HEAVEN STANDING OPEN


I. THE LAST TRUMP IN I Cor 15:51-52 and I Thess 4:13-18.

  1. This trumpet must be the LAST trumpet to sound in connection with the resurrection, rapture, and rewarding of the saints.

  2. These two passages speak of the same event -- the resurrection, rapture, and rewarding of the saints (glorification is a reward for "by grace through faith" faithfulness) , Isa 46:13; 48:12; Dan 12:2: Lk 16:9-12; Mk 10:17-30; Lk 10:25-37; Rom 2:6-7; 5:2,18,21; 6:5,22-23; 8:6,13,17,23-25; 9:4; Eph 5:31; Phil 3:11; Col 1:5,21-23,27; I Tim 6:12,17-19; Titus 3:7; Heb 3:14; James 1:12; I Pet 5:4,10; II John 9 (I John 5:12-13); Rev 3:11.

  3. Christ will bring the disembodied spirits of the saints with Him and will reunite them with their instantly remade and glorified bodies.

  4. The glorified saints are gathered to Christ in the air, but do not immediately return to the earth -- see later comments.

  5. The last trump will sound AFTER the wrath of the Antichrist ENDS, and shortly AFTER the heavens have been rolled back which begins the wrath of God, Mt 24:15, 21-22, 29-31, 36-51. See "B" immediately below.

  6. These two passages (I Cor 15:51-52; I Thess 4:13-18) must be associated with the day of the Lord because I Thess 5:1-9 is the same as I Thess 4:13-18: chapter 4 speaks of the resurrection and rapture, while chapter 5 deals with the TIME the resurrection and rapture takes place.
II. THE LAST TRUMP in Mt 24:29-31.

  1. The powers of the heavens being shaken, and the heaven departing as a scroll are the same event, Mt 24:29; Rev 6:14. The activity of the sun, moon, and stars are evidences of the heavens being rolled back.

  2. The powers of the heavens being shaken and the heavens being rolled back BEGIN the wrath of God, Mt 24:29; Rev 6:12-17; 11:15-18.

  3. The coming of the Son of man is AFTER the wrath of the Antichrist is ENDED by the rolling back of the heavens and the revealing of God's throne in the open heaven, Mt 24:29-31; Rev 6:12-17.

  4. The last trump sounds AFTER the wrath of the Antichrist ENDS, and shortly AFTER the wrath of God BEGINS, I Thess 4:13-18; 5:1-9; I Cor 15:51-52; Mt 24:29-31; Rev 6:12-17; 10:1-7; 11:15-18.

  5. The last trump in Mt 24:31 is when God will gather His elect covenant people "from the four winds, from the one end of heaven to the other," (Mt 24:31), "from the four winds, from the uttermost part of earth to the uttermost part of heaven," (Mk 13:27, 24-27).

  6. There is ONLY ONE ELECT covenant people, and that people includes all the faithful of all ages, Rom 2:28-29; II Cor 6:16; Gal 3:6-9,14,28-29; Eph 2:11-22; 3:6; I Pet 2:5-10. The "saints" who were worn out by the Antichrist in Dan 7 are the same "saints" that wore him out after the ancient of days intervened and glorified the saints. The elect covenant people of the Old Testament and the elect covenant people of the New Testament are one and the same elect covenant people: they are all the covenant seed of Abraham and the same covenant special people by a covenant required persevering faith, Gal 3:6-9,14,27-29; 4:21-31; Eph 2:11-22; 3:6; II Cor 6:16; I Pet 2:5,9; Titus 2:14; Rom 11:11-22.

  7. The trumpet in Mt 24:31 is when the saints take the kingdom from the Antichrist, Dan 7:18,22,26-27, and when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and His Christ in the seventh trumpet, Rev 11:15-18.

  8. This is all in harmony with I Thess 4:13--5:9 which says that the return of Christ, the resurrection, the rapture, the rewarding of the saints, and the wrath of God all take place when the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. See also II Thess 1:7-10; 2:1-8; II Pet 3:3-10; Lk 17:26-37.
III. THE LAST TRUMP in Rev 6:12-17

  1. Same time factor as "A" & "B" above. "The powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Mt 24:29) and "the heaven departed as a scroll" (Rev 6:14) are the same event. The activity of the sun, moon, and stars are evidences of the heavens being rolled back.

  2. When God has sent "strong delusion" on the unbelieving world (II Thess 2:9-12), has given the saints into the Antichrist's hands 42 months earlier (Dan 7:25; Rev 13:7), and the world is worshipping the Antichrist as the supreme god and crying "Peace and safety" (I Thess 5:1-3; Rev 13), THEN God rolls the heavens back and sudden destruction (the day of the Lord as a "thief" in the night) is upon them in the fury of God's wrath, I Thess 5:1-9; II Thess 1:7-10; 2:1-12.

  3. Rev 6:12-17 is when the wrath of the Antichrist ENDS and the wrath of God BEGINS -- the heavens are rolled back and the throne of God is visible from the earth.

  4. Christ receives the kingdom (Dan 7:13-14; Ps 2:8), and is commissioned to execute His work as Kinsman Redeemer to redeem His bride, dispossess the enemy, and redeem the lost possessions.

  5. Here is when the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of God and of Christ, Rev 11:15-18; Dan 7:18,22,26-27. We must harmonize these passages.

  6. The nations are angry and rage against God. God has them in derision, and chides them in His fury for their idolatry, their foolish wisdom, and their lewd and godless pleasures.

  7. Christ descends with the angels and the disembodied spirits of the saints to raise and glorify the bodies of all the faithful covenant people. Compare Rev 6:12-17 with Rev 10:1-7; 11:15-18; I Thess 4:13-18; 5:1-9; II Thess 2:1-3; Mt 24:29-31; and Dan 7:18,21-22,25-27.

  8. The saints will shortly be glorified, gathered to the Lord in mid-heaven, rewarded, presented before the Father, and will descend back to the earth with Christ to execute the wrath of God upon the Antichrist and the nations, I Thess 4:13-18; II Cor 5:10; I Thess 3:13; II Thess 1:7-9; Jude 14-15.
IV. THE LAST TRUMP in Rev 10:7 (1-7).

  1. A mighty angel descends to the earth and the inspired description of his person, what he does, and what he says is awesome. John is forbidden to record the angel's first message with its responsive message, and this alone signifies something exceptionally momentous is about to happen. The angel's second message was recorded, is very important, and we need to take notice. As he stands on land and sea as a towering giant, he raises his hand to heaven and takes an impressive oath that this age is immediately to end and a new age is to begin.

  2. The angel solemnly swears that TIME SHOULD BE NO MORE (no more delay). This applies to the time just before the rolling back of the heavens which ENDS the wrath of the Antichrist and BEGINS the wrath of God, requested by the souls under the altar (Rev 6:9-11) just before the wrath of the Antichrist ends (which ends the current age), and just before the wrath of God begins (which begins the Millennium).

  3. The mighty angel specifies the sounding of seventh trumpet as the time when "TIME SHOULD BE NO MORE" (no more delay). This clearly signifies the end of the church age and the beginning of the Millennium.

  4. The mighty angel further announces that THE MYSTERY OF GOD will be finished when the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet. The seventh trumpet must be associated with the mystery of Paul's last trump, I Cor 15:51-52; Rev 10:1-7; 11:15-18. They are the same mystery.

  5. The resurrection, rapture, and rewarding of the saints is what the mystery is about. This is made clear by comparing the three passages, I Cor 15:51-52; Rev 10:5-7; 11:15-18. It is necessary therefore to understand that the coming of Christ, the resurrection and glorification of the saints, the end of this age, and the beginning of the Millennium all happen at the same time.

  6. It is when the seventh trumpet sounds that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and His Christ (Rev 11:15), and that is precisely when the heavens are rolled back and the throne of God turns the whole earth up-side-down, Dan 7:9-12,13,18,22,26-27; Mt 24:29-31; Rev 6:12-17; 10:1-7; 11:15-18.

  7. It is also when the seventh trumpet sounds that the wrath of God begins, God chides the nations, and the nations are angry, Same scriptures as in "F" above.

  8. God has been silent from heaven and has sent strong delusion upon the rebellious world so that the world is worshipping the Anti- christ and crying "Peace and safety." Then the day of the Lord as a "thief" with the wrath of God bursts suddenly and openly through the heavens upon them, I Thess 5:1-3; II Thess 1:7-9; 2:1-12; Rev 6:12-17. The souls under the altar get their request (Rev 6:9-11) as they are glorified and execute God's righteous wrath upon the Antichrist and his anti-God and anti-Christ forces on earth for 1335 days of blessedness, Dan 12:12.
V. THE LAST TRUMP IN Rev 11:15-19.

  1. The seventh trumpet sounds sometime after the heavens are rolled back and the wrath of God begins. The day of the Lord comes suddenly and unexpectedly as a thief, and the resurrection and rapture take place in a moment in the twinkling of an eye -- do not confuse these two with the seventh and last trump, for the trumpet blast is not over so quickly. It is NOT the sounding of the trumpet, but the resurrection and glorification of the bodies of the saints that happens "in a moment in the twinkling of an eye."

  2. The announcement is made from heaven that the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our God and His Christ. This means that the kingdoms of this world have become the direct, immediate, and visible governing prerogative of God, Christ, and the covenant people. The Father will shortly send the Son and those whom He has specially given to the Son to remove the enemy and rule the universe according to His eternal purpose.

  3. Christ is formally crowned and receives the covenanted kingdom (Lk 22:28-30; Dan 7:13-14) while all intelligent creatures in the universe, including those in hell, view the inaugural ceremony -- some with overflowing joy, others in anger, grief, and horrifying fear.

  4. The nations were enraged (Rev 11:18), they mourn (Mt 24:29-30), they try to hide and commit suicide, Rev 15-16. This is not merely for a moment. This deep rooted hatred, soul crushing anguish, and stark, terrorizing fear will grip the nations for a considerable amount of time. The heavens will continue standing open while numerous formal and official activities are taking place before the throne of God and the court of heaven. These activities will be in preparation for the return of Christ after receiving authority to establish the kingdom of God on earth and rule for a thousand years.

  5. The wrath of God has begun and it is time to destroy those who destroy the earth, Rev 11:18. The wrath of God begins when the heavens are rolled back and the throne of God is revealed, but the scene switches from the visible throne of God in heaven to the throne of Christ on earth when the heavens are again closed and the saints and the angels become active in executing that wrath, Dan 7:18,22,26-27; Joel 2:1-11; Rev 15 & 16.

  6. The resurrection, glorification, and rewarding of the saints:
    "The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth," Rev 11:18.

    1. This seventh trumpet (Rev 10:1-7; 11:15-19) is the last trump, I Cor 15:51-52.

    2. This trumpet sounding is AFTER the abomination of desolation, Mt 24:15-31.

    3. This trumpet sounding is AFTER the man of sin is revealed, Mt 24:15-31; II Thess 2:1-12.

    4. This trumpet sounding is AFTER the heavens are rolled back, Mt 24:29-31; Rev 6:12-17.

    5. This trumpet sounding is AFTER the wrath of the Antichrist, Mt 24:21-31; Mk 13:19-27.

    6. This trumpet sounding is AFTER the wrath of God begins, Mt 24:29-31; Rev 6:12-17.

    7. This trumpet sounding is AFTER the day of the Lord begins, I Thess 4:13--5:9; II Thess 2:1-12.

    8. This trumpet sounding is AFTER Christ receives the kingdom, Dan 7; Rev 11:15-18; et al.

    9. This trumpet sounding is WHEN the saints are raised, glorified, and rewarded, Rev 11:11-18.

    10. This trumpet sounding is WHILE the heavens are standing open and all creation has been viewing the heaven standing open activities before the throne of God for a considerable amount of time.