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The One Benevolent Hierarchy
Every Knee Shall Bow 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.—Isaiah 45:23 Kome Ajise There are many assurances in the Bible, and definitely one founded on Jehovah swearing by Himself has to be the most assured of all. Such is the text in Isaiah 45:23 quoted above. The context of this verse is set in Scriptures that address God’s faithfulness to Israel, and His encouragement of that nation as His people. Beginning with chapter 41 of Isaiah, the context reveals a caring and faithful God reasserting His promises to Israel. The subsequent chapters reinforce this by indicating that the purpose of God’s love and faithfulness to Israel is to bring Him glory and honor. However, in chapter 42 God introduces our Lord as the messiah through whom Israel’s salvation, and indeed, the salvation of the rest of mankind is secured: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:1). We understand these “judgments” to be the work of the millennial kingdom of Christ, wherein all men will learn righteousness and obedience to Jehovah’s will. Then in chapters 43 through 45, Jehovah reasons with His people [Israel], encouraging them to be His witnesses. God, Israel’s Redeemer, shows the extent of His mercy to Israel by using Cyrus, king of Persia, to give them freedom from captivity in Babylon. In addition to promises of an everlasting deliverance, this Gentile king was also used by Jehovah to rebuild Jerusalem. It is within the context of these assurances that the Scriptures are made broader and applied universally to the entire world. It would seem that Isaiah 45:18 marks that transition point where the earth is established as man’s everlasting home. The subsequent verses express an invitation to draw near or turn to God, which could apply to Israel; but calls to “fugitives from the nations” in verse 20 (NASB), and people in “all the ends of the earth” in verse 22 suggest an invitation to all of mankind. Verse 23, our theme text, is interesting because it is an assurance given by Jehovah, one so strong He swore by himself. This is important because he could not swear by any one greater (Hebrews 6:13,16), and it is a universal assurance that every knee will bow to Him. This text is a clear statement of Jehovah’s will that every person will ultimately know and worship him—a divine will that is supported throughout Scriptures as to how and when these things will occur. In Numbers 14:21, a similar assurance is given of God’s universal kingdom when Jehovah declared, “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” As in Isaiah 45:23, God makes an assured oath with the phrase “as truly as I live.” Paul borrows this phrase to cite the Isaiah text to indicate the ultimate rulership of Jehovah and that we are answerable to Him (see Romans 14:11). Paul helps to clarify the Isaiah 45 declaration by concluding that not only will every knee bow, but every tongue shall confess to God; or every tongue shall give praise to God (NAS). Paul again uses the sentiments in Isaiah 45:23 in Philippians 2:10, but applies it to Jesus instead of Jehovah: “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” (Philippians 2:10,11). Paul concludes the assurance in Philippians 2 with the fact that it is to the glory of God. Furthermore, in verse 9, Paul asserts that it is God himself that set our Lord [Jesus] on this high platform, whereby God highly exalted Jesus and gave him a name above every name; and at that name every knee will bow and every tongue will praise Jehovah. Paul clearly sees this, as presented in Isaiah 45—that there will come a time for universal worship and obedience to God Almighty. He also sees the Kingdom of Christ as the precursor to that everlasting Kingdom of Jehovah his Father. We see this progression laid out in 1 Corinthians 15:22-28. Paul touches on the universality of God’s purpose again when he states, “For as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive.” Emphasis is added to ALL to show that this is purposed for all of mankind, just like the application of “every” in Isaiah 45:23. As we read further in 1 Corinthians 15, we see a progression of God’s plan toward His universal kingdom. First, comes the resurrection (or right standing) of every man in order through the Kingdom of Christ. Then verse 24 tells of the end of that kingdom, when Jesus delivers it to God, his Father “when he [Jesus] shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” Before the eternal universal rule of Jehovah, his son Jesus will reign a thousand years (Revelation 20:4,6); and it is the work of this reign of Christ that Paul refers to in verses 25 and 26: “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25,26) Revelation 20:14 refers to this final definitive destruction of death as the “Second Death.” This imagery then transitions into the next chapter which talks about a new heaven and a new earth, a new Jerusalem, coming down from God—a suggestion that mankind will be offered a new governance arrangement, one that comes from God: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:3). To be their God is to have every knee bow and every tongue sing His praise. But the effect of this new governance is what is more telling; verse 4 tells us that God will wipe away all tears and there will be no more death, no sorrow, no crying and no pain. The next verse asserts that these words are “true and faithful.” This is similar to the assertion in Isaiah 45:23, where God says the word has gone out and will not return. His plan is set and must come to be! In 1 Corinthians 15:27 Paul shows that God is in charge of all of this. God put all things under His Son, Jesus, except of course for God Himself: “For he [God] hath put all things under his [Jesus’] feet. But when he [God] saith all things are put under him [Jesus], it is manifest that he [God] is excepted, which did put all things under him [Jesus]. And when all things shall be subdued unto him [Jesus], then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him [God] that put all things under him [Jesus], that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:27,28). Hallelujah! God’s purpose and will is for all men to be saved from Adamic death and come to an accurate knowledge of Him (1 Timothy 2:4). This knowledge will compel every knee to bow in worship and every tongue to sing praises to Him. However, the means to this blessing of all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3) is our Lord, Jesus Christ. Referring to Jesus, Acts 4:12 states that, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” |