Is It True That the First Resurrection Happens First Before the Seven Thunders Utter Their Voices?
1) Direct Answer
No. The seven thunders must utter before and in the very season of the Lord’s descent, and that prepares and gathers the Bride for the first resurrection. The first resurrection does not come before the thunders.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Revelation 10:1-4 shows the Mighty Angel descending and the seven thunders uttering their voices. John is told to seal up what they said. Then verse 7 says, “in the days of the voice of the seventh angel… the mystery of God should be finished.” So the thunders belong to the time when the mystery is finishing—before the close and before the Bride is taken.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven “with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God,” and then “the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Notice the order: descent, then resurrection.
- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 places the resurrection/change at the last trump.
- Revelation 20:4-6 identifies those who live and reign with Christ a thousand years—the first resurrection. This is the Bride. Revelation 7:9-17 also identifies that redeemed multitude as the Bride whom the Lamb leads.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Revelation 10 shows the Lord descending and the thunders sounding in that very timeframe. 1 Thessalonians 4 shows the Lord descending, and then the dead in Christ rise. Therefore the thunders are part of that descent season that finishes the mystery and equips the Bride, and only then does the first resurrection take place.
- If the first resurrection happened before the thunders, to whom would those sealed utterances minister, and how would they “finish” the mystery for a Bride that was already raised?
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, the Bible keeps the order straight: descent with hidden utterance and finishing of the mystery (Revelation 10), then the dead in Christ rise (1 Thessalonians 4), and those in Revelation 20:4-6 reign with Him. The thunders precede and accompany that gathering—so the first resurrection does not come first.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Seven Church Ages
54-0512 §14
When the sixth one sounds... We will get on that maybe this evening, on Friday night. When the First World War, why that sixth trumpet sounded according---exactly according---to the time God spoke of it. Exactly, geographically, following the seal before that. And when the mystery was revealed in there, for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost; and the people then, how the church did not move up; and those who were moving refused to walk in light, and went back. And the plague was opened at that time, and poured out upon...
Daniel 9: The sixfold purpose of Gabriel's visitation
61-0730E §84
Do you love Him? Could you afford to miss heaven? We're at the end time! What's He coming to do? First thing will take place? Before Jesus ever comes to the earth, what will be the first thing? The church will be what? Raptured! Will Jesus come to the earth and walk around at the grave and shake hands with papa and mama, talk to us all here, and go up? No! How will it be? We say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain (II Thessalonians, the fifth chapter) we which are alive and remai...
Seals 10: The Seventh Seal
63-0324E §83
Now, why? Let us prove it. Why? It is the secret that no one knows about. John was forbidden to write about it---even write a symbol about it. Why? This is why. There was no activity in heaven. It might give away the secret. Do you see it now? If it is so great it must be included, because it's got to happen, but when the seven thunders... Now notice, when the seven angels come forth to sound their trumpets, there was one thunder. When Israel was gathered, there was a trumpet. When time shall be no more, the last t...
The Rapture
65-1204 §100
one day there'll come a blast from heaven, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Them Old Testament saints back yonder who are waiting will blast forth and come out of there first and go into the resurrection; we'll drop right in line going in to the skies, these old mortal bodies changed and made like unto His own glorious body. What a parade that'll be when it starts heavenward some of these days in that rapturing time that lays ahead, oh, proudly displaying the blood of Jesus Christ upon their chests, the mes...
Revelation, Chapter 4a
60-1231 §70
Over in this place, then, he saw the coming, or the rehearsal. And what was the first thing he saw? The first thing he saw in the coming was Moses, representing the dead saints that would be resurrected. Elijah was standing there. Oh, I want you to notice what will take place. There was Moses, first. That's all these six ages that they slept, six church ages. Not only that, but Elijah was there, the messenger of the last day with his group all transfigured, the raptured (Amen!), now in the future, awaiting the comi...