God's Plan Of The Ages

I Corinthians 15:21-26

For since death came through a man,

This man was Adam.

the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

This is Christ Jesus, true man, born of a woman.

For as in Adam all die,

Because Adam sinned, disobeying God with full knowledge of what he was doing, this propensity to sin (sin-nature, or Original Sin) came through his genes to everyone else born into this human family.

So in Christ all will be made alive.

Every person will be raised to face judgment: Believers at Christ's Mercy Seat, or Bema Seat, for rewards; and unbelievers at the Great White Throne.

But each in his own turn:

Everything is orderly with God, according to His timetable.

Christ, the First Fruits;

He will fulfill all the six great Feasts God gave to Israel.

Then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.

When He comes and calls us out to meet Him in the clouds, to resurrect all His believers, living and dead.

Then the end will come,

The end of this world, at the end of King Jesus' one thousand year reign, at the Great Battle that results in the whole Earth exploding (see II Peter 3:10).

when He hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

Transitioning from King Jesus' reign on Earth to God the Father's Lordship over the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-3).

For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.

This will be during Jesus' millennial reign on this Earth, and we are in our resurrection bodies as His kings and queens, ruling with Him.

The last enemy to be destroyed is Death.

So the people who go into this Millennial Reign in their human bodies will still be subject to death, though will probably not die of old age, but live out the original lifespans of humans before the Deluge.

Paul is laying out God's whole Plan of the Ages for this Earth, all of which is still future for him, and for us, too. But we can read the last page: we win!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!