by jimwalton » Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:35 pm
Hey, Donna, thanks for writing. It's a great question, and a great text to study, so thanks for asking.
The first thing to notice is that Paul is really not talking about End Times chronology. His point from v. 35 onward is that these bodies aren't what goes to Heaven, it's these bodies that are changed to spiritual bodies that go to Heaven. And that's what he's talking about here. He is not making a statement about pre-trib, post-trib, or even about the rapture. His point is to reassure the Corinthians that (1) they don't need to be afraid if they die before Jesus comes back, because they'll be resurrected, and (2) they don't need to be afraid if they're still alive when Jesus comes back, because they'll be changed. That's what he's talking about, and any forcing of an End Times Chronology template on these verses is artificial.
So let's strip down the verse, rather than simply answer your question.
He has just said in v. 51 that some believers will still be alive when Jesus returns (whether pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib is not his concern), and they will be transformed from a physical body to a spiritual body (the point of 1 Cor. 15.38-50).
"In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye": The change will not be a process, but an instantaneous miracle of transformation. So he can't possibly be talking metaphorically about us learning to live life and slowly becoming more like Jesus. That happens, but that's not what this is about.
"At the last trumpet." Meaning at the end of history. That's all he means by it. It's not even a literal trumpet or a trumpet sound; it's not like we'll hear it. By this he's telling us that he's talking about at the end of time and history—the final ingathering of God's people. (He's not making a statement about pre-, mid-, post- or even the millennium). His point is "Don't worry if you're still alive at the time. God will change you as necessary."
"The dead will be raised imperishable." He's talking about a resurrection of the dead and their transformation from perishable to imperishable, following what he said in verses 35-49 and again in v. 53. Some say this is talking about the first resurrection. Paul is only talking about the change that the dead will experience when they arise; he is not making a statement about when that will happen or which resurrection he is talking about.
"And we will be changed." The ones who are alive will also be changed from perishable to imperishable. Robert Hughes observed, "Death is not the requirement for entry into the Kingdom, transformation is."
So we really can't evaluate this verse according to tribulation theology or eschatology positions (in what order the End Times events will occur). All of that is foreign to the text, and conclusions about such things cannot be derived from this verse. All he's saying in v. 52 he summarized in v. 53: "For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality."
Feel free to discuss this more. Great question.
Today a question popped up in my mind and you were the first one I thought to ask, so here I am finally!