Paul, then understood that he was not to receive his reward immediately at death. He knew that if executed, he would go to the grave, and there his remains would lie until the time of his resurrection. He understood that, since the dead have no thought processes whatsoever, in his next waking moment he would be with the returning Messiah, Jesus, joining Him along with the other saints at the time of the resurrection (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he knew there was laid up for him a crown of righteousness that he would be given “on that Day” of Christ’s appearing at Jesus’ second coming. Note with interest that Paul believed that Jesus will bring his reward with Him. For Paul, God’s gift will be received at that time, not before; and it will be given along with all others who will be resurrected at Christ’s return.
Describing this resurrection, Paul explains to the church in Corinth: “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 Corinthians 15:51-52). Paul knew he would receive his reward, that is, his “change” when Christ comes. He also knew that death before that time would mean “sleep,” unconsciousness, until the resurrection. The time from Paul’s death until his resurrection at the same time as all of Christ’s followers will seem to him but a mere moment. He will be with Christ as a glorified son of God in the next moment of his consciousness. We can assume then that Paul was weary of his sufferings in this life and desired to depart from it and to be with Christ!