Disciples Digital Library

Foundational to the church’s future hope is the bodily resurrection of believers when Jesus arrives in glory . Paul’s description of the “ arrival ” of Jesus is written to comfort believers concerning the fate of their compatriots who died before that event. They need not sorrow “ like the others ”  BECAUSE  the dead will be resurrected when the Lord “ arrives .”

The biblical faith is forward-looking and integral to its doctrine of salvation is the future resurrection of the dead. And that event will also mark the commencement of the New Creation. In the New Testament, this hope is linked to two events. First, the past resurrection of Jesus, and second, his future arrival at the end of the age. And salvation will remain incomplete without the resurrection of the saints.

The fourth seal releases “Death,” and “Hades” follows gathering the dead in its wake  –  Revelation 6:7-8 .  The “victims” harmed by the first three seal openings have not been identified, although details from the tasks assigned to each “ rider ” provide clues. Nothing has been said about the enemies of the “ Lamb ,” or about judgments against the “ inhabitants of the earth .” Moreover, the actions of the “ four riders ” are never labeled “plagues,” “wrath,” or “judgments.”

Paul reassures the Thessalonians regarding the participation of dead saints in the arrival of Jesus from heaven – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reassures them concerning the participation of saints who die before the ‘ parousia ’ in the glories of that day.   BOTH  dead and living saints will assemble and “ meet ” him as he descends from heaven. Thereafter, they will be with Jesus “ forevermore .”

In writing to the Corinthians, Paul outlines the events that will occur at or shortly before the “ arrival ” or ‘ parousia ’ of Jesus, one of several Greek terms applied by him to Christ’s future coming. Regardless of which term is used, he always refers to one “coming,” “revelation,” or “appearance” of Jesus at the end of the age, not two.

The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the termination of the Last Enemy - Death .  Some church members are Corinth are denying the bodily resurrection. Paul responds by stressing the necessity for resurrection and appealing to the  PAST RESURRECTION OF JESUS  as the precedent for the resurrection of believers. Followers of Christ will be raised from the dead when he “ arrives ,” and that event will signal the end of death itself.