Long Live King Jesus!

Today's passage:  Isaiah 62/Ezekiel 21:24-27
     Isaiah's message about Israel's future seemed outrageous.  After Babylon had devastated their city, the years ahead of them looked bleak and grim.  Watchmen on the walls?  What walls?  The walls had been destroyed by Nebudchadnezzar's army.  Withholding corn and wine from their enemies?  What corn and wine?  With what could they plant?  Any farming implements had been looted by the soldiers.  It seemed incredible that Israel would ever rise again.

Ezekiel Prophesying--Source unknown
Courtesy of lavistachurchofchrist.org

     "Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God."   Israel will one day be God's crown and diadem.  I find it peculiar that both of these headpieces are in God's Hand, not on His Head.  Why would God hold a crown in His Hand? A passage in Ezekiel 21 tells about one of the last kings in Israel (King Zedekiah) and how the crown and diadem will be stripped from him and will only be given "...until he come whose right it is..."  King Jesus will have a crown and diadem awaiting Him when He comes back to rule.  There will be no king for Israel until that time, and there will be no king of Israel after that time.  God is holding onto Israel's crown until Christ comes again to wear it.  Not that Christ needs a crown or a diadem.  He is King without them.  I think they are for us to see.  How often does God give us a picture or symbol to help us understand?  The crown symbolizes absolute authority.  It is a picture of ownership.  Satan had owned the earth up to this point.  When Christ comes back with the crown on His head, it will signal to Satan that his line of succession has ceased and a new dynasty will take control.  King Jesus will drive out the enemy and establish new borders.  He will police the law-breakers and establish peace.  He will sit on His rightful throne and reign with justice.  God holds the crown and diadem in His Hand to place on the Son's Head.  Israel will be that crown and diadem.  She will rise again.  She will be used to accomplish the Father's purpose, to show the world the magnificence of His Son.