The coming of the Lord follows a clear sequence: the Lord descends, the dead in Christ rise first, and then living believers are caught up together to meet Him in the air.
At the coming of the Lord, Jesus Himself descends from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. The souls and spirits of departed believers, which Christ brings with Him, are reunited with their resurrected bodies as the dead in Christ rise first. Then living believers, who will not go ahead of the dead, are changed in a moment and caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 — These verses explicitly lay out the sequence of the Lord's descent, the resurrection of the dead in Christ first, and the catching up of living believers.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 — These verses reveal the instantaneous change of living believers at the last trumpet, which is part of the same event.
In 1 Thessalonians 4, the Apostle Paul describes the order of events. He writes: '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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord' (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Paul also reveals in 1 Corinthians 15 that at the last trumpet, 'the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed' (1 Corinthians 15:52). The Bible further indicates that believers who are absent from the body are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), preparing them for that day of reunion.
Les Feldick teaches that the Rapture is a mystery revealed through Paul. He emphasizes that when a believer dies, the soul and spirit go to be with the Lord in heaven. At the coming of the Lord, Christ brings those departed souls and spirits with Him, and they are reunited with their resurrected bodies. Les stresses that the dead in Christ rise first, and then living believers are changed 'in a split second' and caught up together with them in the air. He also takes the sequence beyond the meeting in the air, explaining that believers then return to heaven with Christ for the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage of the Lamb, before coming back with Him seven years later at His second coming.
At death, a believer's soul and spirit go to be with the Lord in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8). At the coming of the Lord, Christ brings those souls and spirits with Him, and the dead in Christ rise first in resurrection power. Their bodies are brought out from the grave and reunited with their souls and spirits in the air.
Believers who are alive at the Lord's coming will not go ahead of those who have died. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, they are changed and caught up together with the resurrected saints in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
Les Feldick teaches that after being caught up, believers go back up into heaven with Christ. There they appear before the judgment seat of Christ and celebrate the marriage of the Lamb. They are then ready to return with Christ at His second coming, when His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.
Soul and Spirit at Death
Les explains from 2 Corinthians 5 that while a believer is at home in the body, they are absent from the Lord, and at death the soul and spirit are present with the Lord in heaven. This sets the stage for Christ bringing those souls and spirits with Him.
Christ Brings Departed Souls with Him
Les teaches that when the trumpet sounds and Christ leaves heaven, He brings the souls of believers who have died, and they meet their resurrected bodies in the air.
The Dead in Christ Rise First
Les emphasizes that believers who have died in Jesus are brought by God with Him, and that living believers will not go ahead of the dead. The Lord Himself descends from heaven, and the dead in Christ rise first.
The Mystery of the Sudden Caught Up
Les describes the Rapture as a mystery revealed through Paul, where Christ comes to the atmosphere, the dead are raised, and living believers are caught up in a split second.
Changed in a Moment
Les teaches from 1 Corinthians 15 that believers will not all die, but will all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, with the dead raised first.
Caught Up Together in the Clouds
Les draws attention to the exact wording of 1 Thessalonians 4:17—living believers are caught up together with the resurrected saints in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
The Sequence of the Lord's Descent
Les lays out the order: the Lord descends with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God; the dead in Christ rise first in resurrection power; then living believers are caught up.
After the Meeting in the Air
Les goes beyond the catching up to explain that believers return to heaven for the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage of the Lamb, and will return with Christ when His feet stand on the Mount of Olives.
1 Thessalonians 4:16: 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:
This verse establishes the order of resurrection at the coming of the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
This verse shows that living believers are caught up together with the risen saints.
1 Corinthians 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
This verse explains the instantaneous change of living believers at the last trumpet.
2 Corinthians 5:8: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
This verse supports that the believer's soul and spirit are present with the Lord after death.
1 Thessalonians 4:15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
This verse states that living believers will not go ahead of the dead at the Lord's coming.
Yes. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, the dead in Christ rise first. Then, as Les Feldick puts it, living believers are changed and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air.
They are present with the Lord in heaven. Les teaches that Christ brings those souls and spirits with Him when He descends, so they can be reunited with their resurrected bodies.
Les teaches that believers go back into heaven with Christ for the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage of the Lamb. Then they return with Him at His second coming seven years later.
Watch the Teaching: The Rapture Secret Most Christians Miss — 1 Corinthians 15:51