Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.
There has never been a time that Jesus has not been Lord, nor a time that He will not be. As the Second Person of the Godhead, He reigns as God eternally. The incarnation did not make Him less than fully God, rather it made Him fully man.
In His crucifixion, He died as man, but in His resurrection, He rose as glorified humanity. In doing so, He conquered death and crushed the serpent’s head. Satan is still dangerous in his death throes, however, as a snake can inject venom as it writhes in dying. The devil has been cast down, but not cast out—not yet.
Christ has ascended, and is extending His reign spiritually as He calls the elect to salvation. Each time a sinner repents of his rebellion and bows at the feet of the Savior, His reign is extended on earth.
The full manifestation of that awaits the future. Christ’s resurrection is the prototype of those whom He will raise from death. There is an order in the resurrection, as Paul notes here. The dead in Christ will rise at the rapture of the church, to be joined by the living saints, transformed and taken up to glory. Following seven years of tribulation judgments on earth, Christ returns with His bride to reign. The Old Testament saints and tribulation martyrs will be raised to share in a thousand years of Christ’s reign on the earth. Following that the wicked will be raised and judged. Then Christ delivers over the kingdom to the Father and the Eternal State of new heavens and a new earth begins.
“And He shall reign forever and ever! Hallelujah!”
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