“On His head were many crowns “ or diadems (Rev. 19:12). These words form part of the description of the Lord Jesus as John in vision saw Him, and as earth will one day behold Him, when arrayed in all the insignia of power with which His Father has invested Him; for no one crown, nor any one title, however exalted, can express all the dignities and the glories which belong to Him.
Seven diadems we learn that John saw on the Dragon’s head (12:3), and ten diadems on the Beast’s horns (13:1); but these, whilst attempting to rival in power and glory God’s King, fall short surely, even in number, of the glories which He has conferred on His Son. What the Dragon and the Beast possessed could be counted, but the glories and dignities which belong to Christ are unnumbered. Many diadems He will wear, John tells us; and He is, worthy of them all, we must add.
In the Psalms already looked at, one of the glories which belong to Him, that of Messiah, King of Israel, has been considered. In the psalm before us we have another glory presented, that which is His as Son of Man; for the names by which He is known are not mere verbal designations, empty titles, but they each express something definite and distinctive. Christ, Lord, King, Son of Man—these are some of His titles in connection with His supremacy. “The Christ,” i.e., the anointed one, connects Him with God’s people, whether the earthly, Israel, of whom He is King, or a heavenly company, the Church, of which He is the Head (Eph. 5:23). “Lord” brings to our mind His relation to all intelligent creatures, whether unfallen, saved, or lost (Phil. 2:10, 11). “King of Kings” denotes His superiority to all rulers amongst men; and “Son of Man” tells of His Headship over the universe, animate and inanimate.
At times in the world’s history we have shadowed forth in certain people, placed in authority upon earth, something of the different official positions to be filled; and the dignities to be enjoyed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, David and Solomon were anointed kings over all Israel. Nebuchadnezzar, the head of gold, was a king of kings (Dan. 2:37). Adam was head over an creatures upon this globe; but Adam was neither anointed like David, nor a king of kings like Nebuchadnezzar. In the Lord, however, all these glories and offices meet. What each of the above mentioned was, that He will be seen to be, and all centered in His person, of whom they were in this respect but shadows.
Again, to three men, and to three only, has God ever given dominion over the animals and men-viz., to Nebuchadnezzar, to Adam, and to the Lord Jesus Christ. Alike in this, they stand out, however, each one different from the other two. To Nebuchadnezzar God gave dominion over earth and air, for wherever the children of men dwelt, the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven were given into his hand (Dan. 2:38), and he was made ruler over them all. With him was set up something new-the image which still stands. As head of it this Gentile monarch had this remarkable place in creation, connected, it would seem, with headship on earth. But great and remarkable as was the dominion given to Nebuchadnezzar, far exceeding that which any other monarch involved in Adam’s fall has, or will enjoy, it was, compared with what God gave to Adam, restricted in extent, and limited in duration, though not conditional for its continuance throughout its allotted time on the obedience of the proud builder of Babylon (Jer. 25:11, 12; 27:6, 7).
To Adam in the garden the Lord God gave the place of head over earth, air, and sea; for, besides earth and air, he had dominion over all in the sea (Gen. 1:28). Unrestricted, therefore, in extent, as regards earth, it was unlimited, also, as to duration, though conditional, as it afterward appeared, for its continuance on his personal obedience to God’s Commend. He fell, and no man after him has ever held such a place in creation as he, while in innocence, filled. For, what Gen. 1:28 describes is not the position given to men in relation to the rest of created beings upon this globe, but the special sphere accorded to A dam as head of this creation, “the type of him to come” (Rom. 5:14). A comparison of what God said to Adam, with His word to Noah and his sons after the flood, confirms this. Adam was to have dominion over all creatures, whilst for Noah and his sons, their fear only was to be placed on all animals on earth, in air, and sea; for we miss in the Divine communication to the patriarch and his sons the important words “and subdue it,” part of the terms of the conveyance of supremacy over earth bestowed on our forefather Adam (Gen. 1:28; 9:2). Now, had the words addressed to Adam been intended for men after him, there would have been no need for Daniel to tell Nebuchadnezzar that the beasts and the birds were given into his hand; nay, the prophet’s communication would have been an insult to the king, as limiting man’s dominion where God had not restricted it, for Daniel mentions nothing about the sea. Adam’s place, then, in creation was peculiar to himself, which, when lost through the fall, none of his descendants could regain.
But since Adam enjoyed his place by virtue of a grant from God, and Nebuchadnezzar was invested with dominion by a fresh exercise of the Divine prerogative, the Son of Man has been appointed to wield the scepter throughout the universe by a deed of the same validity—God’s sovereign will recorded in the written word. And though the simple exercise of the Divine prerogative announced to the individual, as in the cases of Adam and Nebuchadnezzar, without any written communication about it, must always have been a sufficient warrant to fill the office of head on earth, God has been pleased to reveal for the instruction of His people, and of the world, His counsels concerning the Son of Man, that all may learn from Him, who is the One whom He delights to honor.
Comparing the grant to the Lord as Son of Man with those given respectively to Adam and to Nebuchadnezzar, whilst it has something in common with each, it differs from both. Unrestricted and unlimited it is, in this it resembles that given to Adam, but unconditional as to its continuance it also is, and in this it resembles that given to the Head of gold; for overall creation is the Son of Man to be set, without limitation as to time, or conditions as to continuance.
Thus, as we pass each type in review, we have to say that the antitype far exceeds each and all in glory and greatness. David and Solomon reigned over all Israel. This the Lord will do; but they never bore the title of King of kings. Again, Nebuchadnezzar could boast of a title sanctioned by God, which Adam had not; but he must yield precedence to Adam in respect of the extent of his dominion on this earth. And Adam who had a place, which no fallen man had or will have, must give way before the Lord Jesus, when the greatness of their respective positions in the universe is compared; for; by the light of the New Testament, we learn to read aright, and to give its full value to the statement of the
Psalmist— “Thou hast put all things under his feet.” Of the Lord, then, the psalm speaks, and of Him alone; for whereas Adam only could boast of a supremacy resembling that herein described, though man, he was not the Son of Man; and, during the time he held his place as head of creation on earth, he could not have understood such a term. Thus, apart from the New Testament Scriptures, we can see that David was not writing of Adam, nor of the race in general; but with the New Testament writings before us we are taught to put a definite meaning on the language he used, and to discern a dominion and supremacy here hinted at, of the extent of which he was surely ignorant, as he sung, “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet.”
(To be contiatited.)