"Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Cor 15:51-52
This passage of scripture is known as the Rapture passage. Not that it uses the word mystery meaning something that was secret is about to be revealed. The Post Tribbers believe that the Rapture will take place at the Second Coming of Christ and then the dead will rise. This is a time of resurrection. Well if Rapture is at the Second Coming, where then is the mystery that is being revealed? There is no mystery about the resurrection as there is dozens of passages about it running through the Old Testament. So what is this big mystery that has never been revealed before?
In the Old Testament Israel is promised an earthly kingdom on earth to be ruled over by Christ. This kingdom will last 1000 years and is called the Davidic Kingdom. The Jews have waited for this promise for centuries so how can be a mystery?
What is Paul talking about in Corinthians? The mystery is the Church which was never revealed before. This passage is referring to the Church. Now let's go to 1Thes 4:16-17 where the mystery of the Church is explained further. "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 meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
This is clearly talking about the Church and this is why Paul uses the word mystery in Corinthians. Another mystery revealed is that the Church is going to be taken to the up in clouds. Why the clouds is be\cause the Church has been promised heaven as the final home. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." Phil 3:20-21 (NKJ)
This is something that has never been promised to Israel. They are promised a paradise on earth. Heaven is only promised to the Church. Further on in Corinthians it says that the Church will never know death again because we will have "new" glorious bodies. But this is not the case for those in the Millennium kingdom on earth.
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor 15:53-55
"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Rev. 20:7
So how is it possible for the Church to be on earth and how is it possible that they will know death? Fact is that it is impossible. The Church will be in heaven to be with the Lord forevermore. "O death, where is thy sting?"
