The Crowning Day (1)

by J. Miller | Category: Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings | Oct 1979

Who has not sung of "The crowning day that's coming, by-and-by"? Not the crowning day for the Lord, and certainly not the day when we shall crown Him, as is popularly and unscripturally sung.

The Lord has on His head many diadems. A diadem was a band, or fillet worn only by kings, and the Lord, who is King of kings, has many diadems on His head.

"Diadema" is to be distinguished from "stephanos". The latter was a garland, a conqueror's or festal crown. Winners in the games were crowned with this crown. Paul writes: "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may attain. And every man that striveth in the games is temperate in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown (stephanos): but we an incorruptible" (1 Cor. 9:24,25). Again he writes to Timothy: 'And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully" (2 Tim. 2:5). How important it is that we should be competitors for a victor's crown, and how necessary that we should strive lawfully, or we shall be disqualified!

The laurel wreath victors wore was a fading, corruptible crown. Soon its faded appearance would make it unfit for a victor's brow. Its shortlived freshness was like the ephemeral glory of the winner, but Paul says of the Christian's race, "We do it to obtain an incorruptible crown". What a prospect! The glorious effect of the winner's triumph will abide: it will not be transient. "Even so run that ye may attain". How much is in the word "so" - so run! It is a long distance race, and it needs patient endurance: "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus" (Heb. 12:1,2). What encouragement we derive from looking unto Jesus, and what discouragement if we look upon ourselves, or upon others! The word "looking" here means to look away from all other things, and fix your eyes upon a particular object. This object is the Author and Perfecter of faith. See how He did in like circumstances: see how He set His mind upon the goal, and see, too, the triumphant end of His course, a course strewed with such difficulties as no one has ever had to face. Do you not feel the inspiration which comes from the consideration of Him? Shall we "so" run? or shall we wax weary and faint in our souls? Remember the prize!

J. Miller | Oct 1979
Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings