“Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and
bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.”
-- Philippians 2:9-11
What stark contrast we find between the name of our Savior as it is
described in this passage of scripture and how it is used in our modern
society. Just try to imagine what an incredible event this will be to witness. All
mankind: past, present and future, will be at this event. You, dear reader, will be there to participate in this
awe-inspiring event. The entire population of the Earth from the beginning of
time, will drop to their knees in a public confession that Jesus Christ is the
Lord. The Greek tense used in these verses show that this event is not just a
one-time event, nor is it a perpetual state of physical being. What it does
indicate is that there will come a time when all mankind, whether they are
destined for Heaven or Hell, will confess this incredible truth. When the veil
is pulled back, and we are allowed to see the reality of the state we are in,
how could anyone not confess that He ALWAYS was Lord of all?
And yet with the innumerable amount of voices confessing that Jesus
Christ is Lord, He is worthy of infinitely more praise. Jeremiah 64:6 says that
our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment before God. Thus our best act of
worship will always fall short. This in no way negates how we ought to live in constant
awe of who He is and always worshiping Him (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
So the next time you are about to use our Lords name, even if it is in
prayer, pause, and contemplate the awesome nature and worthiness of that name. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was
also in Christ Jesus, who , although He existed in the form of God, did not
regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the
form of a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found
in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of
death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and
bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father. So then my beloved, just as you have always obeyed not
as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your
salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to
will and to work for His good pleasure.”
(Philippians 2:5-13)~a simple doulos
I echo that challenge. Do you ever really, truly, think about the name you drop daily as a common household word? It is a name so awe-inspiring that men fall to their knees in worship, so holy that the Jews will not speak it nor even write it with the same pen they have written other words, and so powerful it forced demons into utter submission! My friend once asked me, "How incredible is it that the name is so incredible that it can be drug through the mud and abused to such an extant and yet still maintain its holy and beautiful nature?!" Maybe it's time we started thinking about it, eh?
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