What Is the Mystery?

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By Dan Payne

What was the mystery the apostle Paul was referring to in his first letter to the church at Corinth? Could it be that the previously unknown truth he decided to reveal to the Corinthians was the wonderful truth of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church?

The answer to that question is a resounding, “Yes.” (As this brief essay will attempt to establish).

The Resurrection of the Dead

In the fifteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul spent a good amount of time making the doctrine of the physical resurrection from the dead certain: First of Christ, then of those who sleep in Him.

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-18, 20).

A Resurrection of the Living

Now after Paul had hammered home the truth of the already revealed resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of believers from the dead, he then chose to reveal a previously unknown truth:

“Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

The mystery was not that there would be a resurrection of the dead in Christ, the mystery was that there would be a resurrection of the living in Christ!

A Truth Already Revealed

The truth of physical resurrection from the dead had already been taught to the Jews for generations by the time Paul wrote to the Corinthians. It was previously revealed in what is possibly the oldest book in the Bible:

“Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes. For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 14:13-14, 19:25-26).

Job believed in the change that would come at his resurrection from the grave when his already dead body will be swallowed up in victory.

However, he did not yet know of a future resurrection of the living.

An interesting side note: Notice how Job wished to be hidden from God’s wrath until it was finished. He may have been looking forward to the Day of The Lord during which time Israel along with the rest of the world will be judged and made ready for the Millennial Reign of Christ. It is not until after this time of trouble has passed that Job looked to be resurrected from the grave.

The Ascension of Jesus

On the day that Jesus ascended to heaven, His disciples did not yet grasp the magnitude of God’s future program for the Gentiles. They did not yet realize that God would pause His program for Israel in order to provide salvation to the Gentiles.

“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority’” (Acts 1:6-7).

“But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” (Romans 11:11b-12).

The disciples were looking for Jesus to remain in great glory and physically rule the earth with a rod of iron (Genesis 49:9-12; Revelation 2:27). They were not looking for a resurrection of the living.

The details of the “times or seasons” had not yet been revealed to them.

They were not to be concerned with the date of Christ’s return. As Jesus ascended up to heaven He told His disciples to wait until His Holy Spirit came upon them in order to guide them as witnesses of Christ to the ends of the earth.

More details of how God’s future prophetic events relate to Israel and the church would be revealed to the disciples by the Holy Spirit in the days and years to come, through servants like the apostle Paul.

The End of This Age

The watchmen on the wall of the current generation are very aware that we are now near the end of the Age of Grace. The age in which God will turn the focus of His judgment primarily toward Israel and lift the scales off of her eyes in order to make her ready to receive her King is very near:

“For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people’” (Acts 3:22-23).

Those “who will not hear” Jesus will be utterly destroyed and removed from the earth during and at the end of the Tribulation. Those who refuse to bow to Christ will be taken away to make room for those who are willing to worship the returning King.

“And that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:20).

No Rapture Mentioned at the End of Revelation

Now, referring back to the resurrection, near the close of the book of Revelation, no resurrection of the living is ever mentioned. If the Rapture (the resurrection of the living) was to take place after the Tribulation (Post-Trib), then one would expect it to be mentioned near the close of the book of Revelation when the end of the Tribulation is being described.

Instead, in Revelation chapter 19 the church comes to the earth from heaven:

“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses” (Revelation 19:14). [italics and emphasis mine]
The only resurrection mentioned in chapter 20 is of the Tribulation martyrs and this is also likely the time when the Old Testament saints will be resurrected:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:4-5).

Revelation 20 verse 4 says nothing about those who remain faithful and survive the Tribulation being resurrected or putting on incorruption. If those “alive” in Christ at the end of the Tribulation were to be “resurrected” at this time, there is no mention of it here near the end of the book of Revelation, where you would expect it to be.

The First Resurrection Concludes

Revelation 20, verse 5 signifies the conclusion of the first resurrection with the emphatic statement, “This is the first resurrection.” Again, no mention is made of the faithful in Christ who survived the Tribulation putting on immortality. Instead, they will enter the millennial kingdom as the subjects of the kingdom after the tribulation.

“And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:33-34).

These sheep will not rule over the kingdom as the saints will. The saints of the Church Age and the Tribulation martyrs who refuse to take the mark of the beast will rule over the kingdom of God.

Also, verse 5 distinguishes “the first resurrection” from the second resurrection. The second resurrection is that in which the rest of the dead are brought to judgment before the Great White Throne after the thousand years are finished.

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).

Comfort in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture

So in closing, we can again take great comfort in the TRUTH of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the true Church Age believers. The previously unknown secret that Paul chose to reveal to the Corinthians was not of a resurrection of the dead, but a resurrection of the living, otherwise known as the Rapture of the church.

“Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

http://www.raptureready.com/soap2/payne39.html

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Colonel Z, there are some serious flaws in this guy’s reasoning. He does well in noticing that there is no mention of a rapture at the 1st resurrection, and i’d have to agree with him there. But does that automatically mean that the rapture has already taken place pre-trib? Of course not. We all know that the rapture takes place after the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). So we can be certain that it will happen sometime after this point.

He’s assuming (as most of us have) that the armies coming from heaven who are following Him on white horses are those people who have been raptured from the earth. When actually, Revelation 19 doesn’t tell us who they are. However, Ezekiel 37:9-11 mentions an exceeding great army, who are apparently resurrected from the dead. So, maybe it’s them. It’s worth looking into anyway.

i heard someone say that the rapture won’t happen until the 2nd resurrection. And, if you think about it, that would make sense. Because at that time, there will be a new heaven and a new earth where everything will be different and new. We will all have new bodies there. Whereas in the next earthly age, the 1000 year millenium, it will just be a repopulating of this present earth and we would not have need for new bodies yet.

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rev19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

loveisa...rev19 DOES tell us whom the army is..you big nut...

Posts : 580 Reputation : 82 Join date : 2012-01-04

also, the 1st resurrection is only the tribulation saints, cause that is what it says, the word of God is NOT open to interpretation...eze37, an exceedingly great army, how many wars have Israel lost...NONE...or they would not exist...

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murray leslie wrote:: rev19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

loveisa...rev19 DOES tell us whom the army is..you big nut...

Could be Murray. They're both dressed in white. As for the rapture taking place at the 2nd resurrection Question

just food for thought.

i did some studying on the marriage feast and found some interesting things like this:

Hosea 2
14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor [in the vicinity of Jericho] for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [my husband/my man]; and shalt call me no more Baali [my Lord].
17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

There are a few more like that in the OT. Also, i found this article which seemed ridiculous at first but they made some very good points and it turned out to be quite interesting.
http://www.cryaloud.com/144000_bride_christ_marriage_feast_lamb_wedding_supper_guests_boaz_ruth_esther.htm

Guest

Here is what i found interesting that was found in the article:

Revelation 21
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Revelation 22
3 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:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Revelation 14
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

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i'm in the Lords army...big nut is a term of endearment...u have peoples opinions, which usually muddy up the water, then u have the word of God, which is truth, i did a word search on" interpretation" and in 40 something occurrences..1 reference to proverbs, the rest 2 dreams and visions... so the Word is of no private interpretation.

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It's a pre-wrath rapture , not pre-tribulation.

http://www.kjvprophecy.com/

Hollywood puts out satan's agenda , see Nicolas Cage in " Left Behind" . So if Hollywood makes a movie about the pre-trib rapture , I would ask God in Jesus name if He would support this movie story line.

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i believe the bible teaches that...

1thes5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do

i also believe all seven last years r wrath or tribulation, whatever u call it, starting here...

rev6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great DAY OF HIS WRATH is come; and who shall be able to stand?

when this occurs, just before this occurs, we who...

luk21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to STAND before the Son of man.

r found here, which includes ALL believers, new and old test. saints...

rev7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, STOOD before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

respectfully, if u disagree...NO SANDWICH FOR YOU...

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