We have come to the end of this long speech. It is good to continue to realize while reading both Matthew 24 and Matthew 25 that this is a speech by the Lord. The parables are also part of what the Lord spoke to His disciples.
The next verse begins a new chapter and it says that this is the end of Jesus’ speech.
Matthew 26
1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words…
death abolished
The end of this ‘speech about the last things’ deals with the nations who are judged (Matt.25:31-46). We have seen that they will be thrown into the lake of fire, as described in Revelation. The lake of fire, is also called the second death (Rev. 20:14). But is this the end? No, because Paul sees beyond the speech of Jesus in these chapters and also beyond what John describes in Revelation. He announces that death will be abolished.
1 Corinthians 15
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Paul declares here that as in Adam all are mortal, so also in Christ all will be made alive. This is not about a resurrection like the one before the great white throne (Rev.20:11-12), because many who rise there will still die. They will end up in the second death (Rev.20:14-15). This concerns a quickening, like the Firstfruits Christ was made alive.
23 But each in his own order: the Firstfruits Christ…
imperishable
All are made alive, but in a certain order. This order is not the subject of this blog. What is relevant to our subject is that the quickening takes place after the example of the Firstfruits Christ. He was raised in imperishable life, death no longer has dominion over Him (Rom.6:9). Quickening concerns: being made alive in life and imperishability (2 Tim.1:10). All who die in Adam will also be made alive in Christ in imperishability.
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25 For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy, death, shall be destroyed…
the last enemy
Christ reigns until He has put all enemies under His feet. When that is done, He hands over a perfect kingdom to God the Father (:24). When almost everything is subjected, there is one last and ultimate enemy that is finally put out of action and made to nothing. That is death. When death is abolished, there will be no more death. This is only a reality when every creature that was in death is alive.
God all in all
Then all enemies will be subjected and the Son will hand over His kingdom to the Father and subject Himself to God. Then everything that God had appointed His Son to is accomplished.
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28 And when all things are subjected to Him,
then the Son also will be subjected to Him who subjected all things to Him,
that God may be all in all.