THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #181 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #162
Pastor Christopher Choo,
Lesson 3867
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #181
THE LIFE OF MOSES #162
MOSES AT MT.SINAI#61
THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES ( Part 20)
THE GOLDEN FRONTLET ON THE HIGH PRIEST'S HEAD: HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD #2
WHY DID THE 24 ELDERS LAY DOWN THEIR CROWNS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION?
Teaching about the diadem, frontlet or crown on the High Priest's turban invariably prompts the above question.
Revelation 4:10–11 is part of the vision Jesus gave John.
In this scene of heaven, we see that “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.’”
Jesus promised various rewards for those who faithfully serve Him on earth (Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:14; Revelation 22:12). Some of those rewards are crowns (James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 3:11). These may be the crowns that John saw the elders lay at the feet of Jesus.
In their words of worship, they indicate that, despite what they may have done on earth to earn these crowns, only Jesus is truly worthy of glory and honor. In the presence of the Lord Jesus Himself, all good deeds we have done will pale in comparison.
A crown will seem but an insignificant gift to present to the One who gave His life for us (Galatians 2:20).
The elders’ response is most likely the way we will all respond when we receive our reward from Jesus. We will be so overcome with gratitude because of what He has done for us that worship will be spontaneous.
Regardless of what we endured on earth, a priceless crown will seem a paltry offering, but it will be the best gift we can give Him. Although the Scriptures do not state it specifically, it is likely that we will all follow the example of the twenty-four elders in casting our crowns at Jesus’ feet.
Just as the gold we overvalue in our earthly life, their currency will be common as dirt as the roads in the New Jerusalem will be paved with gold.
Whatever earthly crowns we wear or accolades we receive from men as trophies cannot be compared to the supreme value of Christ's love.
For the agape love of Christ will render our gold crowns worthless.
"If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised." ( Song of Songs 8:7 ).
This phrase reflects the sentiment of a popular song from many years ago, that “money can’t buy me love.”
Love has its own economy, often dramatically separate from our normal financial reckonings.
If a man did give for love all the wealth of his house, “He would be despised for reducing love and the person from which it comes to an object. If you set the price of love at a billion dollars, you would then reduced it to nothing. By its very nature love must be given. Sex can be bought; love must be given.” (Glickman)
