[461]Some of these dear saints, however, have been developed from time to time throughout the gospel age, beginning with the apostles at Pentecost. These have died and waited for the return of the Lord. Since the Scriptures show that the dead know not anything until the resurrection, it would be reasonable to expect the Lord to do something for these who had died faithful to their covenant and to expect that he would do something for them early in the time of his presence. St. Paul says: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."--1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
[462]Some have misconstrued this Scripture to mean that the Lord would appear the second time and give a great shout and wake up the dead. The word here translated shout means a message of encouragement. It implies a public message designed for the ears not of a few, but for a great number. The "shout", the "voice of the archangel" and the "trump of God" are all symbols. Literally, it means that the appearing of the Lord will be at the time of or during the shout of encouragement; and this is in full harmony with the evidences heretofore examined that the presence of the Lord has been at a time when the people have been encouraged concerning their own rights. Christians have encouraged each other by passing the message of the Lord's presence on to each other. The peoples have encouraged one another with reference to their liberties, rights, and privileges. The "voice of the archangel", as used in this passage, means one with authority, the chief messenger, Christ Jesus himself. He comes with light and truth, illuminating the minds of men, leading them into greater light which has come upon the end of the age when the shout of encouragement for the rights and liberties of the people and the deliverance of Christians into the kingdom of the Lord has begun throughout the earth.