What Christadelphians believe about ...

The Reign of Christ

During the reign of Christ the nations of the earth will all be subject to Christ, and do honour to the Jews, of whose blessedness they will share.

• "All peoples, nations, and languages shall serve him (Daniel 7 14).
• "I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes" (Zephaniah 3:20).
• "Ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you" (Zechariah 8:23).

This ruling of all nations by Christ will last for a thousand years.

• "They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4-6).

During that time none will be immortal except Christ and the saints. There will be death among men generally as now, only life will be greatly prolonged, and will be a blessed and happy state.

• "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old, and the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isaiah 65:20).

The kingdom will not come to an end at the close of the thousand years, but it will undergo a change.

• "Of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:33).
• "When all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him that put all things under him that God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28).

The nature of that change in its detail has not been revealed: but we know that death will then cease upon earth, and that Christ will deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all.

• "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26).
• "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying" (Revelation 21:4).
• "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom unto God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power; for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).

The cessation of death will be brought about at the end of the thousand years. As for those who remain out of harmony with Him, they will be destroyed.

• "All the wicked will God destroy" (Psalm 145:20).
• "Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (Revelation 20:14).

It will be possible for those who live as mortal men during the reign of Christ to become immortal at the end of the thousand years. The earth will endure for ever, filled with the glory of God and His deathless rejoicing people.

• "There shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him … The Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 22:3-5).
• "The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace … their inheritance shall be for ever" (Psalm 37:11-18).
• "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).