Ref. in I Thes. 4:13-5:6 Ref. in Matt. 24:29-44 (Mark 13:24-37)
Compare I Thes. 4:13-5:6 with Matt. 24:29-44. Notice how many similar or identical ideas appear. Do you think these two passages are describing two separate events separated by 7 years (pretrib), or 3 1/3 years (mid trib), or some shorter period of time (pre wrath), or are they describing the same event? Remember, God is not the author of confusion.
1. The coming of the Lord, I Thes. 4:15, Son of man coming, Matt. 24:30
2. Lord descends from heaven, 16 (coming down from heaven implied) 30
3. voice of the archangel, 16 (angels gather elect) 31 See Jude 9, Rev 12:7, Dan. 12:1-2
4. trumpet of God, 16 (sound of a trumpet) 31
5. caught up together, 17 (gathered together) 31
6. in the clouds, 17 in the clouds 30
7. timing unknown 1-2 day and hour unknown 36, 44
8. day of the Lord, 5:2 (sun darkened, moon dark, stars fall, heavens shake) signs associated with the day of the Lord 29, see Joel 2:30-31, 3:14-16
9. comes like a thief in the night, 2, 4 time of night the thief was coming 43
10. “they” say peace and safety, 3 (“they” were eat and drinking, etc.) 38
11. then destruction comes, 3 (the flood came) 39
12. suddenly, 3 day Noah entered the ark-flood came 39
13. like a woman about to give birth 3 like a fig tree sprouting leaves 32
14. they shall not escape 3 (took them all away ((none escape)) 39
15. so then, be alert, 6 for this reason, be alert, 42, 43
Compare I Thes. 4:13-5:6 with Matt. 24:29-44. Notice how many similar or identical ideas appear. Do you think these two passages are describing two separate events separated by 7 years (pretrib), or 3 1/3 years (mid trib), or some shorter period of time (pre wrath), or are they describing the same event? Remember, God is not the author of confusion.
1. The coming of the Lord, I Thes. 4:15, Son of man coming, Matt. 24:30
2. Lord descends from heaven, 16 (coming down from heaven implied) 30
3. voice of the archangel, 16 (angels gather elect) 31 See Jude 9, Rev 12:7, Dan. 12:1-2
4. trumpet of God, 16 (sound of a trumpet) 31
5. caught up together, 17 (gathered together) 31
6. in the clouds, 17 in the clouds 30
7. timing unknown 1-2 day and hour unknown 36, 44
8. day of the Lord, 5:2 (sun darkened, moon dark, stars fall, heavens shake) signs associated with the day of the Lord 29, see Joel 2:30-31, 3:14-16
9. comes like a thief in the night, 2, 4 time of night the thief was coming 43
10. “they” say peace and safety, 3 (“they” were eat and drinking, etc.) 38
11. then destruction comes, 3 (the flood came) 39
12. suddenly, 3 day Noah entered the ark-flood came 39
13. like a woman about to give birth 3 like a fig tree sprouting leaves 32
14. they shall not escape 3 (took them all away ((none escape)) 39
15. so then, be alert, 6 for this reason, be alert, 42, 43