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
We hear His voice when we are regenerated and brought from spiritual death to spiritual life
John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
We shall hear His voice when we are resurrected at the last trump.
Who shouted to Lazarus to come forth from the tomb? Notice: It was Jesus who shouted “Lazarus come forth”.
Jesus voice is powerful.
Psa. 29:4-5 “The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.”
He spoke the world into existence, Genesis Ch1.
Hebrews 1:3 tells us, He upholds the universe by the word of His power.
He controls the elements by His voice.
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Mat 8:27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
There are many many, verses in scripture that tell us of the mighty power in the voice of the Lord.
Psa 68:33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
Joe 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Luk 4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
Who’s shout would we expect to hear at the resurrection? Surely it will be the voice of the Saviour Himself shouting to waken the dead.
The second particular
The voice of the Archangel.
Which Archangel is the verse referring to?
In the original Greek the definite article is not there, whilst the KJV renders it “the” the ESV and the NKJV says “an”.
In both cases it does not tell us which Archangel.
With the voice of the or an Archangel. The word archangel occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in Jude 1:9, where it is applied to Michael. It properly means a chief angel; one who is first, or who is over others - ἄρχων
archōn.
There are only two Angels mentioned in scripture, Michael and Gabriel but it does not say Archangel Gabriel.
Others are mentioned in apocryphal books such as Tobit and Enoch.
In some texts, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is rendered: "with the voice of the prince of the angels."
Matt 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matt 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
We see here that Jesus will be accompanied by Angels (plural) but our text refers to the voice of “the or an Archangel”
We cannot say for certain but the word “the” or "an" must refer to a specific Angel. The Greek word used here is
(Greek – Archaggelos – a chief Angel) as opposed to (Aggelos, Angel).
It seems that scripture says that there are Angels and Archangels and that two Archangels that are mentioned in the Bible and these are Michael and Gabriel.
The archangels are referred to as numbering seven (e.g., Revelation 8:2 and Tobit 7:15 and 1 Enoch 1:20) and in Enoch they are listed as Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel.
The Bible in Revelation 8:2 does not speak of Archangels but Angels, (Greek, aggelos) and we cannot base doctrine on either Tobit or Enoch.
The prophet Daniel is told that Michael the archangel is “the great prince who protects your people” (Daniel 12:1).
Daniel 10:13 says that Michael is “one of the chief princes.”
The word used here for “one” is (echad) which can mean (one, first, certain, only).
So, it does suggest that there could be more than one Archangel.
Whether there are two or seven is not certain.
Michael the archangel has, a prominent role in the events of the end times. Daniel was told by the angel of the Lord that, during the time of the end,
Michael will “arise” and there would be a time of unsurpassed
trouble—a reference to the Great Tribulation (Daniel 12:1). Israel is guaranteed protection during this time, which will be followed by a great resurrection of the dead—some to everlasting life and others to everlasting shame (Daniel 12:2). The
rapture of the church will be accompanied by “the voice of the archangel”
(1 Thessalonians 4:16); so, this could be a reference to Michael, but Scripture does not specifically name him here.
The last mention of Michael the archangel appears in Revelation 12:7. During the tribulation, “war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.” Michael and the forces of heaven defeat the dragon (Satan), and the Devil is hurled to the earth. There, enraged, Satan “went off to wage war against . . . those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (Revelation 12:17).
So, it appears that “shout” and the “voice of the Archangel” are two particulars.
The third particular is:
The Trump of God.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
The Bible tells us to be looking for His return, which involves the trump of God.
This return of Jesus Christ is what the Bible calls “The Blessed Hope”
Titus 2:13-15 Our blessed hope is our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This event will happen very quick.
1Cor.15:51-52 “in the twinkling of an eye” that’s very fast “at the last trump” “for the trumpet shall sound”
The Trump of 1 Thess 4: 16 is the same Trump of 1 Cor 15:52. Both of these speak of the Rapture of believers both dead and alive (The Harpazo).
At this time all believers dead and alive will be changed and given a glorified body fit for eternity.
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
“The dead shall be raised (Greek, Anastasia).
“We who are alive and remain shall be caught up” (Greek, Harpazo)
“Caught up together” (Greek, Episunagarge) “The Gathering”
Conclusion:
We can recognise three particulars in this passage, following each other in rapid succession.
1. The commanding shout of the “The Lord Himself”. To awaken the dead and call those who are alive and remain.
2. The voice of “The archangel” summoning the other hosts of heaven.
3. “The trump of God” the call to collect believers"
