Page 141 - Satan in the Sanctuary

The End Times—A Timetable 143

First Corinthians 15:51-55 reveals an interesting detail.
There will be a metamorphosis—a mysterious change—in
the bodies of the believers when they are raised. The Lord
Himself underwent such a change for His own resurrection.
The physical nature of the believers is to be outfitted for
immortality:
Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible [flesh] must put on incor-
ruption, and this mortal [body] must put on immortality.
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,
Death is swallowed up in victory [Is 25:8]. O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Like the Lord Himself, the Christians will defeat death.
So, a trumpet will sound, the Lord will return, and the
church will be saved from disaster.
Hal Lindsey refers to the rapture in The Late, Great
Planet Earth as "the ultimate trip." It certainly is. It's the
only way to go.
On the prophetic timetable, the rapture comes before the
Antichrist's desecration of the Tribulation Temple. It must
precede his proclaiming himself God.
The Tribulation Temple could be built before the rap-
ture, of course. It could theoretically stand for centuries
before the rapture and subsequent take-over by the Anti-
christ.
But if we may consider God's plan for a moment—it
looks as if things are building up for Armageddon. Temple
plans are being discussed; the heat is on in the Middle East
like it never has been before; Russia is on the scene; and
we can feel the worldwide tension. This would be a logical