Jesus said, “I am going away.”  Jesus then promised, “I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also.”

The Apostle Paul, not wanting the Thessalonica Church to be uninformed about this subject, expounded upon this truth.

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14 NAS)

There are three different modes of events spoken of within this verse.  The character of the first event, death, is natural.  Conversely, the character of the second, Christ’s resurrection, and the third, the rapture, are miraculous in nature.

Paul declares there is a specific correlation of the rapture to the order of the two past events that have already occurred.  He makes the connection by stating, “even so.”  “Even so” is the translation of the Greek word, “houtos.”  It means, in this way (referring to what precedes or follows), after (in) this manner, so (in like manner).

However, the above verse is not a systematic, logical order of events.  What bearing, reference, or relationship does the rapture have to that of Jesus’ death and resurrection?  Rising from the dead does not naturally follow death; it is in fact an extraordinary reversal of it. Additionally, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead does not inclusively mandate the rapture. 

What did Paul mean when he stated that the rapture would proceed after, in this manner?  There is an obvious “like manner” correlation that truly unites these events in a prescribed orderly procession.

 “For if we believe that Jesus died (Passover) and rose again (First Fruits), even so [in this way, after, in like manner] God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus … (Pentecost).”

In this message to the Thessalonians, Paul simply expounds on his earlier message to the Corinthian Church (1 Corinthians 15).

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 And that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

Paul did not want us to be uninformed.  He further attached the message of the rapture to these ordered events.  He reasoned from the Scriptures enlightening us, [God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus houtos (what proceeds after) according to the Scriptures…Pentecost].