Comments on 1 Thessalonians 4 v6 "defraud his brother", i.e., offend his brother by being sexually immoral (the subject of the preceding verses) with his wife, sister, or daughter. "the Lord is the avenger of all such", cp. Hosea 4:11-14, Jacob 2:31, 3 Ne. 9:11. v9-12 The early Church in Jerusalem and Antioch was generally observing the Law of Consecration (cf. Acts 2:43-47, Acts 4:34- 37, Acts 11:27-30) and Paul is here encouraging them to do the same. v15-17 The IV/JST differs from the KJV, as follows: KJV IV --- -- For this we say unto you For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive that they who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord at the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent shall not prevent them them who remain unto the coming of the Lord, which are asleep. who are asleep. For the Lord himself For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a shout, with the voice with the voice of the archangel, of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ and the dead in Christ shall rise first: shall rise first; Then we which are alive Then they who are alive, and remain shall be caught up together shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, into the clouds with them who remain, to meet the Lord in the air: to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we and so shall we ever be with the Lord. be ever with the Lord. The IV/JST clarifies who "them who remain" are (i.e., those "who are asleep") and pushes "the coming of the Lord" away from Paul's contemporary setting. The subject spoken of here is that which is popularly called "The Rapture" by Christendom. There is considerable debate among Christian scholars as to when the Rapture will occur. There are three groups: Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation, Post-tribulation. The "tribulation" is the seven years of suffering and woe poured out upon the nations per John's Revelation. Most of Christendom favors a Pre-tribulation Rapture, and this doctrine suggests the faithful will be spared the tribulations poured out on the world by being taken up into heaven. The LDS position is Post- tribulation Rapture, cf. Matt. 24:31, D&C 45:45, D&C 88:96, D&C 101:31, D&C 109:75. The subject is one that is not commonly discussed in LDS circles. I would guess this is because we assume it is Post- tribulation and see it as an event that is simultaneous with the Second Coming, and so it is not considered a sign that will precede. LDS Eschatology focuses much more on the tribulation and the apocalypse. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.