THEN COMETH THE END

1 Corinthians 15:23-26 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Having established and confirmed both the resurrection of Jesus and all mankind, Paul then told the church at Corinth, and tells all Christians, even those today, the order of the resurrection. (T)he first fruits, that is, the first order, was Jesus Christ. And like His example, they that are Christ's (faithful Christians), will be the second order of resurrection that will take place at Jesus' coming - when He returns to claim His own. The third order, the unfaithful and the wicked, are not mentioned here, maybe because, to them, while here on earth, it was of no importance. But we know that the wicked will also be resurrected from their graves. The first fruits, Jesus Christ, Himself, assured us of this fact. He also told, both the faithful and the wicked, what awaits them after their resurrection. In John 5:28b-29, He says ...for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

It was Jesus Christ that was sent to live as a human being on earth by His Father in heaven. Since it was sin that separated mankind from God, this was necessary in order to reconcile sinful man to their Creator, the righteous God. Jesus Christ served as the Redeemer of mankind. This being accomplished through His life, and teaching, while on earth, and which culminated in His death, burial, and resurrection. The mission of Jesus was accomplished with His ascension back into heaven, to His eternal position at the right hand of God. With instructions given to His apostles, and through the inspirational power of the Holy Spirit, the church of Christ was established as the instrument through which salvation was made available to all mankind. This was God's plan from the foundation of the world, and God's Son, Jesus Christ, has accomplished it. This being completed, the world now awaits the coming of the hour (Jesus referred to in John 5 quoted above), which is the same as the end noted in the lesson text.

And what is to take place when the hour, (and) the end,comes? He (Jesus) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father. All power that was delegated to Jesus in order to establish God's kingdom on earth, will be returned to God, the Giver of all things. This will take place ...when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power (Vs. 24). Earthly authority and power will cease. The role of all monarchs, presidents, and all other governmental authorities will come to an end. Military leaders, legislative bodies, company executives, policing officials, will all lose their authority and power. No more will there be master and servant. The family will lose its authoritative structure. With the coming of the end of time, and at the final hour, all mankind will become equal. Only God will retain power, and with His power, through Christ Jesus, He will execute judgment over the resurrected souls of all mankind.

Paul continues to explain the resurrection of Jesus by saying, for He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. Since the end has only been promised, and is yet to come, Jesus Christ is still reigning over His kingdom from His throne in heaven. He will continue to reign until all enemies of God have been subdued and conquered. The ruling position of Christ, at the right hand of God, will continue until all enemies become the footstool of Jesus (See Psalm 110:1, as quoted by Christ in Matt. 22:44). When the hour comes - when the Lord (Jesus) Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (1 Thess. 4:16), then all false religions, all false teachers, all unbelievers, all people that have been influenced by, and submitted to Satan, will be put to silence. On that day, all of these unbelievers come to know and believe God to be their Creator, but their belief will be in vain. They will submit to the final judgment by the only remaining power left in the world - the power of Almighty God, who hath put all enemies under His (Jesus) feet. And when the final hour has come, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. All will be resurrected just as our example, Jesus Christ, the Savior, defeated death. To quote Jesus once again: all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5:28b-29). Amen!