We read in 1
Thess. 3:13, “so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before
our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints”
(NKJV). Then
Jude 14 states, “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men
also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.’”
Since the Lord is to come for his
saints, not with his saints (1 Thess. 4:16-18), this apparent discrepancy
needs further clarification. The Greek word hagioi,
rendered “saints” in some translations, actually means “holy ones.” Who are the
“holy ones” who will accompany the Lord at his second coming? The Bible gives a
clear answer: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy [hagioi] angels with Him …” (Matt. 25:31). The “holy ones” who will
accompany Jesus at his return are holy angels (cf. Matt. 13:39; 2 Thess. 1:7),
not the living and resurrected faithful who will meet the Lord in the air (1
Thess. 4:16-17).
--Kevin L. Moore
Related Posts: Matthew 24: End of the World?, Day of the Lord
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