In this enlightening episode, we delve deep into the profound words of Paul as he echoes Isaiah’s ancient prophecy, revealing a gospel truth: every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. Through a thoughtful examination of the scriptures, we discover the powerful connection between confession and ultimate reconciliation with God. Join us as we explore how this concept transcends the bounds of Old Testament promises and seamlessly integrates into the New Testament gospel, promising universal judgment through mercy and love.
00:14:10 Listener encouragement and Community Engagement
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, you know, I find it wonderful that Paul, in Romans chapter 14, quotes Isaiah 45. But first of all, I’ll read it from chapter 14, where he says, As it is written, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Now that’s a quotation, and it’s from Isaiah chapter 45. And let me tell you how the context is, or rather read the context and then the verses. Assemble yourselves and come, draw near together. You who have escaped from the nations, they have no knowledge who carry the wood of their carved images and pray to a God that cannot see. Tell, and bring forth your case. Yes, let him take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from ancient times and from the beginning? Have not I the Lord, and there is no other God beside me? A just God and a Saviour, there is none beside me.” Look to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, Surely in the Lord I have strength and righteousness. To him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who were incensed against him. What a marvelous oath God has made. He has made an oath that will never be revoked. It will be unbreakable. It will never change until it is accomplished. That every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall also take an oath. And what will that oath be? That in the Lord alone is their righteousness and strength. And if you think that that’s just an Old Testament conditional promise, Romans chapter 14 makes it clear that it’s a part of the gospel. For as I’ve just read in chapter 14, verse 11, as it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. And, you know, it goes even further. Paul says in Philippians chapter 2, Therefore God also has highly exalted him, that’s Jesus Christ, and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and 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. And so when people bow to God, They are bowing to Jesus Christ and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess. And that word confess means take an oath. Every tongue shall take an oath. Finally, in the final judgment, everyone will see. that God is the Savior of the world. Every knee shall look at the throne, every eye shall look at the throne, and what will they see? They will see a lamb as it had been slain, because the center of government is in the new kingdom, after the judgment, is going to be mercy. God intends, it says in Romans 11, verse 32, to have mercy on all through the Lamb. Oh yes, there will be great torment of conscience. There will be great fear that God will forsake them. But through the struggle of Finally, everyone will come and bow before him. You say, but I thought it was people who were angry that would be, they would confess, they would bow, and then they’d be turned into hell. No, according to Scripture, Ezekiel chapter 16, when people are ashamed, They are in that state where they are looking to God for mercy, and God says of Israel that he will atone for all their sins, and they will never open their mouths again for shame. So that is a healing shame, you see, a redemptive shame. And remember what Peter says in Acts chapter 3, that Jesus was sent by God to and was preached throughout the world, and heaven must then receive him back until the times of restoration of all things. the restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all his prophets since the world began. That is Acts chapter 3, verses 20 and 21. And then remember what it says in Colossians, For it pleased the Father that in him, that is in Jesus, all the fullness shall dwell, and by him, that is by Christ, to reconcile all things to himself, by him.” whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of the cross. So there’s going to be a total reconciliation and a restoration of all things, both the things on earth and the things in heaven, by the cross. Oh yes, there will be a judgment. That is what Paul is talking about in Romans chapter 14. But it’s not a judgment to death. It is a judgment to correct all the injustices and bring mercy to the world and bring forgiveness. And that is what you and I need to put our faith in. That Jesus, through Christ, through his atoning work on the cross, he’s going to reconcile all things to himself. Now, this is an astonishing truth, and many people, most Christians, unfortunately, don’t believe it. Some of you listening now may think I’m a heretic and that I’m talking utter nonsense, because there will be People who are evil. Yes, there are plenty of people who are evil in the world, but the judgment brings everyone ultimately through the blazing reality of the glory of God and the blazing reality of the sins of humankind. Those two realities, sin and holiness in God, will be like a crash of realities, and the judgment will be a terrible and a joyful unveiling of everything that the world has denied up to that time. But we who have faith in Jesus, we don’t have to go through that terrible judgment. We have faith in him and Jesus takes that judgment upon himself at the cross. So what is our purpose then if everyone is going to be saved? The purpose is that you and I are the vessels of mercy that witness to the vessels of wrath. This is what Paul is talking about in Romans 11. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, so he’s talking to Gentiles who were once disobedient but now have received mercy through their disobedience, because the disobedience of the Jews led to the crucifixion of Christ, which led to the atoning sacrifice, which was the atoning sacrifice for the world. So we find salvation through the disobedience of others. And then verse 31, even so, these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you, see you are vessels of mercy they also may obtain mercy what an enormous and wonderful the message of grace this is romans chapter eleven that was verses thirty and thirty one you see god saves us that we might be witnesses to his mercy in us and witnesses to others about that mercy in us. And ultimately in the judgment, that will become one of the major reasons that the unbelievers finally bow to God, because not only will they have seen their own sins in the light of God’s glory, but they will also have seen God’s mercy to you and me. and they will want what we have. And that is what Paul is talking about when he says, I say then, have they stumbled, that is Israel, that they should fall? Certainly not. But through their fall to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. We underrate this jealousy thing, don’t we? The fact is that people who have missed out on God all their lives, and even in the judgment, will begin to long for and envy when they see the people of God in the city, safe and sound and full of joy, and that will be a major element, a major dynamic in their desire for mercy. God has to bring everybody to the end of themselves. You understand that? Faith is the crisis in which we find his fullness in our emptiness. We have come to Christ not in happy days, right? None of us came to Christ when everything felt just fine. We came to Jesus because there was something deeply voiding in our lives, a terrible emptiness or a crisis or a need. Now God is able to bring everyone to that crisis. Ultimately, everyone will come to that crisis, either now in this world or in the final judgment. and thus every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall also make an oath. God makes an oath that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall make an oath, but then that oath is that the world will make an oath. It’s God’s promise and the world’s promise. Now, what does this mean to you and me personally? You may be listening to this program as somebody who has not come to Christ yet, and you have often longed to, but you feel your life is too broken, too wicked, too dysfunctional to be a Christian. You wonder whether you’ll ever make it to the end of your life in safety. I tell you this, whether you make it to the end of your life, and I mean in old age, whether you make it there or not, The Lord is the one who is your shepherd, and the shepherd is the one who seeks after his sheep. You say, I’m not a sheep, I’m a goat. Yes, but he seeks after the goats too, because that is what is the meaning of this. Those who are angry, even those who are angry with him, will finally make a confession that he is their righteousness and strength. But that shepherd of yours and mine will seek us out, for he is a faithful shepherd. And though you are going through much darkness, listen to the psalm that says, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. God will bring us home. And you may believe it, and thank God if you do, because you will avoid the judgment, and you will also be a wonderful witness to Jesus. But if you do not believe it, God will do what he has to do, and he will bring you to an end of yourself, until you say, Oh God, how foolish I have been. Have mercy upon me. But why wait for then? Come to him now and let yourself become an instrument of mercy, a vessel of mercy to witness to those who need good news so very, very much. Do you see, some people say, well, if everybody’s going to be saved, why accept Christ now? What a selfish question that is when you think about it. We accept Christ now because he has loved us, because he has been so good to us, and we want to accept him to share with others how kind and gracious and full of mercy our God in Jesus Christ has been. That’s why we witness. Well, thanks so much for listening today. Colin Cook here and How It Happens, this broadcast, which you can hear any time of the day or night and lots of archives as well on soundcloud.com or podbean.com and key in How It Happens with Colin Cook when you get there. You can also hear the broadcast, mind you, on the radio at 10 o’clock in the evening, repeated at 4 in the morning on KLTT in the Denver area. KLTT, that’s AM 670, 10 o’clock or 4 o’clock. If you care to make a donation, it would be so much appreciated. Thank you. Send it online to faithquestradio.com. That’s faithquestradio.com. Well, I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
