<p>4:15- see on 1 Cor. 7:11.</p><p><i>For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are still living at the coming of the Lord, shall in no way precede those that have fallen asleep</i>- By or in the word of the Lord Jesus may mean that here Paul is repeating the teaching of the Lord in the Gospels. 1 Thess. 4 and 5 are shot through with allusions to the Olivet prophecy. A few of the more obvious are listed:</p><table border=0 cellspacing=4 cellpadding=0>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p><b>1   Thess.</b></p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p><b>Olivet   Prophecy</b></p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>4:15   &quot;This we say unto you by the word of the Lord&quot; Jesus</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Jesus   on Olivet</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>4:16</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Mt.   24:30,31</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>5:1</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Lk.   21:24</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>5:2</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Mt.   24:43</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>5:3</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Mt.   24:43,48,51</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>5:5   &quot; Children of light&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Wise   virgins with lamps (Mt. 25)</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>5:6</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Mt.   24:13,25,42,49</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>5:9</p>            </td>            <td width=307 valign=top>            <p>Mt.   24:51</p>            </td>        </tr>    </tbody></table><p>1 Thess. 4:15-18 begins with &quot;For...&quot; . This is explaining 1 Thess. 4:14, which states that &quot;them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring (up) with him&quot;. This will thus be true both spiritually, in that they will share His victory over death, and, literally, in that they will come with their judge to judgment.&nbsp;John 14:3 may also become easier to handle with this understanding: &quot;I will come again, and take you to be with me&quot; (N.I.V.).&nbsp;Initially, this may mean a literal ascent into the sky, followed by a return to earth to be with Christ eternally in the Kingdom. &quot;That where I am, there ye may be also&quot; may be the Spirit's basis for 1 Thess. 4:17, &quot;And so shall we ever be with the Lord&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;e idea of literally travelling through the sky to the judgment seat was plainly taught by our Lord in His explanation of how &quot;one shall be taken (literally disappear) and the other left&quot; at His coming;&nbsp; &quot;Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together&quot; (Lk.&nbsp; 17:36,37).&nbsp;The point of this allusion is to show that as the eagle travels through the air with a natural homing instinct, without fear or worry as to correct direction, so there should be no apprehension in the mind of the believer concerning the mechanics of how he will be taken away to meet his Lord.</p>