The shout is the shout for the battle.

It was a custom for many centuries for soldiers to shout as they went into battle.

And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. (Joshua 6:5)

The voice is that of the archangel, Michael, the commander of the warrior angels.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (Revelation 12:7)

The trumpet announces the Battle of Armageddon.

"And the dead in Christ shall rise first."

This is the promised resurrection from the dead.

But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (Daniel 12:13)

The dead in Christ shall rise! This is the climax of redemption, the destruction of the last enemy, the resurrection from the dead. The vast multitude of saints of all ages will now be standing in invincible power on the surface of the earth.

They are invulnerable. They cannot be touched by tribulation, or Antichrist, or sickness, or death, or any other form of harm or corruption. They have overcome the enemy through the Virtue of Christ. They are the army of the Lord.

Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. (Joel 2:6-8)

Can you imagine the terror of Antichrist, the False Prophet, and their followers when the army of the Lord appears on the earth clothed with indestructible, incorruptible resurrection life?

And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. (Revelation 11:11)

"Great fear fell upon them which saw them"!

The catching up of the army.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

There is one event that Paul does not mention here, and that is the change in the living saints that will take place before they are caught up to be with the Lord. Perhaps Paul does not mention the change because he is emphasizing our reunion with our deceased loved ones. But Paul does emphasize the change in the "Resurrection Chapter" (Chapter 15) of First Corinthians although he does not mention the catching up of the army in this chapter.

Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:51,52)

To be continued.