There are different ways to discuss a topic like the snatching away. You can discuss all the Scripture passages in the order given to us in the New Testament. You could also answer some questions, such as who, what, why, when, and how? It’s like putting together a puzzle: where do you begin? And that will be different for everyone. But the ultimate goal is to complete the puzzle. I will discuss the Scripture passages here in a (rather) random order, but as completely as possible.
1 Thessalonians 4
13 But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve, as the rest do who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we will by no means catch up with those who are alive and remain until the parousia of the Lord, those who are asleep…
Encouragement regarding those who had fallen asleep
Paul wanted to encourage the Thessalonians regarding those who had already fallen asleep (1:13). He had told them about the snatching away, and apparently, they believed that believers who had already died would not share in this event. What Paul reveals to them in this passage is that at the moment of the snatching away, the dead will rise first, and those who are alive will not precede them but will join them. Jesus died and rose again, and so God will also raise the believers who have fallen asleep.
parousia
The Greek word parousia in verse 15 is usually translated as coming or second coming. It literally means presence. It is the opposite of apousia (=absence, Phil. 2:12). It refers to more than the moment of His coming, namely, also the period afterward. Just as we also speak of His first coming, which encompasses not only His birth, but His entire earthly life until His death and resurrection.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a command, with the voice of the prince of the angels, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first.
The Archangel
We will return to the first part of this verse later when we consider the timing of the snatching away, because the chief of the messengers turns out to be the archangel (see Statenvertaling and NBG), and that archangel tells us something about the moment at which this takes place.
In the previous verse, we already saw that those who are alive and remain until the moment of His coming will not overtake (>precede) those who have already fallen asleep. And this is confirmed here: the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be together with the Lord.
Survivors or living remnants?
There will be those who are still alive at the time of His parousia. Some translations here render “the living who survive” instead of “the living who remain.” The word used here doesn’t contain the word “life” of “survive”, but is composed of “AROUND” and “LACKING.” That’s why I prefer “the living who remain.” While they are survivors compared to those who have already fallen asleep, the translation “survivors” sometimes leads to the wrong conclusions. For example, that these survivors survived the great tribulation. That’s not stated here, and it can’t be inferred from this word. That’s why I prefer the translation above. More on this when we consider the time of the rapture.
snatching
1 Thessalonians 4:17 is one of the Scriptures that speaks of being caught away. This is where the term “snatching away” comes from. The dead will rise, and those who are alive will be caught away or snatched away simultaneously with them. This will happen extremely quickly, as we will see in other Scripture passages, and hence: a snatching away.
18 Therefore, encourage one another with these words!
survivors or living survivors?
These are the words Paul gives us regarding deceased fellow believers. How often have you heard this at a funeral? Isn’t it true that in Christianity, there is a completely different view of what “death” means? A person has an immortal soul, so the common reasoning goes, and the deceased would now be rejoicing before God’s throne. Paul says something different. The dead are asleep and will be raised at His coming and, along with the living survivors, meet the Lord in the air!