The Exaltation of Christ. Philippians 2:9. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:” The risen Lord Jesus Christ has been given a name by God that signifies the office and rank assigned to Him, and that name is Jesus. God’s own glory, majesty, and honor rest upon Jesus, the Lord of all. The One with that name was “God manifest in the flesh,” the One who was delivered up and crucified for our offenses, and the One who has been “raised again for our justification.” “Jesus,” whose deity has been affirmed as God, “God our Savior,” is this divinely given name.
Universal recognition of Him as the supreme authority and Lord of all will lead all intelligent beings everywhere to acknowledge Him as Lord, whether willingly or not. Every person will “confess,” agree, or speak the same about Jesus. It will be universally affirmed that Jesus Christ is Lord, just as Isaiah 45:22-23 stated many centuries earlier. “I am God, and there is no other… to Me, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.”
Outwardly and inwardly, from knee to tongue, every person will acknowledge the sovereign authority of Jesus. Only God can be called Lord in the sense of universal lordship. When we were saved, we personally acknowledged “Jesus as Lord.” We brought glory to the Father then, and the entire universe will bring glory to the Father when Jesus is universally exalted by every created being.
The words of this passage fulfill Psalm 110. All beings in heaven, on earth, and in hell will acknowledge the Lordship of Christ. This does not imply that salvation and reconciliation will be granted, but rather states a fact that everyone will submit to Jesus without exception. Those who now confess Him as Lord are reconciled to God through Jesus. Those who refuse to do so will find it too late to change their position. They will be under His authority but will remain as they are when that moment comes.
There are heights we can perceive but can never reach; our Lord Jesus Christ is higher still. No one, nor all of humanity combined, can fill this position. He created the universe before He came to earth, made every mighty star and galaxy, and every blade of grass. All were created by Him and are sustained by His almighty power. Every desert storm that occurs and every leafy bower that provides comfort and shelter testify without words that He who inhabits eternity is very high and lifted up above all else. Yet, He will be exalted even higher in power and great glory.
He voluntarily humbled Himself during His time on earth when He came to suffer and die for our sins so that He might bring us to God. Now, it is possible for us, through Him, to be brought to God and raised with Him in glory. That act of condescending grace has led many to God: each being made a new creation in Christ Jesus and each recognizing Him as Lord. Everyone who comes to Him by faith appreciates the forgiveness of their sins and God’s amazing grace. Each has trusted Christ alone and lives by faith in Him. Already, they express their gratitude and are saved by grace, praising God for His great salvation.
The Lord Jesus has ascended into heaven with a glory He never had before because He is bringing many sons and daughters into glory with Him. More high and lofty than ever, He is the object of the love of millions of saints living here below. Each generation of believers shows their allegiance to Him and testifies of Him and the reality of the risen Christ. Though He remains unseen by natural eyes, the power of His saving grace is lived out daily through believers who exist between His first coming, when His deity was concealed in flesh, and His coming appearance in glory, when His deity is revealed.
As a result, God has highly exalted Him. He is the supreme Sovereign of the universe. God was fully satisfied and honored the Lord Jesus Christ above all. Ultimately, every being will bow in reverence to Him and acknowledge Him as the Lord who is above everything else. We are not called to have the mind of Christ so that we might be equal to Him, but to understand the value of others in God's eyes. The life of Christ has been left for us to read and use as an example in our lives. His life is the model for our own. When we dedicate ourselves to serving God by serving others, God is pleased; Christ is honored and lifted up among the people. Humility does not seek personal recognition but desires blessings for others. When that is true, the mind of Christ is shown in each person and also in the gathered community of His followers.