There's A Great Change Coming

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep (die), 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 word “mystery” in the Bible does not carry the same connotation as it does in modern English. In the Bible, the word “mystery” means something that has not been revealed before, but is being revealed now. What is Paul talking about here? In context, Paul was discussing what kind of body we will have in the resurrection. It will be the same body, but changed. The bodies we have now are “corruptible,” and no corruption can enter heaven. They have to be changed, and when they are changed they will be like Christ’s body after his resurrection. vs 53: “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Our present bodies must become no longer subject to corruption, and they must become no longer subject to death. They will have immortality. Modern man is currently striving to find a way to become immortal through science. Think CERN, think Ai. It will never happen because it’s a spiritual thing, not a physical thing. Our present corruptible bodies cannot be made immortal by any means other than the transformation that will take place when we are “changed” by God - in the resurrection for believers who died in Christ, and in the Rapture for those believers who are alive on the earth when this happens. Now concerning the “mystery” referred to here, that which had not yet been revealed, it is that “we shall not all sleep.” In the Bible, that term “sleep” is often used for death. Paul is revealing that not all of us will “sleep,” that is - some will not pass through death, they are the born-again believers who are alive on earth when the trumpet sounds. When that trumpet sounds, the dead in Christ will be raised in their incorruptible and immortal bodies, and we who are alive at the time of that trumpet - will not die, we will be changed, suddenly, in that moment, “in the twinkling of an eye.” “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. 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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 This is called the “Rapture” by most believers, taken from the word "raptura" in the Latin translation of the Bible; it's "harpazo" in the original Greek and "Rapture" in the English versions. The word means to be snatched, or taken suddenly. Those who know this doctrine are watching eagerly for this event because we know we are in the season of the Lord’s coming for his believers, having seen the signs of the impending Tribulation glaring before us. The Rapture takes place before the Tribulation begins, so believers are very much awake and watching. It is the most joyful thing a person can anticipate. Imagine it! The dead in Christ will rise. Imagine it! They will be taken out of their graves, as Jesus was, and resurrected in a glorious body, exactly as happened to Jesus in his resurrection. Their changed bodies will be just like his. And then …those who are alive at that time will be caught up in clouds to heaven with them. Does that sound far-fetched to you? Just remember that the Bible is a book full of supernatural events, it is the power of God to fulfill what he has promised, and it IS going to happen, and by all indications it is going to happen soon. We are told we can’t know the day or the hour it will happen, but we do know that it will happen before the great Tribulation begins - and that is very obviously on the doorsteps even now. If you are not ready, GET READY. Soon, very soon, everything is going to change! MORE: The Rapture