May 25 2026

Monday May 25

“Every Knee Will Bow”

Philippians 2:9-11

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat. Today we come to one of the most sobering and glorious truths in all of Scripture. Philippians 2:10 says this: “that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow.” Notice—not some knees, not many knees, but every knee. The entire universe will one day acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ. Right now, some people debate about Jesus. They reject Him. They mock Him. They ignore Him. But the day is coming when all debate will end forever. Every created being will bow before Him.

Now Paul divides this into three different groups: “those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth”.

What does this include?  Those in heaven” refers to the angels and the redeemed believers already in glory. Imagine heaven today—a multitude of angels worshiping Jesus continually. Revelation 5:11–12 gives us a picture of this. When John had that vision of heaven, they were saying, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.” The saints in heaven bow joyfully because they know the greatness of the Savior.

Then Paul says, “those on earth.” This includes every living person on earth. Kings will bow, presidents will bow, celebrities will bow, atheists will bow, religious leaders will bow. All will bow one day before the Lord Jesus Christ. No earthly power or fame will matter at that moment. The most powerful people in history will stand equal before Jesus Christ.

Then he says, “those under the earth.” This refers to the realm of the dead and those awaiting the final judgment. This no doubt includes all those who have gone into eternity without Christ, and whose souls even now are in a terrible place in the heart of the earth called Sheol, Hades, or hell. Read Luke chapter 16.

Revelation 20:11–14 tells us that at the end of the millennial reign of Christ, there will be a resurrection of all the dead. It says: “And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away. And no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by those things which were written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”

What a terrible day that judgment will be. But every knee will bow. No one is going to escape this reality. The tragedy is that many who refuse to bow willingly now will bow unwillingly later. Today is the day of grace, and today is the day of salvation. Romans 10:9 reminds us, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” God invites people today to come willingly now in repentance and faith. But one day, submission will no longer be voluntary. Every knee will bow because Jesus Christ truly is Lord.

This truth should affect how we live even today. First, it should produce worship. If heaven is centered around Christ, our lives should be too. Worship is not merely singing in church. It is surrendering every area of our lives to Jesus Christ. Second, this truth should produce humility. Pride melts when we remember that every human being will one day bow before Christ. The ground is level at the foot of the cross, and we too will bow before Him along with all creation.

Third, this truth should produce urgency in evangelism. People around us desperately need the gospel—friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. They are living now as though Christ does not matter, but eternity says otherwise. One day every person you know will stand before Christ. This should burden our hearts to pray, to witness, and to share the gospel while there is still time and hope.

Finally, this truth gives us as believers great hope. Right now, evil seems strong. Truth seems attacked. The world appears chaotic. But Jesus Christ wins. History is not spinning out of control. It is moving toward the visible reign of Jesus Christ. As we said yesterday, one day all the world will come to Jesus. It is coming to Jesus and every knee will bow before Him as Lord.  The mind of Christ bows before the will of the Father. Believers today joyfully bow before the authority of Jesus Christ. Will you join us today in bowing before Him even now?

Let’s pray together. Lord Jesus, we bow before You today as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank You for Your mercy and Your grace. Help us to live surrendered lives that honor You. Give us boldness to share the gospel with others before that coming day when every knee will bow. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God bless you and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!