"Righteousness exalts a nation"
(Prov. 14: 34)
We saw in the previous chapter how believers, God's elect, chosen (as Paul says in his opening words to the Corinthians) almost universally from among the class of the poor, the abased, the weak and powerless, those generally who are of "low degree" as to earthly socioeconomic status, will in the end of the age be given great power and authority, the day when they are fully glorified.
Very few of those who have a high status in this evil age will have a high status in the ages to come. "Not many," affirmed the apostle, of those who are "mighty" in this evil age, are effectually or successfully "called" to faith in Christ, and therefore they will not be "the mighty" in the age to come. That title will only belong to resurrected and glorified believers.
In this chapter we will begin by looking at another future aspect of the believer's fully partaking of "the powers of the age to come," similar to their glorification, namely the believer's "exaltation."
All through the bible the believer in the one true God and in his Messiah have been promised "exceeding great and precious promises" (II Peter 1: 4), and some of them are described in terms of being "exalted," raised, and lifted up. This increase in elevation respects a person's future eternal status as "the children of God," as "the elect of God."
Though the believer often be "ignorant and unlearned" in this life as respects knowledge of academics and the various sciences, he will nevertheless be exalted in the age to come to a state of knowledge that far surpasses anything the worldly wise of this evil age possess. Though he be poor in this age, yet he will be rich in the next, yea, forever. Though he be weak, feeble, and among the powerless in this life, in this world, he will be strong, mighty, powerful, and full of authority in the world to come.
Exaltation Of Believers
"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."(Matt. 23: 12)
When will the humble be "exalted"? Likewise, when will the self exalting of this world "be abased"? We know that the exalting done by the proud is done in their lives. But, does the "abasing" of the proud occur in their lives on earth, or after death? In this life or in the final day of judgment? Likewise, when will the self humbling penitents before God "be exalted"? They humble themselves in this life, in conversion, but is the promised exaltation also limited to what is experienced in conversion, or in the life on earth?
The abasing of the haughty and proud unbeliever awaits "the resurrection of the unrighteous (unjust)" for the most part. Likewise the humble believer awaits for his exaltation, for the most part, in "the resurrection of the righteous (or just)."
"Exalted" in the above passage is from the Greek word "hypsos" and means, by way of metaphor, elevation in status, dignity, or rank. It means to elevate one's status, to be advanced or promoted, concerning which we have already spoken. Strong says it is often used as a metaphor and thus means "to raise to the very summit of opulence and prosperity to exalt, to raise to dignity, honour and happiness." It is an exaltation to dignity, honor, and elite status.
Those who are the "exalted ones" of this age will be the "abased ones" in the coming new age under Christ and the saints, having been brought all the way down to Hades and Gehenna. Likewise, believers are not from among this evil world's "exalted ones," nor of those who refuse to humble themselves (before other men, before God, before Christ), nor of those who self exalt, self advance, and self promote, who "lift up their horns on high," as we have previously mentioned, and yet they are the ones destined to enormous power in the world to come.
The end of this present age will see the abasement of the unbeliever, especially of the high ones of the infidel world, its power elite, all because they have further to fall. They occupy the highest seats of power in this age and so will fall from a higher place than unbelievers of the lower classes. Isaiah the prophet spoke of this great abasement of the wicked unbelieving, saying:
"Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." (Isa. 2: 10-12 kjv)
"People shall be brought down, Each man shall be humbled, And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled." (Isa. 5: 15 nkjv)
On the other hand, the believer, though not generally now of high status in this world, nor one of its elect or its choosing, its elite, and though esteemed as being one of "the base people of the world," of the class that are "despised" and looked down upon with disgust and hate, as "nobodies" ("people who are nothing"; I Cor. 1: 28), yet they are the ones who shall be greatly exalted on high in their powers, authority, status, and position. They will then be highly exalted, "raised to the very summit of opulence and prosperity," and "raised to dignity, honor and happiness." They will no longer then be the despised of the world, but its beloved. They will no longer be esteemed as persons among the "base things" of the planet, people "of low degree," but rather they will be of its highest rank.
In the above prophecy of Isaiah we see both the future final abasement of the evil world's "high ones," of proud unbelievers (who refuse to humble themselves before the Lord and his Christ), and the future exaltation of the race's humble believers.
Wrote James:
"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away." (James 1: 9-10)
This passage informs us that faith in Christ, being converted to his teachings, instantly exalts the believing sinner. He is "raised to life," having been previously "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2: 1-2). That is the believer's first great "stepping up," a drastic change in his status, both legally and internally in spirit. He is now elevated in his standing before God, the thing that matters most. While in unbelief and impenitence he stood condemned and possessed by a depraved mind and spirit. But now, through faith and repentance, he stands approved of God and possessed by God's own Spirit. He was God's enemy when in unbelief, but became his friend in belief of the truth.
The believer is not only exalted in conversion, but in daily living the Christian life; And in growing up in Christ to full stature the believer goes higher. The Christian life is the "high life," though the world has a much different idea of what it is. The unbeliever often thinks of the believer as an ignorant "low life," one who does not know how to live the "high life." Who really lives the high life? The proud unbeliever or the humble believer?
James also mentions the coming abasement of the elite infidel, "the rich," the ones occupying the highest seats, saying that they will be "made low," so low that they "fade away." Earlier we mentioned the words of Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus, who said prophetically: "He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree." (Luke 1: 52) Those who are the unbelieving world's "exalted class" will become the lowest class forever in the prison of Hell. Though they were the "somebodies" and "men of importance" when upon earth, with their riches and power, yet they become "nobodies" forever in the lake of fire and brimstone. The believer, though esteemed as a "nobody" by the world will become truly "somebody" of importance in the age to come.
Exhorted the apostle Peter:
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." (I Peter 5: 6)
Here Peter speaks of a exaltation that follows conversion, one that is future for the believer, "in due time." It could refer to future deliverances in the life of the believer wherein he experiences lifting up in adversity. In fact to "lift up" is involved in the word "uphold" (hold up or lift up). In the life of the believer he will experience a continuous exaltation, a progressive "going higher." Like the hymn says, the believer says
"I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day; Still praying as I onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground Lord, lift me up, and let me stand By faith on Canaan’s tableland; A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."
But, I think that Peter has in mind that great exaltation that will come to believers in the day of their glorification, when Christ comes and raises them to elevated heights of honor, glory, dignity, and prestige, empowering and equipping them for such lofty status. As they humbled and abased themselves in prayer before the Lord, in confessing their guilt and sins, and in receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, so the Lord has promised to exalt them to "heights of glory."
Solomon wrote:
"Exalt her (wisdom), and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honor, when you embrace her." (Prov. 4: 8)
We have already spoken of the believer as possessing true wisdom, having seen and accepted Christ as "the Wisdom of God." Likewise, we are seeing in the present chapters how the believer possesses true power and authority, in part now, superlatively in the age to come, because he has seen and accepted Christ as "the Power of God." We are seeing how multifaceted is the power of the saints, to those sanctified and called, and how both glorification and exaltation imparts to them the greatest power(s) and authority ever given to human beings. Notice how those heeding wisdom (the Gospel and Biblical revelation) are "promoted" (a word we have notice previously). This is another word for exaltation. The wicked, we may well say, will be "demoted" and reduced in the day of judgment while the righteous will be promoted and advanced.
Said the Psalmist about the end time exaltation of the children of God:
"For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil." (92: 9-10)
Notice how the "exalting" of the "horn" of the Psalmist is associated with an increase in power and might, the quality of elect or elite status (for both the world and for the world to come) that we are focusing upon in the present chapters. Again wrote the Psalmist:
"Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found." (Psa. 37: 34-36)
Here again we have the abasement of the unbelievers (especially those of the worldly elite, those "in great power") expressed by their being "cut off," from their becoming a "nobody" ('he was not') after having been before a real "somebody," from their "passing away" so as not to be found. Those who believe and wait upon the LORD (God of the Bible) will, on the other hand, be exalted to inherit the land or earth.
Guaranteed Exaltation
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2: 4-7)
Every believer, everyone of God's elect, died with Christ, was crucified with Christ, was buried in the grave with Christ, was resurrected with Christ, ascended with Christ, and is even now seated with Christ "in the heavenly places." This is because Christ represented his elect. The resurrection and ascension (exaltation) of Christ, "the head of the body," guaranteed the resurrection and exaltation of "the body," that is, of believers, of those in union with Christ, each of whom is a "bodily member." Wrote Dr. Gill on the above passage:
"And hath raised us up together - chiefly because that when Christ rose from the dead, all his people rose in him, and with him, as their head and representative, he being the firstfruits of them that slept."
Commented Albert Barnes in his Commentary:
"Together with Christ - In connection with him; or in virtue of his being raised up from the grave. The meaning is, that there was such a connection between Christ and those whom the Father hath given to him, that his resurrection from the grave involved their resurrection to spiritual life. It was like raising up the head and the members - the whole body together; compare the notes at Romans 6:5. Everywhere in the New Testament, the close connection of the believer with Christ is affirmed. We are crucified with him. We die with him. We rise with him. We live with him. We reign with him. We are joint heirs with him. We share his sufferings on earth 1 Peter 4:13, and we share his glory with him on his throne; Revelation 3:21."
Believers are not yet personally and individually seated with Christ in the heavenly places, though they are seated representatively. That awaits their exaltation at the second coming of Christ. Christ identified himself with his chosen ones, with believers, and they identify themselves with him. Believers had a representative union with Christ when he experienced his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension but vital union begins when the sinner is united to Christ by "receiving" him into the soul.
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