Philippians 2:5-11 New American Standard Bible 1995
5 Have this attitude [a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [b] grasped, 7 but [c]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [d]on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The Only Higher Glory
Philippians 2:9 Amplified Bible
9 For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
We have been talking about our having the mindset of Christ and following his example of humility.
When it comes to humility, no one can be humbler than Christ, who gave up his own life so that all who call on his name can be saved to have new life forever.
And because Jesus did that, the Word of God says that God also raised him from the grave and “exalted him to the highest place.”
He started out as the Son of God in heaven.
Then he willingly became a suffering servant who swooped down to the lowest of depths by dying on a cross for our sake.
Then God, as only God is able, reversed it all and swung Jesus upward to rule in heaven over everything.
The words Apostle Paul uses to describe this position have to do with the power of the highest name: “God . . . gave him the name that is above every name.” And what is that name? It is Jesus (meaning “Savior”), and it is Christ (meaning “Anointed One”). Jesus Christ is the Lord, the sovereign ruler, over all things.
His name is so glorious the day will come when every knee will bow to honor him, every tongue will sing songs to “acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, is Lord of the cosmos.
All glory be to him forever and ever!
The Only Rightly Exalted, The Only Greater Exaltation
Philippians 2:5-8 Amplified Bible
5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6 who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. 8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8 is a beautiful statement concerning Christ’s humanity, deity, ministry, and humiliation.
Having mapped the humility of the incarnate Son of God all the way to His death on a cross, where does your mind go next? Naturally, we think of the resurrection. But Paul does not. He takes us directly to Christ’s exaltation.
There is, Paul says, a logical connection between Jesus’ humiliation and His exaltation: “Therefore God has highly exalted him” (v 8, emphasis added).
What is this exaltation?
It is that the Father has given His Son the throne and ordered this world so that one day
“at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (v 10-11).
But why is His exaltation fitting?
Scripture gives us several answers.
First, Christ’s exaltation is fitting because it fulfills Old Testament prophecy and demonstrates that God keeps His word.
The worldwide recognition of Jesus as Lord will occur because God promised it would.
Six hundred years before Jesus arrived on the stage of human history, Isaiah recorded these words from God: “Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted” (Isaiah 52:13).
And so Christ came to bear the pain and sin of the world, fulfilling the role of Suffering Servant, lifted up on a cross, then raised to be exalted on His throne.
As Paul wrote elsewhere,
“All the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Second, Christ’s exaltation is fitting because He is God.
The Bible teaches us all that the Son is One with the Father. On account of His divinity, exaltation is an absolute necessity; there is nowhere else for God to sit!
No other seat is suitable for the Son except at His Father’s right hand.
Finally, Christ’s exaltation is fitting because He is the dear Son of His Father.
God the Father watched the Son obediently go to the cross to fulfill the covenant of redemption and heard Him cry out in pain,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
The Father knew that the Son underwent that agony out of love for the Father and love for His people.
Matthew 23:37 Amplified Bible
Lament over Jerusalem
37 “[a]O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
The Father would not leave His perfect Son in that dire condition.
How could the Father’s love do anything other than exalt the Son from His lowly state?
Christ’s humiliation for us and exaltation above us are surely enough to bring us to the point where we bow in joyful submission to Him.
They show us that there is only one who has the absolute unchallengeable status to demand our obedience and the character to deserve our adoration.
They remind us that the best thing about heaven will be the most glorious person in heaven:
I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of grace;
Not at the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.[1]
1 Anne R. Cousin, “The Sands of Time Are Sinking” (1857).
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear God, please help us to bow our knees and confess with our mouths the truth about Jesus’ cosmic glory. Make us witnesses of this splendid gospel truth. Amen.
Psalm 19 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Works and the Word of God.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be [e]blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 