EVERY KNEE, EVERY TONGUE

Every Knee, Every Tongue…

 “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me (Rom. 14:11), and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11).” Paul in his letter to the Church in Philippi and in his letter to the Church in Rome referred back in time hundreds of years when he said, “For it is written…” (Isa. 45:22-24). Isaiah records God Himself saying, “...that unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear…”

These verses have puzzled me, more so in recent years. Mostly from the perspective of the decline of overall Christian observance occurring in our world. You would think that to realize the unequivocal “every knee shall bow” threshold, Christian activity, participation, and enthusiasm would be increasing at a steady rate. Especially since the world is anticipating the imminent approach of the Second Coming. But that’s not the case at all. In 2019, 65% of American adults described themselves as Christians when asked about their religion. But that stat is significantly down, an astounding -12% since 2009. On the other side of the coin, those unaffiliated with religion, people who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” increased to 26%, which is up +9% in the same ten-year period. Christianity is losing ground. But not just Christianity, religious participation in general is waning because people aren’t moving from one form of worship to another, they’re moving away from spirituality and worship altogether – to atheism, agnosticism or “no belief system”.

It seems like the basic belief in God, adherence to His commandments, and respect for His teachings are diminishing in importance. People are just too busy, occupied with worldly activities of higher priority. Sports, travel, entertainment, work, shopping, gaming, hobbies, social activities, etc. are taking precedence and compete with Christians attending Sabbath Day worship services. Spirituality is less and less of a focus as worldly behaviors are overtaking and dominating society. Humanity isn’t seeing the value of involving God in their lives compared to times past. People aren’t studying scriptures and revering the Good Book like they once did. In popular videos online random people ‘on the street’ are asked to name five books of the Bible or quote a favorite scripture. The overwhelming majority can’t do either. Not many people are praying regularly or see benefits from communicating with God anymore. At an alarming rate, Nations are moving away from God’s protective and ample arm, and toward reliance on ‘the arm of the flesh’ – trusting in their own resources, strengths, abilities, and experience rather than God’s and His unlimited resources. We’re losing the respect, the trust, and primary regard for holy things we once had. This trend cannot and will not lead us to “the promised land”.

If fewer people have, or even want to have a formal relationship with God, how could it be that “every knee will bow down and every voice will sound conviction that God is our God” – the only God of this world? Will the people of the earth be compelled to prostrate themselves in some fashion against their will? I can’t see a loving God forcing His children to bow before Him like some tyrannical dictator. Will our fellow men attempt to show dubious respect because of the shame they feel for lives of misguided choices? That seems hollow as well. Maybe folks will succumb to pure peer pressure, joining in when seeing others around them kneeling in reverential respect for the Lord of Lords, King of Kings. Doing so only because they don’t want to be ‘left out’. Again, probably not.

So then, what will cause every last mortal, even the most defiant, disobedient and anti-godlike personalities –  those with no knowledge or care for Christianity, those that refuse to set foot in a house of worship, even those (like Saul) that openly seek to destroy believers in Christ, making havoc of the Church, and even those that openly rebel and mock everything holy – what will cause ALL to kneel in adoring recognition and speak (confess) with certain declaration that Jesus is God? How could it be possible? It seems that everything conceivable is working overtime to the contrary to thwart it.

For overwhelming circumstances exactly like this, we should remember, “…with God all things are possible” (Matt. 16:26). Think carefully about this response. Every knee will bow out of respect and affirmation, and every tongue will confess the truth, acknowledging praise, honor and reverence, because every person will absolutely and unquestionably realize in a split second how much He loves them.

That’s why.

Because He loves them. And maybe for the first time in their mortal existence they will undeniably understand His love for them. What was a dormant realization will surface in everyone’s memory of what He’s done for them, the sacrifice He paid for them, the blood He shed, the stripes He bore, the agony He endured, the ridicule He took, the life He freely gave up for them – it was because He loves them.

All will comprehend fully that He didn’t have to do what He did, that He did it out of love for all. Everyone will know that He paid for their sins. All will know that He broke the bands of death for them. All will grasp how undeserving we are based on our sinfulness, missed priorities, and worldliness.

All will bow.

All will confess His name.

And all will do so freely and spontaneously because each and every person will realize how fully, how completely, and how undeservingly He loves us.

He loves each and every one of us as of His children.

His matchless love is the answer to all of the significant and not so significant mortal dilemmas.

Wm. Calvin Hughes | June 19, 2023 | Lake Elsinore, California