BEAUTIFUL Branch. Beautiful Feet. Beautiful Garments; and now the “Beautiful Crown!” Did you ever think that the Bible spoke of so many beautifuls? Aye, it does; and many more beside. But now we will consider the beautiful crown. We find the words in the sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel, where Jehovah, speaking to Jerusalem, says, “I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head;” alluding, doubtless, to His covenants with His people the Jews; for crowns are often used in figurative senses in the Word of God: as we shall see.
The first crown spoken of is the “crown of Joseph,” in these beautiful words, “The blessings of thy father have pervaded above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” Genesis 49:2626The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. (Genesis 49:26). The next crown is the “golden crown” of the high priest. Then there is the “holy crown;” the “crown of pride;” the crown of glory;” the “crown of righteousness;” the “crown of life;” the “crown of rejoicing” and, alas! beside others the “crown of thorns,” But only one crown is called the “beautiful” — the crown put by Jehovah, in a figure, upon the head of Jerusalem as typifying His people Israel —His chosen nation.
A crown is, you know, properly a diadem of state worn on the heads of sovereign princes. On the head of the high priest was a costly crown of gold girt about his mitre. Of the Christ of God it is said, “On his head were many crowns.” Crowns, figuratively, mean honor, splendor, and high dignity. Sometimes they mean a reward. Hence the writers of old contended for a wreath of flowers, or green olive or laurel leaves, which the apostle Paul calls a “corruptible crown.” Also the crown is a token of victory — the victor is crowned ‘mid acclamations and delight.
But to return to our chapter in Ezekiel, where we find under the similitude of an uncared-for infant, that Jehovah shows the natural state of Israel — lost and helpless. But this is not all. He also declares His great and exceeding love for her. Love which had its spring and source in His own heart; yet a love which was little prized by His people, and from which they wickedly turned away. But before He reproves them for their apostacy, He loves to recount His goodness to them. He not only said to her “Live,” still using the figure of an uncared-for infant, “But when I passed by thee,” He says, “and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was a time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee: Yea, I swage unto thee, and entered into covenant, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.” Is not this, indeed, the expression of love? And then He adorned her with all kinds of costly ornaments, so that He could say, “And thou wast exceeding, beautiful. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I put upon thee,” saith the Lord God.” How glorious, indeed, is all this! How privileged was Israel! But, alas, she forfeited her crown — at least for a time — her beautiful crown; and now she is scattered amongst all the nations of the earth; yet to be gathered by-and-bye to her own land, there to be the expression once more of all that God calls beautiful and glorious.
Zion shall soon lift up her head
And, called by grace, arise at length
From dust and darkness, and the dead,
Zion shall rise in Jesus’ strength,
And put her beauteous garments on.”
But is the crown alone for. Israel? Ah, no! Crowns are also for the followers of Jesus. Hence we may find in the Revelation that the elders were not only clothed in white raiment, but that they had on their heads crowns of gold; which crowns, in celebration of the worthiness of the Lamb, they cast before the throne. Judah’s was a terrestrial crown; the Christian’s crown is celestial — not for earth, but heaven. Many of my young readers have doubtless sung the sweet lines —
“Shall we ever all wear a crown?”
But now allow me to drop the “we,” and ask, Will you, dear reader, wear one? Only one requisite is needed to answer “Yes” — belief in Christ, and the reception of His love. ‘Tis this that makes meet for the inheritance of light — this alone which insures the crown — the beautiful crown. Oh, that each dear reader may be enabled to address the Lord Jesus in the well-known strain —
“First-born of many brethren, Thou!
To whom both heaven and earth must bow;
Heirs of Thy shame and of Thy throne
We bear Thy cross, and seek Thy crown.
A. M.