Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15:24-25)
Together, these two verses form one of the most encouraging and comforting pictures of reality to be found anywhere in Scripture! Every minute of time between Christ’s ascension into heaven and Christ’s triumphant return to earth is summed up here.
When Jesus Christ comes again, he will have destroyed every opposing power or authority. For Jesus must reign until he has put every enemy under his feet. Christ is ruling now, overcoming every enemy. He is overruling every sinful action, every demonic purpose, every dark deed done in private, every wicked world leader. There is no person or purpose that can escape or foil the perfect reign of Christ.
His sovereign, here-and-now overruling work is building toward the certain climax of Jesus making all things new.
Jesus must rule, because all power belongs to him ultimately. All authority has been given to him, and he will crush every wicked thing that exalts itself against his perfectly good and gracious reign.
“He must reign.” And when his rule is finally consummated, it will consist of total domination, it will mean the defeat of every aspect of this sinful world — including even the last enemy, Death (v.26). His sovereign, here-and-now overruling work is building toward the certain climax of Jesus making all things new. Jesus must rule until… his earthly reign is consummated and his eternal kingdom established.
There is nothing in the world now that Jesus is not ruling over, and there is no part of the sin-curse that will not finally be undone. This gospel really is good news from start to finish, from now through eternity.