The Bible contains many interesting accounts that we sometimes overlook. One such account involves Israel’s siege against the last Ammonite stronghold, Rabbah (2 Samuel 12:26-31). The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-Ammi, Lot’s youngest daughter. Their history with Israel was one of continual tension. The Ammonites had refused to aid Israel in their flight from Egypt and also, they had hired the prophet Balaam to curse Israel (Deuteronomy 23:3ff.). In this siege, Joab, king David’s military chief, had captured the city’s water supply and was ready to make the final push to take the city. He reported this to David and requested that the king come to Rabbah for the final battle so that David might receive the honor and glory as the captor of the city and not Joab. When the city fell, the crown was removed from the Ammonite king and placed upon the head of king David. What is amazing is that this crown weighed almost 75 pounds! Commentators have trouble reconciling the crown’s weight and the Bible’s recording of the crown being placed upon the head of David. However, in countries where much of the travel is still on foot and goods are carried balanced upon the head, the weight of the crown would be no problem. I personally have seen young men carrying the rear axles of a car balanced upon their heads. Imagine, what a glorious crown it must have been – pure gold encrusted with precious stones.

If we traveled though time about a thousand years we read of another king who had a crown placed upon his head. This crown, however, was not of pure gold nor was it encrusted with precious jewels. It was a crown of thorns, plaited together and placed upon the head of Jesus of Nazareth by Roman soldiers (John 19:1-3). He was forced to stand before the mocking soldiers, blood running down his brow from his thorny crown, as they derisively bowed before him and shouted, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Jesus was willing to suffer this humiliation and even to give up his life on the cruel cross of Calvary in order to accomplish the task laid before him by his heavenly Father: to save mankind from the wages of sin. Because he did, God crowned him, not with gold nor jewels, but with honor and glory. The Hebrew writer penned, "You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet." (Hebrews 2:7-8 NKJV). Truly, Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

There is still more we should know. Let us travel ahead to a time we know not when. It may be tomorrow, next week, next year, or even ten thousand years. If we could travel ahead in time to when Jesus Christ appears in His second coming. To a moment when the dead in Christ will be resurrected from the grave and they along with those who are alive and in Christ will be changed and meet Christ in the air and be with Him forevermore. To a moment when there will be a great accounting, the day of judgment. On that day Jesus will be handing out crowns to His faithful servants. The apostle Paul wrote, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8 NKJV). It is a moment when we too could receive a crown, not from a man, but from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Himself. Paul referred to this crown elsewhere as an "incorruptible crown." James and John referred to it as the "crown of life" and Peter called it the "crown of glory." They all represent the wonderful gift of the eternal life with God for His faithful servants.

Will you be there to receive your crown? Can God count you as one of His faithful? Ada Powell penned the following words, "There’s a crown for your cross, there is gain for your loss; You’ll be given a crown for your cross. There’s a beautiful crown when your cross is laid down; You’ll be given a beautiful crown."