Concerning the Dead in Christ rising first there is yet to be defined exactly how this will happen - we will just have to wait and see.

It must happen prior to our rising to meet Christ in the air, there is no question of that.

However, HOW they rise - and where is a big question:

1.  Do they rise first - here on earth or do they rise and meet Christ in the Air and we later will rise also to meet Christ in the air - in other words they not actually rising to life on Earth itself at all?

2.  Do they rise first and spend 40 days on Earth like what happened when Christ rose from the dead?

3.  Do they rise first and spend 10 days on Earth prior to our rapture?

4.  Could the time be much shorter than 10 days?

I have always thought that it would be either a 10 day window or a 40 day window that they would be on Earth but I am not totally convinced.  I do not see option 1 above being very likely but don't see anything in Scripture that strictly prohibits that kind of "rising first."

The idea of a much shorter time came to me over the study of the 10 virgins and those sent away to buy oil but didn't have enough time.  I think that the dead rising will be just the thing to wake up the unprepared virgins but if the dead in Christ were here a full 10 or 40 days then I think there would be time for the foolish to buy the oil.  As Jim Bramlett mentioned the two days in May that are so significant, I see it entirely possible that the dead in Christ will rise just hours prior to our being taken up.

Time will tell - and what an exciting time it is right now and will be soon!!

Doug Blakemore