For one thing -- look at 1 Thessonians 4:15 - 18 -- this passage has believers joining Jesus Christ in the air -- the dead in Christ first and then those of us alive at that time next -- within seconds. And born-again believers will then be with Jesus Christ forever.
Then there is the passage talking about the workers in the field -- one is taken and the other left. And two people in bed --men and one is taken and the other left. In some cultures there's a family bed / multi-generations stay together and all sleep in the same 'bed' area.
And then Daniel 9:20 - end of chapter. The 70-weeks prophesy. The last week is still coming. That will be the last seven years. vs 27 = the final 7 yrs and the final 3 1/2 years is going to be the Great Tribulation.
That is in contrast to when Jesus Christ actually does come back the 2nd time in person and stands on the ground. Zechariah 14:4 and surrounding verses.
And what is the OC?
Where, O Death, is Your Victory? 1Corinthians 15:50-52
50Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, AT THE LAST TRUMPET. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.…
AT THE LAST TRUMPET :Tekiah Gedolah. Is the greatest and is the voice of arch angel and the SHOUT of God. This is at the End of the Tribulation, hence Last Trump of the Trumpets.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall 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.
FIRST THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE, The Elect who are NOT to be martyred and are given special care are the ones who will be transformed in a moment in a twinkling of and eye. This means
those who are chosen for this will experience an instant death and renewal of body and Paul reveals this as a mystery. Why? It is clear he is telling what will happen , that is no mystery.He is revealing a mystery which has already happened
To the forerunner :
Psalm 132:7-9
…7Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool. 8
Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. 9May Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints shout for joy.…
Those chosen to be the Elect of the End of the age of sin will experience this too. The Lord took up with Him someone who is the ARK OF HIS STRENGTH, not His strength= giving to HIM and it is not made with human hands as the wooden Ark was, but is OF HIS STRENGTH. When The Lord went into the REST of His Father. Where is the Lords Rest? Who was He taking with Him? It is clear it was not the apostles because they had work to do. It is clear He did not take the Ark of the obsolete Covenant.
The New Covenant Hebrew 8:12-13
…12For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.” 13
In speaking of a new covenant,” He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
The New Covenant Ark does not age and disappear, like a wooden Ark which would be consummated to the earth.
The Elect is the generation who will see all the Tribulation events.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree Matthew 24:33-35
…33So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, right at the door. 34
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.…
The Elect will not pass away from this world : (MEANING NOT DIE BEFORE the events of the tribulation )until all the trumpets sound and the Tribulation events happen. We will see heaven and earth pass away, but we will not pass away, before we see this. The mystery is that we are transformed by the finger of God and consummated to heaven not the earth. We are like the Ark He took up with Him at His ascension. The OLD COVENANT ark was consummated to the earth. This is why Paul says I tell you a mystery, because he knows what the meaning of the NEW ARK OF THE COVENANT is. Those chosen to not die through martyrdom, will not have their lives touched by men as Mary did not. We will only be taken from the earth by God.
Paul tells us :50Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. But then states a mystery...... 51
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed .He is seeing the last generation for it is clear all the apostles died (Except for one , that is another discussion). It is clear throughout Christian history AD and the ascension the church has remained on earth. But Paul sees the future and these who do not sleep are instantly transformed into that which is imperishable. In the NEW COVENANT Mother Mary is the FIRST to have this happen, we the end time ELECT will be the second of the NEW COVENANT to have this happen. We will not pass away with heaven and earth, because we are His words. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.…He is the Word, we are His words we are those that have God's word written up our minds and hearts.
Hebrews 8:10
10For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds, and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.…
This makes us his living words.
Revelation 11:15-19
The Seventh Trumpet
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,
“We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast,
that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign.