In Philippians 3:11 Paul says, “If by any means I may attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead.” To “attain” here means to arrive at. The out-resurrection from among the dead denotes the outstanding resurrection, the extra-resurrection, which will be a prize to the overcoming saints. This means that it is the resurrection set apart from the common resurrection, the resurrection with honor, comparable to a graduation with honors. This resurrection is a resurrection of kingship as a reward to the overcomers that they may reign as co-kings with Christ in the millennial kingdom. All believers who are dead in Christ will participate in the resurrection from among the dead at the Lord’s coming back, but the overcoming saints will enjoy an extra, outstanding portion of that resurrection. This is the “better resurrection” mentioned in Hebrews 11:35. The better resurrection is not only the first resurrection, the resurrection of life, but also the out-resurrection, the resurrection in which the Lord’s overcomers will receive the reward of the kingdom.
To arrive at the out-resurrection means that our entire being has been gradually and continually resurrected. God first resurrected our deadened spirit (Eph. 2:5-6). Then from our spirit He proceeds to resurrect our soul (Rom. 8:6) and our mortal body (Rom. 8:11), until our entire being-spirit, soul and body-is fully resurrected out of our old being by His life and with His life. This is a process in life through which we must pass until we arrive at the out-resurrection as the prize. Hence, the out-resurrection should be the goal and destination of our Christian life.
After the dead ones among the believers, signified by the ten virgins, have been resurrected, then the living ones among them, signified by one of the two men and one of the two women in Matthew 24:40 and 41 and the one of the two in Luke 17:34, who are left and who will still remain until the Lord’s coming, shall be caught up at the same time together with the resurrected ones. First Thessalonians 4:17 says, “Then we who are living, who remain, shall be caught up at the same time together with them in clouds into a meeting of the Lord in the air; and so we shall be always together with the Lord.” According to this verse, both the dead and the living believers will be caught up to the Lord. First the dead will be raised, and then together we shall be caught up to a meeting of the Lord in the air.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Paul speaks of those “who are living, who remain unto the coming of the Lord,” and in verse 17 he again refers to those “who are living, who remain.” If we consider this matter carefully, we shall realize that this indicates, or at least implies, that there are some living ones who do not remain. Some living ones are gone. These living ones who do not remain are overcomers.
There is a difference between the rapture of the overcomers and the rapture of those believers who are alive and remain until the Lord’s coming. The rapture of the overcomers will take place before the last three and a half years, a period known as the great tribulation. In other words, the overcomers will be raptured before the tribulation (Rev. 3:10). But those who are alive and remain will be raptured at the end of the tribulation, that is, at the last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52).
According to 1 Thessalonians 4:17, those believers who are alive and remain will be caught up “in clouds.”
Those believers who remain unto the Lord’s coming will be caught up “into a meeting of the Lord in the air” (1 Thes. 4:17). Here we see that there is a difference between the rapture of the overcomers and the rapture of those believers who are alive and remain until the Lord’s coming not only regarding time but also regarding location. According to Revelation 12, the overcomers are raptured to the throne of God in the third heaven. But according to 1 Thessalonians 4, the rapture of those who are alive and remain will be to the clouds in the air.
The majority of the believers, both the dead and resurrected ones, and the living ones at the Lord’s coming, after being raptured to meet with the Lord in the air, will be together with the Lord (1 Thes. 4:17) to enjoy the Lord’s presence by seeing Him face to face (1 John 3:2). Then they will enjoy the Lord’s presence much more than what they enjoy of His presence merely in their spirit today.
Home | First | Prev | Next