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The Mystery of 1 Cor 15:50-55 and the Last Trump


Psalms37:4

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This post is for informational purposes as I've notice many people have an outside view of what Paul's mystery is that is not consistent with his message. All I'm asking is viewers read everything Paul wrote and then decide for yourself.

Many people have been mislead to believe 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 as a scripture on the rapture from reading outside sources such as the one below and not read everything written directly from the bible. 

The rapture of the church is the event in which God “snatches away” all believers from the earth in order to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period. The rapture is described primarily in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50–54

https://www.gotquest...the-church.html

This is probably about as good an example as it gets of someone pulling a few verses out of context and form an opinion other than the actual message convey from the writer of the bible. Or it's just plain hearsay, taking the opinions of others without investigating the bible.

To fully understand Paul's mystery, one would have read everything Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15. So before I reveal Paul's mystery, please first read what Paul wrote in all of 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And as you read the entire chapter, please approach it with an open minded without any preconceived ideas of what it is, like reading this for the first time.

https://www.biblegat...15&version=NKJV

Now once you've finished reading the whole chapter, you'll noticed Paul was writing about a resurrection and not necessarily a rapture. Now the next thing to do is make a list of all the events in the bible that involves a future resurrection. Here we find four resurrections in the future.

1) 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - The resurrection of the dead in Christ in the rapture.

2) Revelation 20:4 - The resurrection of the martyred saints in the tribulation that refused to worship the beast and refused the mark of the beast.

3) Revelation 20:11-14 - The resurrection of all at the Great White Throne judgment who will stand before God.

4) Revelation 11:11-14 - The resurrection of the two witnesses.

 

==========================================

 

Now we can go to Paul's mystery as he described in 1 Corinthians 15:50-55. First compare his writing on the mystery to that of the rapture as he described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. 

Focus solely on the red letters when comparing the two scriptures. Does any of the writings in red sound anything like 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18? 

In the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15, there's only one single verse that can vaguely be argued as the rapture, verse 52 as it describes resurrection.

However, are we certain the resurrection in verse 52 is that of the rapture? It said the ones being resurrected are the dead, not the dead-in-Christ as given in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

The other issues in this are where's Jesus? Why isn't anyone being caught up? We don't see any of this is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:50-55.  

 

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 New King James Version (NKJV)

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 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.”

55 

“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

15 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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 

==========================================

 

Now again compare Paul's mystery, this time to Revelation 20:11-14, The Great White Throne Judgment of God.

Here we see both scriptures describing the resurrection of only the dead. No dead-in-Christ found. Both scriptures are consistent.

Both scriptures describes the elimination of death. Death is swallowed up in victory in 1 Cor 15:54, death is destroyed in the Lake of Fire in Rev 20:14. Both scriptures are consistent.

 

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 New King James Version (NKJV)

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 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.”

55 

“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

 

Revelation 20:11-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

=========================================

 

Now go back to 1 Corinthians 15:23-27. The rapture already happened in 1 Cor 15:23. After that is the millennial reign of Christ when He puts all of God's enemies under His control. The last enemy destroyed is death.

The rest of the chapter describes our new eternal body up until 1 Corinthians 15:50 when Paul begins to reveal the timing at which everyone will be transform and receive an incorruptible body. This happens at the end of the millennium after Christ's reign on earth when the last enemy destroyed is death.

 

1 Corinthians 15:21-27 New King James Version (NKJV)

21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.

 

Here's the reason why we will all be changed as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:52. After the millennium, we will all live with God in His presence in the spiritual realm as described by John from Revelation chapters 21-22. Heaven will come down to earth and God will dwell with man.

When this happens after death is eliminated and heaven and earth becomes one, God will never again need to resurrect the dead and call them up to heaven. The Trump of God is not a literal trumpet one blows on. The Trump of God is the voice of God when He resurrects the dead and calls them up to heaven. God's voice is like a trumpet, loud and majestic when He resurrects and calls up the dead.

Although God or Christ can blow a real trumpet if they wanted to, He is omnipotent, able to do anything by merely saying the words as He did during creation. Let there be light!

 

Revelation 4:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

 

Revelation 1:10 New King James Version (NKJV)

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

 

Revelation 11:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

 

Hebrews 12:19 New King James Version (NKJV)

19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

 

Isaiah 58:1 New King James Version (NKJV)

“Cry aloud, spare not;

Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.

 

John 5:28-29 New King James Version (NKJV)

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

 

 

In summary, what Paul meant as the Last Trump is in reference to the last time God will resurrect the dead and call them up to heaven. After the Great White Throne judgment, there's no more death and heaven comes down to earth. God will never have to say "Come up here" again.

In addition, Paul didn't know anything about the trumpets of Revelation. Paul wrote his books about 30 years before John wrote Revelation. 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 is not the rapture, but the final resurrection: The Last Resurrection.

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I see the key to all of this in the following passage:

  • For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.  1 Corinthians 15:22-24

Concerning putting on immortality, there are three such specific occurrences:

  1. Christ's resurrection
  2. Those who are Christ's at His coming
  3. Everyone else after the millennial reign

Just because 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 aren't identical doesn't mean that they are two different events.  They describe the same thing in two different contexts.  1 Corinthians is a defense of the resurrection.  1 Thessalonians is a reminder our blessed hope of eternal life in Christ.  Naturally the emphasis is going to be different.

"The elimination of death" is not the same thing as "death being swallowed up in victory".  I think conflating these two has led to a wrong conclusion.  Death being swallowed up in victory is a realization only for those who are in Christ.

  • But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:57

What victory is there for the ungodly in the elimination of death?  

I do agree that the trump of God is synonymous with the voice of His authority as Isaiah 30:30 also indicates.  It was heard first at Mt. Sinai and will be heard again at the return of Christ which I see as occurring in Zechariah 9:14.

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13 hours ago, Last Daze said:

"The elimination of death" is not the same thing as "death being swallowed up in victory".  I think conflating these two has led to a wrong conclusion.  Death being swallowed up in victory is a realization only for those who are in Christ.

  • But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:57

What victory is there for the ungodly in the elimination of death?  

Those in 1 Corinthians 15:57 are us. We who have decided to accept and follow Christ. Not those who did not choose Jesus and will stand before God during the Great White Throne. See how Paul starts off in the next verse by saying my beloved brothers?

1 Corinthians 15:58 New King James Version (NKJV)

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

The elimination of death means that there will no longer be a natural realm. There's not gonna be a physical natural realm anymore after the next millennium. Before the fall, Adam and Eve lived with God in the spiritual realm. After the sin when Adam ate the fruit, their eyes instantly opened (in the twinkling of an eye) and saw they were covered in shame or as the bible had worded, naked.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 is the reversal of what had happened in the garden. At that time in the future, all will be brought back to the spiritual realm in the twinkling of an eye at the end.

Genesis 3:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

This was when the separation from God had begun and the natural realm was instantly created for man to dwell for the next 7 thousand years until man is redeem from sin through Christ. Death in a biblical sense means a separation from God. God told Adam he would surely die if he ate the fruit, and afterwards, Adam and Eve were casted into the natural realm out of the garden no longer able to live with God. Through Christ, man will once again be able to live with God in His presence, made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 New King James Version (NKJV)

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

One of the primary purpose of the Great White Throne judgment is for God to decide where the others who are being judged at that time will spend their eternity. Everyone will live in either one of two places in the spiritual realm after the millennium, either with God in His presence or in the Lake of Fire forever with the devil.

Revelation 20:12-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

Quote

What victory is there for the ungodly in the elimination of death?  

At the end, a huge majority of people being judged at the GWT will decide to accept God and follow Christ. 

As the prophecies state, God will once again live with man after the next millennium. The whole purpose of Christ's millennial reign is to prepare the world for that time to come when we all will dwell in God's eternal kingdom. 

Nobody can see nor live with God in a mortal corruptible body which is here in this natural, physical realm. In order to be in the presence of God and actually see Him, we have to be immortal too in a place where there's no such thing as death. We can't see His face in this world, but will be able to do so and live with Him once we're in the spiritual realm.

Hosea 6:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.

Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

 

Exodus 33:20 New King James Version (NKJV)

20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”

 

Revelation 22:3-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

But I agree we will all be made alive through Christ as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:20-26. Also correct here. The voice of God like that of a trumpet is also mentioned from Exodus 19:10 to chapter 20:18. I have that scripture in my files too but didn't want to post something that lengthy unless I was short on evidence.

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9 hours ago, Psalms37:4 said:

Before the fall, Adam and Eve lived with God in the spiritual realm.

 

9 hours ago, Psalms37:4 said:

This was when the separation from God had begun and the natural realm was instantly created for man to dwell for the next 7 thousand years until man is redeem from sin through Christ. Death in a biblical sense means a separation from God. God told Adam he would surely die if he ate the fruit, and afterwards, Adam and Eve were casted into the natural realm out of the garden no longer able to live with God. Through Christ, man will once again be able to live with God in His presence, made alive.

I don't see the natural realm and the spiritual realm the same way that you do.

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38 minutes ago, Last Daze said:

I don't see the natural realm and the spiritual realm the same way that you do.

That's fine Last Daze, we don't have to agree on everything. :)

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I do not think Yahweh just dreamed up the physical. I think that before the World, Yeshua was a perfect 'person' in every way. Thus when He appeared as a messenger, or in the fiery furnace, He did not have to rush to his human wardrobe for all His gear, He already WAS.

Let us make man in OUR image...

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