Jesus was a king who must reign

JESUS WAS A KING WHO MUST REIGN
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
1 Corinthians 15:25-27 New International
Version (NIV)
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies
under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is
death. 27 For he “has put everything under his
feet.”[a]Now when it says that “everything” has been
put under him, it is clear that this does not include
God himself, who put everything under Christ.
Good News For Loyal Subjects BY Spurgeon
“He must reign.”
1 Corinthians 15:25
But it is said, “He must reign.” Nota place, but the chief place shall be His.
Not bare existence, but preeminence. Not honor, but superlative glory. He
must reign! No seatbut the Throne shall become Him. No ornaments but
those of royalty shall befit Him–“He must reign.” He must reign because He is
God. “The Lord reigns” must ever stand a Truth. Jehovahexists eternally,
infinite in powerand wisdom. Who but He should be King of kings and Lord
of lords? And since the Man of Nazarethis the Everlasting Father, since of
His generationthere was no beginning, and none cancount the number of His
years, He must reign from the very fact of His essentialDeity. He must reign
as Man–forthe Lord has made a Covenant with David that the sceptershould
not depart from him, that of his seedthere should sit upon the throne of Israel
forever a King to rule in righteousness, andJesus of Nazarethis that King!
Israelhas no other monarch, neither have they sought after any other king. As
a nation they have been broken and scatteredand peeled. And as a united

people they cannot be gathered under any other headship than that of the
house of David, of which Jesus Christ is the lineal and rightful descendant,
and who claims and keeps the scepterin His own hand. He must reign also as
the Mediator, the Intercessor, the Interposer, the Interpreter, one of a
thousand. “He must reign.” Behold, at this time the sovereigntyof the world is
committed to His keeping. He is the Headship of His Church, the Originator
of Providence. His is the ruling of Heaven, and earth, and Hell, as the
mediatorial Monarch. And until that time when He shall deliver up the
kingdom to God, even our Father, He must reign, for so has God appointed
and settledHim to be a King and a Priestforever after the order of
Melchisedec.
What a sweetcomfortit is to think that none can snatchthe government from
the hand of Jesus, for, “the government shall be upon His shoulder.” None can
drive Christ from the Headship of the Church, nor the Headship of
Providence for the Church. He must be at the helm, none shall remove Him.
Both as God and Man, and as the Mediator of the New Covenant, according
to the express words of our text, “He must reign.” There seemedto me to be
so sweeta thought wrapped up in these three words–soprecious, so full of all
manner of delights–that if the Holy Spirit did but enable us to enjoy it, we
should not lack today for wines on the lees, wellrefined, and fat things, yes, fat
things full of marrow!
I shall endeavor, as I may be helped, first, at some length to discuss the
reasons forthis “must.” Then, secondly, to draw out encouragementfrom it.
And, thirdly, to dwell upon its admonitions.
1. First, “He must reign.” WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR THIS
“MUST”? The answershallbe sevenfold. The Lamb, as seenby John,
had sevenhorns of power, and here are sevenreasons why He should
possessthe Throne forever.
First, because His empire in itself is such as to ensure perpetuity. There have
been many empires in this world of which men said, for the time, that they
must exist–and they supposed that if they were overthrown, the very pillars of
the earth would be removed. Yet in due time they grew gray with years and
were sweptaway as worn out things, and it was a joy for the nations when the
hoary abominations were consumed.
The most colossalempires have melted like visions of the night, and the most
substantial creations ofhuman power have passedawaylike the fleeting dew
of the morning. But, “He must reign.” He must reign, first of all, because His
reign over human mind is basedupon the Truth of God. There have been

various dynasties of thought–at one time Plato reigned supreme over
thoughtful minds. Then Aristotle held a long and rigid rule–he so ruled and
governedthe entire universe of mind that even the Christian religionwas
continually infected and tainted by his philosophical speculations.
But another philosophy found out his weakness andsupplanted him, to be in
its turn subverted by the next. As men grow more enlightened, or the human
mind passes through another phase of change, men say to their once-revered
rabbis and honored teachers, “Standout of the way! A new light has arisen!
We have come to a new point of thought, and we have done with you.” Things
which were accountedsure and wise in years gone by are now ridiculed by us
as the height of folly. And why? Because these systems ofphilosophy and
thought have not been basedupon the Truth of God. There has been a worm
in the centerof the fair apple of knowledge. There has been a flaw in the
foundations of the greatmaster-builder–they have built upon sand, and their
edifices have tumbled to irretrievable ruin.
But the Truth, which Jesus taught from the mountaintop, reads as if it were
delivered but yesterday! Christianity is as suitable to the 19 th century as to
the first. It has the dew of its youth upon it. As Solomon’s Song says ofChrist,
Hislocks are bushy and black as a raven to show His youth and vigor. So may
I say of the Gospel–itis still as young and vigorous–as full of masculine energy
as ever it was!We who preachit fear not for the result–give us a fair stage
and no favor, and the Samsonof Divine Truth, its locks stillunshorn–will yet
remove the pillars of the temple of error, and bring ruin to the powers of Hell.
Jesus must reign as the royal Teacherbecause allHe teaches is basedupon the
surestTruth.
Our Lord’s dominion over human hearts, too, is absolutely sure, because it is
basedupon love. To illustrate what I mean, I need only remind you of the life
of the greatNapoleon. He founded an empire–an empire which has not always
been justly estimated–forperhaps unwittingly Napoleonwas a grand
advancerof human liberty, since he first taught the old kings that the pretense
of Divine right could not keepcrowns upon unpopular heads, and that young
men from the ranks might yet mount a throne. He produced a code of laws,
which, for simplicity of justice, has never been surpassed. Still, he relied too
much upon coercionand the sword–his enormous armies were his bulwark
and security.
Strong battalions were the cornerstone ofhis empire, and though for awhile
he stood firm, and armies advancing againsthim were only like so many
waves dashing againstthe rocks ofhis tremendous power–yet, afterall his
many wars, he was overthrown and he was said to have uttered in St. Helena

that memorable speech–“Myempire has passedaway. I founded it upon the
sword, and it is gone. Jesus Christ establishedan empire upon love, and it will
last forever.” So it will last. When all that kings and princes can do with state-
craft, and with power, shall have dissolvedas hoar frost in the sun, Christ’s
kingdom must stand because it is basedupon the law of love. His Personis the
incarnation of love. His teachings are the doctrines of love. His precepts are
the rule of love. His Spirit is the creatorof love. His whole religion is saturated
with love–andbecause ofthis His kingdom cannot be moved!
Once more, the empire of Jesus must exist because it is the one greatremedy
which this sad woe-begone worldrequires. Though men know it not, this is the
only balm for earth’s poor bleeding wounds. Earth cries out every now and
then like a sleeperin delirium. She cries out for the coming man, and eyes
everywhere are watching!Men scarcelyknow why–they look for a man who
shall right the wrong of mankind and commence on a glorious era–thatgood
time coming for which men have lookedso long. Jesus is the coming Man–He
alone is the daystar from on high who shall visit us with light and healing–and
replace our darkness with an everlasting morning!
The world is like the troubled sea that cannot rest, tossedto and fro, and there
is but one foot which cantread its waves, and but one voice which cansay,
“Peace, be still.” The world’s joy lies now in the tomb. It has been dead four
days already, and by this time it stinks and the poor world does not know that
there is only one voice that canbring back earth’s paradise, give a
resurrectionto her buried mirth. Jesus ofNazarethit is who is the true
Liberator of captive nations, “To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in
the valley of the shadow of death.”
The world will never rest till it rests in Christ! It groans and travails in pain
togetheruntil now, scarcelyknowing what it wants. But to us it is given to
know that earth needs her Lord to reign over her, and He shall bring her joy
and peace. The agonizing groans of earth demand the sovereigntyof Jesus and
therefore we believe that He must reign, for God will yet give His creature
what it needs. Our Lord’s dominion is, in itself, so securelyfounded upon
Truth and love, and is so demanded by a bleeding world, that “He must
reign.”
Secondly, He must reign because His Father decrees it. How delightful it is to
think of the eternal purposes concerning our Lord! Our God did not make
this world without a plan, nor does He rule it without a scheme. Whatever
Jehovahdecrees, stands fastand firm, for these are His words, “Has He said,
and shall He not do it? Or has He spokenand shall He not make it good?”
Whateverthe eternal mind resolves upon is certain to be fulfilled! Though

men should strive againstit, and devils should rise with infernal rage, yet, if
Jehovahdecrees it, who shall stand againstthe eternal will?
Go, Fool, who thinks to stand againstGod, and dash yourself upon the bosses
of His buckler and be broken in pieces!Or run upon the point of His glittering
spearto your own destruction, for, againstthe Eternal, who shall stand? His
thunder in the heavens, though it is but the whisper of His voice, makes the
nations tremble! The going forth of His might in nature, though it is the
hiding of His power, makes allthe inhabitants of the earth shake. Who shall
stay His hand, or sayunto Him, “Whatare You doing?”
The eternalpurpose of God has ordained that Jesus Christ shall reign
eternally! He must reign from the river even to the ends of the earth. Up till
now God has maintained the Throne of His Son. Readthe secondPsalmand
see:“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
togetheragainstthe Lord, and againstHis Anointed, saying, Let us break
their bands asunder, and castawaytheir cords from us. He that sits in the
heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He
speak unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure. Yet have I
setMy king upon My holy hill of Zion.”
Yes, the Divine determination, the Everlasting Covenant, and the immutable
promises of Covenant Grace all unite in the resolve that Christ shall reign,
and therefore well says the text, “He must reign.”
But in the third place, Divine justice demands it. Jesus Christmust reign.
Beloved, you cannot imagine for a moment that He who judges all the earth
will be unjust, and unjust to His own Son! Our Lord came into this world to
bleed and die that He might have a reward for His pains. And the Father
covenantedwith Him: “He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days.” “I
will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the
strong.” The Father promised that He should be a leaderand a commander of
the people, and determined, as the result of His humiliation, that He should
mount to a superior Throne as the Sonof Man and the Son of God.
Shall God belie His word? Begone, blasphemous thought! Shall God defraud
the Only-Begotten? Down, suggestionof the pit! Shall Jesus die in vain? Shall
He pour out His soul unto death, and shall there be no crown for Him? Shall
the promised diadem be withheld? Beloved, we know it cannot be so! As we
stand at the foot of the Cross we feelthat every pang He suffered guaranteed
to Him that He should be King of kings, and Lord of lords. Oh, it were,
indeed, sad for us to imagine that yonder wondrous work of His in
redemption should remain unrewarded with the promised crown! It were vain

for us to trust in the Redemption, for we might be as well deluded in it as He if
there were no honor brought to Him for all that He endured for us. Courage,
Brothers and Sisters, there can be no doubt about it–since immutable justice
demands it, Jesus “must reign.”
The fourth reasonis found in this, that Christ’s reigning is inwrought into the
order of Providence. A few months ago snow was on the ground. The frost
was sharp, the winds were cold, the trees were bare–but it was in the order of
Providence that there should be a spring. And though the seasonsgrew colder
and the dreary months passedon and not a snowdrop peepedup from under
the soil, nor a goldencrocus openedits cup, yet God had purposed it–the
spring must come.
Walk in your gardens today when all the fruit trees are opening their
blossoms and pouring forth their perfumes in the air, and the birds are at the
highest point of song, and you will think, “Yes, it has surely come. Spring
smiles on us, after all.” The cold blustering winds and the cold dark nights
could not prevent it! The vernal blossoms are on every bough. Here is spring,
and in its right hand it holds a faithful promise of the coming summer. We
cannot saythat in any one day in all these last months spring seemedto make
any greatadvance. You cannot put your finger upon a certain day or hour,
and say, “Now the weatheris manifestly turning.”
But the sweetdays of bud and blossomhave been introduced with a beautiful
gentleness andgrowth. Even when the days lengthened we saw no great
progress, forthe cold strengthened–andif we enjoyed a mild day, there came
a biting night of frost. But, surely and steadily the veins of the trees were filled
with the life-blood of sap, and the buds first swelledand then revealedtheir
glories!Mother earth yielded to the roots of plants and trees fresh vigor, and
helped them to put on their greenarray–and now we look for the beauties of
summer and the golden sheaves ofautumn with sure and certainhope.
So Christ’s reigning is woveninto the warp and woofof Providence, and
though He has long been lifted on high and has not yet drawn all men unto
Him, it is coming–andif we have faith we may almost see it. His kingdom is
coming! The time of the singing of the birds is drawing near! There have been
dark times, but the light has arisen!There have been times of shameful
lukewarmness, but, now and then a live coalhas been sentfrom off the altar
to touch the lip of some favored seerwhose powerhas turned the tide of the
Church’s zeal once more. Restassuredthat nothing canpossibly resistthe
kingdom of Jesus Christ–His kingdom shall come!He shall have dominion
and His foes shall bow.

He shall come in His ownproper Personand shall sit upon David’s throne.
Though the wheels ofProvidence are so high that they are terrible, they are
all full of eyes, and every eye looks to Christ. “Upon one stone shall be seven
eyes,” yes, allthe eyes of Providence look upon Jesus our Cornerstone, and in
the Divine economy, “all things work togetherfor goodto them that love God,
to them who are the called according to His purpose,” and chiefly for the
glory of Him who loved God best of all, and was first chosenin the Divine
decree.
That Jesus shallreign is the end, aim, and designof Providence. How I rejoice
to believe that if we serve God the very stones ofthe field are in league with
us, and the beasts of the field are at peace with us! And as it was said by
Deborahin her memorable song, “The stars in their courses foughtagainst
Sisera,” so allcreatedthings are allies of the righteous cause and adversaries
of evil. The marches of years, the advance of months, and the arrangements of
days all fight like armed men the wrong, and march side by side with the
armies of the Lord of hosts–swornto do battle for Jesus and His Throne–for,
“He must reign.”
I must not tarry long on any one point, and, therefore, our fifth argument for
Jesus'kingdom is that the Holy Spirit has been given to the Church to
promote this glorious end. At the day of Pentecostthe Holy Spirit was poured
out–then the whole Church was baptized with a sacredinfluence–andever
since then the Holy Spirit has never been withdrawn from the Christian
Church. “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter,
that He may abide with you forever.”
We often unbelievingly pray for the Holy Spirit as if He were not still with us–
as if He were not perpetually resident among the sons of men. He is here,
always here–alwaysdwelling in the Christian Church. Now considerwho the
Holy Spirit is–He is the blessedGod Himself–one Personof the glorious
Trinity in unity, and He is therefore the possessorof infinite power. In the
world of mind He can work according to His own will, and canconvince men
of sin, of righteousness andof judgment. He can softenthe most hardened! He
can turn to kindness the most cruel, and lead into light the most darkened.
There are none beyond the range of the operation of the Holy Spirit, and none
who shall be able finally to resistHis influence when He puts forth the fullness
of His might, for who can stop Omnipotence?
Now, Brethren, the possessionofthe Holy Spirit is the Church’s treasury.
Here is her battle-ax, and here her weapons ofwar. Do you speak of the tower
of David where a thousand bucklers did hang, all shields of mighty men? The
possessionofthe Holy Spirit secures a far greaterpowerthan all the bucklers

of mighty men could be! Solomonspeaks ofthe Church’s bed, and says that
around it were fourscore men, eachman with his sword upon his thigh,
because offear in the night. But the Holy Spirit is a greaterprotection than
the ablestbodyguard of warriors!His dove-like wings perpetually brood over
the Lord’s chosenand guard them from every ill, according to the promise,
“I, the Lord, do keepit, I will waterit every moment: lest any hurt it, I will
keepit night and day.”
Ho, you who preachChrist in the street, or teachHim in the school, do not
become discouragedunder difficulties when you remember that you are
workers togetherwith God, and that with you, when you speak the truth for
Jesus, there goes forth an irresistible power from the Holy Spirit Himself
which none shall be able to gainsayor to resist! This is the Church’s power–
let her seek more of it, and, possessingit–lether rest assuredthat the purpose
for which she has been raised up will be accomplished, for Jesus Christ must
and shall reign if the Spirit of God is at work to ensure His Sovereignty.
Sixthly, our Lord Jesus Christ must reign because He is naturally the Chief of
the human race. When all Israelwere gatheredtogetherto choose a king, they
selectedSaulwho was in stature head and shoulders taller than the rest. They
would have the strongestsoldierto lead the van. But if my Lord and Master
were to come into this world–if men’s eyes were but opened, and their senses
were but trained to right perception–theywould no soonerput eyes on Him
than they would say, “He is the chief among 10,000and the altogetherlovely:
let Him wearthe crown.” Rememberthat in this present state the goodoften
go to the wall, and the most worthy are the leastesteemed–butin the long run
it is a rule of God’s government that the best shall be uppermost.
And when the lastgreat rectificationshall come, you will find that those who
were really lowestin character will be lowestin perdition, and those who were
highest in their service of God shall be highest in esteemamong the sons of
men. Jesus Christmust take the highest place, because He is highest and there
is none to rival Him–
“No creature can with Him compare
Among the sons of men,
FairerHe is than all the fair
That fill the heavenly train.”
Once but geta clear, spiritual glimpse of Him and you will acknowledgeHis
surpassing superiority–
“Soonas faith the Lord can see,
Bleeding on the Cross for me,

Quick my idols all depart,
Jesus gets and fills my heart.”
O stone-blind eyes, if you could but see Him, how you would be fixed on Him
in one long fascinatedgaze!O blind world, if you had Grace enoughto see but
half the beauties of Christ, how you would ceaseyour rebellion and fall down
to worship the matchless Prince!But the blindness and obduracy of
humankind make men enemies to their best Friend and make them see no
beauty where there is all beauty, and no perfection whereverperfection
dwells.
As well might men saythat there is no light from the sun as declare that there
is no loveliness in Him! As well might they saythat there is no salt in the sea
as that there is no sweetness inChrist, for He is altogetherlovely! All
preciousness,atits very highest degrees, is found commingled in His gracious
Character. Let Him be King, then! He must reign! It is impossible that yonder
black prince, that fiend of Hell, that traitor, that enemy of the human race
should always reign! Downwith him! Downwith him as they did in the town
of Mansoulwhen they broke the images of Diabolus, casting them to the
ground.
It is not possible that the devil should always be king over God’s creatures.
Let Immanuel be exalted, and let His loyal subjects bow before Him and
rejoice in His crown and scepter. He must reign, then, because ofthe
excellence ofHis Character.
And lastly upon this point, He must reign because the power to reign belongs
to Him. “It pleasedthe Fatherthat in Him should all fullness dwell.” “He has
all power given unto Him in Heaven and in earth.” “Go you, therefore,” says
He, “and teachall nations.” Jesus Christis no puny pretender to the Throne,
nor a rightful ownerwithout powerto win His own, but as His cause is good
His arm is strong. The powerof Immanuel is equal to His right–He must,
therefore, reign! What a vision that is of Christ on the white horse, riding
forth conquering and to conquer, and all His saints following Him in the same
triumphant style, His sword going out of His mouth, the preaching of the
eternal Gospelbeing still the powerof Godunto salvation!
This is what He is doing now–this is what He shall do till He comes with His
iron rod to break the nations in pieces, like a potter’s vessel, and dash His
enemies to pieces. He has the powerto reign, a power of love which He puts
into the Gospelwhich, by-and-by, He will exchange forthe power of
vengeance, whenHe takes the Throne and sits there to judge the nations
according to their works. Whata total overthrow the powers of darkness will

sustain! They will not have a thought with which to comfort themselves. When
the lastgreatbattle shall come and the campaign betweenChrist and the
Prince of Evil shall be over, there will not remain a handful of spoil in the
hand of the enemy–not one old banner or tattered flag belonging to the Lord’s
hosts to hang up in the hall.
“Theywill be beaten,” as the text puts it, “like the chaff on the summer’s
threshing floor.” “And you shall winnow them,” says the Prophet, “and the
wind shall carry them away.” The black horse went down to the sea of
almighty love with his rider and began to drink up that sea, but he could not
do it. He snorted, and drank, and drank again of the brine which sickenedhis
very soul, but malice urged him on, and so he drank again, and waded breast-
deep into the ocean. Norstayed he in his fury, but plunged farther and
farther, till he was drowned in the inexhaustible depths.
I think I see the black carcass submergedfar down in the abyss–deathand
Hell drowned in the sea of almighty love and power, and the kingdom of Jesus
rolling like a mighty stream over all those who were determined upon His
destruction. Glory be unto God! We fight and victory flies to congratulate our
banner. Ours is no desperate warfare, but a royal crusade in which every
soldier is even now a priest and a king, and is on the way to the banqueting
halls where men feastwith God, and Jesus foreverand ever wears the fadeless
diadem.
II. Time allows but a few words upon THE ENCOURAGEMENTto be
gatheredfrom the “must” which lies in the soul of the text.
The first encouragementis that if He must reign, then all our enemies shall be
subdued. This text occurs in that memorable chapter concerning the
resurrectionand it especiallypoints to death. “He must reign until He has put
all enemies under His feet.” “The last enemy that shall be destroyedis death.”
Now, beloved Believer, you are calledto fight daily with sin and here is your
consolation–Jesusmust reign! The Christ in you must bruise Satan under
your feet! His Atonement has forever destroyedthe damning power of your
sins. Christ reigns supreme on the milk-white Throne of mercy as the
pardoning God.
Even so Jesus must reign over the active powerof sin within your heart, for
His death is the double death of sin. He has pierced its heart and nailed its
hands and feet–it shall not have dominion over you. Jesus, the King of kings,
must hold His court in the castle yard of your heart, and all your powers and
passions must do Him cheerful homage. MostsweetPrince, You shall wear
Your royal robes in the coronationchamber of my affections!You shall reign

over my quick imperious temper! He shall put His foot on the neck of my
pride and shall command my every thought and wish. Where I cannot rule,
Jesus can!
Rebellious lusts acknowledgethe spell of the Cross and indwelling sin falls like
Dagonbefore that ark. Jesus has made us kings and priests that we may reign
over the triple monarchy of our nature–spirit, soul, and body–and that by our
self-conquestHe may be undisputed sovereignof the Isle of Man. O you who
are contending with your corruptions, push on in the war for He must reign!
Corruption is very strong, but Christ is stronger, and Divine Grace must
reign through righteousness unto eternallife–through Jesus Christour Lord.
I think I hear you groaning, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver
me from the body of this death?” Hearkento the answer!It rings like a sweet
Sabbath bell, “I thank God, through Jesus Christour Lord.” You may die
with Jesus but you shall certainly rise with Him, for He will leave none of His
members in the grave of their corruptions. This Joshua will slay all the
Canaanites!He will drive out the old dragon from his throne with all his
hellish crew and your entire manhood shall be a fair temple for the Holy
Spirit’s indwelling!
As long as we live in this world, and when we live againin the coming world,
Jesus shallbe the Well-BelovedMonarchof our hearts! This ought to put
awayall fears of death, for Christ must reign, must reign over death! When
the lastenemy appears in view it shall only be an opportunity for new
triumphs, when the Lord of life shall revealHimself with renewedsplendor.
Imagine not that death shall ever reign over Christ! Ah no, in your departing
moments you shall have most extraordinary Grace–sothat with joyful heart
your lips shall sing, “O Death, where is your sting? O Grave, where is your
victory?”
When your body shall have molded to ashes, Christmust reign, and every
precious particle of that dust shall be attracted to its fellow–bone shallcome to
bone, and the flesh shall come upon the whole–andyou shall live! Though
worms destroythat body, yet in your flesh shall you see God. And so in your
resurrectionJesus Christ shall reign! What a lamp is shining in the vaults of
death! The day breaks upon all our darkness whenwe see that He must reign!
The next coolcup of encouragementspringing from this well is this–our
efforts are, after all, not in vain. If Christ must reign, then every soldier who
fights for Christ is contributing to the victory, and everyone who in any way
advances the cause is working with sure and greatresults. You have not
wastedthose many silent prayers and those bitter tears. Those feeble efforts of

yours which were so imperfect that you could scarcelyhope them to be
successfulare all cooperating to produce a victory the shouts of which shall be
heard all down the ages!
You may but lay a single stone of the heavenly temple, but if it is done for
Christ, it is a stone which will stand the fire and your share of the building
will remain to the last, while many a greatone who has built a mass of wood,
and hay, and stubble shall see his labors all consumedin the day that tries
every man’s work. O my fellow Soldiers, as we rest in this bivouac today
waiting till another fight begins, let us be of goodcourage andthe Lord shall
strengthen our hearts! Wait, I say, on the Lord, for the Lord is on our side!
Our foes are tall as Goliath, and mighty as Pharaoh, and proud as
Nebuchadnezzar–but in the name of God will we destroy them! In the name of
Jesus we will again sayJehovah-Nissi, andsetting up the banner we follow our
Captain whose vesture is dipped in blood. He rides forth conquering and to
conquer, and we follow Him to absolute victory! It is but a little before we
shall hear the shout, “Hallelujah! Forthe Lord God Omnipotent reigns.” One
sweetdrop of comfortmay be pressedfrom this text, “He must reign”–Imust
confess the sweetestcomfortI have ever tasted. I know not why it is, but if I
sink in spirit (and I do full often) I very seldomget any cordial anywhere
exceptfrom this one thing–that Christ must reign.
“There,” I have said in my soul, “then what becomes of me is of no
consequence atall! If He will only take me into the royal galley and chain me
down to the oar, and let me tug and pull till I have no more life left, I will be
satisfiedif I may but row my Lord towards His Throne and have but the
smallestshare in making Him greatand glorious in the eyes of men and
angels.” Whatcares my heart for herself if she may but see Jesus seton high?
It is a Heaven to me to think that Christ is in Heaven, and another Heaven to
believe that He will reign among men! If Christ is glorious, it is all the Heaven
I ask for! If He shall be King of kings, and Lord of lords, let me be nothing! If
He shall but reign, and every tongue shall callHim blessed, it shall be bliss to
me to know it! And if I may be but as one of the withered roses which lie in
the path of His triumph, it shall be my paradise!
Comrade in arms, as you and I in this ditch lie bleeding on the skirts of the
battle, it is sweetto hear the shouts of victory! This is better than wine, better
than healing, better than life! See yonder He rides with His crown upon His
helmet! There He rides on His white horse in the very front of the fray! Can
you not hear Him as He cries, “Onward!” and the enemy flees, and His forces
march on to victory? You and I may lie down and die–whatmatters it, for the
cause is safe–Jesusis King! Restassuredthat Christ’s victory is ours and He

will no more forget us than a woman will cease to think of the son of her
womb.
Oh, to put our heart into Christ’s heart! To wish His wishes and to love
His loves!This
is to enjoy peace like a river, and bliss like the waves of the sea. Blessed
thought for you who love Him! Treasure it. “He must reign.”
How this ought to inspire all of you who grow downhearted about the cause of
Christ. Some of my friends are frightened with that everlasting bugbear of
Roman Catholicism. According to some we are going back to Rome, every
mother’s son of us, and old England is to be a rank popish country. Many in
these days are fine hands at painting ugly pictures and believing them to be
realities. But I believe my text, namely, that Jesus must reign. Therefore I do
not fearthe Pope or the devil. All the driveling priests of Rome with their
Jesuiticaltricks, shallfind their master, for Hell itself cannot shake that
decree, “He must reign.”
“Jesuits,”you say, “are creeping in unawares.” I know it! But behold, we shall
tread upon the lion and the dragon–yes, the young lion and the dragon shall
we trample under our feet. Do you not believe in the Gospelas the powerof
God? Do you imagine that an unrighteous and unscriptural church
establishment is neededas a bulwark to the Gospel? Shallrotten wooddefend
the steel? Nonsense!Blow the establishment to a thousand pieces with the big
guns of Justice and then the Gospelwill hold its own with all the greaterease.
The Gospelis quite able to take care of itself without your hierarchies, and
tithes, and royal headships–youencumber the Church with your bulwarks of
wood, and hay, and stubble! You clog our David with the royal armor.
My Lord Jesus Christcan do wellenough in Ireland without Caesarorhis
pennies. He needs you not to drain wealth from those who serve another Lord
in order to uphold His cause. He hates your robberies which you call burnt-
offerings. He always has takencare of Himself and His ministers and will
continue to do so. The ark of God of old was never captured till it was
defended with carnal weapons, andeven then, as soonas it was left alone it
rescueditself. When there was not a soldierto take care of it–when it was
imprisoned in the temple of Dagon–Dagonfell, and Philistia was humbled.
And so in England and Ireland, State alliance is bringing the Gospelinto
jeopardy, but if that alliance can be broken which is the worst of ills, then the
Gospelin its grandeur of unaided might will confound all adversaries. Never
be afraid–it does not become a Christian to fear–itis unmanly, unchristian, to
talk as if Christ’s cause were going to be trampled out like a spark under our

feet! It cannot be! As enduring as the earth itself, and more eternal–as faras
everlasting as the Throne of God are the Cross and honor and dignity of
Christ. Let us feel this, for He must reign, and anticipated changes, insteadof
preventing Him from reigning, will help Him to reign more universally. And
the shaking off of old abuses, insteadof being an injury to the Cross ofChrist,
will give its glories ampler space, for He must reign, let men say what they
will.
III. Once more, and I have done. There is an ADMONITION in the text, “He
must reign.” My Hearer, has He ever reigned in your heart? Where are you,
my Hearer? ForI want you now. I must getyou by the ear. “Jesus must
reign.” What have you to say to this? You have been opposing Him, have you?
You are kicking againstthe pricks with nakedfeet–you are stumbling upon
this stone and you will be broken–and if the stone shall take to rolling down,
like a massive rock, on you, it will grind you to powder.
Persecutor, beware!You have gone upon a very very desperate errand. You
are like a crawling worm that is fighting with the fire–you wiggle already in
the heatof it–but if you continue long, what canyou expect? You are like
stubble contending with the fire-brand, or like chaff wrestling with the
whirlwind. What canyou do? O Man, sheathe that sword! Take counselwhile
you are in the way, “whetheryou can, with 10,000meethim that comes
againstyou with twenty thousand.” “Kiss the Son, lestHe be angry and you
perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.”
Another thought, if Jesus Christmust reign, then you who have never
submitted yourselves to Him to acceptHim as your Monarch will find His
reign as terrible as it is sure. He will reign over you, either by your own
consent, or without it! He will either reign over you with that glorious
glittering silver scepterofmercy in His hand, or He will rule over you with the
heavy iron rod with which He will break you in pieces. Now, whichis it to be?
One or the other. His blood must be on you–either it must be on you to accuse
and condemn you, as the Jews found it when they said, “His blood be on us,
and on our children”–orelse it shall be on you to cleanse,to pardon, to save.
Which shall it be?
This morning, in the name of God I do entreat you answerthis question for
your own good!Does Jesus reignover you this morning, or not? Oh, if He
never should reign over you in this life, then, when you die you shall find that
you cannotescape from His power!He will reign over you while you are a
prisoner, manacledin fetters of iron in the place of everlasting misery! He will
reign over you, and you will be compelled to confess it, too, as you bite your
iron bands and weep, and gnashyour teeth in anger and in shame!He will

reign over you absolutely, for you will not be able to lift a finger to contend
againstHim in the day when He comes to judge the quick and the dead–
“You sinners, seek His Grace,
Whose wrath you cannotbear!
Fly to the shelter of His Cross,
And find salvationthere.”
May eternal mercy bring you, now, like loyal subjects, to bow before Jesus!
May you be granted saving Grace to give yourselves up to Him, trusting in
Him, and in Him alone. That is the matter–to confide simply in Him is life
eternal! There is the whole sum and substance of godliness. Thenshall it be
your joy to know and feel that “He must reign.” The Lord bless you, and
make you a blessing, for Jesus'sake. Amen.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The ReignOf The Redeemer
1 Corinthians 15:25
J.R. ThomsonEven in his earthly humiliation, Christ was a King. Once the
devil offered him the kingdoms of the world; once the people would have
takenhim by force and have made him their King. Such seculardominion he
sought not, neither would accept. Yet he entered Jerusalemin royal state;
before Pilate he confessedhimself a King; and over his cross it was written,
"This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Little notion had men
during his ministry of the nature and extent of that dominion which should
one day be his. Yet the apostles came to understand that not only the
prophetic and the priestly, but also the kingly dignity and office, were
appointed for him whose gospelthey proclaimed.
I. CHRIST'S RIGHT TO REIGN. This is grounded upon:
1. His Divine nature and authority.
2. His moral right and qualifications.
3. His definite appointment by the Father.
4. His mediatorial sufferings and sacrifice.

II. THE SUBJECTSOF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. Theyare spiritual and
willing subjects. He cares nothing for a pretended loyalty or a merely outward
obedience. His aim is to gain a dominion over human hearts, and thence to
rule human society.
III. THE FOES WHOM CHRIST'S REIGN SUBDUES. These he is to put
under his feet. They may be enumerated:
1. Ignorance.
2. Error.
3. Superstition.
4. Irreligiousness andworldliness.
5. Vice, crime, and sin.
6. All false and corrupt religions.
IV. THE MEANS BY WHICH CHRIST'S REIGN IS ADVANCED AND HIS
FOES SUBDUED.
1. The weapons are the truths of the gospel, the exhibition of the righteousness
and love of God.
2. The agencyis that of believing, sympathizing, and consecratednatures. The
kingdom comes by the labours and the courage and enterprise of the spiritual
subjects.
3. The power is that of the Holy Spirit of God.
V. THE PERIOD OF CHRIST'S REIGN.
1. It commencedat our Lord's ascension, whenhe was "raisedto be a Prince
and a Saviour," "from henceforth expecting, etc.
2. It has been constantlyadvancing, the kingdom has been extending its
boundaries, and the number of the subjects has been multiplying.
3. It will not terminate until victory shall have been gained over every foe.
"Thy throne is forever and ever." Only when all opposition is vanquished,
shall the Sonhimself yield the dominion, and God shall be all and in all. - T.

Biblical Illustrator
For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:25
The reign of Christ
D. Thomas, B.A.This world is His battlefield now; and when this conflict is at
an end there will be an end to something else, "He shall reign till — ," and no
longer.
I. WHO ARE CHRIST'S ENEMIES?
1. All those agencies in the world which are opposedto God. Christ is on the
throne for God; so that whatever in evil spirits, in bad men, in society, in
institutions, habits, experiences, is warring againstGod, is againstChrist, and
He is againstit.
2. All those agencies in the world which are againstus. He is on the throne for
us. Our cause is His. Every evil which injures or threatens us.(1) All our
intellectual enemies — ignorance or error.(2) All our moral enemies — sin in
every form.(3) All our physical enemies — pain, sickness, disease,death — all
these are included among Christ's enemies.
3. We may answerthe question by referring to Christ's life in the flesh. He
came here to do battle; and all His life He was engagedin the conflict,
attacking — not men; He never touched a man in any way but to bless him —
but He was in conflict with all the powers of evil of which men were the
instruments and victims. And the battle is still the same. Through His true
people He is now carrying on the war with ignorance, unrighteousness,pain.
And we may be sure that He will be victorious, not only because it is said in
the Bible, and we therefore believe it, but because it is God that is engagedin
the conflict.
II. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR SUPREMESTCARES IN REFERENCETO
THIS GREAT CONFLICT?
1. To be ourselves delivered. We must eachask himself, will He put my
enemies under His feet? It depends on whether you will let Him undertake for
you. Your faith must lay hold of His strength.
2. To take our part in it on His side. In this greatconflictthere is no
neutrality. And for what reasons shouldit be our greatcare to range ourselves
in this battle on His side? Because —(1)It is an honourable service.

Frenchmen speak with no unnatural pride of having served under the "Great
Napoleon." Something ofthe lustre of the name and achievements of the great
captain is reflectedin his humblest follower. And so it is in the spiritual
conflict.(2)Christ has a claim upon our service. It is our cause that He is
contending for, and it costHim His life.(3) It is a strife for goodness and
human happiness.(4)There is victory with that side.
3. To engage ourselvesin that part of the field where spiritual evils are the
enemies combatedagainst. Noble is it to follow Christ in the war He waged
with physical evils; but the noblest work is to spreadChrist's truth, for where
that is spread all evils diminish. And further, what is the life of the body
compared with the life of the soul?
(D. Thomas, B.A.)
Christ's conquests
DeanBoyd.This world is a vast stage erectedfor the display consummation of
a mighty designby the power of the Lord Jesus. Scripture has distinctly
affirmed that "all things were createdby Him and for Him." The world was
made for Jesus;and man, the most distinguished of its tenants, was calledinto
existence chiefly that he might add to the Mediator's glory. In His glory the
eternal blessednessofmillions is involved; and the consummation of His
mighty work will be the sealand fulness of the felicity of the redeemed. Now
in the managementof this stupendous design, the Mediatoris pursuing His
way to the glory which awaits Him through the midst of foes. There are foes in
whose destructionwe may not be able to trace any of that consolationwhichit
is the apostle's objectto afford. The priests and Scribes of Israelconstituted
themselves His personal enemies, and "the stone which the builders rejected"
has fallen upon them and crushed them to powder; but our comfort or
advantage appears to be this, that the enemies rather of the Saviour's cause
than of His person are spokenof; and with that cause Jesus has so entirely
identified Himself, that He reckons hostility to it as hostility againstHimself.
There is —
I. SATAN, who from the first has evinced himself the foe of the cause ofJesus.
But his power is day by day contracting;and one by one are his strongholds
wrestedout of his hands. His most formidable opposition was his personal
struggle with the Saviour, in which he enjoyed a momentary triumph; but it
was a triumph which placed a lever underneath the foundations of his throne.
The gospelof which that day's achievementforms both the power and the
theme, has gone forth under the sanctionof the Redeemer's command, over
those tracts and territories where "the god of this world" had long held

unbroken sway. And the means by which the Saviour has enlargedHis
kingdom are marvellous. Satan, as he was upon the day of the world's
redemption, is defeatedwith his own weapons. Thoughcovetousness mayhave
sent ships to far distant shores, and rapine may have subjugated one country
to another, and injustice may have torn the slave from kindred and from
home — still see we not, that in more territories being laid open to the inroads
of the gospel, and other influences being brought to bear upon benighted
lands, that Satanhas been foiled by superior wisdom, and the empire of the
Mediatorincreasedby his defeatedpolicy!
II. CORRUPTIONIN THE HEARTS OF GOD'S BELIEVING PEOPLE.
The Mediator's most glorious title is "the King of Saints";and that which
chiefly prevents Him from being so now, in the fulness and majesty of the
expression, is the existence of that secretand unholy principle in the hearts of
Christians. But this corruption under the laws of the Mediator's reign is
destined at length to be totally dethroned. The work of subduing it is one of
mystery and time, and for the subduing of it Jesus has a train of
instrumentalities at His disposal. By troubles, trials, disappointments, the
hand of illness and bereavements. In every child of God it is daily waxing
more feeble, which shows that, ultimately, it must be utterly extinguished, for
"Jesus must reign," etc.
III. THE UNGODLY. These may not all take Paine for their text-book, or
Voltaire for their leader;but yet from the circumstance of their being
unconverted; they must be reckonedamong His enemies. "The carnal mind is
enmity againstGod" — "They that are in the flesh cannotplease God." Now
such the Mediatorwill put under His feet. Contrary to the usual course of His
government, He will do little towards effecting this object here. But, while an
enemy remains unpunished, the throne of the Mediator must stand.
IV. DEATH. The trophy and the triumph of the Satanic hosts. It was among
the firstfruits of their victory. But in the arrangements of the Mediator's rule
this enemy is destined for destruction! Even now is his powerabridged, and
his strength much departed from him; for Jesus has gone down into death's
domains, and, in the dark seclusionof the tomb, passedthrough a conflict
with him, from which He has returned a conqueror! And this victory He
perpetuates in the persons of the members of His kingdom; for there is not
one of them who feels not that death, though he may awe, canno longer
terrify. Even upon this world, death to them has ceasedto be an enemy; but
oh! if we would see him, not simply shorn of his strength, but stripped of his
existence, we must throw forward our glance to the resurrectionmorning.
That hour shall see all enemies subdued.

(DeanBoyd.)
Goodnews for loyal subjects
C. H. Spurgeon."Must"is for the king; and concerning King Jesus there is a
Divine necessitythat He must reign. He was once the King of misery — in that
kingdom He reigned supreme. That thorn-crown is pre-eminent in the
sorrows whichit signifies. To-day He is the King of glory, enthroned far above
all principalities and powers. He must reign because He is God. "The Lord
reigneth" must everstand a truth. He must reign as man; for the Lord has
made a covenantwith David that of his seedthere should sit upon the throne
of Israel for ever a King to rule in righteousness, andJesus of Nazarethis that
King. He must reign also as the Mediator. At this time the sovereigntyof the
world is committed to His keeping, the headship of His Church, the
government of providence, the ruling of heaven, and earth, and hell, as the
mediatorial monarch.
I. WHAT ARE THY REASONS FOR THIS "MUST"? The lamb as seenby
John had sevenhorns of power, and here are sevenreasons why he should
possessthe throne for ever.
1. His empire in itself is such as to ensure perpetuity. There have been many
empires of which men said that if they were overthrown, the very pillars of the
earth would be removed; yet in due time they were sweptaway. Christ must
reign because —(1)His reign over the human mind is basedupon truth. At
one time Plato reigned supreme over thoughtful minds; then Aristotle; but
another philosophy supplanted him, to be in its turn subverted by the next.
Things which were accountedsure and wise are now ridiculed. And why?
Becausethese systems ofphilosophy and thought have not been based upon
truth. But the truth which Jesus taught, reads as if it were delivered but
yesterday. Christianity is as suitable to the nineteenth century as to the
first.(2) His dominion over human hearts is basedupon love. Napoleonsaidat
St. Helena: — "My empire has passedaway. I founded it upon the sword, and
it is gone. Jesus Christ establishedan empire upon love, and it will lastfor
ever." His personis the incarnation of love, His teachings are the doctrines of
love, His precepts are the rule of love, His Spirit is the creatorof love, His
whole religion is saturated with love, and because ofthis His kingdom cannot
be moved.(3) It is the one greatremedy which this sad woe-begone world
requires. The world is like the troubled sea that cannotrest, and there is but
one footwhich can tread its waves, and but one voice which cansay, "Peace,
be still." Jesus is the true liberator of captive nations. The agonising groans of
earth demand the sovereigntyof Jesus, and therefore we believe that He must

reign, for God will yet give His creature what it needs. His Fatherdecrees it.
Up till now God has maintained the throne of His Son. Read Psalm2 and see.
3. Divine justice demands it. The Fatherpromised that He should be a leader
and a commander of the people, and determined as the result of His
humiliation that He should mount to a superior throne as the Son of man and
the Sonof God. Shall God belie His word?
4. It is inwrought into the order of providence. A few months ago the trees
were bare; but it was in the order of providence that there should be a spring,
and here it is. We cannot saythat in any one day it seemedto make any great
advance. Even when the days lengthenedwe saw no greatprogress, but, surely
and steadily the veins of the trees were filled with sap and the buds first
swelledand then revealed their glories. So Christ's reigning is woven into the
warp and woofof providence, and though He has not yet drawn all men unto
Him, it is coming.
5. The Holy Spirit has been given to the Church to subserve this glorious end.
He can soften the most obdurate, He canturn to kindness the most cruel, and
lead into light the most darkened. Now, the possessionofthe Holy Spirit is the
Church's treasury. Here is her battleaxe, and here are her weapons ofwar.
You who preachChrist, or teachHim in the school, do not become
discouragedunder difficulties, when you recollectthat you are workers
togetherwith God.
6. Christ is naturally the chief of the human race. "He is the chief among ten
thousand and the altogetherlovely." There is none to rival Him.
7. The power to reign belongs to Him. "All poweris given unto Me in heaven
and in earth." "Go ye, therefore," saith He, "and teachall nations." Jesus
Christ is no puny pretender to the throne, nor a rightful owner without power
to win His own, but as His cause is good, His arm is strong. Ours is no
desperate warfare, but a royal crusade, in which every soldier is even now a
priest and a king, and is on the wayto the banquetting-halls where men feast
with God, and Jesus for ever and ever wears the fadeless diadem.
II. THE ENCOURAGEMENTTO BE GATHERED FROM THIS "MUST."
If Christ must reign, then —
1. All our enemies shall be subdued,(1) Now, you are calledto fight daily with
sin, and here is your consolation, Jesusmust reign. The Christ in you must
bruise Satan under your feet. He shall put His foot on the neck of my pride,
and shall command my every thought and wish. Where I cannot rule, Jesus
can. Jesus has made us kings and priests that we may reign over the triple
monarchy of our nature — spirit, soul, and body, and that, by our self-

conquest, He may be undisputed sovereignofthe Isle of Man. Corruption is
very strong, but Christ is stronger.(2)When the last enemy appears in view, it
shall only be an opportunity for new triumphs, when the Lord of life shall
revealHimself with renewedsplendour.
2. Our efforts are, after all, not in vain. If Christ must reign, then every
soldier who fights for Christ is contributing to the victory, and every one who
in any way advances the cause is working with sure and greatresults.
3. What becomes ofus is of no consequence atall. If He will only take me into
the royal galley, and let me pull till I have no more life left, I will be satisfied,
if I may but row my Lord towards His throne, and have but the smallestshare
in making Him glorious in the eyes of men and angels. Whatcares my heart
for herselfif she may but see Jesus seton high? How this ought to inspirit all
of you who grow downheartedabout the cause of Christ! Do you not believe in
the gospelas the powerof God?
III. AN ADMONITION.
1. "Jesus mustreign." You have been opposing Him, have you? You are
kicking againstthe pricks with nakedfeet: you are stumbling upon this stone,
and you will be broken; and if the stone shall take to rolling down, like a
massive rock, on you, it will grind you to powder.
2. If Jesus Christ must reign, then you who have never submitted yourselves
to Him to acceptHim as your monarch, will find His reign as terrible as it is
sure. He will reign over you, either by your own consentor without it.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
COMMENTARIES
EXPOSITORY(ENGLISHBIBLE)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(25)He must reign.—It is a moral
consequence.Godmust triumph, and so the Son must reign and conquer till
that triumph be complete. Some suggestthat the force of these words is that
He must reign, &c., because it has been prophesied (Ps. ex.); but the more
obvious truth is that it was prophesied because it is morally necessary.
BensonCommentaryHYPERLINK "/context/1_corinthians/15-25.htm"1
Corinthians 15:25-27. Forhe must reign — Becauseso it is written, Psalm
110:1;till he — God the Father; hath put all enemies under his feet — That is,
till he hath utterly subdued them to Christ, that he may destroy them. The last

enemy that shall be destroyedis death — That enemy which continues, in
some measure, to hold the subjects of Christ under his dominion, even when
the temptations of the world, and the malice of Satan, canhold them no
longer, and when every remainder of corrupt nature and human infirmity has
long since ceasedin the perfect holiness of the intermediate state. Macknight,
who renders this verse, the last enemy, death, shall be destroyed, observes,
that “the common version of this passageimplies that there are some enemies
who shall not be destroyed, which is wrong:for all enemies shall be destroyed,
1 Corinthians 15:25.” Noris it true in every sense, that“because deathis
calledthe last enemy, it is to be lastdestroyed: for if the destruction of death is
to be accomplishedby the resurrection, the devil and his angels, and wicked
men, are to be judged and punished after the dead are raised. In
Chrysostom’s opinion, death is calledthe lastenemy, because he enteredinto
the world after the devil and sin entered.” ForSatan brought in sin, and sin
brought forth death. There is a sense, however, in which it may be affirmed
that death is the lastenemy that is destroyed; for when Christ engagedthese
enemies, he first conquered Satan, namely, in his temptation, then sin in his
death, and lastly, death in his resurrection. In the same order he delivers all
the faithful from them, yea, and destroys their power. Deathhe so destroys,
that it shall exist no more; sin and Satan, so that they shall no more hurt his
people. For he hath put all things under his feet — Agreeablyto what is said,
Psalm8:6. But — As is sufficiently evident; when he saith all things are put
under him — In the last-mentioned passage,and as is implied in many others;
he — The Father; is excepted, who did put all things under him — This
declarationconcerning the Father’s not being subject to the Son, was intended
to prevent us from interpreting what is said of the extent of the Son’s
dominion, in such a manner as to fancy that he is in any respectsuperior to
the Father.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary15:20-34All that are by faith united to
Christ, are by his resurrectionassuredof their own. As through the sin of the
first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful
nature, so, through the resurrectionof Christ, shall all who are made to
partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There
will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the first-fruits; at
his coming, his redeemed people will be raisedbefore others; at the last the
wickedwill rise also. Then will be the end of this present state of things.
Would we triumph in that solemn and important season, we must now submit
to his rule, accepthis salvation, and live to his glory. Then shall we rejoice in
the completionof his undertaking, that God may receive the whole glory of

our salvation, that we may for ever serve him, and enjoy his favour. What
shall those do, who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?
Perhaps baptism is used here in a figure, for afflictions, sufferings, and
martyrdom, as Mt 20:22,23. Whatis, or will become of those who have
suffered many and greatinjuries, and have even losttheir lives, for this
doctrine of the resurrection, if the dead rise not at all? Whateverthe meaning
may be, doubtless the apostle's argument was understoodby the Corinthians.
And it is as plain to us that Christianity would be a foolish profession, if it
proposedadvantage to themselves by their faithfulness to God; and to have
our fruit to holiness, that our end may be everlasting life. But we must not live
like beasts, as we do not die like them. It must be ignorance of God that leads
any to disbelieve the resurrectionand future life. Those who own a God and a
providence, and observe how unequal things are in the present life, how
frequently the best men fare worst, cannotdoubt as to an after-state, where
every thing will be set to rights. Let us not be joined with ungodly men; but
warn all around us, especiallychildren and young persons, to shun them as a
pestilence. Let us awake to righteousness,and not sin.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleForhe must reign - It is fit, or proper (δει dei), that
he should reign until this is accomplished. It is proper that the mediatorial
kingdom should continue till this greatwork is effected. The word "must"
here refers to the propriety of this continuance of his reign, and to the fact
that this was contemplatedand predicted as the work which he would
accomplish. He came to subdue all his enemies;see -Psa 2:6-10;or Psalm
110:1, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make
thine enemies thy footstool."Paul, doubtless, had this passagein his eye as
affirming the necessitythat he should reign until all his foes should be
subdued. That this refers to the Messiahis abundantly clearfrom Matthew
22:44-45.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary25. must—because Scripture
foretells it.
till—There will be no further need of His mediatorial kingdom, its object
having been realized.
enemies under his feet—(Lu 19:27; Eph 1:22).
Matthew Poole's Commentary God hath so decreed, (and what he hath said
must come to pass), that Christ should, as Mediator, exercise a Kingdom and
government in the world, until he haith subdued all the enemies of his gospel
and people; all those who have said, he shall not rule over them; the whole
world that lieth in wickedness,the devil, and all his instruments: this he

proveth from the words of the psalmist, Psalm110:1.
The term until doth not signify the determination of Christ’s kingdom then,
though his mediatory kingdom on earth will then be determined. He shall still
reign, but not as now, in the midst of his enemies, and in the exercise ofhis
kingdom in the conquestand subduing of them.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleForhe must reign,.... That is, Christ must
reign; he is setas King over God's holy hill of Zion; he is King of saints;he is
made and declaredto be both Lord and Christ; he is exalted at the right hand
of God as a Prince, where he sits and rules and reigns;and his sitting at God's
right hand is here explained by his reigning, for reference is had to Psalm
110:1 he must reign because it is the unalterable will, and unchangeable
decree and purpose of God, that he should reign; and because he has
promised it, and prophesied of it; and because the state and condition of his
people require it, who otherwise could not be saved, nor dwell safely: and so
he must and will,
till he hath put all enemies under his feet; and made them his footstool;
meaning either all the electof God, who in a state of nature are enemies in
their minds, by wickedworks, to himself and to his Father; whom he conquers
by his grace, subdues their rebellious wills, of enemies makes them friends,
brings them to his feet, and to a subjectionto his sceptre, to his Gospeland
ordinances;and he must reign till he has brought every electsoul into such an
obedience to himself: or rather antichrist and his followers, and all wicked
and ungodly men, with Satan and his angels;who will be destroyedwith the
breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming; and will be castdown
by him into hell, and there be ever objects ofhis wrath and vengeance:and till
all this is done he must reign; not that he shall ceaseto reign afterwards, but
that he shall reign notwithstanding these enemies of his and his people, who
would not have him to reign over them; and will reign until they are subdued
or destroyed; and when they are entirely vanquished and overcome, who can
doubt of his reigning then? or what, or who will there be to hinder it? The
Alexandrian copy, and others, read, "his enemies";and so do the Syriac and
Ethiopic versions.
Geneva Study BibleForhe must reign, till he hath put all enemies {k} under
his feet.
(k) Christ is consideredhere as he appeared in the form of a servant, in which
respecthe rules the Church as head, and that because this powerwas given to
him from his Father.

EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT CommentaryHYPERLINK "/context/1_corinthians/15-25.htm"1
Corinthians 15:25-28. Establishmentof the factthat Christ will not deliver up
the kingdom until after the doing awayof every dominion, etc. (1 Corinthians
15:25-27, downto πόδας αὐτοῦ), but that then this abdication will assuredly
follow (1 Corinthians 15:27-28).
For He must (it is necessaryin accordance withthe divine counsel)reign
(wield the Messianic government)until, etc. The emphasis of the sentence as it
advances falls on this until, et.
ἄχρις οὗ κ.τ.λ.]words takenfrom Psalm110:1,—a Messianic psalm,
according to Christ Himself (Matthew 22:43 f.),—which Paul does not quote,
but appropriates for himself. The subject to θῇ is not God(so even Hofmann),
but Christ (so Rückert, de Wette, Osiander, Neander, Ewald, Maier, comp.
already Chrysostom), which is necessarilyrequired by the preceding αὐτόν,
and by καταργήσῃ in 1 Corinthians 15:24, to which θῇ κ.τ.λ. corresponds.[54]
Not till 1 Corinthians 15:27 does Godcome in as the subjectwithout violence
and in harmony with the contex.
ἄχρις οὗ indicates the terminus ad quem of the dominion of Christ, after
which epoch this dominion will have ceased;see on 1 Corinthians 15:24. The
strange shifts which have been resorted to in order to maintain here the
subsequent continuance of the rule of Christ (οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται
τέλος was added to the Nicene Creedin opposition to Marcellus in the second
OecumenicalCouncil), may be seenin Estius and Flatt. His kingdom
continues, but not His regency, 1 Corinthians 15:24. The seeming
contradiction to Luke 1:33 (Daniel 7:14) is gotrid of by the considerationthat
the government of Christ lasts on into the αἰὼν μέλλων, and that after its
being given over to the Father, the kingdom itself will have its highest and
eternal completion (1 Corinthians 15:28); thus that prophecy receives its
eschatologicalfulfilment.
[54] We are not, however, on this accountto write πόδας αὑτοῦ insteadof π.
αὐτοῦ;the pronoun has proceededfrom the standpoint of the writer.
Expositor's Greek TestamentHYPERLINK"/1_corinthians/15-25.htm"1
Corinthians 15:25 sustains the representationof the τέλος just given by
prophetic words of Scripture (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3 f.): “ForHe must needs
reign, until He has put all the enemies underneath His feet”. Not till every

enemy of God is vanquished can Christ’s existing kingdom reachits end. P. is
thinking of the culmination, not the cessation, ofChrist’s kingship (see note on
παραδιδῷ, 1 Corinthians 15:24).—πάντας is added to the text of the Psalmist,
as if to say:“Every one of the foes proscribedin the Messiah’s chartermust
submit, before He can present to His Fathera perfect kingdom”; see parls.,
for other applications of this cardinal O.T. dictum.—On δεῖ, see note to 1
Corinthians 8:2.—ἄχρις οὗ—radically“up to,” rather than “until, (the time
at) which”—in later Gr[2377]takes sbj[2378]offuture contingency
dispensing with ἄν (Wr[2379], p. 371)—.The words ofPsalms 110. are freely
adapted: θῇ gets its subject from αὐτόν, viz. Christ—not God, as imported by
Est., Bz[2380], Bg[2381], Hf[2382], Gd[2383], to suit the Ps.;it is parl[2384]in
tense-constructionto καταργήσῃ (1 Corinthians 15:24, see note).
[2377]Greek, orGrotius’ Annotationes in N.T.
[2378]subjunctive mood.
[2379]Winer-Moulton’s Grammar of N.T. Greek (8th ed., 1877).
[2380]Beza’s Nov. Testamentum:Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab.,
1642).
[2381]Bengel’s GnomonNovi Testamenti.
[2382]J. C. K. von Hofmann’s Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te
Auflage, 1874).
[2383]F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng.
Trans.).
[2384]parallel.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges25. Forhe must reign] i.e. Christ as
Man and Mediator. For at present we can only discernGod through the
medium of Christ’s Humanity. Cf. St John 12:45;John 14:9. In the end, we
shall be able to ‘see Him as He is,’ 1 John 3:2. For the presentHe must reign
in His Church, in His sacraments and ordinances, in His ministers,
ecclesiasticaland secular(Romans 13:4; Romans 13:6), all of them (see last
note) the reflex of His poweras He sits at God’s Right Hand.

till he hath put all enemies under his feet] Either (1) the Father, Who put all
things under His Son, or (2) Christ, Who puts all things under His own feet.
The analogyof Psalm110:1 (cf. St Matthew 22:44) would cause us to suppose
the former; the grammaticalconstruction, as wellas the course of the
argument, the latter. The enemies are all who ‘oppose and exalt themselves
above all that is calledGod or an objectof worship’ (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and
therein especiallypride of rank, wealth, intellect, reason, whatevercasts offor
disowns the universal empire of God. Cf. Ephesians 1:21-22;Php 2:10; Php
3:21 (in the Greek); Hebrews 1:4. “This passage,” says Cyril of Jerusalem,
“no more implies a cessationofthe reign of Christ than the words ‘from
Adam until Moses’(Romans 5:14) imply a ‘cessationof sin after Moses.’”
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK"/1_corinthians/15-25.htm"1 Corinthians
15:25. Δεῖ, He must) for it has been foretold.—αὐτὸν, He) Christ.—βασιλεύειν,
reign) ‫,הרר‬ reign Thou in the midst of Thy enemies, Psalm110:2.—ἄχρις οὗ
ἄν, until) There will be no further need of the mediatorial reign.—θῇ, He hath
put) viz. the Father.—πάντας,all) Paul brings in this, to prepare for a
transition to what follows.—τοὺς ἐχθροὺς,enemies)bodily and spiritual,
supply His, from that expression, His feet, to wit, the Son’s: but it is now
elegantlyelliptical; since Christ has long ago destroyedthese enemies, in so far
as they were the enemies of Christ; He will destroy them [their destruction is
still future], in so far as they are our enemies. The remaining part of His
victory bears the same relationto His triumph already achieved, as any
frontier or corner does to the whole extent of any human monarchy which has
been subdued.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 25. - He must reign. He must reign in his
mediatorial kingdom as the God Man. He hath put. The "he" probably means
Christ himself (comp. Psalm 2:9; Hebrews 10:13), though it makes no real
difference in the sense if we understand it of God, as in Psalm 110:1.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
THE LAST ENEMY – DEATH
Dr. W. A. Criswell
1 Corinthians 15:12-26
4-10-55 10:50 a.m.

Now in your Bible, turn to the middle part of the New Testament, the first
Corinthian letter – the first Corinthian letter, the fifteenth chapter, the
resurrectionchapter of the first Corinthian letter: 1 Corinthians 15. And
we’re going to read togetherthe pastor’s text for this morning – the middle
part of the chapter from the twelfth through the twenty-sixth verses. First
Corinthians 15 from the twelfth verse through the twenty-sixth verse. Now do
we all have it? First Corinthians 15, beginning at the twelfth verse. Now may
we stand together? FirstCorinthians 15, beginning at the twelfth through the
twenty-sixth verses. Now together:
Now if Christ be preachedthat He rose from the dead, how saysome among
you that there is no resurrectionof the dead?
But if there be no resurrectionof the dead, then is Christ not risen.
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and your faith is also
vain.
Yea, and we are found false witnessesofGod, because we have testified of
God that He raised up Christ, whom He raised not up – if so be that the dead
rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins!
Then they also which are fallen asleepin Christ are perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that
slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrectionof the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, 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 lastenemy that shall be destroyed is death.
[1 Corinthians 15:12-26]

Now, Lord, bless the pastor today as he speaksofthe glorious, glorious
triumph we have in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The lastverse that we read is the text of the messagethis morning – 1
Corinthians 15:26: "The lastenemy that shall be destroyed is death."
Man has been able to conquer most of his enemies. Long, long time ago when
the cavemanfought for his life with a big heavy club, with a stone axe, his
enemies that threatened his very existence were those that jumped upon him
out of the darkness of the night and out of the impenetrable forests. The
beasts with the fang and the claw, the lion and the tiger, these were the
greatestenemies ofman, but man overcame the enemy in the forestand in the
night.
One of the greatenemies of man has been disease:yellow fever, diphtheria,
bubonic plague, the black plague, tuberculosis. So many of those diseases the
ingenuity of man is being able to conquer. Yellow fever is almostwiped out of
the earth. Malaria is no more here in America. The bubonic plague is almosta
thing of the past. We are even now grappling with polio in the hope that any
day the announcement can be made that it is foreverconquered.
Man has conqueredhis enemies. Man has almost been able to overwhelm the
elements that war againsthim, harnessing the sea, swimming through it like a
fish, battling the storms of the heavens, sailing through it like a bird, turning
the desertinto a rose.
Oh, in how many areas and in how many fields has the man been able to
conquer his enemies? All but one, just one. So far as I know, I have never yet
heard any philosopher or any metaphysician or any theologianor any scientist
stand up to say, "We have hope that in the future we shall be able to conquer
age and death." The lastenemy, the last enemy, death [1 Corinthians 15:26];
howeverour path may lead, it leads to the grave [Hebrews 9:27].
The boastof heraldry, the pomp of power,
All that beauty, all that wealthe’er gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour.
The paths of glory but lead to the grave.
["ElegyWritten in a Country Churchyard," by Thomas Gray, c. 1750]
That is the end of every trail. It falls into the grave. That is the end of every
life. Psalm 90:9: "We spend our years as a tale that is told." It leads to the
grave.

When I was a youth, the president of Baylor University died, and I was asked
to stand at the head of the casket. As his body was placed in newly-completed
Waco Hall and as the people came by to look upon his face, and as I stood
there, I watchedas a youth that long, long processionof men and women and
young people and boys and girls as they passedby that bier and lookedupon
the face of the greatpresident of Baylor University.
I have been doing that thing identical ever since. For the years of this
ministry, since I was a boy, I have stoodat the head of a casketandwatched
that solemn processionpass by: weeping wives, broken-heartedmothers,
disappointed fathers, crying children – the never-ending, never-ceasing
passing by the bier of the dead. The white horseman [Revelation6:2] riding
forth in vigor and in strength and in youth and in conquestbut always behind
him the red horseman [Revelation6:4] with his sword, and the black
horseman [Revelation6:5] with his balances, andthe pale horseman
[Revelation6:8] with his scythe.
In a beautiful display of the world’s greatart, in the art galleryof Chicago, I
saw a picture there called The Race of Death. On a track was a hooded
skeletonwith a long scythe in his hand, and he was running around the track
by himself. The thing that made it so impressive to me was that in the race of
death he’s by himself. He doesn’t have any competitors. There’s nobody to
run with him. He always wins. He presses upon every foe, and he overtakes us,
and he overwhelms us, and he overcomes us – the race of death.
The greatmonuments of the world are to death. That’s one of the strangest
things as I have gone around this earth and lookedat it. The pyramids in
Egypt stood for hundreds of years, for millenniums of years, and men wonder
why were they built, and who erectedthem, and what was the cause oftheir
towering height. When it was discoveredwhy they were built – you know why,
they are monuments to the dead. They are tombs of the Pharaohs.
When you schoolboys were taught to name the sevenwonders of the ancient
world, one of them was the Mausoleumat Halicarnassus,the ancientcapital
of Caria – the Mausoleum. It was erectedin memory of their wonderful king
Mausolos.And what is it? It was a tomb. It was a monument to the dead.
I have lookedupon the tombs of the RomanCaesars like the tomb of Hadrian
in Rome. I have walkeddown the Appian Way and on either side, miles and
miles, greatornate – at one time lavish and beautiful – tombs where the
Roman patrician when he died soughtto erectsomething that would
perpetuate his memory. So on the Appian Way, miles and miles on either side,
the beautiful tombs of the dead.

I have lookedupon what to me is the most beautiful building in the world: the
Taj Mahal. It is called a teardrop of love of Shah Jahan. But what is it? It is
the most beautifully wrought out piece of architecture I have everseenand a
monument to the dead. It’s a tomb. It’s a tomb.
They said, "Byall means you must go to Nara, the sacredcity of Japan, where
the emperors of Japan are buried. You must look upon the tombs of the
emperors." There’s not anybody who goes to Paris but will always be invited
to visit the Invalides – the gorgeous, ornate tomb of Napoleon. There wouldn’t
be anybody that would ever go to Great Britain that by all means should not
and ought not to see WestminsterAbbey, and WestminsterAbbey is the tomb,
the sarcophagi,ofthe greatof the British Empire.
I say around this earth have I lookedupon the monuments of this earth to
death – visiting the tombs of the dead. Only thing is, I visited one other tomb.
Here is the body of Napoleon. Here, the tomb of the Caesars.There, in silent
death, the beautiful wife of Shah Jahan. There the emperor of Japan.
I visited – I visited one other tomb. The Arab guide said, "You’re a preacher.
I thought maybe early in the morning, being the Lord’s Day, Sunday’s day,
early in the morning, I might come by and get you, and we’d go to the tomb
together. Be there as the sun rises over the east."
I said, "Surely."
So early in the morning while it was yet dark, he knockedatthe door, and we
went to a little knoll just beyond the Damascusgate calledin the Hebrew
tongue "Golgotha"andin the Latin language "Calvary";in our language,
"the place of a skull." It kind of looks that way – like a skull, like death itself.
And there at the foot of a little knoll is a garden, and on the inside of that
garden is a tomb. And the Arab guide said, "And I’ll stay out here while you
go in."
So my companion, Dr. McCall, and I went into that tomb. Empty. We went
into that tomb. Empty. One of us sat at the head; the other one of us satat the
foot where the angelsat. And I opened this little Greek New Testament, and I
read out of my Greek New Testamentonce againthe glorious story of the
resurrectionof Jesus Christ our Savior: that empty tomb.
So I thought this morning, I’d read it as it is here in the Book just as Matthew
wrote it; and if you want to follow it in the Book, youturn to the twenty-
eighth chapter of the Book of Matthew, the twenty-eighth chapter of the Book
of Matthew. Now when I read it, of course, it will not be beautiful English like
you have in the King James Versionof the Bible, but this is the thing just
literally written.

Opse – begins with an adverb that means "at the end of, as it was closing."
"At the end of the Sabbath, as it was dawning toward the first day of the
week, came Maryof Magdala – Mary from the town of Magdala – and the
other Mary to see the sepulcher" [Matthew 28:1].
"And, behold, it came to pass a great seismos – a greatearthquake – for an
angelof the Lord coming down from heaven, and coming to, rolled the stone
awayand satupon it [Matthew 28:2]. His appearance – not just his
countenance, his face – his whole appearance was as lightning, and his
garments – His clothing – white, white as snow [Matthew 28:3]. And for fear
of him, the keepers eseisthēsan – there’s your word again, seismos, they
quaked – and for fear of him the keepers quaked. Theytrembled, and they
became as dead men" [Matthew 28:4].
"And answering, the angelsaid to the women, ‘You, you do not fear. Do not
be afraid, you. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, the One who was
crucified. He is not here; He is raised, even as He said. Come, see the place
where He was laid [Matthew 28:5-6]. And go quickly, say to His disciples that
He is raisedfrom the dead, and behold, "He goes before you into Galilee;
there you shall see Him." Behold, I’ve saidit to you. I’ve told you’ [Matthew
28:7]. And they went awayquickly from the tomb with fear and great
rejoicing. They ran to announce to His disciples" [Matthew 28:8].
And that’s the way it is in Greek. It just doesn’t make goodEnglish. "They
ran to announce to His disciples" [Matthew 28:8] – to tell the disciples. "And
behold, Jesus met them face-to-face"[Matthew 28:9]. Jesus met them saying,
"Chairete." That’s just the Greek word of greeting:"hail" – literally means
"hail," chairete. "Jesus Himselfmet them face-to-face, chairete. And they
came to Him and they claspedHis feet and they worshiped Him" [Matthew
28:9].
All those words are expressive of the intense feeling and amazement of those
women. And they came to Him. They came close to Him, and they claspedHis
feet. They held Him fast, and they worshiped Him [Matthew 28:9].
Then He says to them – Jesus – Jesus says to them, "Do not fear. You go and
you tell My brethren that they go awayinto Galilee, there shall they see Me"
[Matthew 28:10].
Now the sixteenth verse:"Then the eleven disciples went awayinto Galilee,
into the mountain which was appointed them by Jesus. And seeing Him, they
worshiped Him; but some doubted" [Matthew 28:16-17]– not of the eleven
disciples. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, over five hundred brethren at once were

there. Some of them doubted, and Jesus came to them. Jesus drew near to
them.
And He broke the silence, saying to them, "It is given unto Me" – that’s a
timeless aorist – "It is given unto Me all authority" [Matthew 28:18]. And
that’s an exacttranslation of that word "authority."
It is given unto Me – all authority in heaven and upon the earth.
Going therefore, make disciples of all of the nations, baptizing them into the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Teaching them to keepall the things whatsoeverI have commanded you; and
behold, I, I am with you
– and it’s repeated –
and behold, I, I am with you all the days, even unto the consummation of the
age.
[Matthew 28:18-20]
Now, the meaning and the messageofthat solemnmorning. First, it turned
their sorrow into joy. Oh, the heartbrokennessofthose disciples as they
mourned and wept, came to that sepulcherto look upon the dead. Vanished:
every hope, every dream. All of it, all of it, gone. And when they came to the
sepulcher, the stone rolled away, an angel from God: "He’s not here"
[Matthew 28:1-6]. Not the Lord Jesus. Did you think death could hold Him?
The bonds of the grave destroy Him? "He’s not here. He’s arisen" [Matthew
28:6]. He’s alive! "Come, look at the place where he was laid, and go, go tell
His disciples that He’s raisedfrom the dead" [Matthew 28:6-7]. And in fear –
never, never does a man come in the presence ofGod without that feeling of
awe and wonder[Exodus 3:1-16; Isaiah 6:5; Revelation1:17]. All these things
are too greatfor us.
With fear and with greatrejoicing, with gladness unspeakable, they ran to
bring the disciples word: "He’s alive! He’s alive! He’s not dead. He’s not dead
– not Jesus. He’s not dead! Our Lord is alive. He’s alive! He’s alive. He’s
alive" [Matthew 28:8].
Secondthing: that morning took the sting out of death. "O Death, where is
thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be unto Godwho giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" [1 Corinthians 15:55, 57].
When John saw Him, he says, "And I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid
His right hand upon me saying, Fearnot, fear not; I am the First and the
Last." I was here before all creation. I’ll be here when the elements have

dissolvedwith fervent heat and the world burned up in fire [2 Peter3:7, 12].
Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. "I am He that was dead; and
behold, I am alive forevermore;and I, I have the keys of hell and of death"
[Revelation1:17-18], and I have the keys of Hades and of the grave. They’re
in My hands.
There’s no sting in it any longer. There’s no victory in it anymore. "Thanks
be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" [1
Corinthians 15:58].
And one other in my text: it was the destruction of death. The last enemy that
shall be destroyed is death [1 Corinthians 15:26].
"Well, what do you mean, Preacher? We’re still dying. We’re still growing
older, and we still fall into that terrible grave. What do you mean?"
It is the destruction of death. This is what I mean. This is what I mean:
Christians don’t die. They don’t. No, sir. Christians don’t die. You listen to
the Word of God: "I show you a mystery. We shall all be changedin a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the lasttrump, for the trumpet shall
sound and we shall all be changed" [1 Corinthians 15:52]. Christians don’t
die. We fall asleepin Jesus [1 Thessalonians 4:13]– these bodies do. And our
spirits go to be with the Lord [2 Corinthians 5:8] awaiting that resurrection
day when in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we are all changed and the
dead are raisedincorruptible [1 Corinthians 15:51-54].
Jesus lookedupon weeping Martha and weeping Mary. He said, "I am the
resurrectionand the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live. And whosoeverliveth and believeth in Me shall never, never die"
[John 11:25-26].
Christians don’t die. We just change from this house of claysome day into the
new house made without hands of God in heaven [2 Corinthians 5:1]. We just
leave this place to live in a better place. We don’t belong here – not God’s
children [Hebrews 11:13].
We’re in a pilgrimage here. We’re on our wayto heaven.
I am a strangerhere, Heav’n is my home;
Earth is a desert drear, Heav’n is my home.
Sorrows and dangers stand round me on every hand;
Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home.
["I’m But a StrangerHere," by Thomas R. Taylor, 1836]

Christians don’t die; they just go home [2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23-
24]. They just go home. There comes a time when we’re ready for heaven [2
Timothy 4:6-8]. There comes a time when our mission is done in the earth.
There comes a day when our task is finished, and the Lord says, "Come up
higher. It’s better over here."
Christians are not afraid. Christians don’t tremble before death [1
Thessalonians 4:13-18;2 Timothy 4:6-8]. We may fear the Lord in awe and in
wonder. We may tremble before Him, but we’re not afraid of death. Jesus
took awayits sting and its hurt [1 Corinthians 15:55-57]. We’re not afraid of
the grave. Jesus was victorious overit. We’re not afraid of that final and last
enemy for he is destroyedin the triumph of the glorious resurrectionof Jesus
Christ.
So we live our lives in the faith and in the love and in the patience of the Lord
Jesus. And when we meet that last enemy, that final, final enemy, and when
we come face to face with that final enemy, we shall shout, "Thanks be to
God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" [1
Corinthians 15:57] That’s the messageofEaster. That’s the message oftoday.
That’s the messageand the hope of Jesus our Christ.
Now, we must sing our song. While we sing it, while we sing it, in that topmost
balcony to the last, last row, from side to side, in this greatbalcony around, on
this lowerfloor, anywhere, somebodyyou, while we make appealtoday, would
you give your heart in faith to the Lord Jesus? "As it says in the Book, as God
has witnessed, I believe the Word and the testimony of God. I, too, believe that
He liveth, and because He lives we shall live also. My victory, too, shall be in
Him." Would you come?
Is there somebody, you, would put your home togethertoday? One of you
belongs, one of you does not. Would you put your home togethertoday and
come and stand here by me? "Preacher, todaywe put our home togetherin
Christ." Would you? HoweverGod would saythe word, howeverGod would
make the appeal – trusting Jesus or putting your life with us here in this
ministry – would you make your wayto the front and give me your hand?
"Preacher, I’ve given my heart and faith to God, and here I am. Here I
come," while we stand and while we sing.

Christ Exalted
or
Jesus Christ Gloriously Exalted Above All Evil in the Work of Redemption
by
Jonathan Edwards
(1703-1758)
Dated August 1738
"For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy
that shall be destroyed, is death." -- 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26
Subject: Our Lord Jesus Christ in the work of redemption gloriously appears
above all evil.
The apostle in this chapter particularly opposes some among the Christian
Corinthians who denied the resurrectionof the dead and infested the church
with their doctrine. There were two sorts of persons in that age who were
especiallygreatopposers ofthe doctrine of the resurrection. One among the
Jewswere the Sadducees,ofwhom we read, Acts 23:8. For the Sadducees say
that there is no resurrection, either angelor spirit. And we have the same
accountin other places. Among the heathen that were the chief opposers of
this doctrine were their philosophers. The doctrine of the resurrectionof the
dead was not consistentwith their philosophy, by the principles of which, it
was impossible that one who was deprived of the habit of life, would ever
receive it again. And therefore they ridiculed the doctrine when the apostle
preachedit among them at Athens. (Acts 17)Probably the church at Corinth
receivedthis corruption from the philosophers, and not the Sadducees. For
Corinth was near to Athens, and the place of the chief resortof the
philosophers of Greece.
The apostle, in opposing this error, first insists on Christ’s resurrectionfrom
the dead, and next on the resurrectionof all the saints at the end of the world.
And in the verses next before the text, shows how both are connected, or that
one arises orfollows from the other. And then adds, “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
destroyedis death.” Observe,

I. Here is one thing wherein appears the glory of that exaltation and
dominion, that Christ has as our redeemer, viz. that it issues in the subjection
of all enemies under his feet. It is not said all his enemies, possibly because
those that shall be put under his feet are not only his enemies, but also the
enemies of his Fatherand of his people. Their being underhis feet denotes
their being perfectly subdued, and his being gloriouslyexalted over them. It
shall be thus with respectto God’s and his, and his people’s enemies
universally, not one excepted;which universality is signified here two ways;
all enemies— and the very last enemy:when there shall be but one enemy left,
that shall also be put under his feet.
II. We may learn what is here meant by enemiesby the particular instance
here given as the last that shall be destroyed, viz. death. Which shows that by
enemies, is not meant persons only, that setthemselves in opposition to God
and his people, but evils;whatever is againstGodand his people, and opposes
Christ or his saints, whether they be persons or things.
SECTION I
How evil of all kinds has prevailed and highly exalted itself in the world.
Evil, of all kinds, has risen to an exceeding height in the world, and highly
exalted itself againstGod, and Christ, and the church. — This will appearby
the following particulars.
I. Satan has highly exalted himself, and greatly prevailed. He is vastly superior
in his natural capacityand abilities to mankind. He was originally one of the
highest rank of creatures, but proudly exalted himself in rebellion against
God in heaven. We are told, that pridewas the condemnationof the devil. (1
Tim. 3:6) He became proud of his own superior dignity and mighty abilities,
and the glory which his Creatorhad put upon him. And [he] probably
thought it too much to submit to the Sonof God, and attempted to exalt his
throne above him. And he prevailed to draw away vastmultitudes of the
heavenly hosts into an open rebellion againstGod.
And after he was castdown from heaven, he proudly exalted himself in this
world, and prevailed to do greatthings. By his subtle temptations he procured
the fall of our first parents, and so brought about the ruin of their whole race.
He procured their ruin in body and soul, and the death of both, and that they
should be exposedto all manner of calamity in this world, and to eternalruin
hereafter. He so far prevailed, that he drew men off from the service oftheir
Maker, and setup himself to be the god of this world. And in a little time, [he]
drew the world into that almostuniversal corruption, which brought on the
flood of water, but which it was destroyed. And after that, he drew on all

nations, except the posterity of Jacob, from the worship of the true God, and
darkenedall the world with heathenism, and held them under this darkness
for a greatmany ages, he himself being worshipped as God almost all over the
world. The nations of the earth offeredsacrifices to him and multitudes
offered up their children. And during that time, he often so far prevailed
againstthe people of God, that he had almostswallowedthem up. The church
was often brought to the very brink of ruin.
And when Christ himself appeared in the world, how did he exalt himself
againsthim! And prevailed so far, as to influence men to hate and despise him
all the days of his life. And at last he persuaded one of his own disciples to
betray him. Accordingly, he was delivered into the hands of men, to be
mocked, buffeted, spit upon, and treatedwith the greatestignominy that
unrestrained malice could devise. And at last procured that he should be put
to the most cruel and ignominious kind of death. And since that, he has
greatly exaltedhimself againstthe gospeland kingdom of Christ. He has
procured that the church, for the most part, has been the subject of great
persecution;has often brought it to the brink of utter destruction; has
accomplishedgreatworks in setting up those greatkingdoms of antichrist and
Mahomet; and darkened greatpart of the world, that was once enlightened
with the gospelofChrist, with worse than heathen darkness. And he has
infected the Christian world with multitudes of heresies and false ways of
worship, and greatly promoted atheism and infidelity. Thus highly has the
devil exalted himself againstGodand Christ, and the elect. And so far he
prevailed.
II. Guiltis another evil which has come to a greatheight in the world. All guilt
is an evil of a dreadful nature. The leastdegree ofit is enoughutterly to undo
any creature. It is a thing that reaches unto heaven, and cries to God, and
brings down his wrath. The guilt of any one sin is so terrible an evil that it
prevails to bind over the guilty person to suffer everlasting burnings. And so
is in some respectinfinite, in that it obliges to that punishment which has no
end. And so is infinitely terrible. But this kind of evil has risen to a most
amazing height in this world. Where not only some persons are guilty, but all,
in all nations and ages, are naturally guilty wretches. And they who live to act
any time in the world, are not only guilty of one sin, but of thousands, and
thousands of thousands. What multiplied and what aggravatedsins are some
men guilty of! What guilt lies on some particular persons!How much more on
some particular populous cities!How much more still on this wickedworld!
How much does the guilt of the world transcendall account, all expression, all
powerof numbers or measures!And above all, how vast is the guilt of the

world, in all ages, fromthe beginning to the end of it! To what a pitch has
guilt risen! The world being, as it were, on every side, loadedwith it, as with
mountains heapedon mountains, above the clouds and stars of heaven.
And guilt, when it was imparted to Christ, greatly prevailed againsthim —
though in himself innocent, and the eternal Sonof God — even so as to hold
him prisoner of justice for a while, and to open the flood-gates ofGod’s wrath
upon him, and bring his waves and billows over him.
III. Corruption and wickednessofheart is another thing that has risen to an
exceeding height in the world. Sin has so far prevailed that it has become
universal. All mere men are become sinful and corrupt creatures. Let us
attend to St. Paul’s description of the world (Rom. 3:9-18), “Jews and Gentiles
are all under sin. As is written, There is none righteous, no not one; there is
none that understandeth, there is none that seekethafterGod. They are all
gone out of the way, they are togetherbecome unprofitable, there is none that
doeth good, no not one.” And not only is every one corrupt, but they are all
over corrupt, in every power, faculty, and principle. Every part is depraved.
Which is here representedby the severalparts of the body being corrupt, as
the throat, the tongue, the lips, the mouth, the feet. “Their throat is an open
sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under
their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:their feet are swift to
shed blood.” And not only is every part corrupt, but exceeding corrupt, being
possessedwith dreadful principles of corruption. horribly evil dispositions
and principles of sin, that may be representedby the poisonof asps, which
makes men like vipers and devils, principles of all uncleanness, pride, deceit,
injustice, enmity, malice, blasphemy, murder. Here their throats are
compared to an open sepulcher, and their mouth is said to be full of cursing
and bitterness, and destructionand misery are said to be in their ways.
And there are those principles of sin not only that are very bad, but every
kind. Here is no sort of wickedness,but there is a seedof it in men. And these
seeds and principles have not only a being in men’s hearts, but are there in
greatstrength. They have the absolute possessionand dominion overmen so
that they are sold undersin. Yea, wickedprinciples, and those only, are in the
heart. The imagination of the thoughts of their heart is evil only. There are bad
principles only, and no goodones. “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Thus the hearts of all men are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9).
And if we look, not only at the natural corruption of the heart, but at the
contractedhabits of sin, by wickededucationand customs, how full shall we
find the world of wickedness, in this respect!How have men, by bad customs
in sinning, brokendown all restraints upon natural corruption, and as it were

Jesus was a king who must reign

Jesus was a king who must reign

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was a king who must reign

Similar to Jesus was a king who must reign (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Jesus was a king who must reign