Pg. 5

Scriptures:

"Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

"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.
(The greek actually states "phthasōmen," which means "precede" thus, "those alive at Christ's coming shall not precede, come before those having fallen asleep, those who are dead.)
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." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

FIVE: THE DEAD IN CHRIST RISE FIRST

Most bible teachers agree that the above passages refer to the rapture of the Church and that during the rapture those who have died in Christ will rise first and then those who are alive will follow.

It has also been established that there will be Christians living during the tribulation, even the great tribulation period in which the Antichrist rules.

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Rev. 6:9-11

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." Rev. 14:13

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Rev. 20:4

It is clear from the above passages of the Word of God that Christians will die, "in the Lord" during the tribulation, during the great tribulation period.

The believers who live and die during the tribulation will reign with Christ for a thousand years just like believers who live and die before the tribulation. God makes no distinction between the believers who go through the tribulation and those who do not. If the rapture of believers occurs prior to the tribulation and the dead rise first how will the dead bodies of believers who die during the tribulation rise from the grave since they died after the rapture?

If the rapture of believers occurs prior to the tribulation as espoused by many Christian teachers then 1 Cor. 15:51-51 and 1 Thess. 4:15-17 are not true. But we know that God's Word is true. Therefore, since the dead are raised first and there will be believers who die during the tribulation then the rapture of the Church must occur after the tribulation.

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