The Blessed Hope
A Reason to Hope!
This world is not our home.
The entire world is rife with madness; peace is elusive. We hear of wars and rumors of wars. We're facing pestilence in the form of viruses, with new strains appearing after the previous had wreaked havoc, killing many with warnings of more outbreaks on the horizon. Famine is a real threat as some nations struggle to feed their citizens. Inflation, rising food prices, and food shortages are impacting nearly everyone. Earthquakes, volcanos, and bizarre weather are becoming common. It's as if the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are taking a test trot around the globe. The only thing missing is zombies and Soylent Green, but both may be coming to a city near you.
There's more bad news in the book of Revelation, but here's some good news to consider.
God's word contains a promise, a Blessed Hope. To experince this, you need a relationship with the Son of God, it will lead to eternal redemption to live with Him forever alongside family and friends who also believe in Him. We are eagerly awaiting and looking for the soon return of Jesus Christ. He told us he would return, John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
This event, according to the Bible, is called the Blessed Hope. It's known as the rapture in modern English. In Greek it's called harpazo, while in Latin it's called rapiō, which means to snatch or carry off. If Paul referred to this event as “Blessed” does that not allude to comfort? It is not called the blessed hope to warn of immediate impending doom, but of a bright future! If we are going to be here during the time of Jacob’s trouble, how could Paul’s words be a comfort? They cannot, Paul is giving hope to troubled hearts and minds, thus a blessed hope.
Here's the best news ever!
"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and 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."1 Thess. 4:13-17
"Therefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Imagine sinking into a soft chair after a cold hard day at work, with a warm blanket, we're physically comforted. Spiritually, our souls can be comforted by these words of hope. The crazy world is falling apart, spiraling out of control just outside our door, yet we can sink into the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the only one that can save us. He is our Blessed Hope!