The Bible reveals that one of the key things that will signal the return of Christ will be the sound of the trumpet of God. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God" (1 Thess. 4:16). A number of incredible events will unfold after the trumpet is sounded.
1. This earth will be destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:3-10). There will not be Paradise on earth, as some teach, rather "the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (v. 10). When Jesus returns, He will not being setting up some earthly kingdom, but delivering up to the Father His spiritual kingdom, the church (John 18:36; 1 Cor. 15:23-24).
2. The resurrection of the dead will occur. "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51-52). Jesus will call all who are in the graves to come forth - "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29).
3. The judgment of the world will occur. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10). The wicked and just will be separated (Matt. 13:47-49; 25:31-33). The wicked will be told to depart from the Lord (Matt. 7:21-23) "into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). The righteous will hear: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34).
4. All faithful saints will be together with the Lord in heaven forever. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thess. 4:16-18). Jesus promised His disciples: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3).
When the trumpet sounds, it will be too late for repentance (Luke 13:3) or conversion (Acts 3:19). As Jesus warned: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be...Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matt. 24:36-39, 44). When the trumpet sounds, will you be ready?