How does 1 Corinthians 15:24 connect with Revelation's depiction of Christ's reign? The Sequence in 1 Corinthians 15:24 • “Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.” • Paul lays out a literal, ordered timeline: – Christ now reigns (vv. 25-26). – All enemies—death included—are subdued beneath His feet. – When every hostile power is dismantled, the Son delivers the kingdom to the Father. • The verse anticipates a climactic handoff, not a vague spiritual truth but an event in real history. Revelation’s Matching Timeline • Revelation 19:11-16 — Christ returns as “King of kings and Lord of lords,” defeating the Beast and false prophet. • Revelation 20:1-6 — He reigns for a thousand years, binding Satan and ruling the nations; this period parallels Paul’s description of subduing “all dominion, authority, and power.” • Revelation 20:7-10 — Satan’s final rebellion is crushed; the last enemy forces are literally destroyed. • Revelation 20:11-15 — The great white throne judgment eliminates death and Hades, fulfilling 1 Corinthians 15:26 (“The last enemy to be destroyed is death”). • Revelation 21:1-3 — A new heaven and new earth appear; the Father’s dwelling is now “with men.” The kingdom, purified and completed, is effectively handed over. Shared Themes of Total Dominion • Absolute victory — 1 Corinthians 15:24 speaks of every power dismantled; Revelation shows Beast, false prophet, and dragon all cast down. • Destruction of death — Paul singles out death; Revelation portrays its final removal (20:14). • Kingdom consummation — Both passages move from battle to unbroken fellowship: “God will be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28) and “They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them” (Revelation 21:3). From Reign to Restored Kingdom 1. Present reign at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-35). 2. Visible return and millennial rule (Revelation 19-20). 3. Final judgment, death destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26; Revelation 20:11-15). 4. Kingdom handed to the Father, ushering the eternal state (1 Corinthians 15:24, 28; Revelation 21-22). Why the Connection Matters • Scripture’s harmony — Paul and John, writing decades apart, describe the same sequence, confirming the literal reliability of prophecy. • Certainty of victory — Every enemy Christ faces in Revelation is the very “dominion, authority, and power” Paul says will fall. • Hope of ultimate fellowship — The handoff means unhindered communion: “God will be all in all” (15:28) and “He will wipe away every tear” (21:4). • Motivation for faithfulness — Knowing where history ends anchors daily obedience: “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). |
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