At The Name of Jesus
By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.
Isaiah 45:23
These words are so profound that the Apostle Paul repeats them.
It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’” Romans 14:11
Again these words are repeated.
“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11
What is in this name that stands above and beyond every other name? John explains. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5
I use the Greek translation to emphasis the meaning of the word light. John 1:4 reads as follows, Σε αυτόν ήταν ζωή, και αυτή η ζωή ήταν το φως όλης της ανθρωπότητας.
Ζωή means life and φως means light. From φως we get the word phosphorous which glows in the dark. Generally we think of Ζωή, pronounced Zoe in biological terms. It’s significance is that it is what gives us life. In terms of metabolism, it involves the intake of food, air, and water that in turn produces physical energy in all living things. And we naturally think that from this same energy, life is reproduced.
There are world health organizations that are dedicated to the promotion of biological health. Healthcare is one of our top concerns. And no one can dispute the importance of promoting biological well-being. The greater battle is over spiritual light and darkness.
When Christ came into the World, He brought the light of truth. God’s word tells us the following. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12
Shortly before the time came for Christ to be crucified He explained to His disciples that He would soon be leaving in order to prepare a place for them. Naturally, they thought of a physical place as any human would. That is why Thomas said the following. “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” John 14:5. Thomas’s question raises the issue of the person and the place of Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus Christ and what position does He hold? Jesus gives Thomas the answer. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6b
These words of Christ are seen against the backdrop of the story of the order of Melchizedek, a priest of the most high who appears quickly in Genesis and then disappears. He is mentioned once in Psalm 110:4.
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
Thus the words of Jesus recorded in John 14:6 are a statement that can never be revoked. The sixth chapter of Hebrews discusses the oath that God made with Abraham. “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.” Hebrews 6:17
The apostle Paul makes this oath clear “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29. The name of Jesus means God does not lie. Jesus is the light of truth.
Paul confesses. “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,” Titus 1:1-2
The writer of Hebrews is telling us that the name of Jesus Christ is the certainty of God’s promises. ”Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,” Hebrews 6:17-19.
Jesus, the High Priest, is the promise God made to Abraham as the Messianic hope. Jesus is the sanctuary that we take refuge in. It is to Him that we anchor our souls.
