Hi:
 
> > Are you saying that you think those dead in Christ in heaven were given Resurrected bodies "apart" from the Resurrection event of 1 Thessalonians 4:16? i.e. the dead in Christ rise first.
 
No, I don’t think the dead rising first could be apart from 1 Thess 4:16. That is 100% true.
 
DID THE DEAD IN CHRIST RECEIVE RESURRECTION BODIES ON EASTER, APRIL 8, 2012?
 
In the Old Testament, Isaiah 26:19 says, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise (i.e., on Easter/Firstfruits, Nisan 16, 3790, April 9, 30 AD). Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
 
Job_11:5,6  says, “But oh that God (i.e., Jesus) would speak, and open his lips against thee; And that he  would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is!”
 
If the Old Testament saints received their resurrection bodies on Sunday/Easter/Firstfruits, it seems that the New Testament saints could receive their resurrection bodies on Sunday/Easter/Firstfruits.
 
WHAT ABOUT I THESS 4:13-18?
 
That passage doesn’t say that the dead get their resurrection bodies on the same day that the Rapture happens. The word “then” does not have to mean immediately. It can mean “after that”. Strong’s Concordance says, “G1899 epeita From G1909 and G1534; thereafter: - after that (-ward), then.” G1534 eita says, “Of uncertain affinity; a particle of succession (in time or logical enumeration), then, moreover: - after that (-ward), furthermore, then.”
 
1Th 4:13-18 (KJV) says, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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 (Old English for precede) them which are asleep. 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: 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
 
It seems that the Rapture could be at the same time the dead in Christ get their resurrection bodies or a little later.
 
THE SIGN OF TRUMPETS
 
There have been strange trumpet-like sounds in the sky in different places around the globe. They seem to be signs. http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexandrar5/strange-trumpet-sounds-in-the-sky-heard-around-the-31dx  I wonder if it is taking 40 days to pick up all the dead in Christ, an omer (1/10th of an ephah) full each day. If so, the Rapture might follow the 49th omer. Pentecost will be the 50th day.
 
When I said that I thought the dead in Christ would get their resurrection bodies on Firstfruits was when I thought that the Rapture would follow on Ascension Day. It didn’t. Ascension Day for the Greek Orthodox is Thursday this week, but I think the calendar to go by is the Hebrew rather than the Julian. It was off by 10 days when 10 days were dropped and the calendar was then called the Gregorian. Maybe the Rapture will on Pentecost. Surely, it can’t be later then Mid-Trib, which I think will be Nov 8/9, 2012. We seem to be on the last lap of the race we are running.
 
1Cor 9:24-26  says, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.”
 
Actually, the First-Trump Rapture must take place before any of the seals are broken. People from all nations are in Heaven when Christ is given the 7-sealed book (Rev 4:1-5:9). The seals start to be broken in Rev 6.
 
Tom Tanner sent me this:
”I received a word a few weeks ago that "Easter would be special."
Tom Tanner (23 Jan 2012) "Reply, Ola Ilori, the "EASTER AND THE FIRSTFRUIT
In this vision the Angel and I was walking and came upon a hill.
I looked at the hill and there was some graves in it, they started opening up and people were coming out of them.
I asked the Angel what is this?
He said “it’s the dead in Christ being resurrected, JUST AS GOD SAID THEY WOULD BE".
I then saw people floating upward out of their cars and houses but I was not going with them”
I said when will this happen?
He replied “first fruits”
I said Easter?
He said “Yes, it will happen on first fruits JUST AS PROMISED.”
 
If this was an angel of the Lord, the dead in Christ should have received their resurrection bodies on Easter/Firstfruits. The two will not fall on the same day in 2013 or 2014. I can’t see the First-Trump Rapture in 2015. Why? because I think the Last-Trump Rapture will be on Trumpets, Sept 14, 2015.
 
Song of Solomon 2:10f sounds like the First-Trump Rapture will be in the spring. The migrating doves come back to Israel in April. The grapes blossom in the spring and that harvest starts June 1.
 
THE SECRET OF THE STAIRS, LIKE JACOB’S LADDER, STRETCHING FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN
 
Song 2:10-16 says, “My beloved spake, and said unto me, RISE UP, my love, my fair one, and COME AWAY (i.e., at the First-Trump Rapture, during barley harvest, Firstfruits to Pentecost, when the wheat harvest begins). 11  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone (i.e., Nisan is over); 12  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle (lit., turtledove) is heard in our land; 13  The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. ARISE, MY LOVE, MY FAIR ONE, AND COME AWAY. Son 2:14  O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in THE SECRET places (not in the original) OF THE STAIRS, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. 15  Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. 16  My beloved is mine, and I am his”.
 
THE DEPARTURE, OUR GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM, SHOULD BE BEFORE THE FALSE PROPHET IS REVEALED MID-TRIB
 
2Th 2:1-4 says, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ (i.e., should be Day of the Lord, which is the Day of God’s Wrath) is at hand. 3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (lit., departure, i.e., the First-Trump Rapture) first, and that man of sin be revealed (second, i.e., Mid-Trib), the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot was first, False Prophet is last); 4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

I think the False Prophet will sit in the Temple Mid-Trib, Nov 8 or 9, 2012. Nov 8 will be Thursday, Cheshvan 23, 5773. The whole Tribulation is 2300 days, according to Dan 8:13,14. The part that is to be shortened is the last half, therefore the Great Tribulation should be 1040 days before Trumpets, Sept 14, 2015 (which should be the Day of God’s Wrath) is Nov 8, 2012.
 
The beginning of the Tribulation seems to have been May 29, 2009, the first day of the 2300-day Tribulation that ends on the Day of God’s Wrath, Trumpets, Sept 14, 2015.
 
EASTER AND FIRSTFRUITS ARE ON THE SAME DAY IN 2012 AND 2015
 
Firstfruits: 16th of Nisan, 5772 = Sun, 8 April 2012------Easter: April 8, 2012
Firstfruits: 16th of Nisan, 5773 = Wed, 27 March 2013--Easter: March 31, 2013
Firstfruits: 16th of Nisan, 5774 = Wed, 16 April 2014----Easter: April 20, 2014
Firstfruits: 16th of Nisan, 5775 = Sun, 5 April 2015------Easter: April 5, 2015
 
Therefore, the next convergence of Sunday/Easter/Firstfruits would be April 5, 2015. That is too late for the First-Trump Rapture, in my estimation.
 
THE SIGN OF THE WEDDING RING ECLIPSE
 
The gorgeous eclipse of May 20 seems to be a sign of the upcoming Rapture. Maybe the First-Trump Rapture of the Bride of Christ will be on Pentecost, May 27, 2012.
 
MY CONCLUSION
 
I still think the dead in Christ probably received their resurrection bodies on April 8, 2012.
 
Agape,
Marilyn Agee
mjagee@verizon.net
prophecycorner.theforeverfamily.com
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    Hi Marilyn -

    your post here:

    http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/may2012/marilyna518-1.htm

    which I quote from here:

    "I rather think that the dead in Christ got their resurrection bodies on April 8, 2012, Easter/Firstfruits. These do not both fall on the same day again until 2015."

    puzzles me.

    Are you saying that you think those dead in Christ in heaven were given Resurrected bodies "apart" from the Resurrection event of 1 Thessalonians 4:16? i.e. the dead in Christ rise first.

    I guess I've been assuming (I admit, a dangerous word) that they got their Resurrected bodies as they came up out of the grave, their spirit reuniting with their corpse where they were buried, died or whatever. If they already have a new body, what's the point of coming up out of the grave, and what has become of the corpses still in the graves?

    Thanks for your response.

    *****

    It's been great to see you posting on the Doves site so often.

    keep it up! : >