The Eternal Kingdom

The eternal kingdom is established in power at the Parousia of Christ in A.D. 70. This marks the end of the Pre-Parousia reign of Christ, (the millennium) when Christ delivers the kingdom up to God.

The delivering of the kingdom to God is sometimes understood to mean that Christ is a temporary king, reigning only until the time of his Parousia at which time he will turn over the authority of the kingdom to the Father.

They believe the word, delivered up, translated from the Greek paradidomi, means to relinguish or abdicate. However, the scriptures do not teach an abdication of the throne by Christ at his Parousia.

In other passages where paradidomi is used, it is evident that what is delivered is not abdicated or vacated.

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. (Matthew 11:27)

God delivered all things to Christ, however, this does not mean that the God vacated all of His authority by giving it to Christ.

Moreover, the Scriptures state that God was excepted when he put all things under Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:27. Therefore, God did not vacate or abdicate his authority in giving all things into the hands of Christ.

In preaching the gospel to the church at Corinth, Paul did not vacate or abdicate the obervance of the gospel (the traditions). Yet he used the word, paradidomi the same term used in 1 Corinthians 15:24.

"Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you."1 Corinthians 11:1)

Again, concerning the Lord's Supper, Paul delivers the authority to observe the ordinance to the Corinthians, yet this is not his abdication of the Lord's Supper for himself.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. (1 Corinthians 11:23)

In not one of the examples, two of which are used by Paul in the same chapter, does paradidomi mean to abdicate.

Paul, in saying, 'Then comes the end when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, when he shall shave put down all rule, authorithy in power,' (1 Corinthains 15:24),is not teaching a temporal reign of Christ. The word paradidomi does not mean to abdicate. Therefore Christ does not give up the kingdom. He reigns over an eternal kingdom eternally.

The Eternal Kingdom and Time of the End

The time of the end equates with Matthew 24:14, when the gospel was preached to all the nations. The apostles completed the world-wide mission of preaching the gospel within their own generation. This is when Christ said the end would come, (Romans 1:5, 8; 10:18; 16:26; Col. 1:5, 6: 23).

All would happen in the first century before the generation then living passed, (Matthew 24:34). An end which came within the first century cannot possibly be the end of time. However, it fits well with an application of the end of the Jewish age. Such is precisely what Jesus announced in connection with the overthrow of the temple, (Matthew 24:3, 34; Luke 21:20-22, 32).

The Eternal Kingdom and the Parousia

The scriptures give a totally different picture of what happens at Christ's coming. He does not quit his reign.

When the Son of Man comes in Hhis glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory, (Matthew 25:31)

Observe, the scriptures say when Christ comes in his glory, he will sit, not quit. Then means at that time, i.e. the time of his coming in glory.

"Sit" from kathidzo means to seat down, set or appoint. Thus, at His return Christ is appointed or set down on the throne to reign.

This corresponds with Ephesians 5:27. The church is the bride of Christ. Those in the church are the called out from darkness who are translated into the kingdom of God, (Colossians 1:13).

Paul says at Christ's return his bride, who is espoused (engaged to Him) before the Parousia joins him in marriage at the Parousia, (Matthew 22:1-7; Revelation 19:1-7; 21:9; 22:17).

If Christ were giving up the kingdom at this time, the presentation of the bride would not be a wedding, but a courtroom scene in which they would be divorced. The giving up of the eternal kingdom would be the giving up of the bride. That is a divorce. That is the logic of saying that Christ gives up his Pre-parusia kingdom.

The Eternal Kingdom and the Throne of God

The destruction of the old heaven and earth marks the end of the millennial reign of Christ, i.e. his pre-parousia reign. It marks the end of death and hades and the destruction of Satan. All of these things have passed away, (Revelation 20). Yet, the reign of Christ continues uninterrupted.

In the vision of the heavenly city, the river of life flows, the tree of life stands yielding its perpetual fruit each month to heal the nations, we find a throne in the city.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servant will serve him. (Revelation 22:4)

It is not the throne of God only, but the throne of God and of the Lamb which is in the heavenly city. Just as the city had no need of a temple because The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (Revelation 21:22)are its temple, i.e. both God and Christ are the temple, then both reign on the throne.

Just as the city needs neither the sun nor the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp, both Father and Son are its illuminaries as both reign on the throne.

It is therefore doctrinally incorrect to speak of a temporary reign of Christ, i.e. that he one day must cease to reign on the throne. He ascended to the throne in heaven following his death burial and resurrection to sit at God's right hand, (Acts 2:29-35), and shall never cease to occupy His rightful place with the Father.

The Eternal Kingdom Defeats All Enemies

His pre-parousia reign, also referred to as the millennium, a time of about 40 years, is the time in which Christ puts all enemies under his feet.

Within one generation, his work of conquering the principalities and powers consummated his work. He now reigns in total victory over sin, Satan, hades and death.

These shall never rise again to conquer the people of God for his victory is everlasting. That is the power of the reign of Christ. His kingdom never ends.

As his servants, we must rise to the challenge of practically living out this victory in full realization of the dominion God has given us in the earth for we are more than conquerors through him that loved and died for us. We are yet even more for Him who eternally reigns.

Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see/enter the kingdom of God. Enter the eternal kingdom of God today through faith, repentance, confession and baptism for the forgiveness of sins and reign eternally with Him forever and ever amen.

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