Also with respect to 1 Ths 4:13-18 we have to stay with the subject, adhere to the text and the facts. At first, it is only about the ones asleep in Christ: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

And so that all of us take it seriously, the apostle wrote: “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.” At His Return, our Lord will not come down on the earth, but we will meet Him in the air and will be taken up to the marriage supper (Rev 19:7).

It is noteworthy that the Bible only reports of one archangel, namely Michael, who is also known as the prince of angels and as guardian angel (Dan 10:13-14+21).

In Dan 12:1, it states in reference to Israel: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people …”

In the Epistle of Jude, v. 9, it says: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

In Rev 12, the Archangel Michael is mentioned in connection with the great event of the ascent. First, it states that the overcomers will be caught up as “the man child” unto God and to His Throne: The groom takes the victorious Bride into glory, past all of the defeated powers that reign in high places (Eph 6:12). During the ascent into heaven, a battle ensues: Michael and his angels fight against the dragon. Then Michael casts out the accuser of the brethren into the earth, together with his angels. The overcomers ascend and Satan is cast down. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (v. 9). Then the accusation of “the brothers,” who have been perfected through the blood, the Word, and the Spirit, comes to an end. “… for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (vv. 10-11).

The doctrine that the Lamb left the Throne of grace in 1963, when Brother Branham preached about the opening of the Seals, and has since been “descending in the Message” is not true; it is a tragic misunderstanding. The Lamb was not on the Throne at all; the Lamb stood between the Throne and the 24 elders: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain …” (Rev 5:6). On the Throne sat the One Who lives for ever, and the Lamb went and took the book out of His right hand (v. 7). That is how it was shown to John on the Isle of Patmos two thousand years ago. The blood of the new covenant remains on the mercy seat until the completion, upon the Ark of the Covenant in the Holiest of all (Ex 25:17-22; Lev 16). There the Savior as High Priest and Mediator of the new covenant offered His blood (Heb 9:5-15), where it shall remain until God’s entire Plan of Salvation has been fulfilled with all believers. Even after the Rapture, during the time of the tribulation, there still are believers who wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:9-17).

Also with respect to 1 Ths 4:13-18 we have to stay with the subject, adhere to the text and the facts. At first, it is only about the ones asleep in Christ: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

And so that all of us take it seriously, the apostle wrote: “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.” At His Return, our Lord will not come down on the earth, but we will meet Him in the air and will be taken up to the marriage supper (Rev 19:7).

It is noteworthy that the Bible only reports of one archangel, namely Michael, who is also known as the prince of angels and as guardian angel (Dan 10:13-14+21).

In Dan 12:1, it states in reference to Israel: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people …”

In the Epistle of Jude, v. 9, it says: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

In Rev 12, the Archangel Michael is mentioned in connection with the great event of the ascent. First, it states that the overcomers will be caught up as “the man child” unto God and to His Throne: The groom takes the victorious Bride into glory, past all of the defeated powers that reign in high places (Eph 6:12). During the ascent into heaven, a battle ensues: Michael and his angels fight against the dragon. Then Michael casts out the accuser of the brethren into the earth, together with his angels. The overcomers ascend and Satan is cast down. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (v. 9). Then the accusation of “the brothers,” who have been perfected through the blood, the Word, and the Spirit, comes to an end. “… for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (vv. 10-11).

The doctrine that the Lamb left the Throne of grace in 1963, when Brother Branham preached about the opening of the Seals, and has since been “descending in the Message” is not true; it is a tragic misunderstanding. The Lamb was not on the Throne at all; the Lamb stood between the Throne and the 24 elders: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain …” (Rev 5:6). On the Throne sat the One Who lives for ever, and the Lamb went and took the book out of His right hand (v. 7). That is how it was shown to John on the Isle of Patmos two thousand years ago. The blood of the new covenant remains on the mercy seat until the completion, upon the Ark of the Covenant in the Holiest of all (Ex 25:17-22; Lev 16). There the Savior as High Priest and Mediator of the new covenant offered His blood (Heb 9:5-15), where it shall remain until God’s entire Plan of Salvation has been fulfilled with all believers. Even after the Rapture, during the time of the tribulation, there still are believers who wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:9-17).