“A
CROWN OF GLORY”
“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 62:3
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; Pro. 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).
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #629
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net