The Doctrine of the Big Genuflex

Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The TREE OF LIFE is a weekly teaching summary.

Tree of Life 08/30/98

The Doctrine of The Big Genuflex..

Tree of Life for 08-30-98

The Big Genuflex... what exactly is it? Well, the English word genu refers to the knee or a kneelike part or bend. Genuflect means to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship. It also means to express a servile attitude. This term incorporated into the theological title which is the subject of our study therefore refers to the main time of worship directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ! When is this big, gala event? It immediately follows the Rapture (resurrection) of the Church and occurs just before the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Big Genuflex is sandwiched in between the Rapture and the Judgment Seat of Christ. The worship of our Lord Jesus Christ is the very first thing we will do in our resurrected bodies.

PHI 2:10 "In order that at the name of Jesus Christ the knees should bow." The word should is used here because this worship should take place in time though it often does not, but in eternity it will take place! Every knee will bow before our Lord Jesus Christ in high esteem and adoration.

Now, the Rapture of the Church (1TH 4:16) is of course imminent, meaning it could happen at any time. It is the only prophecy the Church Age is waiting on. And the word of God emphatically instructs us to live our lives in anticipation of the Rapture, when our Lord Jesus Christ appears in the clouds to take His children home, JOH 14:1-3; PHI 3:20-21; 1CO 15:51-57; 1TH 4:13-18; 1JO 2:1-2. The resurrection of the Church, i.e., the body of believers in Christ known as the Rapture, is the beginning of true eternity.

The interim event between the Rapture and the Judgment Seat of Christ is the Big Genuflex, the time when all in heaven will bow down before the Lord Jesus Christ (TLJC). The entire Royal Family of God will worship in recognition of our Lord's great victory on the cross. The Big Genuflex is therefore the glorification of God the Father's plan and the recognition of Jesus Christ's battlefield royalty which was bestowed at His session. The Big Genuflex is the time of ultimate perfect happiness (+H), PHI 2:9-11. We make that +H meaningful by receiving our eternal reward and decorations at the Judgment Seat of Christ, if not we receive shame over not having taken advantage of the provisions God had supplied for us in time through the equal opportunity of our spiritual life. We can actually take the source of the happiness found during the Big Genuflex and apply it now in this life through our daily worship of His word in time.

Let us note that at the Judgment Seat of Christ, when every believer stands before TLJC, after having adored and sung praises to our Lord, he is not judged for any sin! All sin was paid for and dealt with on the cross, (note the doctrine of the substitutionary death of our Lord Jesus Christ). What is mentioned at the Judgment Seat of Christ is our deeds, or rather what we did with the time and provisions God afforded to us in time. Did we live for SELF while on earth or did we put all our effort into knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? That is the issue at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Those winner believers who executed God's plan for their lives while on earth and attained spiritual maturity will be awarded rewards and decorations for the eternal state. This distribution also glorifies our Lord since it was His efficacious work on the cross which made our spiritual life possible. On the other hand, the loser believer who squandered his time and neglected to learn about his divine provisions will feel shame and embarrassment during the Judgment Seat of Christ. Of course the loser believer will remain eternally saved and in heaven with God but his life, having not glorified God, will be exemplified in his eternal state.

At this time of great worship, praise, singing, and adoration of our precious King we will all acknowledge our Lord's battlefield royalty. Jesus Christ has three categories of royalty brought out at the Big Genuflex:
1) His Divine royalty places Him co-equal with the other two members of the Trinity. In this state of royalty His Title is The Son of God.
2) His Jewish royalty through Mary's line from Nathan (Solomon's son) affords Him the title of The Son of David.
3) His Battlefield royalty combines the first two along with His victory at the Cross to make up His third royal title: King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Session of Jesus Christ, i.e., His humanity being seated at the right hand of God the Father's throne is the highest place of authority in the universe and is the exact point at which His third royal title was awarded to Him. It is because of His Session that we will personally bow down and praise His strategic victory in the angelic conflict in recognition of what Christ accomplish from the cross, ROM 14:11; PHI 2:9-11. The Big Genuflex also fulfills the prophecy found in ISA 53:4,12. The Big Genuflex is our eternal acknowledgement of Christ's great victory. It will be the greatest time in history, full of great singing and complete harmonious adoration.

Again, a reflection of this great time or worship is found now in direct relation to our daily worship/study of God's word. God's word was daily our Lord's delight, PRO 8:30,34. During His ministry He also taught on a daily basis, LUK 9:23; 19:47; 22:53. There is a book of remembrance kept in heaven of all the times the believer gathers to worship the word of God, MAL 3:16. And so the word of God should be our number one priority and should have a place in our daily schedule, ACT 20:31; 2CO 4:16; HEB 10:11,25; ROM 14:5-8. It is this daily worship which is a shadow of the great time of worship to come, the Big Genuflex, when all the royal family will bow down before the King, the One who made possible our salvation, our spiritual life and our blessed hope. It will be a time of great emotion and appreciation of what was accomplished by our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!