Kings Bling, the Crown Jewels and Crown Him with Many Crowns

Ever since childhood, I’ve been fascinated with rocks and stones, gems and jewels. My husband teases me that, when I travel, I come home with rocks in my backpack – – – and, in fact, I usually do. From rock shops to mountain tops, I love to meander and look for shiny stones. So, seeing the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom was particularly interesting to me. Our first morning to awaken in England, I could hardly wait as we sat out on our adventure starting at the Tower of London. While the Tower houses much history, it also houses the royal collection of Crown Jewels. I was excited to see the bling of kings and queens throughout English history.

Wait time to view the Crown Jewels display can be hours long much of the year. Fortunately, as tourists in May, we walked straight into the semi-darkened room and took our place on a conveyor belt that ran alongside the glass display cases. Our friends had prepped us that the conveyor belt’s purpose is to keep the lines moving so that nobody stops to look at one thing for too long. Alas, viewers are not allowed to take pictures, either, so I tried to quickly take mental pictures to peruse later (and you can look up some online pictures of them here).

Unfortunately, for all my excitement of seeing the dazzling Crown Jewels, they looked small, lackluster, even gaudy to me. As I was hastened on by the conveyor belt, the jewels seemed so very rudimentary. Forgive my frank American opinion, but I expected the bling of kings and queens to be, well, blingier. 

I couldn’t help but be struck by the earthiness of the British monarchy. People are still people, and regalia – no matter how valuable, pompous or ceremonial – is still just regalia.

A Hymn on a Conveyor Belt

As I was conveyed alongside the exhibit’s crowns, I was reminded of one of my favorite hymns, “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” For whatever reason, I have loved this hymn since childhood, and the first of its twelve stanzas streamed through my mind:

Crown him with many crowns, 

The Lamb upon his throne; 

Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns 

All music but its own;

Awake, my soul, and sing 

Of him who died for thee, 

And hail him as thy matchless king 

Through all eternity. 

The Lord God, radiant and matchless King, eternal, omnipotent, dazzling with glory and radiant with honor – – – this God is the King most breathtaking and awe inspiring. Seeing the bling of kings and queens only made His majesty shine brighter to me. 

I actually later learned that the hymn “Crown Him With Many Crowns” reverberating in my mind was the collaborative effort of three different Brits between in 1851 and 1874. Matthew Bridges, an Oxford educated writer, created the original six verses. Then, in 1868, Godfrey Thring, an Oxford educated minister’s son who became a minister himself, added six more verses while serving at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Palace. (We would visit both Oxford and St. George’s Chapel a few days during our trip, bringing those places into perspective in yet another way.)

Later, in 1874, St. George’s organist Sir George Job Elvey wrote the Diademata, which became the perfect triumphant melody for this song. 

Given the lyrics and the setting, seems that these Brits well understood their monarchy’s humanity as compared to the greatness of their God. (Incidentally, this was something that many Christ followers died for in Great Britain’s history, a story line I would begin to see unfold in the days to come.)

Indeed, this hymn comes from Scripture: “On his head are many crowns… On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’” (Revelation 19:12,16). What’s more, Scripture foretells this heavenly scene:  “They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, 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 4:10-11). 

Now that will be a scene to behold.

Plain Ordinary People with Extraordinary Crowns

Thing is, most of us Christ followers are just plain normal people without a molecule of royal blood in us. I must apologize to the Brits:  I was not impressed by the Crown Jewels. However, I’m just as unimpressive. Small, lackluster, plain, normal, undeserving – that’s me. 

Still, for some inexplicable reason, God promises to reward His faithful children with crowns of life and glory (James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 3:11). Scripture foretells that one day we will have opportunity to give these crowns back to Him, laying them at His feet. He won’t just give these crowns a passing glance as He moves quickly by on a heavenly conveyor belt, though. He won’t judge our crowns as paltry, gaudy or lackluster. Instead, Scripture says that the King of kings will inspect our work, look at what our lives have created and be honored by the way we have honored Him. He’ll pick up our crowns and wear them on His very own head. 

My husband Kelly often says, “What we do for God matters, and, in the end, it’s all that matters.” As I think about my life and my purpose, I feel re-invigorated to ask God anew to help me be the best I can be for His glory and the good of all of those He entrusts me. My life may have little to no bling, but what’s given to God means everything. 

I’m so thankful that I got to see England’s Crown Jewels. Leaving that exhibit, I stand more in awe, not of the British monarchy, though, but of the King of kings and Lord of lords.  

I want my life to add to the bling of the eternal, everlasting King – – – and that is bling that will outshine the stars and last forever. 

Be encouraged! ❤️

Tosha