THE DAY OF THE LORD II: The First Resurrection

Christ stopped and so did the angels and souls;
He called to an elite angelic corps,
"Circle earth's corners, sea depths, land and poles,
Call my brothers to rise, and sleep no more!"
New bodies come forth, in the prime of life,
Rejoined their souls, for which the Lord had cared!
How joyful these, who'd been bought with a price;
The shed blood of Christ had this day prepared!
That wasn't all; living saints, next rose
To join the triumphant Host in the air,
Their bodies also eternal, as those
Resurrected, unending life to share!
At last, Christ with His church entire is joined;
Can punish whom so many souls purloined!

We continue describing the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to earth by describing the resurrection of all the dead Christians, their ascension together with those still living after the Tribulation, to join Christ and the heavenly Host in the air. Paul's account of this joyful reunion in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 is quoted.

"Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep (die), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

According to the Lord's (Jesus') own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thess. 4:13-17) (Brackets added)

"The body that is sown (buried) is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." (1Cor. 15:42-44) (Brackets added)

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we (the living Christians) will be changed." (1 Cor. 15:5, 51-52) (Brackets added)

Christian, why worry or grieve? Living for Christ, alive or dead, when He comes, you will be with Him forever! If dead, your soul is with Him from the moment you die. It is a win-win life, that of a Christian!