Resurrection & Rapture

Monday, September 13, 2010: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 14 (NKJV)

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Why does Paul refer to ‘the word of the Lord’? Paul was not taught by man but God. These statements are the Word of God to Paul. He did not want the believers to be ignorant that the dead in Christ would rise first and then we who are alive in Christ would follow.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010: 1 Thessalonians 4:15 – 17 (NKJV)

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Is this a universal resurrection? No, it is for believers only. They shall rise to meet Him in the clouds, otherwise known as the first heaven.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010: 1 Corinthians 15:51 – 53 (NKJV)

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

What happens at the last trumpet? The dead in Christ are raised incorruptible and we who are alive are changed to incorruption next.

Thursday, September 16, 2010: 1 Corinthians 15:54 – 57 (NKJV)

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Is death defeated at this point? It is swallowed up in victory: the victor is Christ Himself.

Friday, September 17, 2010: Matthew 24:36 – 39 (NKJV)

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

What is the implication of ‘My Father only’? This resurrection and rapture cannot occur after the tribulation: people will know that this lasts seven years.