Paul here unfolds “a mystery” – that is, a previously unrevealed secret of God’s plan for the Church. The secret thus revealed is this: all true believers will be raptured together at the Lord’s coming, but not all those to be raptured will have died and been resurrected.

Those who are alive at the Lord’s coming will not die at all but will simply undergo an instantaneous and miraculous change in their bodies. By this change their bodies will be rendered exactly like those of the other believers who have been resurrected from the dead.

In the next verse Paul briefly summarises the nature of the change that will take place.

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Cor. 15:53)

Instead of being mortal and corruptible, the new body of each believer will be immortal and incorruptible.

Does this account given by Paul constitute a complete picture of the resurrection of all believers before the establishment of Christ’s kingdom in the millennium?

To this question the answer would appear to be no. For it would seem that at least two further stages in the resurrection of the righteous are recorded in the book of Revelation. In the coming two days we will finish this week studying those stages.

111:T1148,

The next main Old Testament prophecy of the resurrection which we shall consider is found in Daniel 12:1-3. These verses are part of a lengthy prophetic revelation concerning the last days, given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel, who was sent to him by God for that special purpose. This part of the revelation, which deals specifically with the resurrection, reads as follows:

“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”

The first part of this revelation refers specifically to Daniel’s own people, Israel, and speaks of a time of trouble even greater than any that Israel has hitherto passed through. This is undoubtedly the same time of trouble referred to in Jeremiah.

“Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.” (30:7)

Jeremiah indicates that though this time of trouble will be greater than any that Israel has previously passed through, yet Israel will be saved out of it and not destroyed. This agrees with the statement in Daniel 12:1.

“And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.”

At this time of greatest tribulation God Himself will ultimately intervene and save the chosen rem

Foundations

*Browse Series