Does 1 Corinthians 15:23 refer to the future tribulation?
No. The context of 1 Corinthians 15:23 concerns the resurrection of a particular company of people. That company is not Israel, is not out of the Old Testament economy, and is not in reference to the tribulation still ahead. Therefore, it does not refer to the future tribulation.
Les teaches that 1 Corinthians 15 is the great resurrection chapter of Scripture. He has been spending time on that 23rd verse, not the verse per se, but what builds up to it. The question is where this particular company of people comes from. They certainly are not Israel, they are not out of the Old Testament economy, and they certainly are not in reference to that which is still ahead, the tribulation.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
More Questions
Is the tribulation still in the future?
Les explains that in 1 Corinthians 15, the great resurrection chapter, Paul is discussing a specific company of people. He notes they are not Israel, not out of the Old Testament economy, and not in reference to the tribulation, which he says is 'still ahead.' This indicates the tribulation has not yet happened and is therefore future. The contrast in the text places the tribulation after the present age, reinforcing that it remains a future event.