TO HIS SCEPTER HUMBLY BOW

By Gary McDade

Apenetrating question is asked in the now-familiar hymn, “O Listen to the Wondrous Story,” written by James M. Gray in 1903. The question is: “Will you surrender to this Savior? To His scepter humbly bow?” Bear in mind His scepter is a symbol or display of His authority. Directly put in Romans 14:11-12, “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (*cf.* also: Numbers 14:21, 28). Ultimately, that is what everyone who has ever lived will do. From Jeroboam to Tiglath-pilesar, from Herod the Great to Nero Caesar, from Attila the Hun to Genghis Kahn, from Adolph Hitler to Osama Bin Laden, from Pope Leo XIV to Joel Osteen, all will bow the knee before Jesus Christ the Lord. In this life no submissive humility to the authority of Jesus Christ the Lord has ever been shown by any of these wicked people. But, the question is more personal, it is to you. “Will YOU surrender to this Savior? To His scepter humbly bow?”

A fuller story of saving grace is presented by the complete verse of the song.

Will you surrender to this Savior, To His scepter humbly bow?

You, too, shall come to know His favor, He will save you, save you now.

Who saved us from eternal loss? Who but God’s Son upon the Cross?

What did He do? He died for you!

Where is He now? Believe it thou? In heaven interceding!

Insightfully, the author did not ask, “Will you accept Jesus?” as so many do and strongly believe their attention to the crucified Savior is over, complete, finished, done! No, he thoughtfully and rightly asked, “Will you surrender to this Savior? To His scepter humbly bow?” Therein lies a world of difference. One can accept Jesus and never surrender his will to this Savior. One can accept Jesus and never humbly bow in submission before His scepter.

While truth instructs and mercy lingers, “Will *YOU* surrender to this Savior? To His scepter humbly bow?” When you do, “You, too, shall come to know His favor, He will save you, save you now.”