reply to Omega
Dear Omega,
You asked:
"I am curious as to where you came to the conclusion that the last trumpet call in Revelation 11:15 is referring to the first resurrection of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-58."
OK. It is very simple.
1. I believe that 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 describe the same event, which is the resurrection of the dead in Christ and "the rapture" of the living in Christ. Do you agree?
2. Even a simple reading of 1 Thess 4:16-17 shows that the "dead in Christ" *rise first* THEN we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. Agreed? This means that the resurrection of the dead in Christ (the first resurrection) happens immediately before "the rapture" of the living in Christ!
2. "the dead in Christ" from 1 Thess 4:16 is the same "they that are Christ's" from 1 Cor 15:23. Do you agree?
3. 1 Thess 4:16-17, 1 Cor 15:52-53, and 1 Cor 15:23 all tell of the resurrection of the dead in Christ which happens *at His coming*. Do you agree?
4. The resurrection of the dead in Christ is also the "first resurrection", is it not? Therefore, the resurrection of the dead in Christ in 1 Thess 4:16-17, 1 Cor 15:52-53, and 1 Cor 15:23 is the same as the first resurrection in Rev 20:5-6.
5. When do the kingdoms of this world become the the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ? Before the coming of our Lord? Some time after the coming of our Lord? Or *at the coming of our Lord*? I say *at the coming of our Lord*! Do you agree?
6. When does Revelation say that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ? When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet! Rev 11:15.
7. Are there any more trumpets in Revelation after the seventh trumpet? No. Then isn't the 7th trumpet the *last* trumpet told of in the Bible?
8. Therefore, the 7th trumpet of Rev 11:15 is "the last trump" of 1 Cor 15:52 and "the trump of God" of 1 Thess 4:16.
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So, is there something wrong with the above?
What would you change? Would you have the "rapture" to occur BEFORE the resurrection of the dead in Christ? Sorry. 1 Thess 4:16-17 rules that out!
Do you have a problem with the idea that it seems like we return with the Lord soon after we meet the dead in Christ and the Lord in the air? You want more time for the marriage supper of the Lamb? I don't blame you. I'm a slow eater myself. How long does it usually take you to eat supper? About an hour is typical for me. I suppose that a real good meal such as the Lord would probably serve might take a half a day. (Don't even think about eating one meal non-stop for 7 years!)
Well, what do the Scriptures say about it?:
Note that Rev 19:1-3 tells of much people in heaven talking about God's judgement of the great whore (Mystery, Babylon the Great).
Rev 19:4-6 tells of them praising God because of that.
Rev 19:7-9 tells that the marriage supper of the Lamb "is come".
Rev 19:10 John falls at the feet of the angel sent to him (Rev 1:1) and he is told not to do that.
Rev 19:11 starts the description of Jesus coming out of heaven with his armies to make war. Does that sound like a long, drawn out supper?
What does all that tell us?
1. The marriage supper of the Lamb happens after Mystery Babylon the Great is judged.
2. Then Jesus comes out of heaven with his armies with no indication of a long delay in-between.
Oh, by the way. Who were those people in heaven before the marriage supper of the Lamb had come? I believe it is the souls of them that were slain for the word of God from Rev 6:9-10. In Rev 6:10 they wanted to know how long it would be before they were avenged. In Rev 19:1-2 they praised God because they had been avenged.
Questsions?
Yours in Christ,
John Reno