It is not concerning a single individual or a specially favored few that the 21st Psalm speaks. "Whosoever will" (Mark 8:34; Revelation 22:17) may apply it to himself. And yet it may indeed be said to be limited to a single individual,--Christ, the King,--for: "He is before all things, and in Him all things consist," (Colossians 1:17,RV) and He is the "One New Man." (Ephesians 2:15)
All men together are but "one in Christ Jesus," (Galatians 3:28) so that one embraces the whole. Everything that is said of "the Man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5) applies to all who accept Him; for, "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12)
God made man in the beginning male and female, "and called their name Adam;" (Genesis 5:1) "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28)
When God made man for the express purpose of having dominion over the works of His hands,--made him king,--He "crowned him with glory and honor." (Psalm 8:5)
Every individual of mankind, male and female, was designed to have this high honor. Now we do not see men in possession of their rightful dominion, but we see Jesus who as man has it, and who as "a quickening Spirit," (1 Corinthians 15:45) has power over all flesh to give it to every man. He suffered our humiliation, that He might bring many sons back to the original glory. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:9-10)
This is our assurance of perfect victory over Satan and all his temptations. "Thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
Every person, however rash and impetuous, may learn patience, and possess the ability to rule his own Spirit, and thus be greater than the mighty. "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32)
It is no dishonor to His Majesty King Edward VII to say that every man is by Divine right a king. On the contrary, if all men in the British Empire would avail themselves of that right, it would be the highest honor ever accorded to any human being to be acknowledged as king over them. For it must be admitted by all, that the more honorable and mighty the people are, the greater is the honor of the king.
So the truest patriotism and the highest honor that any person can show to his country is to be wholly subject to God. He who best serves God, best serves his fellow-men.
The motto, Ich Dien, "I serve," which the king had as Prince of Wales, is the one which to a far higher degree belongs to him now; for the greatest ruler is the greatest servant. "Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:27-28)
God, the King of kings, serves the universe, looking carefully after every detail necessary to secure the comfort and well-being of His creatures. Next week we shall, God willing, show more fully how from the throne of the king the wants of all the subjects must be supplied. (See the article "The Throne and the King" in the Appendix)
What is the crown which the Great King gives to those who by acknowledging Him become kings? and when do they receive it? We have already read, "You set a crown of pure gold on his head." (Psalm 21:3)
But we have a very faint appreciation of the dignity and greatness of our calling if we think that this is corruptible gold such as is used in commerce. Earth has no gold valuable enough to form a real crown for a king indeed. The purest gold of this earth, fashioned into the most gorgeous coronet, can at best serve only as a figure of the true crown.
Think a moment! Is it fitting that the authority of the king should be derived from something far beneath him in value? We shall find a clue to what constitutes the crown, if we read carefully a few scriptures. Read 1 Peter 1:18-19, "You were not redeemed with corruptible things ... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1 18-19) which tells us that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, with silver or gold, but with the precious blood, the life of Christ. It is by this life that we reign with Him. Again, "Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life." (James 1:13)
Now read in this connection Psalm 21, concerning the King: "You prevent him with the blessing of goodness, you set a crownof pure gold on his head. He asked life of You, and You gave it to him, even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in your salvation, honor and majesty have You laid upon him." (Psalm 21:2-4) "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the meek with salvation." (Psalm 149:1)
Life, the incorruptible, endless life of Christ, is the pure gold "tried in the fire," (Revelation 3:18) which we are to buy without money, and which will be our everlasting crown. This is still further indicated by the terms used concerning the crown. For instance: "His enemies will I clothe with shame; but upon himself shall His crown flourish." (Psalm 132:18)
The word "flourish" is used of things that grow, like a flower, as Aaron's rod budded and bloomed blossoms. "And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." (Numbers 17:8) "Israel shall blossom and bud." (Isaiah 27:6)
The crown of glory that the faithful shepherd kings receive "fades not away." (1 Peter 5:4)
All this language implies a crown that grows upon and out of the king himself. His crown is the perfection of the life, the outshining of the glory within him. This crown is necessarily "a crown of righteousness," (2 Timothy 4:8) because the life of the Lord is righteousness. And so we see that we may have the strength and glory of the crown even now, and are not obliged to wait for "the crowning day" that is coming.
As King Edward has reigned for more than a year before the coronation, receiving the homage of his loyal people, and having his royal authority recognized by all the world, even so we are now uncrowned kings. "It does not yet appear what we shall be," (1 John 3:2) for the glory is not yet revealed, but the never-fading, neverending glorious life that will crown us in the world to come is our strength for overcoming in this present evil world. We are to reign now, the coronation day will simply be the blossoming out, the shining forth, the perfection, of the life by which we are "more than conquerors." (Romans 8:37)--Present Truth, June 26, 1902--Psalm 21.