The Last Enemy

The last enemy

In his epistle to the believers at Corinth, the apostle Paul spoke of The Last Enemy.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

What was this Last Enemy of which Paul wrote? Sure it was death, but death for who? Was it as many of us have for so long supposed, death in general; was death itself going to be finally destroyed and done away with? Or was he writing of death in some other and more specific aspect?

In reading and studying scripture, we would do well to ask ourselves what the writer was intending to say? That is usually discovered by considering the context within which the saying is set. Sometimes the immediate context will reveal his intention, but occasionally we will have to search the remoter context to find out his meaning.

Here, Paul was either speaking of a time when there was to be no more death at all, for anything and anyone, for man and the other animals and even plants and tiny microbes. Or perhaps he was intending to say that there would be no more death for his readers, his converts, his congregation, the Christian community? To which was Paul referring in this most amazing chapter, where multiple hidden truths were finally fully unveiled?

It is generally recognized and agreed upon that this fifteenth chapter to the Corinthians described and coincided with the same event as did the fourth chapter of 1 THESSALONIANS. Both chapters were concerned with the death and resurrection of the Lord (15:4 & 4:14). The great event around which each chapter revolved was Yeshua's (Jesus') return (15:23 & 4:15). In each place Paul explained what would become of the Christians who had already died (15:18 & 4:13), and thus in both chapters the resurrection of those dead believers was spoken of and referred to (15:42 & 4:16). But mention was also made in both chapters of the believers who had not died; at Christ's returned what was to become of them (15:51 & 4:17)? And then in both chapters Paul wrote of the trumpet which would announce the opening of this great affair (15:52 & 4:16).

Clearly, that which Paul was referring to here were the events surrounding Christ's return. But to many of Paul's readers Yeshua's death and resurrection seemed like a distant memory. Decades had now come and gone and His promised return appeared to linger (2 PETER 3:4), with some of the believers evidently wondering if they had perhaps missed the resurrection (2 TIMOTHY 2:18). Still others worried about their deceased loved ones, and what had or would become of them when Christ did return. Would they be left in their graves, destined to perish?

In THESSALONIANS it was said that some of the believers sorrowed (4:13) and needed encouragement (4:18). In CORINTHIANS the concern was so serious that there were those who no longer even believed in the general resurrection of the dead (15:12). Paul wrote that in that case, if that were true and the dead were not to be resurrected, then his preaching was vain as well as their faith (15:14). Then those believers who had died had indeed perished (15:18), which was a possibility he totally rejected.

This was in essence the very reason Paul was writing here in these two chapters of 1 CORINTHIANS and 1 THESSALONIANS; he did not want them to be ignorant concerning this vitally important aspect of Christ's return (4:13), but rather wanted them to be steadfast and unmovable (15:58). He was therefore revealing to them this great mystery concerning both the dead and the living and what would become of each group at Christ's return.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:15-17 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming [parousia] of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

At the sound of the trumpet, those asleep (dead) were going to be raised to eternal life while those still alive were to be made immortal, changed, and caught up together with those who had just been resurrected. The whole and entire context of both of these chapters had to do with Christ's return, His second coming, His Parousia. As such, Paul was not writing here about what would happen to a Christian today when he died, but he was revealing for his immediate readers of Corinth and Thessalonica what they could expect at Christ's return, which they all anticipated in the not too distant future (1 CORINTHIANS 1:7; 7:29-31 & 1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-11, 23).

Paul further explained to them that after the deceased believers were resurrected and the living ones were changed into immortal beings, then death would be swallowed up in victory (15:55). Following this great gathering together of all of the saints into heaven, death, the great enemy of these believers, was to no longer have them in its grip; it was then to be rendered idle and inactive (15:26).

As such, we should not try to pry Paul's words out from their original setting, by thinking and suggesting that he was intending to say that all death for all time was to be ended, for these passages say nothing of the sort. Plainly he was explaining that all death for those of whom he was writing, both the dead and the living, was to be destroyed, made katargeo, rendered powerless, at Christ's return. The Greek word from which the KJV has rendered destroyed is katargeo, which variously is defined as either, make useless; deprive of its strength, force, influence, or power; to bring to nought; to render idle or inactive. Thus they were all to be gathered into GOD's kingdom no more to be bothered or plagued by death.

Paul was clearly endeavoring to explain here that even though their loved ones might have died, if they were in Christ they shall, at Christ's return, be made alive again. Death was then to no longer exercise dominion over them. For these believers, the last enemy, the final thing which had caused so many of them anguish and heartache, was to be done away. They were finally to have the victory over this dreadful foe.

Howbeit, it is important to note that this destruction of death, this rendering as inactive of their greatest foe was not to occur when they died, but rather when they were resurrected, at Christ's return. Again, Paul was not thinking here of what would happen centuries and eons after he wrote for every person or even each Christian that would ever die. Instead he was seeking to comfort and encourage the Corinthians and Thessalonians of his own age as concerning the resurrection of their deceased loved ones, at Christ's return. They would be resurrected from their graves at His Parousia.

One can hardly argue persuasively that Paul was intending to intimate that all death, everywhere and for everyone was to be done away with, for in the very next chapter of his letter to the Thessalonians he wrote,

1 THESSALONIANS 5:2-3 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction [olethros] cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

In chapter four he had explained what would become of the saved at Christ's return. Now in this fifth chapter he was instructing his readers of what would become of the unbelievers at Christ's return, on the Day of the Lord. The unsaved were not to be gathered together into heaven as were the believers, but rather they were to be destroyed. For them death was obviously going to be a continuing reality. This is pretty much what he also wrote to the Corinthians.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:22-23 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 [parousia].

The word all can have two distinct and different meanings. It can indicate all without exception or it can also mean all those within the context of the writer's subject. Here is an apt example.

ACTS 3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

Clearly all the people referred to here in ACTS were all the people who were present, all the people who had witnessed the miracle of healing. No one would think that the statement meant that all the people the world over ran into the porch.

Consider also the following note on our passage from Paul's epistle by E. W. Bullinger in his massive work, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible.

I Cor. xv. 22.- "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." But all will not die (see verse 51). Those who are "alive and remain" to the coming of the Lord will not die at all, but be changed. Therefore it means- that, as, in Adam, all who are in him die, so in Christ also, all who are in Him shall be made alive. The "all" in the first clause clearly does not include the all who shall be "alive and remain," and cannot therefore include the "all" in the second clause. [page 637]

Paul was apparently explaining that even though all of Adam's descendants were destined to die, both believers and non-believers, all those in Christ were to be rescued from that calamity; death was not going to be able to indefinitely hold them in its grip anymore. And for the few who remained alive at Christ's return, they would not even fall victim to death, but would rather be gathered together alive into heaven. As such, all of the believers who had died were to be made alive, at Christ's return (MATTHEW 24:31 & JOHN 5:28-29; 6:40).

Paul continued in his epistle to the Corinthians; "Then cometh the end [telos]" (15:24). But the end of what? This word telos, often translated end, does not necessarily have to do with something being abolished or terminated but rather it often suggests a goal to be attainted. Consider the following note by Richard B. Hayes in his Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul;

(1) The normal meaning of the Greek word telos is . . . . purpose, result, or goal, rather than to temporal termination or cessation. [page 137]

Consider also Francis Bassett's note on this word in his comment concerning JAMES 5:11 from his work, The Catholic Epistle of St. James.

The word telos, end, must not be limited to our familiar use of the word as denoting finality, termination, etc., but in connection with St. James' use of the kindred adjective and verb as implying completion, fulfillment, viz., of Christ's work and office and ministry on earth . . . . [page 75]

And then The New English-Greek Lexicon notes concerning this word telos, "What 'end' is intended the reader must determine by the context . . . ." Paul has given no hint in this epistle that he is thinking of the destruction of the universe. There is no allusion here that Paul was referring to the ruin of the world, or the annihilation of the planet. His context is plainly the return of Christ and the events surrounding that Parousia.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-24 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 resurrection of 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 [parousia]. Then cometh the end . . . .

Paul gave a brief list of the things which had and were to transpire. Christ had been raised from the dead (15:20). Then afterward, those who were Christ's would also be made alive, at His coming (15:23). Others who had not died were then to be changed, and finally would come the telos (15:24). Of course with only a casual reading one might theorize that this refers to the end of the planet, as many today suppose; or it could just as easily and more in line with Paul's reasoning here refer to the end of this series of events, the purpose of His return, the fulfillment of the gathering together of the saints into heaven, the completion of that age, indeed, the passage tells us plainly what was on Paul's mind.

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.

That was the goal and purpose of Yeshua's mission. All of this was to be effectually accomplished at His Parousia. According to scripture, when Yeshua returned He was returning as King of kings and Lord of Lords. This time they were not going to be able to ignore or disregard Him. This time He was not going to be nailed to a tree and left to die a miserable death. Rather, this time He was coming to pour out the wrath of GOD upon an evil and wicked people. This time, Jerusalem and its Temple and much of the nation was going to be completely destroyed and made desolate (MATTHEW 24).

A good argument can be made that Yeshua did return and gather together His followers into heaven around 70 A.D. when the Roman legions completely destroy the Temple in Jerusalem along with most of the nation of Israel (see the Study, Whatever Happened to Timothy?). When we compare the eye witness accounts of this war with Rome by the historian Josephus, we can see that the book of REVELATION minutely described the graphic events of that utter destruction (REVELATION 21:1-8).

Yeshua had even promised that He would return during the lifetime of some of those in His audience.

MATTHEW 16:28-29 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Otherwise, if Christ has still not yet returned, then according to what we have been learning from these two letters of Paul, all those who have died must still be in their graves, asleep and awaiting His Parousia. But on the other hand, if Christ did already return for those first century believers, that puts an entirely new light on these passages. Then, this saying about death being destroyed was written and quoted by Paul so as to instruct and encourage the believers just previous to His return.

Any way you cut it, you can't escape the fact that this entire fifteenth chapter in 1 CORINTHIANS has nothing whatever to do with what happens to a believer today when he dies. Instead, it focuses on and is solely concerned with the events leading up to and surrounding Christ's return. Indeed, the context demands this interpretation, for it is all concerned with His Parousia. And yet most funeral services reference these passages (and others considered below) as proof that the dead are alive.

We have all probably been at someone's funeral where the minister or priest was trying to tell the gathering that the dead person lying before them was not really dead but was instead floating up somewhere in heaven, with Jesus. They then usually quote a passage from their notes where they have the Lord saying something about "he who believes in Me shall never die". Howbeit, that passage is nearly always misquoted and taken out its context, for Yeshua never intimated that when a believer dies that he never dies, which is itself a most non-sensical doctrine.

JOHN 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her [Martha], I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

This plain statement was not made by Yeshua to the multitudes in one of His sermons, but rather He was speaking only to Martha concerning her brother Lazarus, who had recently passed away. She was distraught thinking her brother would remain dead until the resurrection. But Yeshua intimated that not only would He resuscitate Lazarus then and there, but beyond that, if Lazarus afterwards remained alive until the Resurrection, then he would never die, just as Paul later wrote of the other believers who remained alive untill Christ's return.

This saying made to Martha was not necessarily what was going to happen to everyone for all time upon their death, but Yeshua was simply telling her what was going to happen to her brother Lazarus. Though Lazarus was then dead, he was going to be resuscitated. And evidently still speaking of Lazarus, Yeshua declared that if he remained alive until the resurrection, and still believed, then he would never die but would be among those who would be changed, and gathered together with the other saints, to there be forever with the Lord.

We can have every confidence that this is so because not many years later we have the record of a certain disciple named Tabitha who had died and after some time, Peter came and awakened her from death (ACTS 9:36-42). Now if she went directly to heaven when she died, as many in today's Church believe their departed loved ones do, then how could Peter have awakened her from death? No, unless Peter had resuscitated her that day, she would probably of had to remain dead until Christ's return.

Sometimes at the graveside the minister may also quote a portion of a passage from the book of REVELATION which clearly promised a time when death shall be no more. As such, he then implies that if death is no more, then their loved one was not really dead, but he just looked dead.

REVELATION 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

But this passage is also concerned with the return of Christ. Indeed, practically the entire book of REVELATION had to do with the events leading up to and surrounding His Parousia (REVELATION 1:7-8; 14:1-20; 20:4-6; 22:12, 20), including the gathering together of His saints into heaven and then Yeshua and His angels wreaking havoc and destruction upon the unbelieving nation of Israel (REVELATION 19:11-16).

For the believers gathered together into heaven there was certainly to be no more death, but obviously for the unbelievers, the great whore along with her servants and the false prophet, there was going to be much death, even a second death (REVELATION 21:8).

Another passage often cited as evidence that Christian's today don't really die but go directly to heaven (when they die) is from John's gospel.

JOHN 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

But the apostle James died (ACTS 12:2), and the faithful disciple Stephen died as he was giving bold testimony about Yeshua being the Messiah (ACTS 7:60). Indeed, Paul exclaimed in this very chapter of 1 CORINTHIANS that some of the five hundred who had witnessed Yeshua's resurrection appearance had died (15:6). So how are we to understand Yeshua's statement about the believer never dying? The answer to this apparent discrepancy is found in the context of Yeshua's words, for He had already repeatedly explained, that after they died would resurrect them to everlasting life.

JOHN 6:39-40 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
JOHN 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

JOHN 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Clearly, when Yeshua stated that the believer would never see death He must have intended eternal death, for Lazarus had died (JOHN11:14), and He had apparently foresaw Peter's death (JOHN 21:19). Yeshua intimated that even though the believer might die, that he was also to be "raised up at the last day", resurrected into heaven and gathered together with the other believers, at His return.

The last day referred to here by Yeshua was evidently the last day of that age. This was called The Lord's Day (1 CORINTHIANS 5:5, REVELATION 1:10, 2 PETER 3:10, LUKE 17:24 & 1 THESSALONIANS 5:2-3) when He was to return and dispense GOD's wrath upon that evil nation and people. This was also the long expected Day when all of those believers were to be gathered together into heaven, into the heavenly Jerusalem (REVELATION 21:2), even as the earthly Jerusalem was being destroyed by the Roman Legions. This is also the end of which Paul wrote. It was to be the end, the culmination and purpose and closing of that former age.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:11 Now all these things [the Exodus] happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends [telos] of the world [aion, ages] are come.

Not the end of the planet but the end of those ages. The Greek word aion is often translated world by the KJV, but it more correctly should be rendered as age or ages. A concise definition of these various Greek words rendered earth and world and age in the Christian Scriptures is given us by J. Stuart Russell in his illuminating work aptly entitled, The Parousia.

We have already had occasion to observe that aion is properly a designation of time, an age; and it is doubtful whether it ever has any other signification in the New Testament. . . . The proper word for the earth, or world, is kosmos, which is used to designate both the material and moral world. Oikoumene is properly the inhabited world, 'the habitable,' and in the New Testament refers often to the Roman Empire, sometimes to so small a portion of it as Palestine. Ge, though it sometimes signifies the earth generally, in the gospels more frequently refers to the land of Israel. Much light is thrown upon many passages by a proper understanding of these words. [page 265]

Paul wrote that the end, the telos of those prior ages was upon them. Those former ages were being finalized. Those previous ages were culminating in the return of Christ and the gathering together of those saints into heaven. Howbeit, new and different ages were evidently still in mankind's future. Even though the harvest of that season was being wrapped up, a new planting and watering and harvesting would again come into being.

That previous age, which centered itself around the Jew, and Jerusalem, and Israel, was to be closed. It was to be dispensed with, at least here on earth. Christ's rule, His kingdom was to be transferred into a new heaven and a new earth (REVELATION 21:1), into that heavenly Jerusalem. There, His faithful were to be gathered together. There, He was to deliver up His kingdom to GOD.

Most all of the Christian Scriptures speak of and deal with those former ages. But those ages are now over and past. New and entirely different ages have come into being. The ages of the Patriarchs is closed. It was replaced by the Mosaic age; but now it too is gone. The Mosaic age was superseded by the age where Christ ministered on earth and sent out His witnesses to perform signs, miracles and wonders (MARK 1:15 & GALATIANS 4:4). But now even it has accomplished its purpose.

HEBREWS 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world [kosmos]: but now once in the end [telos] of the world [aion, ages] hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

All of those former ages have now passed away. Now new ages are come into being, and all scripture can only be understood in this light. We sow only confusion and discord for ourselves and others when we try to interpret scripture written for and about former ages to our own. This has been the great failing of Christians for ages.

Nevertheless, the question which most concerns many us today is what happens when we die? Do we go directly to heaven, or do we stay dead until the time of some future resurrection? If all of the scriptures we have been considering are concerned with Christ's Parousia, and if He has indeed already returned and gathered His followers into heaven, where does that leave us? What hope is there then for us?

HEBREWS 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds [aion, ages] were framed by the word of God . . . .

Evidently the Creator has divided all of history into different ages. As such, most all of the Christian scriptures (the New Testament) have to do with previous ages, times before our own. But perhaps there are passages which pierce through that veil so as to enable us to see our own destiny, even if only dimly, for as Paul affirmed, if there is no resurrection of the dead, then we are of all men most miserable (1 CORINTHIANS 15:19).

JOHN 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

We should note that there is no trumpet here, announcing His coming, His Parousia. As such, all that are in the graves may very well apply to us. Yeshua doesn't limit this resurrection of the dead to the day of His return, but simply notes that it will occur at some coming hour.

The key is in this passage about the order of those resurrected. In Christ shall all be made alive (15:22). When the trumpet sounds (15:52).

MATTHEW 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In one of Yeshua's parables concerning this coming kingdom, He clearly intimated that death itself would not end with His return, saying,

LUKE 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

What rational point could the parable have if at Christ's return there was no more death for anyone? The Lord again reiterated this truth when He clearly said that a person must be accounted worthy to be resurrected.

LUKE 20:34-36 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Clearly, all men were not going to obtain that resurrection world. Only those accounted worthy of eternal life, only the children of GOD who were here called the children of the resurrection were not going to die anymore.

Elsewhere Christ reiterated this same message.

But what of those who didn't keep His saying? Obviously they were going to die. Only those believers gathered together into His kingdom was The Last Enemy going to be destroyed.

JOHN 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.