Considerations ~ The History of the Supreme Name

⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2)

Here are some thoughts about how this verse looks in the three dimensions of past, present, and future.

Past:

• God has already highly exalted Jesus Christ
• God has already bestowed on Jesus the name that is above every name, King of kings, and Lord of lords

Present:

• Jesus Christ is highly exalted
• Jesus Christ has the name that is above every other name
• People and angels are bowing their knees at the name of Jesus
• People and angels are confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father

Future: 

• Jesus will eternally be highly exalted
• Jesus will always have the name that is above every name, King of kings, and Lord of lords
• At the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, every human being, every angel, every demon, will bow their knee in acknowledgment of his supremacy over all things
• At the name of Jesus Christ, every human being, every angel, ever demon, will confess with their mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

NOTE: Keep this in mind as you read “Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals…” (Revelation 6:1) What we see in Revelation is the Lord Jesus Christ, highly exalted to the Father’s right hand, the only one who is able to break the seven seals and open the scroll, given the name that is above every name, King of kings, and Lord of lords, assuring the church that he will sovereignly carry out all the plans and purposes of God in making for himself a family of people in his own image and likeness.

Revelation 4-5 show us the supreme glory of God in his throne room, the way it is all through the miserable and terrible things that will happen upon the earth. The church is to remember this, that God is on the throne, and the Son of God is standing before the throne fulfilling all the Father’s plans and purposes for the world they created, and the people they redeemed.

The following chapters show us the seven seals, bad things that will happen throughout history, things that are pictured as sealing the words God has written on his scroll, and yet Jesus Christ has the power and authority to open them all. The church is given a clear picture that the bad things we will see happening in the world are not God’s plans for the world (for there are the seals, not the scroll), but that they will happen as God carries out his plans for the world, and his plans for his people in the world.

Revelation is the grand demonstration of Romans, that nothing will ever separate the children of God from the love of God, and that we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. The God of love has given the Revelation to the people he loves, so that we will walk in a love that endures all things for the glory of the Triune God.

© 2014 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)