Truth # 3: The 24 Elders Casting Crowns Portray their Surrendered Lives as They Offer Worship to God
Often, our distance from the history of past events can lessen the impact of some of these images. To us, it is wonderful that the elders (representing all believers) get to worship in such a beautiful way; but there is even more beautiful in the picture.
First-century readers in churches across the Empire would have been being reminded of the much-celebrated event in their Empire. During Neroās final two years as Emperor (AD 66-68), there was the much celebrated, and single most expensive event in Romeās history: the visit of the Parthian prince Tiridates.
To begin the rule of Rome over this distant land, Nero crowned Tiridates, as king of Armenia. The sequence to show this vassal kingās submission was planned. Once he was crowned, he fell down before Nero publicly in worship. Then, as a symbol of his submission, he laid his crown at Nero’s feet.
This event was made into an ongoing performance in the theaters where characters celebrated Romeās subjugation of far away enemies; so the event lived on in theaters across the empire.
This picture of the 24 elders casting their crowns at Christ’s feet is a very powerful lesson in worship. They were submissive, not just acting like it, neither were they forced to take off their crowns. It was the voluntary act of adoration in worship.
God always responds to submission, surrender, and the humility it portrays. Always remember that when the wickedest Israelite king of all, Ahab, humbled himself. God was moved by Ahabās humble acts of contrition. Bowing to please God always prompts His well done.
Casting a crown at Christ’s feet speaks powerfully of our absolute surrender to Him and adoration of Him. Now for a moment, we need to define that word: surrender.
1surā¢renā¢derverb: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand; to give (oneself) up into the power of another, especially as a prisoner; to give oneself up into the power of another.
Surrender is the key to true worship that God accepts. The worship that flows from a surrendered life is pleasing to Him; but from an un-surrendered life, the worship is not pleasing Him.
A life surrendered to God is moving along in the process of sanctification, which can be described as a life that is yielded, consecrated, dedicated, and Spirit-filled.
An un-surrendered life is described in the Word as unsanctified, carnal, fleshly, and quenching the Holy Spiritās work. Remember God always portrays only two positions, pleasing God or pleasing ourselves. With God, there is no neutral, or middle ground.
Surrender = Pleasing God Un-Surrendered = Pleasing Self
Allowing Sanctification Resisting Sanctification
Spiritually Minded acceptable Worship Fleshly Minded Rejected Worship
Spirit-Filled Walking Spirit-Quenching Neglecting
Truth # 4: We can Worship God as We
Surrender our Lives to Him Each Day
Turn back with me to Romans 12:1-2, where we read last week about presenting ourselves. That presentation is actually the act of surrender. We give ourselves over to the power of the Lord.