1 Corinthians 15:24

Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power.

'Then cometh the end' -'next after that' (F.F. Bruce p. 146) 'Marks the next event after the second coming.' (Willis p. 550)

Point to Note:

Other passages inform us that the resurrection of the wicked will happen at the same time as the resurrection of the righteous. (John 5:28; Matthew 25:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:7) And these passages also inform us that "the end" will happen when Christ comes again (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore we must reject the Premillennial theories that try to place 1007 years between the resurrection of the righteous and the resurrection of the wicked, including the end.

'when he' -i.e. Christ

'shall deliver up the kingdom to God' -this implies that JESUS IS REIGNING AS KING NOW. And that the kingdom of God is established now. (John 3:5; Mark 9:1; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 5:9.)

Point to Note:

This presents another conflict with Premillennial theory. Premillennial doctrine states that Jesus is coming back to "set up" the kingdom of God. But according to Paul, when Jesus comes, and with it the end, the kingdom of God is not set up, it is delivered up.

'deliver up' -'to surrender, to give over into the hands of another.' (McGuiggan p. 193)

Points to Note:

1. Included in this kingdom, are the people of God. (Colossians 1:13) Compare Acts 20:28 with Revelation 1:5. Christ will present all the saved to the Father.

2. When Christ delivers up the kingdom of God, does that mean He will cease to reign?

'Sovereignty has been committed to the Son for. definite purpose: when that purpose has been fulfilled the sovereignty returns to the original source. We need not think of Christ as losing anything or as ceasing to rule, but as bringing to. triumphant conclusion. special dispensation.' (Willis p. 551)

'As little as the Father fails to rule now when Christ exercises the rule, so little will Christ cease to rule when he delivers the rule to the Father.' (Lenski p. 675)

'when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power' -'The powers to be abolished, naturally, are those which oppose God.' (Ephesians 6:12) (McGuiggan p. 194) Including the final enemy, death.

Point to Note:

'There are those who feel that the mess the world is in makes it impossible for Christ to be ruling. This is the secular way of looking at things...If the mess the world is in now proves Jesus isn't in control then the mess the world's been in since the beginning proves that no one has ever been in control. The fallacy in this thinking is that God is so in control that evil and suffering can't happen. But this would mean God has NEVER been in control.' (McGuiggan p. 194)