A Royal Diadem in the Hand of our God

Recently, I returned from service as a church camp counselor.  Because I am a mom of boys it was particularly interesting for me to be a room leader for ten little girls.

While I was preparing to go I prayed and asked the Lord what theme He would have me pick for our room.  The camp had an overall "Under the Sea" theme but we were asked to think of a theme of our own.  

I came up with Christmas in July and I knew it was from the Lord because I am fed up with the commercialization of Christmas and usually steer clear of marketing ploys.  

But as I planned, a friend told me of 3-D snowflakes that were easy to make so I found the instructions and collected my supplies.

Each snowflake was composed of 5 diamond-like points.  As the girls came into the room they immediately started hanging the individual diamonds all around their bunk beds.

I thought, they are like diadems!  Royal diadems!  

Isaiah 62 gives us a picture of the church.

The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.  You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.  

What a glorious picture!  God will set us in a place of safety and show the world how beautiful we are because of Jesus!

When I got home from camp I received a clear confirmation that the Lord was speaking about the diadem.  My friend, who no longer lives in Ohio, messaged me and asked if she could come over for dinner.  When she arrived she proceeded to take off her necklace and give it to me!

So what Isaiah is prophesying here is that the church will show forth the righteousness of Christ and all His glory and we will be a beautiful precious crown in the hand of our God!

I look more closely into this word diadem and find that it refers to a tiara or a twisted turban around the head of the high priest.

In Zechariah 3 we see a vision of Joshua the high priest standing before the LORD.  Interestingly enough, Satan is there at the right hand of God accusing him.

And the LORD said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you,  O Satan!  The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! ...

As Joshua stood there he was clothed in filthy garments and the angel that was standing there said;

"Remove the filthy garments from him."  ... "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments."  

Jesus has removed our filthy garments and clothed us in pure vestments!  But how often does Satan come and whisper in our ears that we are filthy due to our past sin or even something we did or thought yesterday.  He waits right there as we stand in the fullness of our identity in Christ and tries to discredit our testimony.

We must realize that our testimony is the Lord's testimony!  It is His righteousness not our own work at keeping up with doing what is right.

We can be confident that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ!

And think about how intentionally God took Joshua's filthy garments off and dressed him in a gloriously pure way.  But He didn't stop there!  

Then Zechariah says;

"Let them put a clean turban on his head."

God dresses us in His righteousness and crowns us with a special turban that designates us as priests of the Most High God! He is serious about our identity in Christ!  

I realize I am yelling here but I am encouraged that although Satan comes to accuse us before God, his efforts are futile as we stand fully clothed in Christ's righteousness.  This is HUGE to the life of the believer.  We must get ahold of this truth!  

The enemy of our souls is always looking to convince us that we are either better than we really are or that we are less than we are.  Be aware of His tactics!  He will come to get us to buy into the lie that we are not holy before God however, we are because of Christ!

The angel of the LORD tells Joshua;

"Thus says the LORD of hosts;  If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge over my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those standing here.

Now that we are Christ's we are mandated to walk in the ways of the Lord.

Lord, help us today to recognize the accusations of the enemy that continually try to convince us that we are not pleasing in Your sight.  Give us a revelation of Your love for us through Christ's sacrifice so we can see that You have indeed robed us in righteousness for all nations to see Your glory.  Thank you that you will make the church honorable in the eyes of the world and although right now we are despised and rejected we know that we are partaking in the sufferings for Christ as He too was rejected by men but set on high!

Purify us and use us Father to shine forth Your glory from Your hand as shining bright people of God!