What does it mean that "the last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26)?

Finally, it has been sought to identify the destruction of death (verse 26) with death being swallowed up in victory (verse 54); and as the former is confessedly at "the end," or immediately preceding it, it has been contended that so is the latter. But the swallowing up of death in victory is not necessarily the destruction of death. A foe, long triumphant, may have laid his rueful grasp on the rightful subjects of some mighty prince; he may, by that prince's conquering hosts, be swallowed up in victory, and all his captives set at liberty — and yet the life of the tyrant may be spared; yea, he may be spared to act the part of jailer to the prince's enemies. It is exactly so in the case before us. Death has had under his grasp the bodies of God's beloved people. At the coming of the Lord, the Prince of life, he will be compelled to relinquish every captive: not one of all the bodies of God's people shall be left in the grasp of the fell destroyer. He must disgorge his prey. He must give up all. Already has he been compelled to release that blessed One Himself, who once entered, voluntarily entered, his dark domains. It was then that death was conquered. A mightier than he who had the power of death had voluntarily subjected Himself to death in atonement; and having in His death put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, He came forth, bursting every barrier, and leading captivity captive. Not only was it impossible that He Himself should be holden of death; His death in atonement set aside death's title over the saints. He abolished death; and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in Himself. Faith knows this now, and rejoices in this perfect victory of Christ over death. True that for wise and gracious purposes death is still permitted to retain in his grasp the bodies of those who have been put to sleep by Jesus. But when Jesus comes, the bodies of all His saints shall be delivered from every trace of the power of death. Death shall then indeed be swallowed up in victory! Still death is not destroyed. It is, so to speak, for a thousand years longer, the jailer of those unhappy ones who have lived and died in sin. They, too, shall then be raised in the resurrection of judgment, and then death itself shall be destroyed. "Death and hell (hades) were cast into the lake of fire." But this brings us to Rev. 20, and to that chapter we must now turn our attention.

I would notice here, however, a difficulty which may occur to some. It may be enquired, "If death be swallowed up in victory at the commencement of the millennium, how is it that in this chapter we are told that 'the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death'? and how is it that we find in Rev. 20:14, that at the close of the millennium, and not before, 'death and hades are cast into the lake of fire'?" My brethren, the swallowing up death in victory is not necessarily the destruction of death. A foe long triumphant may have laid his rueful grasp on the rightful subjects of some mighty prince; he may by that prince's conquering hosts be swallowed up in victory, and all his captives set at liberty; every subject of the prince that has been in bondage to him may be released; and yet the life of the tyrant may be spared — yea, he may be spared to act the part of jailer to the prince's enemies. It is exactly so in the case before us. Death has had under his grasp the bodies of God's beloved people. At the coming of the Lord, the Prince of life, he will be compelled to relinquish every captive; not one of all the bodies of God's people shall be left in the grasp of the fell destroyer. He must disgorge his prey; he must give up all. Already has he been compelled to give up that wondrous blessed One himself, who once entered, voluntarily entered, his dark domains. The Lord Jesus Christ was once for a little while an inmate of the tomb. It was then that he really conquered death. "That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death" (see Heb. 2:14) was the object for which he had taken part of flesh and blood; and his resurrection proved that death's power was vanquished, — death's title set aside! A mightier than he who had the power of death had voluntarily subjected himself to death in atonement; and having in his death put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, he came forth, bursting every barrier, and leading captivity captive. Not only was it impossible that he himself should be holden of death, his death in atonement set aside death's title over the saints. He "abolished death;" and having "spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (or in himself). Faith knows this now, and rejoices in this perfect victory of Christ over death. True, that for wise and gracious purposes death is still permitted to retain in his grasp the bodies of those who have been put to sleep by Jesus; but it is only during the absence of Jesus that death has this permitted power. And such is the effect of Christ's victory over death, that even now, while believers do die, death is gain to the believer. "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." But when Jesus comes, the bodies of all his saints shall be delivered from every trace. of the power of death. Death shall indeed be swallowed up in victory then. When all the risen and glorified saints shall unite to sing, what faith has sung by anticipation even here, "O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ;" surely death is swallowed up in victory then! Still it is not destroyed. It is, so to speak, for a thousand years longer the jailer of those unhappy ones who have lived and died in sin. "The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." While those who are pronounced blessed and holy, as having part in the first resurrection, live and reign with Christ for a thousand years over a renewed and happy world, the generations of the wicked dead shall, so to speak, remain under the custody of death until the end of that blessed period. Then shall they too be raised in the resurrection of judgment, and death itself shall be destroyed. But you see, my brethren, how distinct this is from death being swallowed up in victory. The one is at the commencement of the millennial reign of Christ; the other is at its close, when he shall "deliver 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 destroyed is death." (1 Cor. 15:24-26.)

Death is not the last enemy "to each individual soldier of Christ," for it is positively revealed that "we shall not all sleep, though we shall all be changed;" and this too in the very same chapter from which Dr. W. quotes. But, viewed, as it was meant to be, as the last enemy dispensationally, let the reader compare these three Scriptures, 2 Tim. 1:10, 1 Cor. 15:54, (cf. verses 23, 24,) and Rev. 20:13, and then answer if it be not plain that there are here three stages; first, the conquest over death at Christ's resurrection, and life, and incorruptibility, brought to light through the Gospel; secondly, the conquest over death at the resurrection of Christ's people at His coming before the reign; and, thirdly, the annihilation of death at the end of that reign, when He shall have put all enemies under His feet — Gog and Magog, and if there be any other — the last of which is death.

It is sometimes difficult to give the exact force of the word rendered "destroyed" in this scripture. It is of very frequent occurrence in the New Testament, being found some twenty-eight times, and in each case the context must be considered. Generally speaking, it signifies to make void, cancel, set aside, abrogate, annul, or abolish. In Luke 13:7, it is given as "cumbering," or as elsewhere more accurately translated, "Why does it also render the ground useless?" In Romans 3:3 it is, "Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" In verse 31 of the same chapter it is translated to "make void." Having called attention to its general usage, we may now consider its force in some important connections. To those acquainted with the truth it will be apparent, at once, that "destroyed" is too strong a word in Romans 6:6. Taking the "body of sin" to mean, as is often done, sin in its totality, sin as the evil principle which characterizes, or is active, in the flesh - in man's fallen nature; and understanding that it came up, in the cross of Christ, for unsparing judgment, so that it has gone for ever from before the eye of God, and from the eye of faith, it yet could not be said to be destroyed for the simple reason that it continues to exist in the believer. (See Romans 7:25.) Accordingly, in the Revised Version, we find substituted, "done away," and, more accurately, in the New Translation, "annulled." That is to say, the teaching of the scripture is that our old man has been crucified with Christ, in order that the power, or the claims, of the body of sin might be abrogated, set aside, or annulled, for the believer, so that he might be no longer enslaved to it. The same remarks will almost exactly apply to Hebrews 2:14; for, as we well know, Satan has not been "destroyed," but his claims upon the believer have for ever been nullified, or abolished, through the death of Christ. Through the just judgment of God, the devil has acquired rights over fallen man, and he consequently wields the power of death over every unconverted soul; but both his rights and delegated power have been for ever set aside for those who have been delivered from his bondage by Him, who in death endured all the judgment of God against them, on account of their state and guilt, and who thus effected their redemption. One other example may be cited. In 2 Timothy 1:10, our Saviour Jesus Christ is said to have "abolished" death, and brought life and incorruptibility to light through the gospel. The Revised Version keeps the word "abolish," while the New Translation again gives "annulled," which is a happier rendering. For the abolition of death will not be, even for God's people, until the morning of the resurrection, when, as we are expressly told, death will be swallowed up in victory. In the meantime, while the believer may fall asleep, and depart to be with Christ, the claims and power of death over him have been abrogated. Hence it is that, in the prospect of death, he may triumphantly cry, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." But the time is approaching, in the coming kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the last enemy that shall be "destroyed" (abolished now - it is the same word) is death; "for He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet." The reader will find much instruction and profit in following out the subject.

Verse 26. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." No enemy of God escapes destruction, and the general waster is the last destroyed. For the believer, both death, and sin, which is its cause, are already at an end.4 Old things are passed away, and all things become new.5 The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was the assertion of His victorious title as the Captain of Salvation; since by dying once for all to sin, He had both abolished death, and destroyed him that has the power of death, that is, the devil!6 But while truth is crowned with glory in His person, its effective conquests run on to the close of time. While mortality attaches to mankind, this enemy is still in force, though as the instrument of His will only, who is the Lord of the living and the dead. Death must first swallow up all other victims, in fulfilment of God's righteous judgment upon sin, before it is itself consigned (together with the grave to which it leads) to that fiery abyss which must finally receive whatever in its nature is opposed to God.7

Death is here said to be the last enemy destroyed. For after sin has been fully and eternally judged, then death, the sentence against sin, will be totally annulled. This is seen in Revelation 20:14.

There are three steps therefore in these events: first, the resurrection of Christ; then, the resurrection of those who are His, at His coming; afterwards, the end, when He shall have given up the kingdom to the Father. The first and the second are the accomplishment in resurrection of the power of life in Christ and in His people. When He comes, He takes the kingdom; He takes His great power and acts as king. From His coming then to the end is the development of His power, in order to subdue all things to Himself; during which all power and all authority shall be abolished. For He must reign till all His enemies are under His feet; the last subdued will be death. Here then, as the effect of His power only, and not in connection with the communication of life, we find the resurrection of those who are not His; for the destruction of death is their resurrection. They are passed over in silence: only that death, such as we see it, has no longer dominion over them. Christ has the right and the power, in virtue of His resurrection and of His having glorified the Father, to destroy the dominion of death over them, and to raise them up again. This will be the resurrection of judgment. Its effect is declared elsewhere.

Now sitting upon the Father's throne as Son of God, and having "all authority in heaven and earth," He comes as Son of man in glory to take His own throne as such, It is plainly this kingdom which He delivers up to the Father (according to 1 Cor. 15:24-28), having accomplished the purpose for which He took it. He reigns, says the apostle — until when? "Till He hath put all enemies under His feet." Is that conversion? If it is, words have no meaning. No; it is the subjecting by power those who could not be subdued by grace. Death is among these enemies, and "death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed." When? When death and hell (hades), having delivered up their dead, shall be cast into the lake of fire. When Gehenna shall swallow up hades, and the second death put an end to the first (see Rev. 20:13-14). Then will the last enemy be destroyed, and all be under the feet of Christ. Then, therefore, will be the time when Christ will deliver up the kingdom to the Father.

On the other hand, if bad and good are raised together for judgment, how is it that not a word is said about either the wicked dead or the judgment? The omission is surely most powerfully suggestive. But it is not merely omission. Though the chapter does not name the resurrection of the lost, it clearly shows when it will take place. "Every man" shall rise "in his own order; Christ the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christ's, at His coming. Then comes 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 has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death" (1 Cor. 15:23-26). After Christ's own resurrection, then, the order is — first, the resurrection of them "that are Christ's at his coming;" second, His reign, closing with the destruction of "the last enemy," Death; third, "the end," when he shall have "put all enemies under his feet," and "delivered up the kingdom to God." But when "the last enemy," Death, is destroyed, "the rest of the dead" are raised and judged also. On the appearance of the great white throne "the dead, small and great, stand before God," and are "judged, every man according to their works, and death and hades" are "cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:11-14). This is manifestly the destruction of death, for immediately after are beheld "a new heaven and a new earth" in which "there shall be no more death" (Rev. 21:1, 4). Comparing this, then, with the chapter in Corinthians, we see that the order in the two is just the same — first, the resurrection of the saved; then, the reign of Christ, ending with the destruction of death, and the resurrection and judgment of the lost; and finally, the perfect state, when "there shall be no more death." In a word, the chapter teaches, in harmony with the rest of Scripture, that the resurrection of the just and that of the unjust are two different events, the former preceding Christ's reign, the latter being one of its most solemn closing acts.

Death and Hades are looked at as personified; and they are also cast into the lake of fire. Death is the last great enemy to be destroyed. No one, not even the wisest or the greatest or the most powerful of men, has been able to stand against it; and no man of science has ever found a remedy for it. There it stood from the day that Adam fell, like an unstormed fortress of the enemy's power, until the Lord Jesus Christ died, and by His death delivered those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. And, as we have before remarked, the true believer may never die, for Christ may come within his lifetime!