Well, let us turn again to the
Word of God, Philippians chapter 2. We shall read verses 5 to
11. Philippians chapter 2, verses
5 to 11. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth. and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father. We continue this evening in our
consideration of this passage, we've considered on a previous
occasion verse five, that was back in December, and then just
last month we looked at verses six to eight, and so we come
this evening to verses nine to 11. wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father. In this epistle, Paul sets before
the church at Philippi the Lord Jesus Christ as the perfect example
for believers to follow. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus. Believers, you see, are not under
the law. They're under the gospel. They
are under grace. That doesn't mean that they're
antinomians. This is the charge that is often
leveled against us. I've had this accusation put
to me before after preaching. You're an antinomian. As I said,
as Paul says, we're not under the law. The word antinomian
means against the law. But you know, the gospel is not
against the law of God. And so we cannot be antinomian.
if we say we're under the gospel, if we are under the gospel, we
cannot be antinomian because the gospel is not against the
law. Rather, the gospel is the fulfillment
of the law. In the gospel, the law of God
is fulfilled. And so Paul says in Romans chapter
8, In verse 3 of that chapter, he
says, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through
the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. And what is it to walk after
the Spirit? Well, it is to follow Christ.
It's to be conformed to His image. And so Paul here does not set
before the Philippians the law of Moses, but the person and
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus. The apostle, in the first part
of this epistle, had exalted the church, here at Philippi,
to unity, and to patience in suffering, and to humility, and
to love. See that first chapter from verse
27, only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel
of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent,
I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit,
with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.
and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them
an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that
of God. For unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer
for his sake. having the same conflicts which
he saw in me, and now here to be in me. If there be therefore
any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship
of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy,
that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord,
of one mind, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,
but in loneliness of mind. Let each esteem other better
than themselves. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others. And he
sets before them, as I say, the supreme example which they are
to follow. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus. He then goes on to describe more
fully the person and the work of the Redeemer. For if we are
to truly follow Christ, then we must know who He is and what
it is that He has done. And we considered last time the
pre-incarnate glory of Christ, that's from verse 6, who being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God. And we considered His humiliation,
verses 7 and 8 but made himself of no reputation and took upon
him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men
and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and
became obedient unto death even the death of the cross and so
we come this evening to consider the exaltation of Christ. In verses 9 to 11, wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which
is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, things in heaven and things in earth and things
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. We begin with
the word wherefore. Wherefore refers to that which
had been said previously regarding the humiliation of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Wherefore, because he made himself
of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and
was made in the likeness of men and because being found in fashion
as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross, because of his humble obedience to all
the Father's will. God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is above every name, all because
Christ humbled himself. The Father has exalted him. The Lord Jesus Christ was obedient
to the commandment which he had received of his Father. Therefore doth my Father love
me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No
man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power
to lay it down and I have power to take it again. This commandment
have I received of my Father. He voluntarily humbled himself,
condescending to take upon himself our human nature, a human body
and a human soul, thus making himself of no reputation, and
in that real human nature, dying a real human death, which is
the separation of soul and body. But the humiliation of the Son
of God went much lower than that, for it was a transgressor's death. though he himself was and is
without sin, he took the punishment for sin, which is death. He died the transgressor's death,
and so it was written of him in Isaiah, and he was numbered
with the transgressors. And he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors. Why, this is the
Holy One of Israel, numbered with the transgressors! Such was Christ's love for the
Church that he gave himself for it. He was wounded for our transgressions,
or tormented for our transgressions, as the alternative rendering
is in the margin, tormented for our transgressions. He was bruised
for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to
his own way. and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all again there in Isaiah 53 we read
for the transgression of my people was he stricken or as it is in
the Hebrew we're told in the margin for the transgression
of my people was the stroke upon him for the transgression of
my people was the stroke upon him what stroke? the stroke of
divine wrath against sin, the stroke of divine justice against
a broken law, the stroke of death, the due punishment for our transgressions. That was the stroke that was
upon him, that was the stroke that was laid upon Jesus, the
head of the church. For the transgression of my people
was he stricken. For the transgression of my people
was the stroke upon him. This is the wherefore then. Christ
humbled himself, he was obedient to all his father's will, coming
into this world as a servant of Jehovah and giving his life
a ransom for many. Wherefore God also hath highly
exhorted him. Let us consider this in the second
place, that God also hath highly exalted him." The Lord Jesus Christ was raised
from the dead on the third day and then 40 days after his resurrection
from the dead he ascended up into heaven to sit at the right
hand of God the Father. The words highly exalted are
one word in the Greek I'm not sure I've got the pronunciation
quite right, but we get the gist. Hyper-exalted. Hyper-exalted. In Ephesians Paul says that God
raised him from the dead. and set him at his own right
hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and
power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and
hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the
head over all things to the church. After he had risen from the dead,
and before he ascended up into heaven he could say to his disciples,
all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. God has
highly exalted him, hyper-exalted him. The son had finished the
work which the father had given him to do, and now the father
would honour the son, even as the son had honoured the father. wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him. And this the Lord Jesus had asked
for in prayer, you remember, in John 17. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And
now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was. We considered last time the two
natures of Christ, the divine and the human. When we considered
his pre-incarnate glory as God and his humiliation when he condescended
to come in the likeness of sinful flesh, that is in our likeness,
body and soul. God was manifest in the flesh,
even as a man he humbled himself. and being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross. It is that same Christ, who is
both God and man, which is now highly exalted. Concerning his
deity, the Son is now glorified with the same glory which he
had with the Father before the world was. concerning his sacred
humanity. This same Jesus, which was nailed
to the cross, is now risen from the dead. This same Jesus, which
was raised from the dead, is now taken up into heaven. And
as the angel testified to his disciples, as they were gazing
up into heaven as he ascended, this same Jesus, which is taken
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen him go into heaven. there is to be that glorious
return of the Lord Jesus Christ, even in his human nature. Yes, it is that same Jesus, the
human body and soul of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as his
deity, his divine nature, which is now highly exalted, wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him. and given him a name which
is above every name. Now let us for a few moments
think upon his name. And given him a name which is
above every name. That name of Jesus which is so
lightly esteemed upon earth is now magnified in heaven. It is
the name of the savior and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for
he shall save his people from their sins. And it is the name
of the only Saviour, neither is there salvation in any other,
for there is none other name under heaven given among men
whereby we must be saved." His very name Jesus means Saviour,
coming from the Hebrew root meaning to save, or Jehovah shall save. It is the name of the Lord and
Christ, as Peter declared on the day of Pentecost. Therefore
being by the right hand of God, exalted, and having received
of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed
forth this which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended
into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my
Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of
Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom
ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. See John's vision of the highly
exalted son of the living God. In Revelation chapter 19, verse
11, And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and
he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire,
and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that
no man knew but he himself. and he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that
with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a
rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God. And he had on his vesture and
on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Oh God has given him a name which
is above every name. A name which is above every name.
Now to have a name, of course, sometimes means, often means,
to have a reputation. And so we read in the Proverbs,
a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. And in Ecclesiastes,
a good name is better than precious ointment. We read that David
gat him a name, when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in
the Valley of Sort, being 18,000 men. He got himself a reputation,
you see. The church in Sardis had a good
reputation, but it was undeserved. Thou hast a name, but thou livest
and art dead. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal
Son of the Eternal Father, made himself of no reputation. Is this not the carpenter's son? Ah, but now God hath given him
a name which is above every name. As it was prophesied of him in
the Psalms, I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations.
therefore shall the people praise thee forever and ever here we
see the fulfillment of that promise and of that prophecy wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which
is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow so it was prophesied in Isaiah Isaiah 45, verse 21, tell ye,
and bring them near, yea, let them take counsel together. Who
hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that
time? Have not I the Lord? Now mark
these words, here is the I am speaking, the covenant God, Jehovah. And there is no God else beside
me, a just God and a Saviour. There is none beside me. Look
unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. For I
am God, and there is none else. As I have sworn by myself, the
word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not
return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall
swear. And here again we see the deity
of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul, under the direct inspiration
of God the Holy Spirit, takes these words in Isaiah, words
which are spoken by the Lord God himself, and applies them
to the Lord Jesus Christ, that at the name of Jesus, every knee
should bow. And bowing the knee surely signifies
worship. The Lord Jesus Christ is to be
worshipped and adored, for He is God. No mere angel is to be
worshipped. Remember how John in the Revelation
was rebuked for falling down before an angel. Revelation 22
and verse 8. And I, John, saw these things
and heard them, and when I had heard and seen, I fell down to
worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant,
and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the sayings
of this book. Worship God, worship God God only is to be worshipped
the Lord Jesus Christ is to be worshipped that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow for he is fully God co-equal with
the Father being in the form of God It reminds you again that the
Lord Jesus received the worship of men while he was here upon
earth. As we see throughout the four Gospels. When the devil
tempted Christ to fall down and worship him. If thou therefore
will worship me all shall be thine. What was the Lord's reply? And Jesus answered and said unto
him get thee behind me Satan. for it is written thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve. God
only is to be worshipped and yet even as a man Christ receives
the worship of men and women for in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. He receives the worship of angels
too and this brings us in the fifth
place to the next clause of the verse of things in heaven and
things in earth and things under the earth of things in heaven
and things in earth and things under the earth this speaks of
the universality of the homage which is to be paid to our Lord
Jesus Christ everything in all creation, things in heaven and
things in earth and things under the earth, everything in the
universe, must and shall be brought to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus
Christ. This is the ultimate purpose
of God. And that is what is being said
here, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things
in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. We
want to point out that the word should is not being used here
in the way that we often use the word nowadays. We often use the word should
in the sense of we should do this, we should do that, but
we're not going to do it, or we have no intention of doing
it. We use the word in the sense of we ought to do this or that. This is something that ought
to be done. But that is not the meaning of the word here. It's
not saying that, at the name of Jesus, every knee ought to
bow. No. It's much stronger than that.
The proper meaning of the word should, as it is used here, has
the idea of intention or purpose. We see it, for example, in Acts
2, verse 47. A verse, incidentally, which
has been changed in the modern versions. New King James Version included.
and the Lord added to the church such as should be saved and the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved there was a people there in Jerusalem
whom the Lord intended to save whom the Lord had purpose to
save such as should be saved and so they were saved they were
added to the church And so here we see the purpose and intention
of God that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things
in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. And
you know that all that God purposes He brings to pass. Yea, I have
spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it,
I will also do it, He says. in Isaiah. All must bow the knee
to the Lord Jesus Christ of things in heaven and things in earth
and things under the earth. This bowing of the knee must
be either freely and willingly or forced and by constraint. Of things in heaven, of things
in heaven, elect angels the multitude of the heavenly host, and the
spirits of just men made perfect. See them there in the book of
the Revelation, in Revelation chapter 5 verse 11. And I beheld, and I heard the
voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and
the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing, and
every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the
earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them,
heard I saying, blessing and honour and glory and power be
unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for
ever and ever. Angels and saints in heaven willingly
and freely bow the knee to God and to the Lamb. All creation
must and shall bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. or of
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things in earth,
just men on earth, those who are justified by grace through
faith in the Redeemer's blood, who are born again of the Spirit
of God. Oh, is that you? Would you willingly
bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ? Yes, such will willingly
bow the knee to the Lord Jesus, who know the forgiveness of their
sins through his rich, sin-atoning blood, who are born of the Spirit,
who are taught of God. But you know, even the wicked
here on earth must bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, to
the Christ of God. Not willingly, of course, but
by constraint. And so we read in the Psalms, "...surely the
wrath of man shall praise thee, the remainder of wrath shalt
thou restrain." John Trapp in his commentary on that verse
says, "...God by his wisdom ordereth and draweth the blind and brute
motions of the worst creatures unto his own honour." So it was with Pharaoh, you remember. in Exodus chapter 9 verse 16
we read and in very deed for this cause have I raised thee
up for to show in thee my power and that my name may be declared
throughout all the earth and in Exodus 14 and I will harden
Pharaoh's heart that he shall follow after them and mark these
words and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host,
that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. Yes, even the
hardening of the hearts of the wicked, even all the oppositions
of sinful men to the truth of God, and to the church of God,
and to the Christ of God, ultimately serve the purpose of God, and
shall redound to the glory of God and of his Christ. Surely
the wrath of man shall praise thee, the remainder of wrath
shalt thou restrain see how even the wicked here
on earth are forced constrained to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus
Christ they serve his purposes for they are all under his feet
Christ is the head over all things to the church and things in earth and things
under the earth and things under the earth all the dead all those
who have died in the Lord and all those who have died in their
sins shall bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ there is to
be a general resurrection of the just and of the unjust on
the last day the day of the apocalypse that is the day of the revelation
of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ When the Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven, that's the meaning of the word apocalypse,
revelation. When the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,
taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified
in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe. Isaiah says, And the earth shall
cast out the dead. Daniel says, And many of them
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Jesus said, marvel
not at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are
in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth, they
that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they
that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. Oh how the righteous those who
are made righteous in the righteousness of Christ and by the blood of
the everlasting covenant how the righteous shall rejoice in
that day and willingly bow the knee and cast their crowns before
the Lord Jesus Christ but what of the wicked those who die in
their sins the wicked too shall rise again the difference will
be this they rise to everlasting pain the saints to endless bliss
or how the wicked shall tremble at their doom on that day. The
Christ they rejected they must now acknowledge to be Lord and
Christ. Behold, he cometh with clouds,
and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him,
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even
so, Amen. The wicked angels too, yes, the
demons in hell, must bow the knee to Christ as their judge. And the angels which kept not
their first estate but left their own habitation, he hath reserved
in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great
day. all creation must and shall be
brought to bow the knee at the name of Jesus the Lord of glory
of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the
earth oh how precious is that name is that name precious to
you it is surely most precious to true believers and how willingly
We bow the knee at that name, not superstitiously as the Romanists
would do, but reverently and with godly fear. We hate it when
we hear his name taken in vain. In the words of the hymn writer
John Newton, how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's
ear. It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives
away his fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole
and calms the troubled breast. Tis manner to the hungry soul
and to the weary rest. Dear name, the rock on which
I build, my shield and hiding place, my never-failing treasury,
filled with boundless stores of grace. Oh, how precious is
the name of Jesus. What is the name of Jesus to
you? or is it precious? Is it the name which is above
every name to you, to your soul? Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father. again I remind you that this
is in fulfillment of the ancient prophecy in Isaiah 45 verse 23
I have sworn by myself the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness
and shall not return that unto me every knee shall bow every
tongue shall swear Paul quotes that same scripture again you
know in another place in Romans Romans 14 for we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, unto every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue
shall confess to God. So then, every one of us shall
give account of himself to God. At the day of judgment, it shall
be universally acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord. even by
those who have denied his deity, even by those who have rebelled
against his reign, even by those who have blasphemed his name,
taken his name in vain. But I say unto you, Jesus said,
that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou
shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Or how will it be for those who have despised his name and misused
his name? They must stand before him and
give account to him whose name they have despised. For the Father
judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Paul in his preaching at Athens
told the Greeks that God hath appointed a day in the which
he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained,
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath
raised him from the dead. Oh, have you been brought willingly
and savingly to confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? by
the gracious work of the Spirit in your heart? Or will you be
forced to confess Him on that great day of judgment? Remember the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ, Matthew chapter 10, verse 32. Whosoever therefore
shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before
my Father which is in heaven. but whosoever shall deny me before
men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. You see what that scripture is
saying? Mark it well, not to confess his name before men is
tantamount to denying him. But of course there must not
be the bare confession or profession of his name only. No, there must
be faith in the heart. that faith which is wrought of
God, that faith which is the gift of God, that if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. For the scripture saith, whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. And we note further from the
scripture before us this evening, that to confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord does not detract from the glory of God. No, rather
it honors him. and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the
Father. To the glory of God the Father.
Not to confess that he is Lord actually dishonours the Father.
Jesus said that all men should honour the Son even as they honour
the Father. He that honoureth not the Son
honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. And so Paul says here that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of
God the Father. Well, as we draw to a conclusion
this evening, do we not see here in this passage, which we've
been considering, that it is an abiding principle with God,
a spiritual law if you like, that whosoever exhorteth himself
shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exhorted we
see it here in the perfect example of the Lord Jesus Christ or would
you be exhorted to God's right hand in the world to come lifted
up to be with Christ forever? Humble yourselves in the sight
of God and he shall lift you up. Let us follow the Lamb, the
Lamb of God. As Paul says here, let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made
himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant
and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself. and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. to the glory
of God the Father. Amen.