at his name i will bow in humility.

isaiah 45:22-23

“Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

philippians 2:5-11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so 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.

i have heard it said that good literature is such that you can read it over and over again and each time come away with a new appreciation for it. that you can find a new angle and perspective and never become bored of it. that the basics are fascinating all over again. well, i have come back to the simple things in the Bible and have found the awesome power they hold all over again.

i was in class and the teacher showed us these two passages and how they paralleled each other. (i will try and share my thoughts coherently and concisely but am not so sure i will succeed. so bear with me.) notice how that in isaiah it is God speaking. he is claiming the redemptive powers over man and that he ALONE is God, and that everyone who sees him for who he is has to recognize it.

then we come to the time of Christ. All along the jews have been promised a redeemer. a man who will come and save them, a man to finally bring them into his kingdom. the messiah. then a rumor goes around about a virgin girl having a baby. in a stable none the less. and the only people who heard about it were a few kings from the east, and some shepherds. the baby grows up into a man, in a humble town where nothing good ever hoped to come. then he makes claims to be THE MESSIAH. the King of Kings. can you imagine being a jew at this time? it would almost be like, if Christ were born in our time, him coming to spartanburg (which as we all know is the armpit of south carolina!! or even dayton ohio...) and being raised in the suburbs. he wasn't even born to an important family.

think of how impossible all this is and think of how amazing it is that God could come in that form. if Christ had not been the messiah, his claims would be so impossibly heretical and ludicrous! but he is the redeemer. every one of the passages that speaks of the coming Christ in the old testament was completely and fully filled in the new testament. it is wonderful to see again and be filled with love and amazement for my Lord Jesus that he was all God and all man. think of how desolate and pointless our lives would be without him and thank God he was who he claimed to be.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!