Forever Reign

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 1 Corinthians 15:25

IN WORD

Paul is referring to Psalm 110:1, a verse often quoted in the New Testament. But wherever the psalm tells us that Jesus will sit at God’s right hand until God puts His enemies under Jesus’ feet, Paul says that Jesus must reign until He puts His enemies under His feet. And the verse prior to this one says the end will come after Jesus has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power—the time when many of us think His reign begins.

How do we make sense of these verses? One common view of the end times has Jesus coming back (not sitting at the Father’s right hand) in order to put His enemies under His feet. And those who hold this view often see Christians losing the battle in this world until Jesus comes back to rescue them. From what we can discern from the cues in Scripture, it seems that Jesus is reigning with the Father now. He will come back after His enemies have been put under His feet, and He is coming in order to put His enemies under His feet—perhaps with more finality and visibility. Though Paul says He will reign “until,” we know from Revelation that He will reign forever and ever. There will be no end.

IN DEED

Figuring out the end times can be confusing. So it’s a good thing Scripture never tells us to figure it all out. It tells us essentials—that Jesus is King, that He reigns not only for His people but through His people, and that even though He already reigns, He is coming to reign forever. We’re part of His reign now; we have authority over His enemies even now and can participate in putting them under His feet (Luke 10:19). And we will be part of it then, as we will reign with Him as kings and priests (Revelation 1:5; 5:10). Whether or not we fully understand the order of things, we know His reign is in heaven and on earth, both now and forever, and we are active in it in both realms and for all time. It’s worth getting up in the morning for that. And it can influence the attitudes and actions we carry into each day.

ADDITIONAL READING: Luke 10:17-19

Until that time, we are under orders from the King of kings to proclaim His message.

BILLY GRAHAM