Category Archives: Kneeling

Elderly woman kneeling and praying with rosary beads in a church pew
Bible, Bowing, Confession, Isaiah, Kneeling, Romans, Scripture, Tongue

EVERY KNEE AND TONGUE

ROMANS 14:11

“For it is written: ‘AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, TO ME EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, AND EVERY TONGUE WILL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.’”

One day we know the Lord will return for His bride, the church, and take us away with Him to glory. Some of us may precede this event having gained our heavenly reward through death. But even when this day occurs, there will still be those who refuse to believe in Jesus as Lord. However, one day will come when they all will.

Paul quotes from Isaiah 45:23 which reads, “‘I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.’” This is God Himself talking. By using this passage, Paul is undoubtedly attributing God’s attributes to Jesus Himself Whom he has just been talking about in the previous verse (Romans 14:10). Paul makes it very clear what will happen one day.

APPLICATION

Paul says just about the same thing in Philippians 2:9-11. There we read, “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.” Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Bowing the knee indicates paying homage or submitting to someone greater than you. There is no one greater than Jesus. Unfortunately, there are many who think they are. One day they will understand His greatness. And Paul says every tongue will confess. That means they will agree with Jesus’ words about Himself. They will see that everything He said while He walked this earth and every word of His in His Word is true.

Bowing and confessing! We had better get used to it. If you are a follower of Christ, you have one posture – the bended knee. You should have one profession – Jesus is Lord. When we live in this posture and with this profession, we are living according to truth and glory. Celebrate Who Christ is! Submit your everything to Him today and proclaim Him far and wide!

We do bow in Your presence, O Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Thank You for dying for me and giving the opportunity to live for You.

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Allegiance, Bible, Bowing, Jesus, Kneeling, Scripture, Worship

KNEELING

PHILIPPIANS 2:10

“so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,”

I’m at the age now when I kneel down to get something, I pause to see if I need to do anything else while I’m down there. Lol. Can you relate? Kneeling gets harder with age. Our bones crack and moan more. Our backs strain getting back up. Now, I’m not in awful shape physically, but I definitely feel my age more these days. Maybe helping watch my ten-month-old grandson has something to do with it. You think?

Paul makes a declaration in today’s verse which is directly from the mouth of God. He says that one day, “every knee will bow.” And when he says “every” he means EVERY. He covers them all – in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Everyone will bow before the only true and holy Savior, Jesus Christ. He is Lord! John says something similar in his vision statement in Revelation 5:13. “And I heard every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all the things in them, saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.’”

APPLICATION

The Greek word translated as “will bow” is kamptó which “primarily means to bend or bow, often used in the context of bowing the knee as an act of submission, worship, or reverence. It conveys the physical act of bending as well as the metaphorical act of showing humility or deference.” (Strong’s Lexicon). It is only used three other times (Romans 11:4. 14:11; Ephesians 3:14).

In Romans 11:4 Paul writes about the story of Elijah when he was complaining to God and was told by God that He had kept 7,000 men in Israel who had not bowed to Baal. In other words, their allegiance was to Jehovah and bowed only to Him. Later in Romans 14:11 Paul is quoting God from Isaiah 45:23 which says, “‘I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.’”

Finally, as Paul begins his prayer in Ephesians 3:14, he writes, “For this reason I bend my knees before the Father,” You see, Paul knew there was only one God and to Him only would he bow. Paul would bow to no man. Kind of reminds you of three youth who got thrown into a furnace for refusing to bow to an earthly king, doesn’t it?  Today, bow your knee, bow your heart, kneel and pray and lift up the name of Jesus.

O Lord, I will bow before You and praise Your holy name.

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