BOW NOW

Romans14:11 For it is written, “As I live says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God”

Big, Bold and Bad, the Roman soldiers stationed at the Antonia Fortress of the Temple Mount, were there to protect Roman interests in Jerusalem at the time of Christ. When not in active battle, they every day, practiced strict battle techniques. They were trained regularly to trek 22 miles a day wearing full battle gear, body armor, carrying a shield, two spears and a sword, as well as tents and supplies. Their swords were three feet long with a two handed hilt and a heavy wide blade meant to come down on the head of an enemy crushing the skull. The soldiers were highly disciplined, well ordered, and well accustomed to violence, torture and death. They were very familiar with Crucifixion, the ultimate source of maximum pain, suffering and humiliation! Historians wrote of entertainment for the Roman emperor Quintilius Varus, producing 2000 crucifixions in one day. Rome prided itself in perfecting this show of power in the most visible areas for maximum horror of long hours of inhuman suffering.

Roman soldiers were present and had a large role in the arrest, flogging, mocking, walking to Golgotha, driving the nails into the hands and feet, gambling for the robe, thrusting a spear and witnessing unbelievable grace at the Crucifixion of Christ.

Things were over the top excessive, in terms of numbers, at the garden arrest the night before. A great multitude arrived in Gethsemane to capture the Son of God, God The Son, a humble, quiet, non threatening man. Chief priests, elders, teachers of the law, some officials from the Pharisees, officers of the Temple Guard ( Jewish police), a cohort of Roman soldiers ( 500 men), a crowd armed with swords and clubs, torches, lanterns, and weapons along with Judas arrived for the event!

But there was a supernatural event that happened that evening that not one of that crowd had anticipated! The apostle John reported that Jesus said to the crowd “ Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them “ I am He” Now look what happened next. The unexpected supernatural astonishing surprise that occurred to that unruly mob! John 18:6 When therefore He said to them “I am He.” They drew back and FELL TO THE GROUND” Here’s what is so interesting; in the Greek the connotation is “one overcome in battle by a superior, falling down before high ranking persons or a Divine Being” Those on the ground , especially those big, bad Roman soldiers, would have found themselves in a rather embarrassing situation! Rome bows to no one!

So this takes me to another curiosity. The Roman soldiers were part of the arrest. “So the Roman cohort and the commander, and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him” John 18:12. Jesus endured illegal trials and a conviction of crucifixion before Pilate and another blood thirsty crowd, then a Roman flogging. ( a Jewish whipping was mild in contrast to the severity of the Roman scourging that often killed the victim) The soldiers were assigned to this.

But after the flogging, and Jesus being delivered for crucifixion, why the interim event ? Matthew 27:27 “The Roman soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and THEY KNEELED DOWN before Him and mocked Him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews”. Could this have been staged to cover up the “falling down before Him” event in the garden? Why did they take the time when the crucifixion was of greatest importance. Was this their attempt to save face and to say, “We kneel and bow to Him only as a mocking performance and that’s what happened in the garden, just another mocking performance “?

There is such irony in the words spoken, unknowingly words of truth…the soldiers hailing Him King of the Jews. Pilate presenting Jesus to the crowd, “Behold your King” The religious leaders and crowd mocking, “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross so that we may believe Him.” Mark15:32. And on the cross itself the proclamation “King of the Jews” and they didn’t even realize what truth they spoke.

There will come a time when all will affirm the Name above all names.

There will come a time when all will bow and kneel before Him and recognize Christ as the King of Glory.

“Therefore also God highly exhalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in Heaven, and those on the earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:9-11

Bow now or bow later, but all will bow!!