Throughout the course of my career, two of my primary research, writing, and teaching interests have been the kingdom and God and the doctrine of the resurrection.2 From my study of Scripture, what has become evident is the close relationship between the notion of reigning (or the kingdom of God) and the doctrine of the resurrection. The title “Resurrection and Reign”3 provides an apt and accurate summary, with alliterative effect, of my purpose in this article: to trace the unfolding of the kingdom of God and the doctrine of resurrection in Scripture in order to demonstrate that these biblical themes are inseparably linked throughout Scripture and the history of redemption. In line with this purpose, I will, throughout the article and particularly at the conclusion, offer some thoughts on why this relationship is important and what difference it makes in the lives of Christians.

Before commencing on our biblical journey, it will be helpful to provide a brief introduction to the topics. In its most basic sense, the kingdom of God should be understood as the reign of God. God’s purpose throughout all of history is for his reign to come to the earth as it is in heaven. This all-important goal is summarized by Jesus’s words in the Lord’s prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:9–10).4 For Jesus, this petition was of utmost importance, such that he placed it at the beginning of his model prayer for his disciples. We are to pray that God’s kingdom would come and that God’s will would be done on earth as in heaven because this is God’s purpose for all of history.

In addition to the kingdom of God, the doctrine of the resurrection is a central theme in the drama of redemption.5 By the term “resurrection,” I mean “God’s act to raise his people from the dead to a bodily and glorified eternal life in the new creation.”6 As we will see, this doctrine is not peripheral to, but is rather a central aspect of God’s plan of redemption. In this light, Jesus’s salvific purpose can be summed up with his words in John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

To be sure, scholars have at times pointed out connections between the doctrines of “resurrection” and “reign.”7 But as far as I know, beyond my own research efforts, no attempt has been made to trace and demonstrate their relationship throughout all of Scripture. And therein lies the primary contribution of this article: to articulate this inseparable bond between resurrection life and the kingdom of God throughout the Bible.8 Moreover, in addition to identifying the link between these redemptive themes, attention will be given to demonstrating why this bond is so important, namely the theological basis for the close link between resurrection life and reigning over creation. This article traces these themes through three major movements in the biblical narrative: (1) Creation, Fall, and God’s Promise (Gen 1–11; The Failure of Adam); (2) the Old Testament Story of Israel (The Failure of Israel as Corporate Adam); and (3) New Testament fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Salvation through Jesus as the Second Adam and True Israel). We now turn our attention to these matters.

1. Creation, Fall, and God’s Promise (Gen 1–11)

The opening chapters of Scripture (especially Gen 1–3) provide the foundation for biblical theology. The creation narrative (Gen 1–2), the account of the fall (Gen 3), and the first preaching of the gospel (Gen 3:15) set the stage for the entire biblical story and God’s plan of redemption. In order to understand the inseparable relationship between “resurrection” and “reigning” with God, we must begin with these all-important chapters.

1.1. Creation

The themes of “resurrection” and “reign” trace their roots back to creation and the foundational chapters of Genesis 1–2. One crucial aspect of the creation account, perhaps so obvious as to be often overlooked, is this: God created humanity for life. In the creation account, this experience of life relates to two things: the tree of life and obedience to God. In the middle of the garden is the tree of life (2:9), which holds out the opportunity for eternal life.9 Also in the middle of the garden is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In God’s directives to Adam, he says, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (2:16b–17). In summarizing the implications of these two trees and the Lord’s command, life is promised for obedience and death for disobedience.10

Also embedded in the creation account is humanity’s purpose: to reign over creation as God’s vice-regents.11 On day six of creation, God says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (1:26). On the one hand, as God’s image, humanity is to reflect God’s glory back to him. Paul’s famous words in 1 Corinthians 10:31 summarize this all-important aspect of creation in the image of God: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

But in addition to reflecting God’s glory, humanity is to refract God’s glory—that is, to bring God’s reign and glory to bear on the earth. Although many proposals have been set forth for what it means to be in the image of God, from the context of Genesis 1:26–31, to be in God’s image means that humanity is to reign (recall here God’s words, “Let us make mankind in our image … that they may rule…”). God is the great king, and he calls humanity to reign over creation as his vice-regents.12

More clarity for humanity’s purpose comes in Genesis 1:28 when God says, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” This command, often referred to as the Cultural Mandate or, as I prefer, “the original commission,” is the biblical foundation for the kingdom of God. Connecting 1:26 with 1:28, God’s purpose is for humanity to be fruitful and increase in number, thereby multiplying his image. Thus, the more images there are, the more glory it brings to God. Additionally, God wants his image throughout the entirety of creation. God’s image marks his reign, and as his image extends to the ends of the earth, so also does his reign. By “filling the earth and subduing” the earth, humanity, as God’s image, refracts God’s glory and brings God’s kingship to bear on the earth.

In summary, God creates humanity for a wonderful purpose and glorious privilege. God calls humanity, as his vice-regents, to reign over creation and to bring his kingship to bear on the earth. Moreover, God affords humanity the opportunity to experience eternal life (physical and embodied life) in his presence. As we will see, these two realities, which are established at creation, are linked throughout the Bible.

1.2. The Fall

Although God grants Adam and Eve (and their descendants) the opportunity for eternal life and the privilege of reigning over creation, they sadly turn away from God and his word. The serpent tempts Adam and Eve, and they eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. With this transgression, the serpent, a part of creation, rules over Adam and Eve rather than humanity ruling over the serpent and creation. Consequently, Adam and Eve fail at their call to obey God’s word, fail at their task to reign over creation, and ultimately give their allegiance to the serpent.13 Adam and Eve have turned away from the Lord as their king, and turned to the word of the serpent.

In addition to giving allegiance to the serpent, the other thing that makes the fall so heinous is that Adam and Eve choose death over life. With two options before them, the tree of life that brings life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that brings death, Adam and Eve choose that which brings them death (Gen 2:15–17; Rom 6:23). After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve immediately experience spiritual death. Rather than enjoying intimate fellowship with God, they experience shame and run and hide from God (Gen 3:7–11). Whereas Adam and Eve previously enjoyed a good relationship with God, they are now estranged from him. Moreover, God banishes Adam and Eve from the garden, and they are exiled from his presence and the tree of life (3:22–24). And although physical death is not immediate, even life itself is a slow march to death. John Donne’s famous words communicate this horrible reality: “And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.”14

After the fall, the trajectory of humanity is not a good one. While Adam was supposed to be “life-giving,” the fall introduces death, and what follows in Genesis 3–11 can only be described as a reign of death. In 3:15, God declares that humanity will be divided into two camps—the offspring of the woman (allied with God) and the offspring of the serpent—and that there will be enmity between these two groups. This enmity comes into clear focus when Cain, who is allied with the serpent, murders his brother Abel, who is allied with God. For the first time, humanity experiences the effects of the fall in physical death. Moreover, this account introduces a dichotomy that unfolds with the biblical story: the serpent is associated with death, while God is at work to bring life to his people.

The trajectory of death continues with the tracing of Cain’s lineage in 4:15–24. Cain and his descendants build cities and cultures and bring advancements in technology and the arts. But the implication is that these activities are pursued for self-glorification rather than for the glory of God. John Frame notes, “The Cultural Mandate does not anticipate the fall. But what happens after the fall? People still try to subdue the earth. In Genesis 4, we find the development of civilization among the descendants of wicked Cain. But they are not filling and subduing the earth to God’s glory. So the result is wars, pollution, sickness, and so on.”15 In line with his spiritual and physical ancestor, Lamech, descended from Cain, even boasts of his murderous acts.

By the time of Noah, the outlook on the human race is bleak indeed, and God’s evaluation of the situation can be summarized: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (6:5). The consequences of sin are more evident than ever as the Lord decides to wipe out humanity except for Noah and his family. Even after the flood, the picture of humanity at the Tower of Babel is grim. Rather than seeking to glorify God and bring his kingship to bear on the earth, people aspire to make a name for themselves and contend with God (11:1–9). Humanity’s purpose is to glorify itself and promote its own kingship, and the result is disastrous. It is nothing less than a reign of death.

1.3. Hope and God’s Promise

In the midst of the sin, despair, and trajectory of death after the fall, there are glimmers of hope. Although humanity will be divided between the offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman, God promises that the offspring of the woman will one day crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15). Scholars have often noted that this first preaching of the gospel is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who crushes the head of the serpent, defeats Satan, and brings victory for his people. In addition, this first preaching of the gospel is an implicit promise that the curses of the fall will be overturned and that God’s creation purposes for humanity will be fulfilled through redemption. Understood in this way, the first preaching of the gospel implicitly promises and guarantees that God’s people will one day reign over creation as God intended, and that death, as the consequence of sin, will be conquered through eternal resurrection life.16

In addition to this first preaching of the gospel, there are further glimmers of hope with God’s provision for Adam and Eve’s shame through clothing them (3:21), Adam’s trust in God’s promise by naming his wife “Eve” (3:20), Enoch being spared from death (5:21–24), and God’s rescue of Noah and his family from death.17 These glimmers of hope provide the first biblical evidence that God will indeed fulfill his creation purposes for his people—that they will one day reign again and death will be overcome through resurrection. As this biblical story unfolds, the inseparable relationship between these two themes continues and intensifies.

2. The Old Testament Story of Israel

God’s plan of redemption comes into clearer focus with his election of Abraham and the nation of Israel. In this section, my purpose is to demonstrate how the themes of resurrection and reign unfold with the nation of Israel.18 To be clear, at this stage of redemptive history, I do not claim that the doctrine of resurrection is always explicit. The doctrine comes into focus at different times and in different ways,19 but my primary purpose is to demonstrate how the story of Israel prefigures the hope of resurrection life.

The beginning of the book of Exodus highlights that Abraham’s descendants have indeed become exceedingly numerous (1:7). But on account of their numbers, Israel is now perceived as a threat to Pharaoh and Egypt. After Pharaoh’s brutal treatment and enslavement of the Israelites fails to stop Israelite growth, he orders that newborn Hebrew boys be killed. Pharaoh attempts to wipe out Israel as a nation, and this is nothing less than attempted genocide. In the history of redemption, this is no doubt another picture of the enmity between the offspring of the serpent (Pharaoh and the Egyptians) and the offspring of the woman (the nation of Israel). But rather than God’s people reigning over creation, the serpent reigns over God’s people.

In light of Israel’s situation in Egypt at the beginning of Exodus, two things come into focus: Israel is not reigning as God intended, and Egypt is a place of death. Consequently, God raises up Moses to rescue his people. Moreover, with God’s plan to save his people, the story of Israel highlights the themes of “resurrection” and “reign.” God will rescue Israel from enslavement and death, establish them as his kingdom, and lead them to the land of promise, a place of life.

With the exodus event, the Lord reveals his power and supremacy by demonstrating that he is greater than the Egyptian gods. This is evident when Aaron’s staff swallows up the staffs of the Egyptian magicians (7:8–13), but also with the plagues God sends on Egypt. In addition to the Lord distinguishing between Israel and Egypt with all or some of the plagues, many scholars have argued that the plagues are specifically designed to demonstrate that Yahweh is greater than the gods of Egypt.20 Following the final plague, Israel plunders the Egyptians, and Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt are lured into their destruction in the Red Sea.

After God’s miraculous deliverance, Moses’s song of worship and celebration is significant. Moses proclaims, “Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (15:11) and “The Lord reigns for ever and ever” (15:18). Moses celebrates that Yahweh is the great God of heaven, that he is greater than all other gods and powers, and that “Yahweh reigns.” Although it has been implicit since the creation account, this is, notably, the first explicit reference to Yahweh’s kingship.

In the ancient Near Eastern worldview, the reign of a particular god in heaven has massive implications for that god’s people. If Yahweh reigns in heaven, then his people will reign on the earth. Israel’s kingdom status is confirmed in Exodus 19:6 when God covenants that Israel will be for him “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Israel will be the Lord’s kingdom people. The Lord was to be the ultimate king over his people, but in accordance with his plan, it was also his will for Israel one day to have a human king.21 And in 2 Samuel 7:5–16, God enters into a covenant with David and his descendants. David’s house will be established as the permanent dynasty to represent the Lord’s kingship on the earth. This is of utmost significance because from this point on, the hopes for God’s people are always tied to the family and kingship of the Davidic dynasty.

The story of Israel is not only a movement from slavery to a nation, and then to a kingdom; it is also a movement from death to life. As previously mentioned, with the attempted genocide of the Israelites, the land of Egypt represents nothing less than a place of death. In his book, Exodus Old and New, L. Michael Morales provides a thorough discussion of the biblical motif of Egypt as a place of death, and emphasizes that Egyptians were the religious and scientific experts on death at that time, that the biblical language of “descending” into Egypt is reminiscent of entering the underworld or Sheol, and that “ascending” out of Egypt is a rescue from death.22 Moreover, God’s deliverance of Israel with the parting of the sea is consistent with the biblical motif of God rescuing his people from the waters of death.23 Accordingly, “the exodus was the redemption of God’s firstborn son from death, a resurrection of Israel from Sheol.”24 The exodus event is nothing less than God’s defeat of death and the serpent as the force behind death.

In addition to the story of Israel being a rescue from Egypt, the place of death, it is also a movement to the land of promise, a place of life. Moses’s description of this land of promise bears some striking resemblances to the language of creation and the Garden of Eden. In Exodus 15:17, Moses sings, “You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.” This language is reminiscent of the Garden of Eden as the Lord’s sanctuary before the fall. Additionally, Moses’s description of the land as good and as a place of abundance echoes the description of the garden in Genesis 1–2 (Deut 4:22; 8:6–10; 11:8–15).25

Before their entrance into the land of promise, Moses proclaims,

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. (Deut 30:15–18)

This language is reminiscent of the creation account in Genesis 1–2 and echoes the same choice of life and death that Adam and Eve had before the fall. The land of promise is to be a place of life, and Moses exhorts Israel to obey God and experience life in the land.

What we find then is the story of Israel as a movement from enslavement to kingship, and a movement from death to life. Once again, God’s people will be in his place, enjoying life in the land, and God’s people will be his kingdom people. As a corporate Adam, Israel is God’s son (Exod 4:22), and is faced with a choice. Walk in obedience to God and enjoy life in the land, or turn from the Lord and be exiled from the land and suffer God’s punishment.

Unfortunately, those familiar with the Bible know that the story is not always a good one. On account of Solomon’s sin, the kingdom is divided into the North and the South. As the Northern and Southern kingdoms persist in their rebellion against the Lord, they are eventually defeated and taken into captivity, the Northern kingdom in 722 BC by Assyria and the Southern kingdom in 587–586 BC by Babylon. With the Babylonian exile, God’s people are once again removed from the land, the place of life, and do not rule over creation as God purposed. With the exile, there is no king from the line of David on the throne, and God’s people are again enslaved. To be banished from the land and the Temple as the place of God’s presence is to suffer the curse of death. Jeremiah’s words, “Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses” (Jer 9:21), are a fitting description of the horrors of the exile.

Yet even in the midst of these darkest days for the kingdom of God, the Old Testament prophets write about a glorious future restoration. The Old Testament prophetic books contain a number of future restoration hopes, but in line with the purpose of this article, I highlight some important passages from Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel that reveal how these future restoration hopes are inseparably linked with resurrection and reign.

On the one hand, the prophet Isaiah writes of the future Messianic king from the line of David who will establish God’s eschatological kingdom of justice, righteousness, and peace. Isaiah 9:6–7 captures these hopes and expectations:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Yet also linked with Isaiah’s vision of the eschatological kingdom is the hope of resurrection. In Isaiah 25:6–9, Isaiah writes,

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Although resurrection is not explicit, God promises that he will swallow up death forever, that the Lord will wipe the tears from the faces of his people, and that he will remove the disgrace of his people. Surely there is no greater disgrace and cause for tears than the curse of death. God promises to save his people, and this passage clarifies that this is nothing less than salvation from death. In Isaiah 26:19, the resurrection promises are even more explicit when Isaiah proclaims, “But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise—let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy—your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.” Just as God forms man from the dust in creation, God’s people who return to dust on account of sin and death will one day rise from the dead.

In the song of the suffering servant (52:13–53:12), Isaiah prophesies about the servant of the Lord who will be punished for the sins of his people and who will be a sacrifice for sin. But significantly, and often overlooked, is that this suffering servant will be raised to life. This servant ultimately “will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted” (52:13),26 and after his suffering “will see the light of life and be satisfied” (52:11).27 Although there is ambiguity with the various references to the “servant” in Isaiah, the New Testament communicates that this passage is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Putting the pieces together, not only will the Messiah be king, he will also be raised from the dead.

The prophet Ezekiel weds Israel’s restoration hopes with spiritual renewal and the eschatological kingdom of God through a graphic picture of resurrection. In depicting Israel’s restoration, God leads Ezekiel to a valley of dead and dry bones that come to life after Ezekiel prophesies and the Spirit gives new life to the bones (Ezek 37:1–14). The context of this passage makes it clear that this passage is about the restoration of Israel after the exile (see 37:11–14). But accompanying this restoration will be spiritual renewal (37:14) that undoubtedly culminates in resurrection life. As the next passage reveals, these restoration hopes are linked with the eschatological kingdom of God and with the promise that God’s people will experience life in the land (37:15–28). Although there is debate whether these passages describe bodily resurrection, the fact that the prophet Ezekiel utilizes resurrection language to describe eschatological kingdom hopes should not be easily dismissed. In light of the entire biblical witness, renewed spiritual life and the restoration of God’s people will culminate in nothing less than resurrection.

Finally, in Daniel 12:1–3, we find the clearest and most explicit prophecy of resurrection in the Old Testament:

At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

With the curse of death after the fall, humanity returns from whence it came: the dust (Gen 3:19). But Daniel, perhaps drawing from Isaiah 26:19, proclaims a resurrection from the dead. God’s people “will awake … to everlasting life” while his enemies “will awake … to … everlasting contempt” (Dan 12:2). The description of the resurrection of the righteous implies a glorified bodily resurrection as they “will shine like the brightness of the heavens” and “like the stars for ever and ever” (12:3). In light of the whole of the book of Daniel, Daniel’s resurrection prophecy should not be divorced from other eschatological hopes and prophecies, including Daniel’s prophecy of the heavenly son of man who establishes the eschatological kingdom of God that crushes the other kingdoms of the world (7:9–14).

What this survey of the Old Testament reveals is that kingdom hopes and resurrection hopes are always inseparably linked, both in the creation account and in God’s plan of redemption. God creates humanity to reign over creation, but on account of sin, death enters the picture and creation instead reigns over humanity. Although Adam and Israel (as a corporate Adam) fail at their call to reign as God’s vice-regents and experience life in the land, God nevertheless promises a wonderful restoration for his people in a future new covenant. Linked with the arrival of the new covenant will be the eschatological kingdom of God and the resurrection of God’s people. In light of these promises, we now turn to the New Testament.

3. New Testament Fulfillment in Jesus Christ

With the coming of Jesus Christ, a new age has begun. The New Testament portrays Jesus as “the second Adam” (Rom 5:12–21; 1 Cor 15:21–22) and “true Israel” (John 15:1–7). Considering this, Jesus’s arrival marks not only the beginning of the new covenant but also the dawning of a new creation.28 Jesus comes as the Messianic king from the line of David, the king who will reign over all creation and bring resurrection life. In this section, we will trace the themes of “resurrection” and “reign” through the three stages of how the new covenant and eschatological kingdom unfold in redemptive history: (1) the first coming of Jesus (including his life, death, and resurrection); (2) the age of the church (the time between the first and second coming); (3) the second coming of Jesus that culminates in the new creation.

3.1. The First Coming of Jesus

In both his life and sacrificial death, there is much that could be said about the twin themes of resurrection and reign. Jesus announces that his coming means the arrival of the eschatological kingdom of God (Mark 1:14–15; 8:27–30; Luke 4:14–21; 24:44–49; John 4:25–26), and the earliest followers of Jesus proclaim the same (Acts 2:36; Rom 1:1–4). In addition, Jesus proclaims that he is the source of life (John 14:6), the one who possesses eternal life (5:24–25), and “the resurrection and the life” (11:25). Moreover, Jesus’s death on the cross is explicitly linked with his Messiahship (1 Cor 1:23) and is the final sacrifice that brings life to God’s people.

To be sure, even in his earthly life and his death on the cross, Jesus is both Messiah and Lord. He reigns, but he reigns in weakness.29 In 2 Corinthians 13:4, Paul emphasizes that Jesus “was crucified in weakness.” In his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus reigns, but he willingly sacrifices his life for the sins of his people. But as the New Testament reveals, something of monumental significance happens with Jesus’s resurrection. To return to the same verse, although Jesus “was crucified in weakness,” in his resurrection he “lives by God’s power” (13:4). As a result, the focus in this section will be the relationship between Jesus’s resurrection and his kingship.

In light of our purposes, it is highly significant that the New Testament links Jesus’s resurrection from the dead with his kingship. In Acts 2:22–36, Peter proclaims that God has raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him at his right hand, where he reigns as Lord and Messiah. Similarly, in 13:16–37, Paul proclaims that God has raised Jesus from the dead and implies that this resurrection is tied to his enthronement as Messianic king.30 In both cases, the clear implication is that Jesus’s resurrection from the dead serves as his installation as king and the beginning of his enthronement.31

The apostle Paul makes explicit this connection between Christ’s resurrection and enthronement. At the beginning of Romans, Paul writes that Jesus “was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead” (1:4). Notably, the term, “Son,” is a kingship term which find its background both in ancient Near Eastern culture32 and in important Old Testament texts such as 2 Samuel 7:14 and Psalm 2:7. Whereas Jesus reigned “in weakness” in his crucifixion, on account of his resurrection from the dead, he now reigns as the Son of God in power. Moreover, in Ephesians 1:20 Paul writes that God “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” Here the relationship between Christ’s resurrection and enthronement are so closely linked that one almost implies and guarantees the other.33 As G. K. Beale notes, “Christ’s resurrection is so linked to his kingship that the two are two sides of one coin.”34

If we reflect on where we started, this connection between Jesus’s resurrection and kingship is of utmost significance. God creates humanity to reign as his vice-regents over creation (see again Gen 1:26–30; Ps 8). It is precisely this God-ordained creational role that the author of Hebrews ponders when he emphasizes that the world to come is not to be subjected to angels, but rather to humanity (Heb 2:5–8). The author of Hebrews writes, “you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet” (2:7b–8a, citing again Ps 8), and there is “nothing that is not subject to [humanity]” (Heb 2:8). But as the author of Hebrews notes, the problem is that “at present we do not see everything subject to [humanity]” (2:8). On account of sin and death, humanity’s quest to rule over creation is frustrated, stifled, and ultimately falls short, especially in light of the fact that the end result of (almost) every life is death. In this way, creation actually rules over humanity.

But Jesus’s exaltation comes into the picture precisely at this point. Although “at present we do not see everything subject to [humanity]” (2:8), “we do see Jesus … now crowned with glory and honor” (2:9). Although resurrection is not explicit in Hebrews 2:5–18, the clear implication is that Jesus is “now crowned with glory and honor” (the description given to humanity before the fall—see Ps 8:5 and Heb 2:7) because he has conquered death and reigns. C. S. Lewis writes,

The New Testament writers speak as if Christ’s achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He is the “first fruits,” the “pioneer of life.” He has forced open a door that has been locked ever since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because He has done so. This is the beginning of the New Creation: a new chapter in cosmic history has opened.35

As Lewis notes, everything is different because of Jesus’s resurrection. In Revelation 1:18, Jesus proclaims, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” On account of his resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin and death and therefore reigns over creation. Indeed, Jesus is the only person at present who reigns over creation in glory and power. What is more, only the one who has conquered death holds the keys of death and Hades. And as we will see, Jesus’s “resurrection” and “reign” have massive implications for his people, and that is the next topic to consider.

3.2. The Church

One of the unexpected developments of New Testament eschatology is that the kingdom of God will not be established with one coming of the Messiah, but rather with two, and with a lengthy time period between those two advents. This time between the first and second coming of Jesus is the age of the church. The church age is a time of inaugurated eschatology. Salvation has been accomplished through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, but will not be consummated until Jesus’s second coming. In line with the New Testament vision of inaugurated eschatology, believers’ experience of “resurrection” and “reign” has been inaugurated through new birth and spiritual resurrection, but their final resurrection and reign are still to come. The relationship between these themes during the time of the church is the focus of this section.

One passage that illumines this relationship between “resurrection” and “reign” is John 3:1–15. In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus teaches, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (3:3).36 Since Nicodemus is stupefied by Jesus’s teaching, Jesus clarifies, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (3:5). In both cases, Jesus teaches that the key to entry into the kingdom of God is new birth. This new birth is nothing less than being “born again”37 and being born of the Holy Spirit. This connection between new birth and birth by the Spirit is important. In creation, God breathes life into Adam (Gen 2:7). In Ezekiel 37:1–14, the Spirit of the Lord gives new life to the dead bones. The Spirit raises Jesus from the dead (Rom 8:11). And here in John 3:1–15, to be born of the Spirit is to be a part of the kingdom of God. New spiritual life means that believers reign with Christ because they are a part of the kingdom.

In Ephesians 2:1–10, Paul also notes the connection between resurrection and reign. Here we should recall that in 1:20, Paul emphasizes that God has raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, highlighting the connection between Jesus’s resurrection and enthronement. But according to Paul, the same power that raised Christ from the dead is also at work in believers (see 1:19–20). Therefore, what God has done for Christ by the Spirit, he also does for those who are united to Christ by faith.

But while Ephesians 1:19–20 highlights Jesus’s bodily resurrection from the dead and enthronement at God’s right hand, the movement in 2:1–10 underscores believers’ spiritual (i.e., of the Holy Spirit) resurrection and reign with Christ. While unbelievers were previously dead in their sins (2:1), they have now been “made alive with Christ” (2:5). What is more, God has raised them up and seated them in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (2:6). These verses shine the light again on this all-important relationship between resurrection and reign. Those who are united to Christ have been made alive and are therefore “spiritually” raised from the dead and consequently “already” reign with Christ in some important ways.38

The New Testament, however, also clarifies that salvation has not yet been consummated. While Paul stresses that believers have “already” been made alive and raised up with Christ (2:4–6), he writes that the bodily resurrection of believers is in the future (1 Cor 15:35–58). And in this same book where Paul emphasizes the future bodily resurrection, he chastises the Corinthians for their view that they perhaps already reign with Christ (4:8). Similarly, although Jesus teaches that eternal life is a present reality for the believer (John 5:24), he also speaks of a future resurrection of the dead (5:25). This future resurrection and reign represent the final stage in redemptive history.

3.3. The Second Coming of Jesus and New Creation

With the second coming of Christ and the onset of the new creation, we arrive at the final stage in redemptive history.39 At Jesus’s second coming, the heavenly voices loudly proclaim, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Rev 11:15). The entire world will be Christ’s, and he will reign forever.

Essential to this comprehensive and consummated reign of Christ will be the defeat of death through resurrection. This connection is explicit in 1 Corinthians 15:20–26:

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

As previously discussed, on account of his resurrection, Jesus now reigns in glory and power. But Paul emphasizes that Jesus’s resurrection is merely the “firstfruits” of a much greater harvest. When Christ returns, those who belong to him will also be raised from the dead. But significantly, with Christ’s second coming and the resurrection of believers, the consummation of the kingdom will also arrive. Since “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (15:26), the fullness of the kingdom does not arrive until the final glorified resurrection of believers.

Paul’s description of the future resurrection of believers is significant. Whereas their present bodies are perishable, sown in dishonor, weak, and natural, their future resurrection bodies of believers will be imperishable, raised in glory, raised in power, and spiritual (meaning, of the Holy Spirit; 1 Cor 15:42–44). Only these glorified resurrection bodies are fit to inherit the new creation wherein God dwells with his people. The new creation will no longer be subject to sin, and the resurrection bodies of believers will no longer be subject to sin and death but will be fit to enjoy the fullness of God’s presence. No longer will the creation rule over humanity so as to bring death. Rather, for the first time, humanity will reign over creation as God intended, in the fullness of eternal life.

The final two chapters of the Bible (Rev 21–22) provide a glimpse of the glorious future inheritance for God’s people. Jesus will return, and heaven will come to earth. The voice proceeding from the throne will say, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (21:3). Only in this new creation will there be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, because the old order of things has passed away (21:4). In the middle of this heavenly city that has come down to earth is the tree of life (22:2). Death will be defeated, and abundant eternal life will be the new and abiding reality. Only then, as John tells us, will God’s people “reign for ever and ever” (22:5).

4. Conclusion and Application

So, what do we make of this connection between resurrection and reign? In closing, I offer two application thoughts for how this should shape and impact the Christian life. First, the present spiritual resurrection of believers means they “already” reign with Christ in some important ways. Second, the future inheritance of believers provides strength and motivation to persevere in faith in the present.

4.1. The Present “Resurrection” and “Reign” of Christians

If the realities of “resurrection” and “reign” always go hand in hand, then it follows that the present spiritual resurrection of believers means that they already reign with Christ in some important ways. On the one hand, since Jesus reigns over sin and death, believers have been set free from the penalty of sin. On account of their union with Christ, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). This also means death is not the final word for Christians. Eternal life has already begun because they have crossed over from death to life (John 5:24). Although death still looms, they reign because death is not the final word and because God has promised future eternal resurrection life.

On the other hand, the spiritual resurrection of believers is the foundation for new life in Christ. As a result of his resurrection from the dead, Jesus has become “a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor 15:45) and consequently sends the Spirit to bring new life to his people. Whereas the first Adam should have been “life-giving,” he instead brought death to humanity (Rom 5:12). But the one who has conquered sin and death is the one who gives new life to his people. In this light, Richard Gaffin contends, “The Christian life in its entirety is to be subsumed under the category of resurrection. Pointedly, the Christian life is resurrection life.”40 Whereas they were formerly dead in transgressions and sins (Eph 2:1), Christians have now been made alive in Christ (2:4–6); they have died with Christ and subsequently been raised to new life (Rom 6:1–14). Because of this new life in Christ, they have been set free from their slavery to sin so that they might become slaves to righteousness (6:17–18). And significantly, to be set free from slavery to sin is to “reign” with Christ. Jesus has conquered sin, and those united to him by faith reign based the fact that they are servants of Christ and righteousness rather than sin and death.

This new life that believers have is the basis for the living out of the Christian life. As a result of being newly created (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:10), believers have a new orientation in life and are called and enabled to walk in good works (2:10). In light of this new life in Christ, Paul can write, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (4:22–24). In its most basic sense, Paul exhorts Christians to be who they are in Christ or to become who they are in Christ.41 Since they have been newly created, Christians are to live in light of this new reality.

Here we should also note the close relationship between the new resurrection life of believers and life by the Spirit.42 Just as the Spirit gave life in creation (Gen 2:7), so also the Holy Spirit provides new life for believers. This new life in the Spirit is the basis and the impetus for living out the biblical commands to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16), to “live by the Spirit (5:25), to “keep in step with the Spirit” (5:25), and to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). To walk or live by the Spirit is to walk in the power and reality of new spiritual life in Christ.

4.2. The Glorious Future Inheritance of Christians in the New Creation

A second application point stems from the wonderful future inheritance that believers have in Christ. In 1 Peter 1:3–4, Peter writes that God has given believers “new birth” through Jesus’s resurrection and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” The future hope that believers have in Christ is nothing less than abundant eternal life in which they reign with Christ forever. Believers rejoice in this salvation even though, as Peter notes, they undergo suffering, trials, and grief “for a little while” (1:6). Peter’s contrast between the present challenges and the glorious future inheritance highlights again that the time between the first and second coming of Christ is one of inaugurated eschatology. It is a time of both “suffering” and “kingdom” (Rev 1:9). It is a time when believers continue to suffer, yet also reign with him. As a result, it is also a time of “patient endurance” (1:9).

For the Christian, the future shapes the present. The wonderful future inheritance provides the motivation and strength to endure the time of suffering that lasts for a little while. On the one hand, the one who perseveres in faith “will eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (2:7; note the theme of resurrection), while on the other hand, the one who perseveres “will … sit with [Christ] on [his] throne” (3:21; note the theme of reign). The apostle Paul puts it this way: “If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Tim 2:11–12).43 The glorious hope of resurrection life and reigning with Christ is wondrous indeed. In light of this, Christians are equipped to persevere through this short time of testing and suffering.