Question: Who will be caught up when the Lord comes? (1 Thess. 4).
Answer: All the dead in Christ from the beginning of man’s race. (1 Cor. 15:23). Then all the living believers will be changed, and caught up with all that their faith takes in. (Acts 16:31).
We see in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, 2:10-12 That those who hear “the gospel of the grace of God” and reject it, do not get another chance. Satan has blinded them. They have put away God’s precious salvation for the pleasures of sin which were but for a season.
To whom will the gospel be preached after the rapture of the heavenly saints?
The “gospel of the Kingdom,” the news that Christ is coming to reign (Psa. 2:10-12), will be preached to Israel (Matt. 10:5-7); and to all nations, that is, Gentiles; and those who receive that gospel, will be Christ’s subjects on earth. We find a direct testimony also sent to the worshippers of idols in Revelation 14:6-7.
The everlasting gospel is creation’s testimony (Psa. 19:1-6) to the God who created all things, and this specially is sent to warn all such. God cares for the idolaters also.
Even in the Millennial period, when Christ is reigning, and Satan is bound, we find men making feigned obedience to Christ, the Head of the heathen (Psa. 18:43-44. See margin). A multitude comes up in rebellion against God and His earthly people, whenever Satan is loosed out of his prison.
Such is man, all men, unless through grace they are born again. How easy it is to let present things blind us to the truth.