upgraded March 10, 2010

1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 (NIV) Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

The martyred dead will include:

1. Those "Born Again" Children of God that were martyred due to their testimony.  Revelation 6:11 printed below, reflects that there will be, "Born Again" Children of God that are martyred on earth during the "great tribulation" Period (Matthew 24:21-22 [KJV], Revelation 7:14).

Revelation 6:9-11 (NIV) When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

After the martyred dead are given white robes, referenced in Revelation 6:11 printed above, they are then shown standing before the Throne wearing those white robes, referenced in Revelation 7:9 printed below.  These martyred, "Born Again" Children of God, are "from every nation, tribe, people, and language", who "have come out of the great tribulation".

Revelation 7:9-14 (NIV) After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" 13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

2. Those "Born Again" Children of God that were specifically beheaded during the "great tribulation" Period,

Revelation 20:4-6 (NIV) I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

3. Those "Born Again" Children of God who allowed themselves to be martyred in order to obtain a "better resurrection."  The "better resurrection" is the resurrection that allows a person to rule with Jesus Christ during His One Thousand Year Millennial Reign.

Hebrews 11:35 (NIV) Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

Psalms 50:5 (NIV) "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."

The souls of the martyred dead will re-enter the bodies of the martyred dead, and be raised to life, to then rise and meet Jesus Christ in the air. 

Then the living "Born Again" Children of God will rise to meet Jesus Christ in the air

Matthew 24:31 (NIV) "And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

Mark 13:27 (NIV) "And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens."

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV) After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NIV) I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 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. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

Individuals, not groups, will make up the Bride of Christ. In the Laodicean church, Jesus Christ addresses only individuals.

Revelation 3:20 (NIV) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

It will not be any organized church, but individuals only, who are saved out of the Laodicean church, that make up the Bride of Christ. The only Organized Religion that will exist during the "great tribulation" Period will be involved in a worship of the Antichrist.

The Bride of Christ will put on the imperishable as Jesus Christ did after His resurrection; and like Jesus Christ, the Bride of Christ will no longer be restricted by physical limitations.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 (NIV) I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 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. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

Philippians 3:21 (NIV) who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Colossians 3:4 (NIV) When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

1 John 3:2 (NIV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

John 14:1-3 printed below is a widely misinterpreted Holy Scripture.

John 14:1-3 (NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

The "prepared place" referenced in John 14:1-3 printed above, does not appear until AFTER the One Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ on this earth has been completed, and the Great White Throne Judgment has occurred.

Revelation 21:1-3 (NIV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Another Holy Scripture that is often coupled with John 14:1-3 printed above, is 1 Corinthians 2:9, printed below.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10a (NIV) However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 printed above is often quoted by those focusing on the physical realm, in a misguided reference to the splendor of the mansions that Jesus Christ is preparing for us.  These people are worshiping themselves, and the creation of Heaven rather than the Creator of Heaven. This is idolatry, and is SIN. I challenge any person to show me a set of house plans from Heaven that was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit of God.  I Corinthians 2:9-10 is actually referencing spiritual truths that are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit of God.

In writing the song, "Mansion Over The Hilltop," Ira Stanphill revealed the idolatry that was in his heart at the time of the writing of that song. It is a song that focuses totally on self indulgence (self worship) and a worship of the creation of Heaven rather than the Creator of Heaven.