Exalt
The Meaning of Exaltation
The concept of exaltation runs throughout the entire Bible, carrying the fundamental idea of lifting something or someone to a higher position. In the Old Testament, the most common Hebrew word translated "exalt" is rum, meaning to raise up or make high. In the New Testament, the Greek word hupsoo carries the same sense of elevating or lifting up. Exaltation can refer to praising God, to God elevating individuals or nations, or to the dangerous human tendency toward self-exaltation.
Exalting God in Worship
Scripture repeatedly calls believers to exalt the Lord. After the deliverance at the Red Sea, Moses declared, "The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him" (Exodus 15:2). The Psalms are filled with calls to exalt God: "Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy" (Psalm 99:5). This exaltation of God involves recognizing his supreme position over all creation and responding with worship, thanksgiving, and obedience (Psalm 107:32; 118:28).
God's Power to Exalt and Humble
One of the Bible's clearest themes is that God alone has the authority to exalt and to bring low. Hannah's prayer celebrates this truth: "The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts" (1 Samuel 2:7-8). God exalts those who are faithful to him, as he did with David, raising him from a shepherd to a king. Conversely, God brings down those who exalt themselves in pride, as demonstrated in the fall of the king of Babylon, who boasted, "I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God" (Isaiah 14:13-14).
The Danger of Self-Exaltation
Self-exaltation is one of the sins most strongly condemned in Scripture. Proverbs warns, "Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor" (Proverbs 18:12). Jesus made this principle central to his teaching: "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14). Paul warned against the pride that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5), and Peter urged believers to "humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Peter 5:6).
The Exaltation of Christ
The supreme example of the principle that humility leads to exaltation is found in Christ himself. Paul describes this in the great hymn of Philippians 2:5-11, where Jesus, though existing in the form of God, humbled himself by becoming a servant, taking on human likeness, and dying on a cross. "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). Peter proclaimed this exaltation in his Pentecost sermon: "God has raised this Jesus to life... Exalted to the right hand of God" (Acts 2:32-33). Christ's exaltation is the pattern for all believers, demonstrating that the path to true glory runs through humble obedience.
Exaltation in the Life of the Believer
James encourages believers of humble circumstances to "take pride in their high position" (James 1:9), recognizing that God values what the world overlooks. The promise of exaltation is given to those who humble themselves before the Lord: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (James 4:10). This exaltation is not about worldly status or power but about receiving honor from God, both in this life and in the life to come.
Biblical Context
Exaltation appears across all major sections of Scripture. In the Pentateuch and historical books, God exalts leaders like Moses, David, and Solomon. The Psalms overflow with calls to exalt the Lord in worship. The prophets warn against the self-exaltation of nations and rulers. In the Gospels, Jesus teaches the principle of humble exaltation through parables and direct instruction. In the Epistles, Paul and Peter apply this principle to Christ's own story and to the daily lives of believers.
Theological Significance
The biblical concept of exaltation reveals God's sovereign authority over human affairs and his commitment to reversing worldly hierarchies. It teaches that genuine honor comes from God alone, not from self-promotion. The exaltation of Christ after his crucifixion is foundational to Christian theology, confirming his lordship and providing the pattern for all who follow him. The repeated teaching that the humble will be exalted and the proud brought low underscores God's justice and his special concern for the lowly.
Historical Background
In the ancient Near East, exaltation was closely associated with royal ideology. Kings were said to be exalted by their patron gods, and royal inscriptions frequently boasted of the king's elevated status. Against this backdrop, the biblical insistence that only God truly exalts is countercultural. The Roman imperial cult, which exalted emperors as divine figures, provides important context for the early Christian proclamation that God had exalted Jesus above every name, a claim with profound political implications in the first-century world.