by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
Life must be terminated by death. The Bible declares specifically that "it is appointed unto man once to die, after this the judgment" (Heb.9:27). Out of earth's multitudes only two have escaped death. But these is coming a great exception.
The time for proclaiming the Gospel message began with the death of Christ and the day of Pentecost. But it will close in a blaze of glory so far as many of God's children are concerned. The thrilling news is that many will escape the sorrows of death in a living translation to heaven.
Surely these are good tidings. At an hour known only to God, the Lord Jesus Christ will return and catch up all the true children of God unto Himself. This will be accomplished by the limitless power of God. Concurrent with this translation of the living saints will be the resurrection of the bodies of dead Christians. They will experience the reunion of their spirits with their bodies as they receive their new gloried bodies. Paul writes exultantly:
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [those who have died previously] . . . 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. then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to me the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord (I Thess. 4:13-17).
"Behold, I shew you a mystery [one of God's secrets not yet revealed]; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed. 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 [forever free from death], and we shall be change [transformed]" I Cor. 15:51,52).
What does all this mean? Simply that God plans to raise the buried bodies of the saints now in heaven and suddenly to transfer all the living Christians with dying. This will be a glorious reunion. This the the time when all the saints of God will receive their heavenlyu bodies fashioned after the body of the Lord Jesus Christ after His resurrection (Phil.3:21).
The lives of these saints will be interrupted as they are lifted into heaven. At that same time their bodies will be transformed instantly into celestial bodies. By this might miracle death will be swallowed up in victory. For these fortunate ones the first five minutes after the miracle of the Rapture. Immediately they will be in the Lord's presence, in company with loved ones, nevermore to part.
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THE FIRST 5 MINUTES AFTER DEATH-what really happens immediately after death?
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