In The Twinkling Of An Eye

August 9

Esther 3-5

Psalm 89:38-45

Proverbs 20:3-4

I Corinthians 15:35-58

In The Twinkling Of An Eye

“Behold, I tell you a mystery:  we will not all sleep, but we will 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 raise incorruptible, and we will be changed.  For this corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality.  But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.   O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?’  Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  I Corinthians 15:51-58  LSB

The rapture of the church is the blessed hope for the believer in Jesus Christ.  For 2,000 years, Christians have been watching for the return of Jesus to take them to heaven to be with Him.  I Thessalonians 4:16-17 explains, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” LSB  Today’s passage gives us more detail about what will happen.  In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, we will meet Jesus in the sky.  Our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible, from mortal to immortal.  Those who are alive when the resurrection occurs will never experience death.  Our bodies will be changed instantly to glorified bodies that don’t age, decay or die.  Believers who have died at any time from Jesus’ resurrection till the day He returns will be raised and receive their glorified bodies and they will also meet Jesus in the sky.  The power of sin is the sting of death which is broken by faith in Jesus during the life of the believer.  Death is swallowed up in victory!  Those who are in Christ receive the promise of eternal life.  Though they may taste physical death, they will not have to experience eternal death because Jesus conquered death by His resurrection.    

In view of this hope that we have, we can be “steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, because we know that our labor is not in vain.”   The victory over sin that is available to the believer through faith in Jesus gives us the ability to persevere and remain faithful.  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”  Hebrews 10:23-25 LSB  We don’t know when Jesus will appear in the sky and the trumpet will sound, but we see the day approaching.  Bible prophecy is falling into place.  When He returns, we want to be found faithfully serving Him, immovable and steadfast!  “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’  Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus!”  Revelation 22:20 ESV