When and how long does Christ reign?

Question:

Good Morning Brother Hamilton,

Thank you for your amazing website! It’s been a fundamental part of my Christian walk.

Can you please clarify this for me? When does Christ reign?

  1.  Now - I Corinthians 15:23-26
  2. Christ reigns until death is abolished, then the kingdom is returned to the Father. In other words, the judgment is the end of the Son’s reign.

Is Revelation 11:15 the same reign as in I Corinthians 15:25?
I looked it up in my Expository Dictionary of Bible words. It says Revelation 11:15 speaks of the eternal reign of Christ.

Thank you,

Answer:

"Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever'" (Revelation 11:15).

The subject in this declaration is God the Father.

Jesus is currently reigning. "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth'" (Matthew 28:19). When we become Christians, we are added to his kingdom. "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).

This kingdom has no end. "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).

When death is destroyed, then the kingdom Christ is currently ruling will be transferred back to the Father. "But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death" (I Corinthians 15:23-26). The kingdom doesn't come to an end, it merely changes location and the primary ruler. And He (the Father) will rule forever and ever (Revelation 11:15).

Meanwhile, the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of the Father and the Son. The Son currently rules, but since the Father gave the Son the authority, the Father remains over all. "For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all" (I Corinthians 15:27-28).

Response:

Brother Hamilton,

Thank you so much for responding so quickly. Glory to God, for giving you the ability to teach His Word in truth. I don’t know if you are aware but your teaching, which I found on your website, has helped me convert from my life of sin to knowing the truth and obeying the truth.

I have done wrong as a babe in Christ and have repented of my wrongs, and I am still in the progress of repairing my wrongs. You have no idea how thankful I am for your sound teaching. Through your studies, I was encouraged to stop seeking vengeance. My wife and children have been baptized into Christ and added to the body by God Himself (Acts 2:47).

We have been able to teach family and friends using your material. Some have obeyed and some have not. You are like a father to me in the gospel, even though I have never met you in person. I don’t know if I’ll ever be good enough, but I won’t stop trying. These have been the best years of my life, from an unbeliever to a believer.

It’s amazing what is contained in His Word and that I had never read before when I was dead in my sins.

Thank you.

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