Crowns of Glory

"A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones." (Proverbs 12: 4 KJV)

"The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." (Proverbs 16: 31 KJV)

"She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee." (Proverbs 4: 9 KJV)

"The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." (Proverbs 14: 18 KJV)

"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." (Proverbs 17: 6 KJV)

There are various crowns mentioned in scripture. Some of them are mentioned in the above verses. A "virtuous" wife is a crown to her husband. The gray head of a godly elderly gentleman is also a crown. Wisdom, prudence, and knowledge are also a man's crown. Finally, grandchildren are the crown of grandparents.

All these crowns are to be sought and valued. Happy is the man who wears these crowns of glory and honor!

"For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?" (Proverbs 27: 24 KJV)

The sad fact is, God's judgment upon our sinful race has made every joy fleeting and temporary, for death ends all. Think of Adam in the Garden of Eden. There he lived as a king, "crowned with glory and honor," and one to whom Lord God had given "rule over" all things on earth. (See Psalm 8: 4-8 & Hebrews 2: 6-9 KJV)

Certainly this crown and legal right to rule was forfeited by the first Adam, as the writer of Hebrews affirms, but is restored and reclaimed by the Lord Jesus Christ, the "second Adam" or "Lord from heaven." (See also I Corinthians 15: 47 KJV)

"Woe to the crown of pride" (Isaiah 28: 1, 3 KJV).

This is the crown that fallen man now wears on his disgraced head! He now, as a fallen and rebellious sinner, walks in sinful pride, in diabolical arrogance, in utter selfishness and egoism.

"The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!" (Lamentations 5: 16 KJV)

Surely Adam could have uttered these words just as surely as did Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet." Surely too can every sinner utter these words! Woe and the loss or original glory and blessing! Truly the crown is lost by the deed of the first Adam!

Thankfully, the "second Adam" has triumphed and has earned the right to rule over all and has restored the man's lost crown, on behalf of all who put their faith in the second Adam.

"In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate." (Isaiah 28: 5, 6 KJV)

"For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." (Isaiah 62: 1-3 KJV)

These twin prophecies of Isaiah are precious indeed and worth pondering. First, they speak of a certain kind of crown, the "diadem."

In the Bible, there are two kinds of crowns, signified in the Greek New Testament, and in the Greek Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament), by the words "diadema" (diadem) and "stephanos" (crown). Both are "crowns," but one is a "royal" or "regal" crown, while the other is the crown of a "victor."

Four times in the Old Testament, and three times in the New, is the word "diadem" used; two of those instances from the Old Testament are cited in the above two verses from Isaiah.

Interestingly, the three references to diadems in the New Testament are all found in the Book of Revelation, two in connected with Satan and the Anti-Christ and one in regard to Christ. In both cases, in the Apocalypse, both Christ and Anti-Christ wear more than one diadem, Christ wearing "many diadems" and Anti-Christ wearing either "ten diadems" or "seven diadems." (See Revelation 12:3; 13: 1; 19: 12 KJV)

Interestingly also, as we shall see, is the fact that all the promises of "crowns" to the believer, in the New Testament, use the Greek word "stephanos" and never the word "diadema." Does this mean that the believer does not have any regal crowns? That all his crowns are the crowns of the victor?

The promise of God by Isaiah is, however, that his people will truly be both a "crown of glory" and a "diadem of beauty," and surely this simply means that the Lord's redeemed people will also be kings, being of royal seed and regal blood through connection with Christ, and shall "reign with Christ." They will wear both the regal and the victor's crown.

Notice also from the passages in Isaiah how crowns are intimately connected with "glory" and with "beauty." While "glory" and "honor" are associated with both types of crowns, yet it is the diadem that is more closely associated with what is "beautiful" and dazzling to behold.

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." (I Corinthians 9: 25 KJV)

"And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." (I Timothy 2: 5 KJV)

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (II Timothy 4: 7, 8 KJV)

The above verses speak of the Christian's promised "stephanos" (crown). In each of them there is an allusion to the Greek Olympic games and to those who "compete" and vie" for the "stephanos," which was nothing more than a laurel wreath, often made of plant material. It was not the value of the crown itself that was desired, but the glory, honor, and benefits that would accrue to the holder of the particular crown (or medal). The "prize" is the "crown," but the real prize is what the crown is able to bring to the lawful wearer in the area of blessings.

"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (I Peter 5: 4 KJV)

The laurel wreath that the hero of the Olympics wears "fades away," and does not last, but the crown of the believer is a crown that will never rust, nor decay, nor ever be lost.

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2: 10 KJV)

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." (James 1: 12 KJV)

Every believer in Jesus is an "overcomer." Everyone who is "born of God" will overcome the world through their God created faith. (See I John 5: 4, 5)

Everyone who remains true to Christ has the blessed assurance of his wearing the glorious "crown of life" forever! Such a promise gives strength to endure every trial, yea, even torture and martyrdom itself. It is good to be reminded often of these coming glories! They encourage us to "hold on" and not to "give up."

"Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." (Philippians 4: 1 KJV)

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" (I Thessalonians 2: 19 KJV)

The soul winner's crown! Notice how Paul does not give the standard "crown of glory" but rather a "crown of rejoicing," thus emphasizing the fact that the soul winner's crown is particularly a source of unspeakable joy at the coming grand meeting of the saints.

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Revelation 3: 11 KJV)

The Christian needs to be "on guard" as respects his "crowns," whether they be the crowns mentioned in the opening verses of this study, or of the future crowns that are promised to the faithful.

"And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!" (Matthew 27: 29 KJV)

Thank God for Jesus wearing this crown! Because he has worn the crown of thorns in shame, believers will surely wear crowns of gold and "crowns of glory," and yea, even "diadems of beauty," forever!

"And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Revelation 4: 9-11 KJV)

Thus we have it defined what it means to be "crowned." It is to be praised, and honored, and to receive glory from another, and to be empowered and rewarded. We have noticed how it is solely due to the work of Jesus, the second Adam, that any sinner has his crown restored. No wonder then that all believers "cast their crowns before" the Lord Jesus! No wonder they said that he was alone worthy to be praised!

Friend, no matter what your earthly state and condition, you can have the glorious destiny that is promised to everyone who believes in Jesus and remains true to him. But, if you reject him and his present offers of mercy, then surely you will lose every crown and be forever without hope of restoration. Will you come to Christ the King the kings, even now?