[9] "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
[11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
I was just thinking that this is one of the most profound promises found in Scripture; the Father's promise to glorify His Son Jesus! We read words like this and think we know what they mean, but I don't think we, in our wildest and grandest imaginations, could even come close to fathoming the truth of this statement.
Let us reflect for a moment on this statement - "God exalted Him to the highest place". That would be in heaven, of which we can't grasp any of the dimensions, since it is eternal and ever increasing, and yet the Father sets Jesus in the highest place! It is an impossible position to describe, the highest place in an ever-increasing Kingdom, but suffice it to say whatever we can imagine, it is higher and more glorious!
If we look in Scripture at the attempts of Isaiah, Ezekiel and John made to describe the visions of heaven, their descriptions are full of language that clearly falls short of their actual experiences. They describe the things they see and hear are "like" things we might understand, and yet it is clear that their descriptions don't capture the fullness and glory effectively. Ezekiel finished his vision with the statement that, "this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God", and I believe this statement expresses his inability to accurately convey what He saw and experienced.
Here is a short excerpt from Ezekiel's vision - Ezekiel 1:22-28 NIV:
[22] "Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. [23] Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. [24] When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings."
[25] "Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. [26] Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. [27] I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. [28] Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him."
"This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking."
John's description of his revelation is full of imagery and description, similar in many extents to what Ezekiel described. Here are a couple of sections:
Revelation 1:12-18 NIV:
[12] "I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, [13] and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. [14] The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. [15] His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. [16] In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
[17] When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. [18] 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.
Revelation 4:2-11 NIV:
[2] "At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. [3] And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. [4] Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. [5] From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. [6] Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal."
"In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. [7] The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. [8] Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “ 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,' who was, and is, and is to come.”
[9] Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
[11] “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created and have their being.”
I just love the grand and glorious attempt that both authors made to describe something that cannot be fully described in our limited language. Higher than this, and more glorious than this is the eternal position of Jesus, for he is seated in the highest place. These visions may be insights into what that place looks like, but is ever increasing in Glory, so clearly lacking the fullness of the reality.
Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes that one day we will all be confronted with this and our reaction will be the same as John and Ezekiel, we will bow down! In fact at the full unveiling of the glory of Jesus, EVERY knee in heaven, on earth and even under the earth (Common idea of where Hades is located) will bow down. There will be no challenge to His glory or position, all will bow, for I think we will all be overcome by His glory!
There are those that think they will never bow to Him, certainly the fallen angels and hosts would desire to turn their backs and say He is "not their God", but apparently they will also be overcome by His Glory and they will bow their knees and even proclaim that He is the Lord!
I think is makes sense to close with the opening verses from Paul's letter to the Philippians 2:9-11 NIV:
[9] "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
[11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Amen!
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