What Does This Mean?

I am doing a series of sermons on the seven authentic letters of Paul. This week, Philippians. In Philippians we find 2:1-10 that concludes:

at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

What does Paul mean that every knee will bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord?

Possibilities:

1) Religious exclusivism. Jesus and therefore Christians got the right God, man. Get on board; turn or burn.

2) Religious exclusivism then, but not so much now. A liberal view of sorts. Paul was exclusive about Jesus but not exclusive that Christians are the only ones. Eventually we will all bow to Jesus.

3) Religious/political exclusivism. This is what I find myself discovering. Paul was countering Empire and Caesar who claimed lordship. Paul's view of the lordship of Christ (and the character of God and the subsequent behavior of Christ's followers) is the opposite of the character and behavior of emperors and of Empire, then or now.

This passage is about the future in God's kingdom. It will be one based on humility, compassion, sympathy, and love. That future is present in us as we participate in Christ, as we seek to know him, and as we press on toward the goal as Paul writes later in that same letter.

This future is unlike the emperor (and the values of empire) that exploits, does everything from selfish ambition and conceit, and looks to its own interests.

The one God highly exalted, the one to whom every knee will bow, is a figurative way of describing the radical new existence that is coming into our awareness. Early visionaries such as Paul and Jesus saw something--a way of living and a way of being beyond domination and violence of any kind. More than seeing, they sought to put that vision into practice. One day, we will get it. One day we will honor justice for all living things and in seeking justice will find lasting peace.

Here is the text:

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.