1 Corinthians 15:26

Now he says in a previous passage (of our Epistle to the Corinthians), that "the last enemy to be destroyed is death." In this way, then, it is that corruption shall not inherit incorruption; in other words, death shall not continue.

As the psalmist pleads that God be glorified in the borders of his enemies, so do we. When they have ceased to be enemies, then you, O Lord, will be exalted among them.

"The last enemy that shall be abolished is death." How the last? After all, after the devil, after all the other things. For so in the beginning also death came in last; the counsel of the devil having come first, and our disobedience, and then death. Virtually then indeed it is even now abolished: but actually, at that time. For this cause indeed doth he set death last, that from the victory over the rest this also might be easily admitted by the unbeliever. For when He destroys the devil who brought in death, much more will He put an end to His work. But if bodies do not rise again, how are these things true? For the worst enemy of all, death, remains, having wrought whatever he listed. "Nay," saith one, "for they shall sin no more." And what of that? For he is not discoursing here of the death of the soul, but of that of the body? How then is he "put down?" For victory is this, the winning of those things which have been carried off and detained. But if men's bodies are to be detained in the earth, it follows that the tyranny of death remains, these bodies for their part being holden, and there being no other body for him to be vanquished in. But if this which Paul spake of, ensue, as undoubtedly it will ensue, God's victory will appear, and that a glorious one, in His being able to raise again the bodies which were holden thereby. Since an enemy too is then vanquished, when a man takes the spoils, not when he suffers them to remain in the other's possession: but unless one venture to take what is his, how can we say that he is vanquished? After this manner of victory doth Christ Himself say in the Gospels that He hath been victorious, thus speaking, "When he shall bind the strong man, then shall he also spoil his goods." Since if this were not so, it would not be at all a manifest victory. […]

944. – So, therefore, the subjection of all adversaries is clear, which subjection will, indeed, be most complete, because even that which is extremely hostile will be subjected to Him. This, however, is death, which is contrary to life most of all; and therefore, he …

Since he said that He will abolish the opposing powers and set up trophies, and someone might doubt and say, "perhaps He will grow weak while He does all this, and will not be able to accomplish it," he says that He will not grow …

When saints shall live again, and die no more, then, and not till then, will death be abolished, which must be brought about before our Saviour's mediatorial kingdom is delivered up, which yet must be in due time. The saints therefore shall live again and die no more. This is the scope of the argument; but, 2.

He has risen, and, upon his resurrection, was invested with sovereign empire, had all power in heaven and earth put into his hands ( Matt. xxviii. 18 ), had a name given him above every name, that every knee might bow to him, and every tongue confess him Lord.

He is alive who was dead, and liveth for ever, and doth reign, and will continue to reign, till the redemption of his people be completed, and the utter ruin of their enemies effected. (4.) When this is done, and all things are put under his feet, then shall the Son become subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all,

The last enemy that is destroyed is death - Namely, after Satan, Heb. ii, 14, and sin, ver. 56, are destroyed. In the same order they prevailed. Satan brought in sin, and sin brought forth death.

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The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

(2.) That this mediatorial kingdom is to have an end, at least as far as it is concerned in bringing his people safely to glory, and subduing all his and their enemies: Then cometh the end,

He answers an objection against this truth, and takes occasion thence to show what a vast change will be made in the bodies of believers at the resurrection,

shall be--Greek, "is done away with" (Re 20:14; compare Re 1:18). It is to believers especially this applies (1Co 15:55-57); even in the case of unbelievers, death is done away with by the general resurrection. Satan brought in sin, and sin brought in death!

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OUR Savior stooped to the lowest depths of degradation—He shall be exalted to the topmost heights of glory. "Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name." Our Lord was trampled beneath the feet of all, but the day comes when all things shall be trampled beneath His feet. By so much as He descended, by so much shall He ascend.

OUR Savior stooped to the lowest depths of degradation—He shall be exalted to the topmost heights of glory. "Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name." Our Lord was trampled beneath the feet of all, but the day comes when all things shall be trampled beneath His feet. By so much as He descended, by so much shall He ascend. By the greatness of His sufferings may we judge of the unspeakable grandeur of His glory. Already sin lies beneath His feet, and Satan, like the old dragon bound, is there also. The systems of idolatry which were paramount in the days of His flesh, He has broken as with a rod of iron. Where are the gods of Rome and Greece? Where are Jupiter, Diana, and Mercury? Let the moles and the bats reply. The colossal systems of idolatry which still dominate over the minds of men must yet come down. The truth as it is in Jesus must before long prevail over those ancient dynasties of error, for Jesus our Lord must reign from the river even unto the ends of the earth. In these last times, when sin in all its forms and Satan with all his craft shall be subdued, then Death itself, the unconquerable Death, the insatiable devourer of the human race who has swept them away as grass before the mower's scythe—then shall Death who has feared the face of none, but has laid armies prostrate in his wrath, be utterly destroyed! He who is immortality and life shall bring death of Death and destruction to the grave, and unto Him shall be songs of everlasting praise. Contemplate the glory of your Master, then, Believer! From the base of the pyramid, deep in darkness, He rises to the summit which is high in glory! From the depths of the abyss of woe He leaps to the tops of the mountain of joy.

DURING four previous Sabbaths we have been following our Lord and Master through His great achievements. We have seen Him as the end of the Law, as the Conqueror of Satan, as the Overcomer of the world, as the Creator of all things new. And now we behold Him as the Destroyer of death. In this and in all His other glorious deeds, let us worship Him with all our hearts! May the Spirit of God lead us into the full meaning of this, which is one of the Redeemer's grandest Characters.

DURING four previous Sabbaths we have been following our Lord and Master through His great achievements. We have seen Him as the end of the Law, as the Conqueror of Satan, as the Overcomer of the world, as the Creator of all things new. And now we behold Him as the Destroyer of death. In this and in all His other glorious deeds, let us worship Him with all our hearts! May the Spirit of God lead us into the full meaning of this, which is one of the Redeemer's grandest Characters. How wonderfully is our Lord Jesus one with man! For when the Psalmist David had considered "the heavens, the work of God's fingers," He said, "Lord, what is man—that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You visit him?" He was speaking of Christ. You would have thought he was thinking of man in his humblest estate, and that he was wondering that God should be pleased to honor so frail a being as the poor fallen son of Adam.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death - The other foes of God should be subdued “before” the final resurrection. The enmity of the human heart should be subdued by the triumphs of the gospel. The scepter of Satan should be broken and wrested from him. The false systems of religion that had tyrannized over people should be destroyed. The gospel should have spread everywhere, and the world be converted to God. And nothing should remain but to “subdue” or destroy death, and that would be by the resurrection. It would be: (1) Because the resurrection would be a triumph over death, showing that there was one of greater power, and that the sceptre would be wrested from the hands of death. (2) Because death would cease to reign. No more would ever die. All that should be raised up would live forever; and the effects of sin and rebellion in this world would be thus forever ended, and the kingdom of God restored. Death is here personified as a tyrant, exercising despotic power over the human race; and “he” is to be subdued.