Scripture Text – Matthew 24:3-14
The Meeting In The Air
Every unbeliever will be left behind. The unsaved dead will remain in their graves and their souls will be in torment, not to be raised until a thousand years later. The living unbelievers will remain on the earth to face the wrath of God, and if not subsequently saved they will face death in that awful day only to join the others who are lost until the last resurrection of the damned at the end of time and at the Great White Throne.
But the saved (resurrected and changed) will then begin their upward translation. Paul says, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Before we meet Jesus at His coming we will be reunited with our loved ones who have gone on before. All of us have loved ones for whom we yearn and whom we miss much. We have mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters over yonder and sometimes we get homesick to see them. Do you remember the day that little flaxen-haired blue-eyed darling breathed her last earthly breath and the Lord took her away from this vile wicked world to be with Him? What tears you have wept, and how you long to see her again. Listen, friend, if you are a believer you will see that darling again, for the “dead in Christ will rise first: then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them . . . to meet the Lord in the air.”
“Together with them . . . to meet the Lord.” That means that before we are caught up to meet Jesus we will be brought together and reunited with our loved ones. We will rise to meet Him not only as individuals but as reunited groups. We will be brought together and there will be a quick fond greeting of our loved ones and then together we will be caught up. When we meet Jesus we will meet Him together with our saved families. How the thought thrills our souls! While we long to see the Lord Jesus who died for us, we also long to see the dear ones gone on before. I have a mother up there, a father, a sister, a brother and a host of other dear ones and friends. Before I am caught up to meet Him I will meet Mother and Father and brother and sister. There will be one rapturous moment of fond greeting and then we will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air.
Friends will be there I have loved long ago;
Joy like a river around me will flow;
Yet, just a smile from my Saviour, I know,
Will thro’ the ages be glory for me.
Then Paul says, “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17. We will be perfect in His presence. There will be no more suffering, pain or sickness; no more weeping, distress, disappointment or struggle; no more stumbling, failing and falling; no more sinning; no more slipping. With new bodies—immortal, sinless, painless—we shall ever enjoy the eternal glories of His presence and His kingdom.
This is the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). This is the one bright spot in a dark world. This is the glad anticipation of the believer who trusts in Christ. The war clouds may loom darker and blacker. The roar of cannon may roll; the boom of guns may make the earth tremble; the nations may assemble for war; civilization may totter on the brink of destruction and man may seek to annihilate himself, but to those who know the truth of “that blessed hope” these things are but the footsteps of the coming King, and we then can “look up and lift up (y)our heads, because (y)our redemption draws near.” – Luke 21:28.
Oh what a glorious time, for be assured, Jesus Christ is coming again!
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
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