Put On Incorruption

1Corinthians 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

‘Mortal’ [Greek: thnetos] mortal, human (15:53-54; Rom. 6:12; 8:11; 2Cor. 4:11; 5:4).

‘Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.’ Then – when this rapture has taken place.

‘Death is swallowed up in victory’ – quoted from Isaiah 25:8. To swallow up death means to engulf; remove; abolish; cancel; and cause the ravages and triumph of death to cease. In the first resurrection, before the Millennium, all the righteous dead of all ages, including the godly from Abel to the end of the future tribulation, will be resurrected; and death will be done away as far as they are concerned, at that time (15:23, 51-57; Php. 3:20-21; 1Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:4-6). Death will not be destroyed for sinners though, for they will continue to die during the Millennium. When the second resurrection takes place and all wicked men are given immortality of the body to be tormented day and night eternally, then death will be destroyed (15:24-28, 35-45; Rev. 20:4-6, 11-15). Christ has already conquered death and He now holds the keys of death and hades (Heb. 2:14-15; Rev. 1:18); but death as an enemy will continue throughout the Millennium and exercise its power over sinners (Isa. 65:20; 1Cor. 15:24-28). After that period there will be no more death (Rev. 21:3-7; 22:3). Revelation 22:3 says there will be no more of the curse that came as a result of Lucifer and Adam’s rebellion. Conditions as before will prevail eternally and things will continue as if the curse had never been. All rebels will be confined to the lake of fire as an eternal monument of God’s wrath on sin and as a warning to coming generations in all eternity that sin does not pay. The New Heaven and New Earth and the new peoples will be the same ones we have today only in a new state. All things will be made new, not new things will be made to take the place of the old (Rev.21:5; 22:3).