The following is a question asked of an ahabiblemoments.com reader. She asks, “will our crown(s) in heaven actually have inlaid jewels?” It has taken a couple of days to reply as any research needs supporting Bible references. If there is nothing offered to support one’s conclusion it is nothing more than opinion; right or wrong. The following is our conclusion at ahabiblemoments.com.

Remember: We teach but You decide

Might one recall the old Sunday School nursery song of Climb, climb up sunshine mountain faces all aglow? We learn things as kids and adults that are not actualities, but symbolism. As a young child or a newcomer to anything, one tends to accept what is said as true, not symbolic. Our learning becomes fact to us and seldom will a person think differently later life. There is no sunshine mountain in either the Old or the New Testament. Mountains…YES, but no mountain named Sunshine. We can’t reach the proverbial top of a non-existing mountain on our own works and effort to climb it. This is what we are about to address per the good question of physical crowns and differing jewels within them.

First, consider Isaiah 28:5…(We often use the New King James Version or the New American Standard. These two are very close to direct interpretations of original Bible records) “In that day the LORD of hosts will be For a crown (at-aw-raw’) of glory and a diadem (which means a crown) of beauty to the remnant of His people,”. Note that this is a reference to “His people”, a remnant in End Time. They are of Israel DNA. A crown of glory is not a physical crown but symbolic or figurative. The crown of glory is Christ (God) himself. The word CROWN can be both a noun and a verb. It is the GLORY that is the emphasis. The recognition of having earned a crown of glory.

Back up to verse 3 in Isaiah 28. The crown mentioned in verse 3 of Isaiah 28 is the crown of pride. Same thing in verse #1. Not a physical property but a figurative description of one’s sense of him or herself as something earned. One might say…This is Old Testament stuff. Well…read on.

Revelation 3:11 states, “Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast to what you have, that no one will take your crown. Again, this is the taking of one’s belief and confidence in Christ during the 7-year Tribulation…more accurately: this passage in Revelation is a reference to and during the trouble of Jacob; the final 3 ½ years of the 7-year Tribulation. To emphasize such symbolism, go to the next verse in Revelation 3. (V12) He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God. Like receiving the proverbial crown inlaid with jewels believers will not become literal PILLARS in the Temple of God. This has all to do with status recognition. Do not be misguided. One cannot earn his or her salvation, but we can earn status. EARN STATUS? Isn’t this incorrect interpretation of scripture? Let’s look at what Jesus said in Luke 9:48.

“Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

Doesn’t this passage in Luke read as pointing out different levels of reward or differing levels of recognition in the eyes of God? If one needs additional scripture support, read Matthew 23:1-12 or Mark 9:30-37. Yes, it is the same verse as found in Luke, but to be repeated three times in three different books of the Bible suggests its significance.

We at this website have researched and studied well over 100 verses that address the words crown and jewels. I Thessalonians 2:19 helps support our conclusion. It reads: For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? Note that the word crown is again something descriptive of hope; joy; crown being recognition. Go to the very next verse in I Thessalonians (2:20). “For you are our glory and joy.” Glory and joy are not properties but identities. Neither is the word crown a property but an identity. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are it.

Regarding jewels.

After studying well over 116 passages that reference “jewels”. Again, most often it is symbolic of value, a very high value of finery as in well done my good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:23).

Isaiah 61:10 reads…I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Garments of salvation? Robes of righteousness? Not every bride decks herself with garland and adorns herself with jewels. Not “decking out” does not make a woman a non-bride. It is symbolism meaning to be in her glory. In heaven s/he will have the support of God’s glory upon him or her.

The jewels are the added value of one’s salvation, glory and reward at the Judgment Seat of God, but earned on earth. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:10…For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. This judgement is referenced in Revelation 20:11-15.

·        The Victor’s Crown. This crown (recognition) will be awarded to those who discipline their minds through the study of God’s Word and prayer (1 Corinthians 9:25–27).

·        The Crown (recognition) of Rejoicing, which will be given to those who have led others to Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:19).

·        The Crown (recognition) of Righteousness, which will be given to those who have a longing for the Lord Jesus—who look for Jesus’ return (2 Timothy 4:8).

·        The Crown of Life (recognition), placed upon those who have endured and triumphed over trial and temptation and persecution, even to the point of martyrdom (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10).

·        The Crown of Glory (recognition), awarded to the faithful shepherds of the people of God and to Christian leaders (1 Peter 5:4).

·        By definition from scripture, here is what crown means. “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown (recognition in heaven) in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

HMMM? We often ignore the Martyr’s Crown discussed in Revelation 2:10. Does one eagerly anticipate wearing it?

This list of six crowns )plus one) believers will receive after Christ returns and judges, is of recognition There may be more rewards, but the list validates our conclusion. It is an identity (crowns) with jewels probably being the additional rewards of great value once in…, read the next paragraph.

John 14 tells us that we will live in mansions. Oddly, we take or assume the word mansions to mean what we understand today as a dwelling. It may be a universe of our own or an estate that includes a universe. Modern science tells us that there are hundreds of millions of individual universes outside our own earth’s solar system and universe (I Corinthians 2:9 and 10).

When scripture tells us that we will lay our crowns before the feet of God (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) it is again an allegory. It means as believers we will give full credit to the One we worship and who redeems us. Not of yourself but of God (read 2 Corinthians 3:5)… “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,…” This is why the 24 elders of Revelation 4:4 toss their crowns (their status in heaven) before the feet of God as will all redeemed believers.

Joan N. I apologize for not being able to give you a plausible short answer. Our personal belief is that one must add supporting scripture to a correct conclusion. A conclusion is not accepted as valid unless one gives supporting reference. To simply say “take my word for it” is not a support. I have dealt with far too many people who quote, and too often misquote scripture to validate his or her desired conclusions.

Rev Dr. Jstark
2022- (a question from a reader)