They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:10b, 11, NIV 1984).
My Musings – The Greek word translated “lay” is better translated cast or throw. The phrase ultimately describes submission. The twenty-four elders, though wearing crowns themselves, acknowledge that the ultimate source of their power is God Himself, the King of kings. The Eternal IAM is also acknowledged as the Creator of all that is good and the source of all life. Thus, He has shown Himself to be worthy of worship in His governance of all things and in His creation of all things. Now, He is preparing to bring about the consummation of all things. While the emperor Domitian demanded worship as our Lord and God, he never claimed the role of Creator.
As the Westminster Catechism states, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” We must never neglect this reality or come to feel that somehow the chief end of God is to glorify man. We must never measure what happens or what is described in the Book of Revelation from a human viewpoint. All that occurs must be measured against who God is. There will be things in the book that are unsettling to us. But we must remember that in His Holiness, He is both merciful as well as just. While modern man may protest, these two qualities are not contradictory. A proper view of the book of Revelation should confirm this.
My Advice – If there could be any sadness or disappointment in His Kingdom, perhaps it would be to come before His throne without any crowns to lay at His feet. Life a life “worthy” of the calling so as to earn the crowns. “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1, NIV 1984).
Sources:
Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Re 4:10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 565). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Re 4:11). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary (p. 1079). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
The Brew Is A Musing 