I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. – Revelation 14:14

Today's Scripture Reading (July 24, 2024): Revelation 14

It happened on the day of the crucifixion. Jesus had been arrested. The trial wasn't what we would accept as a trial. No one was present to help defend Jesus. And Jesus refused to lift his voice in his defense. All that would be heard on this day were the words of the accusers and, of course, the cries of the people, revved up into frenzy by the enemies of Jesus, calling for the crucifixion of the Rabbi. As the trial neared its completion, the Apostle John gave us this description of events.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they slapped him in the face (John 19:1-3).

Maybe Pilate hoped that crucifixion could be avoided. Maybe if Jesus were beaten, maybe if the Rabbi of Galilee were humiliated, that would be enough to satisfy the crowd. So that was what Pilate decided to do. Jesus was flogged, and the soldiers took a crown of thorns and pressed them down onto his head, jokingly calling him "the King of the Jews" in an effort to humiliate the teacher. Of course, the message was probably directed at other pretenders to the throne. Do as this Jesus has done, and this is how we will treat you.

But it wasn't enough for the crowd. Jesus was beaten and humiliated, and in the end, he was still crucified.

John provides us with a different scene in Revelation. It is still the same Jesus, but this time, he is sitting on a throne, a cloud. This time, Jesus is wearing a crown, not one made of thorns, and not a ceremonial crown weighed down with jewels, but a simple victor's crown that indicates that Jesus has won the battle. On that day at Golgotha, it looked like he had lost. In Revelation 13, it appeared that the forces of evil would win the day, but Jesus wears the golden victor's crown here. Charles Spurgeon phrases it this way;

How different it will be to see him with a crown of gold upon his head from what it was to see him wearing that terrible crown of thorns which the cruel soldiers plaited, and thrust upon his brow! The word used here does not usually refer to the diadem of power, but to the crown won in conflict; and it is very remarkable that it should be said that, when Christ comes to judge the world, he will wear the garland of victory, the crown which he has won in the great battle which he has fought. How significant of his final triumph will that crown of gold be about those brows that were once covered with bloody sweat when he was fighting the battle for our salvation (Charles Spurgeon)!

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 15