“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, 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. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
When does this happen? Some say before the great tribulation, some – after, and some – after death has been abolished. “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:25-26
Is death abolished all at once? Is it abolished one resurrection at a time? Is the mystery (or secret) in verse 51 occurring at the end of the Millennium? When we try to unveil the timing of the events we run into difficulties. Much like the Jews did concerning the Messiah. They couldn’t reconcile the powerful Messiah with the suffering servant Messiah. So they came up with the concepts of Messiah ben Yoseph and Messiah ben David. The modern Christian runs into similar difficulties. Are all people resurrected before the grand appearance of the Messiah in the clouds? This author thinks so. Might the change to imperishable happen after resurrection? When is the last trumpet?
The last trumpet is associated with Yom Kippur – the day of Atonement. This is also the beginning of the Jubilee, a very good candidate for the Millennial reign. There is also the Sabbath Millennium, which precedes the Jubilee. And as far as when immortality is imputed – why does 1 Timothy 6:16 say only the Father is immortal? “ For,
At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16 NLT
Spirit & Truth International has this commentary on the Rapture: http://www.truthortradition.com/articles/23-reasons-to-believe-in-a-rapture-before-the-great-tribulation
Another consideration is, “and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” Matthew 24:39-41
What does it mean, ‘taken’? Fortunately, scripture interprets itself: “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”] And answering they *said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” Luke 17:26-37
This must be the great tribulation. Does it only apply to Jews? If it’s not for the church (who has been raptured), why is it in the New Testament? Here, ‘taken’ refers to death, hence the vultures being gathered together. ‘Taken’ does not refer to being whisked away to heaven. Another question is, can the church still be around when the Jews have been resurrected? Obviously, there are many timing considerations here. Undoubtedly, no one will figure it out before it happens. It was the same at the first advent. Even the great prophet John the Baptist was confused. Are you really the Messiah?
Bible Study Seattle 
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