Christ Crowns
Christ's Humiliated Crowning for Our Exalted Crowning
Christ cleanses you. Christ clothes you. That’s what we’ve rejoiced to see in the shadows of the Levitical priesthood. By grace there’s more. Carrying on in our brief reflections from Leviticus 8, we notice that God though Moses the mediator crowns his high priest and his sons. One of the gifts of the priesthood is a crowning. Moses as mediator crowns Aaron and caps Aaron’s sons. Look at verses 9 and 13: “And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses… And Moses brought Aaron’s sons and clothed them with coats and tied sashes around their waists and bound caps on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.”
When people graduate from school, they wear a cap and gown. It’s a special attire that fits the joyous and solemn occasion. Some ministers of the gospel wear a Geneva Gown, which shows similar respect for the office of preaching the Word. There’s something similar going on here. Aaron as high priest wore the turban, and his sons the priests wore caps or headbands. Here are the royal servants of the King who serve at his pleasure and only by his matchless grace.
But unlike Aaron the high priest, the Son of God was first crowned with thorns. Indeed, as King in heaven, he left his regal realm to live among kings and servants. Wearing the estate of sin and misery upon his brow, he took up his royal seat on the cross. There hung, and there we hail him as, the King of the Jews. For salvation came from that Jew for all who by faith would cling to his cross of glory.
But death was no match for the King of creation, the very Author of life, so he arose. He ascended to the right hand of his Father, and he received the royal procession befitting his glory. Psalm 24:7-10 ushers us into the heavenly courts: “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!” We rejoice still further with Isaiah, our soul cannot but exult in our God, for as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, he has adorned us his bride with jewels of justification.
If you have trusted in Christ, Christ crowns you. His crucifixion and resurrection lead to your glorification. Praise him! Crown him with many crowns! Cast all your crowns at his feet!
Rev. Dr. Michael Mock is the Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Fresno, CA and an ACBC-certified Biblical Counselor. He’s the author of Hey, Dad, Why Do We…?: Kids Ask the Greatest Questions, Old Testament Introduction and Workbook, New Testament Introduction and Workbook, Comfort from Corinthians: A Devotional Walkthrough of 2nd Corinthians for Sinful and Struggling Saints, and A Confessional Marriage: Marriage Based on the Firm Foundation and a Faithful Confession. You can find his books here: Amazon.com: Dr. Michael D. Mock: books, biography, latest update.