Randy, scripture tells us that the dead in Christ do rise first, but no, they do not hang around.  They immediately ascend.  It's the living who hang around a while and sweat out the events, before they are changed into incorruptible (immortal), then ascend.

 

1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an 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."  

 

There are actually 3 events in the rapture sequence....and there is time between each event.   It will not be....bam or bam, bam and we are suddenly out of here. 

 

I hear that all the time, but that is simply not what scripture is telling us.  If I am wrong and it is just a sudden disappearance, then fine, we go or we do not...no decisions have to be made.  But, if I am right....and I am quite sure that I am....then you (we) need to consider the things I am going to show you.

 

In the Thessalonians verses above, we also note clouds (plural).  Throughout scripture ascensions, we see the word cloud(s).  Jesus ascended into a cloud.  The 2 witnesses in Revelations 11:12 also ascend into a cloud.  We know that many saw Jesus ascend and Revelations 11: 12 says the enemies of the 2 Witnesses beheld them and in vs 13 that the remnant also sees the event.  In Revelations 1:7, we see Jesus return with clouds (plural) and all eyes see them. 

 

These clouds are not vapor or smoke clouds, but clouds of saints dressed in radiant white.  Jesus ascended with the worthy OT saints which were resurrected with him (see Matthew 27: 52-53).  The 2 Witnesses will ascend with the resurrected tribulation saints.  For us, the important thing to note is that the ascensions are seen (witnessed)....by at least many.  

 

The clouds of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 are 2 clouds, far enough apart in time to be seen as separate clouds.

 

1 Corinthians 15: 50-53 gives us some more details.  "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I show 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 (immortal), and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 

 

The 2 things to take out of this is:  (1) The dead are raised incorruptible (immortal), therefore they may and do immediately ascend.  (2) The living must first be changed to incorruptible (immortal) before they may ascend.    

 

At first, it may seem that these 2 things happen simultaneously, but there is a time period between these 2 events..... and even another time period from the time the living are changed to the time they ascend.  

 

Let's look at the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25: 1-10.  My friend, I don't care that others say this is not a rapture passage....it is without doubt.  All men are born into sin, therefore spiritual whores from God....both Jew and Gentile, no exceptions.  The only way to be a virgin again is to be spiritually born again.  This is a passage about believers.  We see in Revelations 14: 1-5 that the first fruits bride is also called virgins.

 

If you read Revelations chapters 2 and 3 (Jesus' letter to the 7 churches), you will see that there is going to be a division among believers based on worthiness or overcoming.  These churches are churches of Christian believers established by the apostles and Paul....not Jewish synagogues or any other false religion.  The rapture of the bride is a reward over and above the free gift of salvation.  There is a division here not only among believer and non believer, but also among believers.  The last 2 churches offer the most clear picture.  In short, it is a picture of the carnal (worldly) Christian vs the spiritual one (one who has overcome the world).   

 

In the parable of 10 virgins, you see that it opens with the midnight cry....or simply cry around midnight.  This is a reference to the original Passover event found in Exodus.  This will also be a Passover event, albeit it will be Second Passover (Numbers 9).  In the original, the firstborn dead of Egypt were killed by an angel of the Lord.  In this Passover of the rapture of the bride, the firstborn in Christ (those worthy) will be raised from the dead.  Luke 20: 35-38 describes this event.  I'll quote just a small part, ".....Now that the dead are raised.......For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him."  What is being depicted here is a reverse "mirror image" of the original Passover saying God is not a God of the dead, but of the living. 

 

When you are looking for this rapture event sequence in scripture, you can note that it usually will mention or reference an event at or around midnight, also a man on a far journey or coming from a far journey, i.e. Jesus who departed earth to go get himself a Kingdom.

 

Since this rapture event midnight cry is a reverse image of the original Passover killing of the firstborn in Egypt.....then it is the resurrection and immediate ascension of the dead in Christ.  It is what alerts the living virgins.

 

Read the rest of the events and you will notice that the wise and unwise virgins have time to converse with each other.  At some point in the conversation the unwise notice there is a difference between them and the wise.  The wise have "changed" and the unwise note the difference.  They then begin to ask questions about where to buy oil for their lamps.  Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  While they are gone to buy oil, the wise depart for the wedding (ascend)...and the door to the wedding (and heaven) is closed. 

 

Matthew 24:33 speaks of doors (plural).  The next door will be 7 years later (after the 7 day, i.e. 7 year, honeymoon).  That door will be for the tribulation saints of Revelations 7: 9-15.  They will be resurrected and ascend with the 2 Witnesses and will be invited to the wedding supper (which takes place at the end of the honeymoon).  Both groups though will serve as Kings and/or Priests in the immortal government of Jesus Christ which will be set up for 1000 years (Revelations 5:9-10, 7:9-15 and 20: 4-6).   It will be a very difficult time for the tribulation saints for ultimately they will all be killed (see Revelations 6:9-11 and 20: 4-6)....but the reward is great.

 

If we look at 2 Chronicles 30 (Hezekiah's Second Passover), we see the only scriptural reference there is to Second Passover other than its inception in Numbers 9.  If we read carefully, we can see this is organized just like the parable of the 10 virgins.  We see the clean and unclean, the sanctified and unsanctified, versus the wise and unwise.  It starts off as a 7 day feast, i.e. Second Passover followed by the 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread.

 

But, after the 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread is completed....they vote...for joy...to extend their feast celebration another 7 days.  Note how the feast ends.....verses 26 & 27, "So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon, the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.  Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. "  

 

Pretty special ending, huh.  What we have here is a day count to be inserted into the parable of the 10 virgins.  The point where they "for joy" vote to extend the feast celebration 7 more days....is the point of the "changing to immortal" of the living wise bride. 

 

When we see the midnight cry, i.e. resurrection and ascension of the dead in Christ, the next thing on our calendar should be the 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread.  It is a feast about spiritual cleansing and renewal (may include fasting), but also about song and praise.  The first and last days should also be a holy convocation, i.e. no work.  It is at the end of this feast that the changing will take place.... "in the twinkling of an eye."     

 

If you are not changed....you will not ascend.  There is however, one more event of great importance.  It will be a Holy Spirit outpouring on the left behind who prepare themselves and ask.  Luke 11: 5-13 is an emphatic promise.  Note in vs 13, the bread is the Holy Spirit.  Clues: it mentions a friend arriving from a far journey....and it is around midnight.  Further, note that the man goes to a friend who is behind a door (the wedding door) and will not let him in.....for his family is with him and in bed, i.e. the honeymoon bride.  But, the friend tells him that the Father still loves him...and will not give him a serpent, nor a stone, nor a scorpion etc....but all the bread he asks.  It is an emphatic promise.  The tribulation saints will need it.

 

Elisha receiving a double portion of Elijah's spirit when he was translated was a foreshadow.  Note Elisha received it when Elijah's mantle fell back to earth (after he departs).  This event will take place 10 days after the ascension of the living bride....and on a Pentecost Sunday.  These left behind will receive double what the apostles and early believers received.

 

Second Passover of Numbers 9 is the feast about the bride and groom.  Note that Moses says Stand Still or Be Still.  You have to "be still" to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Note that Moses does not ask the Lord about a man on a far journey....but, the Lord just up and adds that.

 

Now, how is it you say....that those defiled by the touching of the dead...represent the bride of Christ?  Simple....look at the Lords Supper, a Passover meal which Jesus changes into a special ritual between him and his believers.  He tells the disciples to take of the bread proclaiming...."it is my body...eat."  He then gives them of the cup of wine and tells them to ....."drink ye all of it, for it is my blood, shed for the remission of sins."  He speaks in a past tense, as if his death has already occurred ...and they are eating of a dead body even drinking of his shed blood.  Further, he tells them if they will not do this, they have nothing to do with him.

 

For the OT Israelite, this is about as defiled by the touching of the dead as you can get....eating of a dead body and drinking their blood.  But, to the believer, it is a symbolic representation of from death unto life, much like baptism.

 

Next, the spring feasts are are enveloped by the 7 Week Feast of Weeks, a feast about first fruits.  This 7 week time period is marked by counting the Sabbath Omer.....7 straight Sabbaths.   When Second Passover is put in its proper place it fall exactly on the 4th Sabbath Omer.  This is the same picture as Creation Week, the 7 candle Menorrah of Exodus 25: 31-40 and the 7 Candles before the throne in Revelations 1: 12-13 & 20 in which Jesus is seen standing in the midst, i.e. the cardinal midpoint 4 position.  Verse 20 says these 7 candles represent the 7 churches and there is a mystery (secret) about this design.

 

Besides all this....when Passover is put in its proper place (to the correct day of the week), Second Passover not only falls on the 4th Sabbath Omer, but there is a perfect count of days from there to Pentecost for the events described above....7 days + 7 days to ascension day (when the living bride shall ascend) and then another 10 days to Pentecost (for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the left behind) .....absolutely perfect, but it does involve some inclusive counting, as does the 40 from resurrection day to ascension day. 

 

Another tidbit of information....Second Passover (the midnight cry) should then fall on a Sabbath day (between a Friday sundown and Saturday sundown).  Reckon we should then keep the Sabbath holy.  Secondly, Passover's are around the time of the full moon.  Now, Jesus tells us to watch each day....so there might be a curveball here, also that he might come during any hour of the watch, not just around midnight, but nevertheless, Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us God keeps with his patterns.   This coming weekend, the Sabbath of 4-5 May is a good watch time, also the Sabbath of 1-2 or 8-9 June.  Between, here and summer solstice we should be alert. 

 

I'm going to mention one more thing and then sign off.  The events of Daniel 10 bother me greatly.  It is a foreshadow of something.  It involves a 21 day delay in which an angel is trying to get to Daniel.  The angel implies there is a great spiritual war going on....in which Michael is in it with him.  Michael is the commander of God's armies and the enforcer who keeps Satan in check.  Daniel absolutely reminds me of what us living saints will be like after the midnight cry....particularly if our 7 day wait is extended to 21 or even 28 days. 

 

You will have to really trust the Lord and not fall for any delusions.  Jesus adds to 74....remember the symbols I showed you above?   Christ adds to 77.  Instead of looking at is as seventy four, look at it as 7 and 7, i.e. 7 days and 7 days.   Note the vowel is i which holds the place value of 9 (Numbers 9 and the number of immortal man, a rotated 6).  Trust:  the consonants add to 77, the vowel u holds the place value of 21.  I was walking along one night meditating.  Just as I moved my lips saying Trust in the Lord, then a second time....a brilliant shooting star passed directly over my head in the direction I was headed.  Haven't seen such since.   

 

I hope this delay of Daniel 10 is about something else....but it is a foreshadow of something, and it looks a bunch to me like exactly the rapture time period and it will surely be a great spiritual battle.  Expect UFO's and alien news....and expect us to have problems communicating on the internet.  Hold fast to the truth.

 

Steve