Philippians 2:10 states, “…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth,….”. (You can read the surrounding verses for context.) I am no theologian but I am curious so I google it and found a site called, ‘the New Boston Church of Christ’. What is under the earth? The prepositional phrase “under the earth” is used three times in the New Testament – also in Rev 5:3 and Rev 5:13. I am, especially, not good at understanding the apocalyptic book but this phrase is relational. It is always including heaven and earth, the three together imply completeness.
There are persons in heaven (angels), persons on earth – us, and examples in scripture of persons under the earth – my question. Scriptures regarding who is there are found in Eph 4:9-10, Acts 2:27 and Ps 16:10, Luke 16:19-31, Luke 23:43. The summary from this sermon concludes that the expression “under the earth” refers to everyone who is awaiting the resurrection of the dead, both righteous and unrighteous. Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of condemnation.”
We are talking about people in all of these passages – buried people. This is not a works system for there is harmony in scripture and John 5:24-27 reminds us that when we believe in Jesus and trust Him by obeying Him, He will save us and we are delivered out of condemnation. If not for Jesus we would stay in those graves. There is nothing I can do about dying but I can believe in the power of our resurrected Jesus to raise me. Hallelujah!
