“And I saw heaven opened” (Revelation 19:12).
So wrote John as he unfolded the inspired “Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
On earth he sees in vision a scene of unparalleled horror. Energized by the three unclean spirits emanating from that unholy trinity of evil—the head of the revived Roman Empire, the antichrist and the devil—he beholds “the kings of the earth and of the whole world gathered to the battle of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14).
The scene could not be more terrible. Man, who has attempted again and again to shake off God in every shape and form, is here seen attempting to do so on the greatest possible scale, dwarfing everything that had gone before.
It seems as if at last the whole power of hell was mobilized in one last tremendous effort to overthrow the purposes of God in regard to the earth.
In the midst of all this dark and lurid scene of unmitigated frightfulness John, in vision, sees heaven opened and a glorious Person appear. His description is glorious—His names are Faithful and True, The Word of God, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, besides a name written that none knew but Himself, the name indicative of that wondrous mystery, the inscrutability of His person.
Says John, “On His head were many crowns” (diadēma). He alone has the right to wear the diadem.
“All hail the power of Jesu’s name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.”
The devil snatched at dominion, and put upon his own head seven diadems (see Rev. 12:3); the head of the revived Roman Empire, energized by the devil, snatched dominion and placed on his head ten diadems (see Rev. 13:1); but their triumph is but short-lived, and the height of their ascent in blasphemous ambition only measures the depth of their fall and judgment.
Yes, the Lord’s brow alone is worthy to wear the diadems—the imperial crowns of universal dominion. He alone is King of kings and Lord of lords—the true Emperor at last with world-wide dominion. Note, no number is given. His glory cannot be confined by numbers. No creature mind can encompass the thought of the fulness of His glory.
And what shall the saints of God do with their crowns?—not diadems, be it noted, but the crowns (stephanos) of reward, such as the victors in the Corinthian games were familiar with, the crown of laurel leaves or of parsley, but in the case of believers “a crown that fades not away” (1 Peter 5:4). What shall the saints of God do with their crowns? we ask again. John can enlighten us as to this. In his inspired vision he tells us, “The four-and-twenty elders (representing the church and Old Testament saints) fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that lives for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power” (Rev. 4:10-11).
Yes, He is worthy. On His brow will rest the diadem of the Son of God (John 1:49); of the King of Israel (John 1:49); of the Son of Man (John 1:51) with widespread dominion from pole to pole; of the eternal Word (John 1:1); of the Creator and Sustainer of all things (John 1:3); of the Lamb of God, “which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29); of the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10); of the Head of the church, His body (Col. 1:18); of the Head over all things to the church (Eph. 1:22). But no list of His glories can be complete. Let each reader in reverence and worship fill in what he himself has learnt of those glories that surpass all telling.