Casting Crowns

Imagine all the rulers of the world are called together, and they go before the great creator, their one God.  Would they bow down and worship Him?

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." - Revelation 4:9-11

Of all the writings we have to draw on, the Book of Revelation, John's apocalyptic vision, is one we rarely hear discussed from the pulpit, at least not in the Anglican tradition.

It is a shame, because it is rich with imagery and because the images are very powerful.

In the beginning of Chapter 4, kings, leaders of peoples, bow down and cast their crowns before God.  Whether they represent heads of state, or heads of churches, they acknowledge God as the supreme authority over them, and that is a message we seem to have lost in modern society.

We are afraid to say that God rules over us.  We want to be our own masters, and we distrust those who are guided by their faith, thinking they will become extremists.

There is plenty of evidence to support that type of behavior.  Look at how many times throughout history, and even today, when we have taken up the sword to kill off those who disagree with our viewpoint.

So, we need a vision of an all powerful God who can and does rule over us, to keep us in check, but we also need to see that all people can come together and worship one God in peace.

The image of the twenty four casting their crowns does that for me, whether that is the intent of this image or not.

I like to think we can come together accepting each other as servants of the one, rather than seek to destroy and slaughter each other.

In subsequent chapters, John will reveal the lamb who is slaughtered, the one we see as part of the same one God, the Christ.

Perhaps this is why we don't talk about Revelation.  Who wants to offend those who don't believe?

Bit as Christians, we should read Revelation and try to appreciate its imagery, its power and its glorious setting, so we can understand our faith in a different way.  It is not about Jesus the Man, the Rabbi, the Teacher, the Healer.  It is about God's kingdom and where we stand in His presence.

We all need to be humbled a bit, so that we will cast off our own crowns before God and acknowledge Him as the reason we live.

We may not find a way to live in peace with each other, but we might find our own inner peace.  And who knows where that will lead us?

More to come...


Image credit: Tribulation.com