Crown Him the Lord of love!
Behold His hands and side—
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends His wond’ring eye
At mysteries so bright.
Crown Him with Many Crowns (1852)
By: Matthew Bridges, v. 3 by Godfrey Thring, pub.1874
Listen to this modern arrangement as you prepare to ponder this old hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.
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Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
We continue our journey crowning Jesus the Lord of love. In the first half of this stanza, we considered the fact that Jesus still bears the wounds from the crucifixion. In this second half, we ponder the weight of that glorious mystery which causes all the angels to bend their eyes downward.
Angels Overwhelmed
No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight,
Scriptures seems to indicate there are a few distinctions among angels. In Isaiah 6 we find the seraphim. Ezekiel 10 describes the cherubim. I Thessalonians 4 foretells the call of the archangel. And then of course you have your ordinary angels which are most often referenced like here.
I heard…the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain…” Revelation 5:11-12a ESV
Though our words say “No angel” and most often this would evoke the idea that not one of the angels could bear the sight, it is interesting to also consider the fact that no kinds or types of angels could. Though not even the most important thought it remains an interesting one.
All that said, so great is the sight that no angel can fully bear it. Like the image above, maybe they covered their eyes with their hands, or the seraphim from Isaiah 6, on set of wings, or simply looked down, none of them could fully bear the sight.
What sight? The sight of the Lamb that was slain. Jesus still bearing the wounds He took to purchase our redemption. That is a truly remarkable thought. It fills the angels with wonder. They existed eternally in the glory of God, but could not even take in the this mystery.
RESONATE!
If these heavenly beings can not take in this sight, imagine what our reaction will be like. We will have just arrived at our glorious eternal home and we set our eyes on the One who died to declare His love for us. Though there are times when that love amazes us now, that will certainly be true when we finally see Him face-to-face. How do you imagine you will respond in that moment? Take a minute to ponder that heavenly seen and how you might respond.
Mysteries Bright
They is no doubt what the mystery is. It is the display of love that our Savior will bear eternally. The mystery is simply that He would love us that much.
But downward bends His wond’ring eye At mysteries so bright.
Bright mysteries. Seems like a contradiction as mysteries tend to be shrouded in darkness and mist, but not so with these wounds. Angels bend their eyes downward in wonder, and we may as well, but all the same we look forward to crowning Him the Lord of love eternally with heartfelt praise.
That nail-scarred hand. What an incredible symbol of love! I like this image because it acknowledges the pain, but fills it with the brightness of His glory and helps me to understand in a miniscule way the wonder of the angels.
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. Isaiah 6:2 ESV
RESONATE!
So what ideas come to mind as you imagine the flight of the seraphim? Does the thought of it fill you with wonder? Take a few moments and consider what leaves the angels looking down, and ask Him to fill you with wonder. Then approach the Lord of love with wonder as often as His scars come to mind throughout this day.
Jesus, thank You for filling the angels with so much wonder that they bend their eyes downward when they look to the glorious mystery of your scars of love. Help me fill my life with wonder and crown You the Lord of love today and everyday, for all eternity! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Wonder-filled Thinking!
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Podcast 16.3 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
Crown Him the Lord of love! Behold His hands and side—
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” John 20:27 ESV
When Jesus appeared to His disciples following His resurrection, He obviously still had the crucifixion wounds. Thomas was not there, so He did not believe. When Jesus appeared again He offered Thomas the opportunity to believe. Give Him thanks for the grace to believe.
Rich wounds, yet visible above, In beauty glorified.
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…Revelation 5:6a ESV
The Lamb of God is described as appearing as though it had been slain. Though it is not clear why, obviously something about His appearance evokes this description leading us to believe His wounds are still visible. Praise Him for bearing the wounds that brought you life.
No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight,
I heard…the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain…” Revelation 5:11-12a ESV
The angels looked upon His form and declared the Lamb to be worthy. They who had circled the throne from eternity past were compelled to declare the worth of the One slain for the sins of the world. Are you quick to join them in praising Jesus? Be certain to do so somehow today.
But downward bends His wond’ring eye At mysteries so bright.
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. Isaiah 6:2 ESV
Though they acknowledge His worth, they can not look directly at Him, so marvelous is the bright mystery of His countenance. Does the thought of it fill you with wonder? Take a few moments and consider what leaves the angels looking down, and ask Jesus to fill you with wonder.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.
Crown Him the Lord of love!
Behold His hands and side—
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends His wond’ring eye
At mysteries so bright.
Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.
The post Wonder-filled Sight of Mysteries Bright appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
No Angel…Can Fully Bear that Sight – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/258253359870905142/
Mysteries So Bright – https://www.freeimages.com/search/nail-scarred-hand
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