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of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

The fact Moses was led to build two trumpets was prophetic of two resurrections, one for the leaders (i.e., those who would reign with Christ for a thousand years), and a second resurrection of the entire congregation (at the end of the thousand years).   

  Paul’s Hope

Paul says nothing about two trumpets, because his focus was upon the high calling of God ( Philippians 3:14). This high calling was described a few verses earlier in Philippians 3:11, “in order that I may attain to the resurrection [ekanastasia, “the out-resurrection”] from the dead.” Dr. Bullinger’s notes on this verse tell us the meaning of the ek-anastasia:“of the dead. All the texts read, “the one from (Gr. ek) the dead,” making the expression emphatic… The term resurrection of the dead (anastasis nekron) is of frequent occurrence… and includes the resurrection to life, of the just, and the resurrection to judgment, of the unjust… Resurrection from the dead (ek nekron) implies the resurrection of some, the former of these two classes, the others being left behind.”

Bullinger recognized that there was more than one resurrection. He says further that Paul did not assume that he had yet secured this resurrection out from among the dead (Philippians 3:13), though he was certain that he had already attained at least the resurrection of life at the general resurrection. It was only later, when Paul was ready to die as a martyr in Rome that he wrote to Timothy of his assurance. He writes in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

It is clear, Paul understood the concept of more than one resurrection and he understood that to attain the first resurrection he had to finish the course and keep the faith. He could not follow the examples of the congregation of Israel, which refused to finish their course when they first arrived at the border of Canaan. All of them were justified by faith in the blood of the lamb (through Passover), but only two finished the course—Caleb and Joshua.

Paul’s message was to stir up the believers into finishing the course and keeping the faith, and this motivated the apostle to write his letters. We may conclude, the first resurrection will occur when a single trumpet is blown, and the general resurrection will occur when two trumpets are blown to summon the entire congregation (church). The first will bring immortality to those called to “reign with Him for a thousand years.” The second will bring immortality (“a resurrection of life,” John 5:29) to the non-overcomers in the church as a whole.

   The Overcomer Ministry    Read Revelation Ch. 2 and 3.... The overcomers will be God-appointed rulers in the Messianic Age. Being immortal, they will be able to do their work without dying, whereas the rest of the believers will grow old and die and will have to await the next resurrection.

Even so, because the earth will be cleansed of its chemical pollutants, and because man-made medicine will be replaced by God-given health, life spans will be increased. Even to a thousand years, however, there will still be enemies, known prophetically as Gog and Magog (Revelation 20:8), who live in outer darkness outside of the Kingdom of light. These people (nations) will be allowed to remain outside of Christ’s Kingdom during that age, but their freedom to make that decision ends with the second resurrection. When all are arrested and summoned to the throne, God imposes His will upon all remaining enemies.