What does it mean that Jesus will descend with the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16)?

The archangel is Michael (Jude 9), and he is Israel's prince (Daniel 10:21): the great spiritual power that stands for Israel. Whenever he is mentioned by name it is in relation to events in the career of that nation (see Jude 9 and Rev. 12). I suggest then that the voice of the archangel will have to do with the gathering of Israel. The trump of God seems to be more universal, it will affect all mankind. If this is the interpretation, we have here three widening circles. (1) The Church, (2) Israel, (3) All men. All will be affected by this great event. The effect will not be simultaneous in these circles, the wheels will move slower in regard to Israel and mankind, but they will begin to move then. There will be as I have said, an instant response from the church; the work will be slower in regard to Israel, but from that moment the nation will begin to move towards the land of Canaan and their preparation for the return of the Messiah will begin; and every nation will be affected also. It will not be until the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, that all nations will be gathered before Him, but the trump of God, which sounds forth at the coming of the Lord, will secure that.

First theLord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. It is a personal, real coming of our Lord in bodily form, just as "Jesus Himself" drew near and went with the two on the way to Emmaus following His bodily resurrection (Luke 24:15); or just as "Jesus Himself" appeared bodily in the upper room on the same evening (Luke 24:36). It will be no vision or apparition, but a bodily coming of the blessed Lord Himself. "All that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth" (John 5:28, 29). Of course at the first resurrection it will be only believers who hear that voice and come forth. Later the ungodly will hear it also and come forth to the judgment of the great white throne. The first is a resurrection "from among the dead," just as Lazarus alone was raised by the powerful voice of the Son of God.

"With the voice of the archangel" is added here. Only Michael is referred to in Scripture as "the archangel" (Jude 9). Whether there may be others we cannot say. Since Michael is called Israel's "prince" (Dan. 10:21), and the dispensation of law was "ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator" (Gal. 3:19), it has been suggested that the archangel's voice may have some connection with the raising of Old Testament saints at the coming of the Lord. Whether this is so it would seem unwise to judge, however, without more solid grounds. But at least the occasion is seen to be one of great angelic rejoicing.

"The trump of God" is also heard, and this is a divine, declared testimony. It will be "the last trump" (1 Cor. 15:52) so far as the assembly on earth is concerned. The seven trumpets of Revelation are of a different order, for they are those of judgment, bearing a clarion testimony to a world in rebellion against God. This "trump of God," however, is to be heard by saints, who by this are to be gathered together unto the Lord. It seems clear that, as others have pointed out, this connects with Numbers 10:4, where the blowing of one trumpet was the signal for gathering the princes of Israel unto Moses. The saints so gathered, of course, are to reign with Christ, and for this reason are represented as princes. The gathering of "all the assembly to Moses at the door of the tabernacle, on the other hand, by the blowing of both trumpets would speak apparently of the regathering of Israel for millennial blessing (Num. 10:3).

Moreover, we are told, that at the moment of His coming there will be a triple summons. The assembling shout, the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God. From 1 Corinthians 15, we know that the trump of God raises the sleeping saints. The voice of the Archangel does not imply that the Archangel is present, or that the Archangel speaks, as our translation might suggest. The true translation is "with an assembling shout, with archangel's voice, and with trump of God". There is no article before Archangel and trump. It is simply characteristic of the Lord's voice. He speaks in this way, with Archangel's voice, and it may be this is the voice that changes the living saints, as the trump of God raises the dead. Then with an assembling shout He gathers both classes of saints together, and calls them to Himself.

Moreover, we are told, that at the moment of His coming there will be a triple summons. The assembling shout, the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God. From 1 Corinthians 15, we know that the trump of God raises the sleeping saints. The voice of the Archangel does not imply that the Archangel is present, or that the Archangel speaks, as our translation might suggest. The true translation is "with an assembling shout, with archangel's voice, and with trump of God." There is no article before Archangel and trump. It is simply characteristic of the Lord's voice. He speaks in this way, with Archangel's voice, and it may be this is the voice that changes the living saints, as the trump of God raises the dead. Then with an assembling shout He gathers both classes of saints together, and calls them to Himself.

But there are details. He shall Himself descend from heaven with "a shout of command." The word employed, being peculiar in the New Testament to this passage, cannot but have special force. Outside scripture it is used for a general's call to his soldiers, for an admiral's to his sailors, or sometimes more generally as a cry to incite or encourage.

It seems most appropriate as conveying a word of command to those in immediate relationship. Not a hint drops of a shout for the world, for men at large, to hear. It is here for His own to join Him on high. "with archangel's voice" brings in the highest of heavenly creature glory to attend the Lord on that transcendent occasion. If angels now minister to the saints, as we know they did to Him also, how suitable to hear of "archangel's voice" when they thus gather round Him! Nor is "God's trump" silent at such a moment, when all that is of mortal man in His own shall be swallowed up of life at the presence of Christ.

Accordingly "the dead in Christ rise first." It is no question of the first man but of the Second; and all of that family who have slept "rise first." So unfounded was the despairing sorrow of those in Thessalonica. So far they precede the living saints, in being the earliest to experience the power of life in the Son of God. The truth is, however, that the difference in time is but just appreciable; for "then we, the living that remain, shall be caught up together with them in clouds to meet the Lord in [the] air." The translation of all the changed saints is simultaneous. The grief of such as doubted the full blessedness of those meanwhile put to sleep was really ignorance and unbelief; for even if they could not anticipate the fresh revelation from the Lord, they ought, from their divinely given knowledge of His love and of His redemption, to have counted on His grace towards the dead saints no less than towards the living. They might have sought needed light as to the particulars from those raised up and given of the Lord to impart it. We can, however, readily conceive how haste wrought injuriously in them as in ourselves. But what an unspeakable mercy that grace met the need to the correction of the mistake then, and to the prevention of it afterwards! So is it habitually in the Epistles especially, as in all scripture.

When He comes, He will announce His presence with a shout of triumph that will summon His own. The voice of the archangel may be for the angels to tell them their work of ministry for the heirs of salvation on earth is over, and they too are to go to heaven to join the anthems of praise around the throne (Heb. 1:14; 12:22; Rev. 5:11). The trump of God, already referred to in 1 Corinthians 15, brings the sleeping saints from their graves, and changes the living.

And then there is "the voice of the archangel." The Lord takes it up. The time is come; and what angel in heaven would not gladly render up his place to the Lord!

The voice of the archangel is Michael's voice, and he is the angel who has the special care of Israel (see Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9, and also Revelation 12:7). When the shout of the Lord breaks forth, it shall find an instant response in the church. Michael's voice will also be heard gathering Israel together for blessing. He will arise for this great work. This work will be slower in its accomplishment. The devil and his angels will have to be cast out of the heavens before the woman clothed with the sun can enter into her glory and inheritance (Rev. 12). And the people themselves will have to go through the great tribulation, but Michael shall stand up for them and they shall be delivered (Dan. 12:1). The wheels will move more slowly for the deliverance of Israel than in the case of the church, but they will assuredly be set in motion in connection with this great shout of the Lord.

The archangel is Michael (Jude 9), and he is Israel 's prince (Daniel 10:21 ): the great spiritual power that stands for Israel . Whenever he is mentioned by name it is in relation to events in the career of that nation (see Jude 9 and Revelation 12), I suggest then that the voice of the archangel will have to do with the gather­ing of Israel . The trump of God seems to be more universal, it will affect all mankind. If this is the interpretation, we have here three widening circles. (1) The Church, (2) Israel , (3) All men. All will be affected by this great event. The effect will not be simultaneous in these circles, the wheels will move slower in regard to Israel and mankind, but they will begin to move then. There will be as I have said, an instant response from the church; the work will be slower in regard to Israel, but from that moment the nation will begin to move towards the land of Canaan and their preparation for the return of the Messiah will begin; and every nation will be affected also. It will not be until the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, that all nations will be gathered before Him, but the trump of God, which sounds forth at the coming of the Lord, will secure that.

The archangel is Michael (Jude 9), and he is Israel's prince (Dan. 10:21): the great spiritual power that stands for Israel. Whenever he is mentioned by name it is in relation to events in the career of that nation (see Jude 9 and Rev. 12). I suggest then that the voice of the archangel will have to do with the gathering of Israel. The trump of God seems to be more universal, it will affect all mankind. If this is the interpretation, we have here three widening circles. 1. The Church, 2. Israel, 3. All men. All will be affected by this great event. The effect will not be simultaneous in these circles, the wheels will move slower in regard to Israel and mankind, but they will begin to move then. There will be as I have said, an instant response from the church; the work will be slower in regard to Israel, but from that moment the nation will begin to move towards the land of Canaan and their preparation for the return of the Messiah will begin; and every nation will be affected also. It will not be until the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, that all nations will be gathered before Him, but the trump of God, which sounds forth at the coming of the Lord, will secure that.