Paul wrote, “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” (Philippians 2:9-11).
Here, the apostle was quoting from Isa. 45:23 and speaking of a time at the end when all people including the devil and his followers will Kneel down to worship God “And every tongue shall confess to God” (Rom. 14:11).
Just before the final judgment: “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, I heard saying: Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13–14).
It is not love to Jesus that inspires the announcements of the wicked but the force of truth pushes these words from their unwilling tongues. The wicked will clearly see the love of God in contrast to the darkness of sin and the loving character of God will be vindicated before the whole universe (v. 11).
It will be clear to everyone that the consequences of sin are not holy independence and eternal life, but bondage, destruction, and death. By their wicked lives, the wicked have professed: “We will not have this Man [Jesus] to rule over us” (Luke 19:14).
The evil doers will see what they have lost by their life of inequity. They rejected the eternal rewards of glory when God offered it freely to them. And now they deeply regret their unwise decisions. And they will see that their exclusion from heaven is fair and just.
In contrast, the redeemed will rejoice saying, “Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints” (Revelation 15:3); and, they will kneel and worship the Prince of peace.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
