from the beginning

The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor. —Genesis 49:10 (~2000 BC)

Matthew, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, describes how Jesus was tortured on the day he was crucified. He tells us that a regiment of Roman soldiers stripped Jesus of his clothes, pressed a crown of thorns into his scalp. Then they put a red robe on him, and put a stick as a scepter in his hand. Matthew wrote:

Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. —Matthew 27:29–31

Notice this: They put a crown of thorns on his head, a red robe around him and a stick as a royal scepter. All this was done to humiliate Jesus. The Romans despised the Jews, so to humiliate someone as the “king of the Jews” came easy.

But God gives us a picture of how this would play out. Jesus came as a lamb who would be led to slaughter. When he returns, he will no longer be a lamb, but a lion—the lion from the tribe of Judah. And he will wear his humiliation as a badge of honor. Revelation 19 tells us that when Jesus returns, he’ll be wearing these:

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. —Revelation 19:11–12

Notice the crowns. He’ll be wearing many crowns.

Next, it says “He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.” —Revelation 19:13

He is wearing a robe dipped in blood—it is red.

Finally, it says “From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod.” —Revelation 19:15

He is carrying a rod (scepter), but this one isn’t a stick—it is iron, symbolizing its enduring nature. A rule that will never end.

So, check this out: Jesus is mocked with a thorny crown, a red robe and a stick as a scepter.

But, when he returns in his glory, those very things are transformed into symbols of his triumph.

On his head will be “many crowns,” symbolizing his sovereignty over the nations. He will be covered by a blood red robe, reminding us of his redeeming death on the cross. Then in his hand will be the scepter that was spoken of in the book of Genesis. Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, will return and his goal will be to complete what he began on the cross: to destroy death once and for all.

With a word, death will be destroyed and the Prince of Peace will rule. And forever we will experience the paradise that our first parents experienced, and we will enjoy it together.

With Him.

Forever.

And if he can transform his humiliation and shame into something so beautiful, what can’t he do in your life. Jesus can take you shame, your humiliation, your disappointment and discouragement and transform it into something beautiful.

That is what he does.

No wonder we follow him. No wonder we worship Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is coming back!

Cheering for you,

Pastor Bill

Bill Herried is lead pastor at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship in Tacoma, Washington. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and Master of Divinity from Corban University in Salem, Oregon. He is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren, and he loves a good biryani. Bill invites you to learn more on Your Daily Encouragement

Featured Image by Alex Noriega on Unsplash