The first book of the Bible does not describe an absolute beginning and the last book of the Bible does not describe an absolute end. Both have already been justified in more detail on this website, for example in the article “Does the Book of Revelation have the last word?”.

It is understandable to expect the first things at the beginning and the last things at the end of the Bible. But let us also remember that the Bible was not simply written page by page from front to back, but that various writings were combined to form the Bible. There was no plan for “the complete Bible,” but it is what we have today. It is a library wherein people gradually realized the value of these books. The books were ordered, but not in the way that can be done in a chronology and historiography. Deriving certain assumptions from the order of the books can easily lead astray.

One consequence of such an assessment is that the remarks at the end of Revelation are seen as concluding remarks, as if the broadest vision is mentioned here. However, this is demonstrably incorrect.

Revelation describes imperfect things

One of the amazing things about thinking about the last things is this: Revelation does not describe the end. It is true that God’s tent will be with man (Rev 21:3). However, a tent is a temporary place to stay. It is not a final situation. It also says that He will make all things new (Rev 21:4), which indicates that it is still not that far off. It is only in its nascent stages.

Then in the last chapter it says that there will be a river of the water of life coming out of the throne of God and the Lamb. On both sides of this stream was “wood of life” that bears fruit every month and whose leaves “are for the healing of the nations” (Rev. 22:1-2). From this we can see that not everything is “healed”, but recovery remains necessary and these leaves actually have a function. Although the last chapter of Revelation describes an extraordinarily good situation compared to other times, it is not perfect.

Furthermore, after the judgment before the Great White Throne, people were thrown into the lake of fire and these people then suffer their second death (Rev 20:11-15). These people are then “dead” again. This is not a perfect situation either, but it is not the end.

The end of all things

Paul looks further than the revelation. This can be seen in several places, among others in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, which deals with the effect of the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, he was the first of those who had fallen asleep to be “made alive.” This is more than just resurrection to this life.

Others were raised before Jesus, such as Lazarus, His friend (John 11). However, Lazarus and others were brought back to this life. Jesus, however, was the first and so far the only one to receive immortality (cf. 1Tim 6,16). A new word was introduced for this in 1 Corinthians 15: “To make alive” denotes more than just resurrection or raising. Making alive is unique and leads to immortality.

The promise in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 states that Jesus was not only resurrected but also made alive. And that is as the firstling from the dead. He is the vanguard for the resurrection of all men descended from Adam. Indeed, just as in Adam all die, in Christ all will one day be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22). This affects all people, regardless of faith or any pious works. This is the tremendous view that Paul writes to the Corinthians, where some thought that the resurrection was “fake”.

The resurrection, however, is anything but “fake” and Paul takes the resurrection – even more, the making alive – as the starting point for an outlook that no one has told so far. Also in the revelation one reads nothing about it. Paul mentions that all men who die in Adam will one day be made alive in Christ. These are the same all. It affects all people who are mortal or have died. They are all made alive behind the power and sphere of influence of death.

However, this particular resurrection to immortality happens in phases. Paul describes the resurrection and being made alive, but mentions that this will take place in several steps, namely “each in his particular department.”

1. The firstling Christ
2. then those who belong to Christ, in his presence (Greek: parousia).
3. after that the (remaining at the) completion (or: after that the completion – namely the making alive of all)

The third stage is downplayed in many translations. In the context, however, this view imposes itself, because from the stages 1 and 2 furthermore the entire mankind, descended from Adam, was not made alive. The theme of this Bible passage deals with the resurrection and making alive of all. When this last part takes place is clearly described afterwards:

• (the completion of bringing to life)
• When He hands over the kingship to His God and Father
• when He will abolish every suzerainty, every authority and power.
• For He must reign as King,
• until (!) He will put all His enemies under His feet.

We do not read anything about this process in the book of Revelation. Paul looks further than John. Here, for example, Paul describes that Christ will lay down the kingship as soon as everything is subordinated. Then He Himself will hand over His kingship to His God and Father.

But that’s not all. Paul gives even more insight at this time:

• the last enemy to be dismissed is death
  • For He subordinated everything to Him: under His feet.
  • When He then says, “Everything has been subordinated!
  • so it is obvious that God is excluded
  • who subordinated the universe to Him.
• But if the universe is subordinated to Him,
• then the son himself will also be subordinate to it,
• who subordinated the universe to Him,
• so that God may be all in all.

Death is canceled

When Paul writes that death is the last enemy and it will be abolished, some claim that this only concerns the first death and does not touch the second death. There some have paid attention to the counting word, but have forgotten that just this circumstance makes clear that first and second death are both about “death”. The counting word confirms that it is the same, which is why it can be counted.

In the context of Revelation 20, where this second death is mentioned, we read that dead people stand before the Great White Throne (Rev 20:12). There, “dead” is a reference to those who were dead until then and were not part of the first resurrection (Rev 19:5). However, when viewed soberly, dead people do not stand. From this it is clear that these people, once dead, were raised there for judgment and therefore could stand before the Great White Throne. They were no longer dead at that point and – if they are subsequently thrown into the lake of fire at the judgment – they die a “second death” there (Rev 20:14-15). In plain language: They die for the second time, now by the fire, and are then “dead” again. Thus John writes: “This is the second death: the lake of fire”. The fire is “the cause of the second death”.

Accordingly, whoever is thrown into the lake of fire dies again. These are the dead who continue not to be raised during the last chapters of Revelation. These people are also from Adam, but have not yet been made alive in Christ, as Paul writes about them.

Paul, however, describes that once death, as the last enemy, will be dismissed. When that happens, life and imperishability come, as he testifies elsewhere:

“Our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolishes death and brings life and incorruption to light in its stead through the gospel, for which I was appointed [Paulus] as a herald, apostle and teacher of the nations.”
2Tim 1:10-11

This view from Paul is gigantic. It was different from anything the rest of the apostles formulated, it was broader than the broadest outlook we find in the Tenach or the Gospels, broader even than Revelation. Paul was not always supported with this good news. He continues and writes:

“This is also the cause that I am suffering this now, yet I am not ashamed of it; for I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is mighty to keep that which has been entrusted to me until that day.”
2Tim 1:12, compare also 1Tim 4:9-11.

Thus, when death is annulled as the last enemy, life and imperishability come to light. This is the end of the second death. This is the precondition for God to become “all in all” and not just “something in a few.”

This bringing to life is a gift. It is not because someone “believes enough” or “believes exactly as I do,” but simply because that is what Christ came into the world to do. The Good News is that everyone is included. This caused Paul a lot of trouble, but it does not make the message powerless because of it. On the contrary, it shows how necessary this very outlook is.

It is the beginning

When death is dismissed as the last enemy and Christ has surrendered the Kingdom to His God and Father, God will become all in all. This is the broadest vision in the Bible. It is far behind the revelation. And that’s as far as you can look. It seems to be the end of all revelation and what lies beyond is not revealed. It is the beginning of everything that comes afterwards.

What is said is this: God will be all in all. He fills everything and everyone. That is the end of all imperfection. Death is dismissed and life reigns. By life, “indissoluble life” is meant. All who died in Adam are then made alive in Christ. God will fill every person. This is good news. This is the outlook of the scriptures. The “purpose of the eons” that God made in Christ (Eph. 3:11) was then fulfilled.

It is the best message I have ever heard.