Translation
because the LORD Himself, with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of GOD,
Go to footnote numberwill descend from heaven, and the dead in CHRIST will rise
Go to footnote numberfirst.
Paraphrase
Because THE SUPREME RULER himself, in a powerful voice, will give a forceful command indicating that the time has come to set His will in motion, then, in a loud voice, the archangel will give the command to stand ready, then the trumpets that call the agents of THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS into action will give the signal to “Go”! at which time the Lord will descend from heaven toward the earth, and those who have died in good standing with THE SPIRIT-ANOINTED MESSIAH will be the first to rise to Him.
Footnotes
1
I see in these three calls to action something similar to a commander on the battlefield shouting, “ready, aim, fire!” or a race that is started with the words “on your mark, get set, go!” The important thing is that it all starts with the command of God who alone has the authority to say that the right time has arrived.
2
This Greek word means “to rise, to stand up.” It is also used of resurrection, as in verse 14 above.
THE VOICE OF JESUS
It is my assumption that those who have died “in Christ” will only hear the voice of their Savior indicating that it is time. They will not hear the voice of the archangel or the trumpet. His voice is the one they are listening for and the only thing they will respond to. His voice (and that of His Father) are the only ones that can be effective in getting them to come from their graves or from paradise and rise into the clouds. After they have been awakened a command from the archangel (who is a voice-piece for Jesus) will instruct them in what to do, and the trumpet will signal when it is time to “go”!