Starting in 1959, a cartoon mountain lion called “Snagglepuss” was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and has been around ever since. One of the character’s favorite lines was “Exit, Stage Right” or “Exit, Stage Left.” He would then dash off in that direction and usually crash into something. As believers in our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, we are waiting for a call to “Exit, Stage Up!” (ESV – all emphasis mine)
A big difference between the cartoon character and what we’re waiting for is there will be no collisions, and our exit will be over in less than one second.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:50-53, “I tell you this brothers, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I will tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall 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 raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”
Before going further, I have heard it said that the trumpet in the above passage has to do with the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 and 9. There were trumpets used throughout Jewish history to let the Israelites know something important was about to take place. The judgment trumpets will be used in the tribulation period to announce punishments against those who will pledge allegiance to the antichrist, and current believers will not be here for those trumpets.
When taking 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 along with the 1 Corinthians verses, we have a more complete understanding of what the “twinkling of an eye” event is all about. “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be always with the Lord.”
The “in Christ” souls Paul talks about are the ones who received and accepted Jesus on this earth before they took their last breath here. In Philippians 1:21-23, we’re told; “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
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A big difference between the cartoon character and what we’re waiting for is there will be no collisions, and our exit will be over in less than one second.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:50-53, “I tell you this brothers, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I will tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall 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 raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”
Before going further, I have heard it said that the trumpet in the above passage has to do with the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 and 9. There were trumpets used throughout Jewish history to let the Israelites know something important was about to take place. The judgment trumpets will be used in the tribulation period to announce punishments against those who will pledge allegiance to the antichrist, and current believers will not be here for those trumpets.
When taking 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 along with the 1 Corinthians verses, we have a more complete understanding of what the “twinkling of an eye” event is all about. “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be always with the Lord.”
The “in Christ” souls Paul talks about are the ones who received and accepted Jesus on this earth before they took their last breath here. In Philippians 1:21-23, we’re told; “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
Exit, Stage Up :: By Dennis Huebshman
Starting in 1959, a cartoon mountain lion called "Snagglepuss" was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and has been around ever since. One of the
www.raptureready.com
