Connect Psalm 22:29 with Philippians 2:10-11 on every knee bowing to God. Psalm 22:29—From Suffering to Sovereignty “All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship; all those who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—even he who cannot keep his soul alive.” • Psalm 22 opens with the Messiah’s cry of dereliction (v. 1) and moves steadily toward global praise. • Verse 29 widens the spotlight from Israel to “all the prosperous of the earth” and even “those who go down to the dust,” stressing that both the living and the dead will bow. • The verb translated “kneel” (Heb. karaʿ) pictures literal bending of the knee in homage—public, physical acknowledgment of God’s kingship. Philippians 2:10-11—The Name That Commands Every Knee “…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” • Paul cites Isaiah 45:23, but he places Jesus squarely in that Yahweh-exclusive promise, revealing Christ’s full deity. • The threefold sphere—“in heaven and on earth and under the earth”—completes the sweep hinted at in Psalm 22: the living, the dead, and even the angelic realm. • Confession (“homologeō”) follows kneeling: submission is coupled with verbal proclamation of Jesus as Lord. The Seamless Thread Between the Passages • Same Action: “kneel/bow” signals total surrender. • Same Audience: every social class (“prosperous”), every physical state (“go down to the dust”), every realm (heaven, earth, under the earth). • Same Outcome: universal recognition of God’s rightful rule. • Progression: 1. Psalm 22 looks forward from the cross, promising that the One forsaken will ultimately be adored. 2. Philippians 2 looks backward at the cross, declaring that the One who humbled Himself is now exalted and will be universally acknowledged. Supporting Witnesses • Isaiah 45:23—The original oath of universal homage. • Romans 14:11—Paul reaffirms Isaiah for believers’ daily conduct. • Revelation 5:13—Heaven, earth, and sea resound with unified worship of “Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” Literal Fulfillment Anticipated • Both texts promise a real historical moment when every knee will genuinely bend; they are not mere metaphors for general respect. • Christ’s bodily resurrection (Philippians 2:9) guarantees a bodily response from humanity—living or resurrected. Why This Matters Now • Assurance: the world’s future belongs to the crucified-and-risen Lord, not to shifting powers. • Urgency: voluntary bowing in faith today spares one from forced submission in judgment later (cf. John 3:18). • Worship: present praise aligns believers with the inevitable cosmic chorus; our gatherings preview the global fulfillment of Psalm 22:29 and Philippians 2:10-11. |
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