Yesterday was a monumental day! We got to the end of the church age and gazed into the future, and how the events of the rapture will unfold.
The first resurrection contains 3 parts: (from my email to the Wednesday night study group)
1. The “firstfruits” harvest — Old Testament saints resurrected with …Jesus Christ, and were taken from paradise (Abraham’s bosom – Luke 16:19-31) to heaven. Matt 27:50-53; Eph 4:8-10; 1 Cor 15:23
2. The “main harvest” — New Testament saints will be resurrected / raptured on the Day of Christ. 1 Cor 15:50-53; 1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 Cor 1:8; Phil 1:6; Eph 4:30
3. The “gleanings” harvest — Tribulation saints will be resurrected before the 2nd Advent / Day of the Lord, to go to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Matt 22:1-10; Rev 6:9-11, 7:9-17, 11:12, 19:9
2. The “main harvest” — New Testament saints will be resurrected / raptured on the Day of Christ. 1 Cor 15:50-53; 1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 Cor 1:8; Phil 1:6; Eph 4:30
3. The “gleanings” harvest — Tribulation saints will be resurrected before the 2nd Advent / Day of the Lord, to go to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Matt 22:1-10; Rev 6:9-11, 7:9-17, 11:12, 19:9
The harvest of the Bride of Christ, the Church is the only part of the first resurrection that includes the transformation of living people into immortal, incorruptible beings. The resurrection of the OT saints and tribulation saints only deal with those who have tasted physical death. This sets us apart from them. We are a special dispensation of the grace of God to seek out a bride for His Son. Everyone else will be in their flesh bodies, and will need to eat of the tree of life. That is why it is in eternity future in Rev 22:1-2.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
We also answered the question concerning what the “last trump” is.
1Co 15:52 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
What Paul described as a trumpet, John explained that it was a voice that sounded like a trumpet calling the saints to heaven. Each verse describes the rapture of the church — the main harvest of the first resurrection. “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which much be hereafter.” The last trump, the trump of God, is the last moment of the church age. The door in heaven opens, the church is called away, and the tribulation is ushered in…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
We are immediately in the presence of our Lord, and the earth is without the overriding presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. We will continue our study this coming Sunday. Please read Revelation 4 and 5 this week in preparation.