By the Word of the Lord. 1st Thessalonians 4:15 The dead will be raised from their resting places—whether in graves, in the ocean, or elsewhere—by the power of the all-powerful God. The word of the Lord will instantly transform living Christians because of His cross work, His resurrection, and the words we hold of completed redemption. It will be the same powerful voice that called Lazarus from the grave and announced the finished work at the cross that will call us to Himself. Michael's voice will move back the hosts of darkness in Satan's domain, and God's trumpet will summon us all to move forward and gather unto Him.
The dead shall rise in response to the One who holds the keys to life and death. The resurrection of life will occur as the Lord Jesus said, and God's power will bring about this first resurrection. He who formed man from dust will reassemble that person again in a glorified body that is incorruptible, undefiled, and will not fade away. That rapture, the catching up, will include the bodies of the living saints as all the family of God is caught up in fellowship and joyfully gathers unto our Lord and Savior.
In a clear statement of instruction and reassurance, Paul emphasizes that living believers should not prevent or precede those who have died in Christ. This assures those concerned about Christians who have already died at Thessalonica that death is not the end of their existence.
The Lord Himself. 1stThessalonians 4:16 There is no question that the Lord Himself is coming with a host from heaven to gather His bride to Himself. “Shout” is a military command used to assemble the troops. This calls the dead to life, similar to the raising of Lazarus. The archangel's voice and the trumpet's sound underscore authority and victory over death.
Our first physical view of our Lord Jesus Christ will be in the air; from then on, we will be forever with Him. There will be no separation, and we will share in His likeness and life. By virtue of His righteousness imputed to us, our character and body will be blameless before God. We are comforted and can comfort others when loved ones pass away because we know what is coming. We know now what the end of the story is. Grief is not incompatible with accepting the will of God. There is concern and sorrow because of loss, but hope and rest because the word of God and the Holy Spirit have made the future clear to us.
It is going to happen; we just don't know exactly when. The Father chooses the timing, not angels or men, because God has an orderly plan for everything. The Son will rise from His throne and be joined by a holy host of angels, including the archangel, the trumpet bearer, and all the saints who have gone before us. This great heavenly host will all move toward the earth, stopping in the clouds. They will not come to the surface of the earth because they have come to gather a heavenly people and take them off the earth. The Lord's shout, the archangel's voice, and the trumpet all sound, so we know this is not some secret event.
However, the immediate transformation of living believers into bodies of glory will likely be seen briefly before we are caught up. The dead in Christ are raised, leaving gaps in the ground where graves once were. Body parts, whether scattered by the sea or intentionally desecrated by those who hate God, are gathered from their resting places. These are then joined with their glorified bodies alongside those who will not die, as they meet the Lord in the air.
Living saints are transformed instantly. They will forever leave behind the moral and spiritual darkness of the world, the flesh, and the devil. In the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, they will shine in bodies made like His glorious body. Their faces will reflect the brightness of His glory in a way they never could while on earth in their natural bodies, and another chapter opens of divine history as God reveals more of His story.