“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (the dead in Christ) in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:17).

Remain (Def): (Gr.): Perileipo from Peri Leipo: To leave over, to be left, to survive

When a great catastrophy occurs and there is much devastation such as from a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or bombing, there are many casualties, much loss of life, much chaos and destruction. Amidst all the damage, and carnage, there are those who survive, those who are alive and remain. This is that to which the Apostle refers. There are those who miraculously make it out alive to see another day.

Of such is Noah and his family, along with all the animals, cattle, fowl and creeping things. Jesus said:

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. Of that day and hour no man knows; no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. As it was in the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:35-37).

In the days of Noah only eight souls remained from the flood. At the end of the flood and the receeding of the water from the dry ground, only eight were left to be alive and remain. It is a stunning statement from our Lord, “so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be”.

To parallel this thought Jesus also said in the same discourse concerning the days of His return:

“Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

There is a wonder to all these sayings, there is a glorious revelation. When we have endured all the devastation in our lives, all the hell bent chaos, all the loss, all the brokeness, all the destruction; when we have endured all that we could possibly endure, we still have hope, a blessed hope, an enduring hope of being caught up to be with the Lord. He will forever be Alive and Remain. He will forever be the Resurrection and the Life (cf. John 11:25). He will forever be, “the same, yesterday, today and forever” (cf. Hebrews 13:8).

Whether by life or by death we are the Lord’s. We belong to Jesus. We are His sons and daughters, His Brethren, His sheep, His disciples, His Body, His Bride to forever be alive and remain in Him and He in us.

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thessalonians 4:18).

In this realm of the cosmos, we will endure many afflictions, trials, temptations, as the Apostle describes in His Second Epistle to the Corinthians:

“Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters; in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness,, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness; and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger; and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” (II Corinthians 11:23-28).

In the realm of the Spirit we reign in Life by One in whom we hope, in whom we live and have our being (cf. Acts 17:28), in whom we are alive and remain forever.

Alive and Remain. Together let us rejoice for our Ark, Christ Jesus, is secure, and we are safe from all alarm as we abide in Him forever.

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