“A Crown Of Glory”

Isaiah 62:3

In Isaiah 28:5, we read, “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.” Wondrous as that promise is, it is conceivable. The Lord our God shall be, in the Person of his Son, our everlasting crown and our diadem of beauty in heaven’s eternal day. He will add to us infinite, indescribable glory and beauty, crowning us with lovingkindness and tendermercies. That is a marvelous promise of grace. Yet, it is a promise that I can conceive in my mind. However, the promise of Isaiah 62:3 is altogether inconceivable.

“Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” In this text the prophet is not describing what God shall be to his people, but what we shall be to our God. In eternity, the church and kingdom of God shall be to the triune God “a crown of glory” and “a royal diadem.” That is simply amazing. Astounding! When God has finished his work for us and in us, when time shall be no more, when eternal glory has begun, all the saved will be in his hand “a crown of glory” and “a royal diadem.”

As a crown is a display of a king’s glory, so every saved sinner is a display of God’s glory. Notice that this crown is pictured as being in God’s hand, not on his head. There is a reason for that - We do not add anything to God’s glory. He is glorious without us! Do not ever imagine that the Almighty needs us to make himself happy, complete, or glorious! God is glory! He is superlatively independent and complete. God lacks nothing. God needs nothing. God gets nothing from his creatures.

Yet, saved sinners are a crown of glory to God in the sense that in us the triune God shows forth his glory (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14; 2:4-7; I Cor. 1:26-31). The purpose of God in saving us is that we should be to the praise of his glory. And we shall be! God’s glory is seen in all his works of grace toward us. Election displays his glorious sovereignty and grace (Rom. 9:15-16). Redemption displays his mercy and truth (Psa. 85:10-11; Prov. 16:6). Preservation sets forth his wisdom and goodness (Jude 1). Regeneration manifests his power and grace (Eph. 1:19-20; 2:1-4). Perseverance shows his love and immutability (Mal. 3:6). The resurrection will show his power and life (John 11:25; 5:28). And glorification will show forth in us God’s sovereignty and justice (Rom. 8:28-31; Rev. 22:11).

We are a crown and diadem in God’s hand. He has his church in his hand as a rich and valuable possession. He will not allow his crown to be trampled upon or taken away. And he holds us in his hand as the work of his hand. “We are his workmanship,” the work of his hands, his masterpieces (Eph. 2:10).

Don Fortner