What happens when the dead in Christ hear the voice to come forth?
When the dead in Christ hear the voice to come forth, they rise first in resurrection power. Like Lazarus, they come out of the grave with new bodies and are drawn up to meet the Lord in the air, going before the living, who are then caught up to join them.
Les explains that the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. At that voice, the dead in Christ rise first in resurrection power. They come forth like Lazarus, only in resurrection power, and they are drawn up to meet Him in the air. They have already received their new bodies coming out of the grave. Then those who are alive and remain are caught up together with them. Those two words, caught up, comprise the cliche word rapture; though the word rapture is not in the text, caught up has the same meaning. So the departed saints and living believers meet the Lord in the air and shall ever be with the Lord.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: