Isaiah 62:10-12 The Reward of a Crown
The final verses in Isaiah 62:10-12 wrap up the vision of Israel and Jerusalem in their glorified state at the completion of God’s Highway Project. Let me refresh your memory of where this endeavor began in Isaiah 40:1-5:
Now, in Isaiah Isaiah 62:10-12, we see a repetition of these statements:
The theme “preparing the way” forms the bookends for this lengthy portion of Scripture that delves into the process of healing people—people who have struggled with sin that has brought antagonists and hard circumstances into their lives, who have suffered abuse or victimization (rightly or wrongly), and who need a way out of the crooked places in which they find themselves.
As we have worked our way through Chapters 40-62, we have seen how God modeled the healing and restoration process with His people. He “exalted the valleys”—those who have been trodden down with suffering and despair. He lifted them up with love, mercy, grace, and encouragement. He exhorted Israel to remember the greater purpose He had given her to help her combat and rise above her oppression.
He also brought down some mountains and hills in her life—walls that she had erected for her own protection but also her own comfort. He avenged Himself on the antagonists who once exalted themselves over her to vindicate and validate her, but He also dealt out some tough love to His own broken people with a frank examination of the sin that got them into exile. Love was tempered with rebuke, and He delayed restoration until she came out of her denial and self-pity; gave up her self-righteousness, her victimhood, and false humility; acknowledged her sin; and returned to Him.
He made the “crooked places” straight, first by making a way for her sin to be reconciled through the death of the Suffering Servant. He then went on to address her skewed sense of values, her expectations of the kingdom and abundant life, and what it means to be a people of light aligned with His thoughts and His ways.
He smoothed the rough places caused by stumbling stones that would prevent healing and restoration and keep her in oppression even after the antagonist was gone. These included reactions to oppressions such as fear, despair, self-pity, anger, silence, and shame. There were other points of stumbling that kept her from returning to God as well, things like her idolatry, her failure to acknowledge her sin, her desire for vengeance and to empower herself by her own means, and her desire for validation from wrong sources. Chief among her stumbling blocks was the Suffering Servant Himself, who died for her sin and offered her grace that she did not merit according to her works. He continues to be a stumbling stone for Israel even today.
This is how God comforts His people and brings the conflict in their lives to an end. In the vast timeline of Israel’s history, the process is still going on. For all intents and purposes, she is still in exile today. Her national restoration will continue to be delayed until such time as she acknowledges her brokenness before the LORD and accepts the grace of her Messiah who died for her sin. But this process isn’t limited to national Israel on the grand scale. The approach to healing and restoration is universal and can be applied in the lives of individuals even today. God and Christ and the Spirit all work together in this process to deal with each person’s individual situation, but they bring us into the process as we minister to one another, which is why we study Isaiah, to learn from God’s methods.
Preparing the way was the main goal of God’s Highway Project, but there was also a secondary theme that bookends these same passages and that is the theme of reward.
We see this repeated phrase in Isaiah 40 and 62:
This statement about the reward is the same statement Christ makes in Revelation 22:12.
We have only touched on this aspect of reward so far, but it is vital to the comfort and healing process, so let’s talk about this.
The Reward
Here in Isaiah, the reward is something that comes into view in the kingdom pictures. The reward, in essence, is a crown—the right to rule—and it is granted according to works. This reward was first given to Cyrus for his faithfulness in dealing with Babylonia and freeing Israel. The LORD promised him this:
As we know from history, Cyrus was given absolute rule over Babylonia’s territory and beyond in what became the Medo-Persian empire. That was his reward for his work.
The Servant Himself also pursued this reward. In Isaiah 49, He is given a messianic tasking similar Cyrus, but in the midst of it, He makes the curious statement:
Unlike Cyrus, the Servant’s task of saving Israel (and all the world) would require His death before He would receive His reward of a crown and kingdom. The reward of a crown is promised in Isaiah 49:
The reward for His work is further assured in Isaiah 53:
The Servant pursued this reward, gave His life for it, and He then shares that honor with the strong—those who endure as He did in pursuit of that kingdom and its goals. The sharing of the kingdom was mentioned again in Isaiah 55:3-5 where the right to rule is democratized as the king extends the status of royalty to the faithful of Israel. But who is counted among Israel in the aftermath of the Servant’s death? In Isaiah 56, God promised that the faithful among Gentiles will share in this reward, as well.
The reward, by Isaiah’s definition, is the right to rule, to be counted among royalty in the kingdom and enjoy the blessings and distinction accorded with royalty. We bring this definition of the reward into New Testament teachings on pursuing crowns. This reward isn’t just for Israel but for all the faithful who are called by Christ’s name and who pursue His kingdom even at the cost of their own life.
The reward of the crown fits into the greater framework of recompense which we talked about in Isaiah 59. Recompense—shalam, in Hebrew—carries with it the idea of being compensated for your works, good or evil. You reap what you sow, for better or worse. Recompense is a vital part of God’s Highway Project because it is needed to resolve the conflict between victims and oppressors and return a sense of wholeness to the victims materially, emotionally, and spiritually, so we cannot neglect the reward aspect of the process.
Recompense for works is judged on a scale of good to evil. The honor of a royal crown is the pinnacle reward for works on the good side—works that show a heart and mind aligned with God and His kingdom goals and actively pursuing and even sacrificing oneself toward that end. On the opposite end of the spectrum, are the works that go against those goals. The unrepentant evil of God’s enemies is recompensed with eternal separation from Him and His kingdom. This is the important thing to remember: All people, believers and unbelievers, are judged according to their works and are given some kind of recompense for them, as Jesus promised,
This isn’t just everyone in the kingdom, but all men across all ages. Everyone comes to this moment of standing before the King and having their lifetime achievements reviewed and rewarded, for better or worse. It is necessary to end all conflict and create health and wholeness.
In the New Testament, the doctrine of crowns builds on the foundation of the Old Testament. A crown is defined as a reward or inheritance that we as believers are called to pursue as part of our glorification. Some of the crowns mentioned are:
Paul counts his brethren in the faith as being his joy and crown, meaning his legacy (Philippians 4:1), and he describes the crown as being similar to a prize that competitors vie for, only of an imperishable quality rather than a perishable one (1 Corinthians 9:25).
But how does the awarding of a crown fit with our understanding of salvation, sanctification, and glorification? Is a crown equated with receiving salvation or does it represent a fuller honor granted apart from salvation? There is a tremendous amount of doctrinal division over these questions, so I am going to explain how we teach this here at FBC, which is also my personal belief.
When we talk about a crown, we are talking about the reward or inheritance that we will receive as part of our glorification after we have endured the sanctification process. The terms crown, reward, or inheritance are used somewhat interchangeably in the New Testament.
Crowns or rewards are not equated with salvation. Receiving a crown does not mean simply being awarded a place in the kingdom. Here at FBC, we teach that our salvation is based on faith in Christ alone by grace alone and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9), and our place in the kingdom is granted and guaranteed at that moment of belief. It is not granted according to works. That is an important distinction to make, in Isaiah as well as in the New Testament. Our salvation cannot be lost by anything we do any more than it can be earned by anything we do, because we are justified by Christ’s merit, not our own. The only way we can lose our place in the kingdom is if He loses His place first—and that is not going to happen. So, we believe that our salvation—our citizenship in the kingdom—is secure.
The doctrine of crowns stems from the Scriptural teaching that we will be co-heirs with Christ as part of our glorification in the kingdom. This comes out of Isaiah 55:5 with the promise of the democratization of the kingship under the King. The Lord has promised to extend the glory of royalty to us if we endure even as Christ endured. Paul further develops this theme for us:
Notice that living with Him is separate from reigning with Him. The first is the act of belief and identification that gives us salvation and citizenship. The second is an act of endurance through trials that is rewarded with the crown and the right to reign. That is the difference between salvation and sanctification. Salvation happens at the moment of belief. Sanctification involves enduring over time.
Thus, there is an endurance test that must be passed to attain the crown, and that endurance test is what we encounter during the sanctification process.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8
Unlike salvation which is by grace, the reward is works-based. A crown can be earned, but it can also be lost in the course of the journey.
What does disqualified mean? That depends on what you believe about the permanence of your salvation.
This understanding of crowns builds off of the pictures in Isaiah. The crown is an extension of royalty given first to the Messiah and then from the Messiah to the people, and it becomes part of their persona as a royal priesthood. Determining the reward is part of the Servant’s tasking.
So, what is involved with the pursuit of a crown? There are right and wrong kings with whom to align when pursuing a crown, right and wrong crowns or rewards to pursue, right and wrong ways of pursuing a crown, and right and wrong reasons for doing so. I tackled this topic in my study of First Samuel, titled "Pursuing Crowns." I have put that study into book form and you can purchase a copy online. Here is the link: Pursuing Crowns
Isaiah 63-66
This is the wrap-up of God’s Highway Project, but there are still a number of chapters left in Isaiah. In the next blog, we will look at the chiastic structure of these chapters and then talk about the treading of the winepress in Isaiah 63-65:16.
“‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ says your God. ‘Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.’ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken . . . Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.” - Isaiah 40:1-5, 10 NKJV
Now, in Isaiah Isaiah 62:10-12, we see a repetition of these statements:
“Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world: ‘Say to the daughter of Zion, “Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.”’ And they shall call them the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken.” - Isaiah 62:10-12 NKJV
The theme “preparing the way” forms the bookends for this lengthy portion of Scripture that delves into the process of healing people—people who have struggled with sin that has brought antagonists and hard circumstances into their lives, who have suffered abuse or victimization (rightly or wrongly), and who need a way out of the crooked places in which they find themselves.
As we have worked our way through Chapters 40-62, we have seen how God modeled the healing and restoration process with His people. He “exalted the valleys”—those who have been trodden down with suffering and despair. He lifted them up with love, mercy, grace, and encouragement. He exhorted Israel to remember the greater purpose He had given her to help her combat and rise above her oppression.
He also brought down some mountains and hills in her life—walls that she had erected for her own protection but also her own comfort. He avenged Himself on the antagonists who once exalted themselves over her to vindicate and validate her, but He also dealt out some tough love to His own broken people with a frank examination of the sin that got them into exile. Love was tempered with rebuke, and He delayed restoration until she came out of her denial and self-pity; gave up her self-righteousness, her victimhood, and false humility; acknowledged her sin; and returned to Him.
He made the “crooked places” straight, first by making a way for her sin to be reconciled through the death of the Suffering Servant. He then went on to address her skewed sense of values, her expectations of the kingdom and abundant life, and what it means to be a people of light aligned with His thoughts and His ways.
He smoothed the rough places caused by stumbling stones that would prevent healing and restoration and keep her in oppression even after the antagonist was gone. These included reactions to oppressions such as fear, despair, self-pity, anger, silence, and shame. There were other points of stumbling that kept her from returning to God as well, things like her idolatry, her failure to acknowledge her sin, her desire for vengeance and to empower herself by her own means, and her desire for validation from wrong sources. Chief among her stumbling blocks was the Suffering Servant Himself, who died for her sin and offered her grace that she did not merit according to her works. He continues to be a stumbling stone for Israel even today.
This is how God comforts His people and brings the conflict in their lives to an end. In the vast timeline of Israel’s history, the process is still going on. For all intents and purposes, she is still in exile today. Her national restoration will continue to be delayed until such time as she acknowledges her brokenness before the LORD and accepts the grace of her Messiah who died for her sin. But this process isn’t limited to national Israel on the grand scale. The approach to healing and restoration is universal and can be applied in the lives of individuals even today. God and Christ and the Spirit all work together in this process to deal with each person’s individual situation, but they bring us into the process as we minister to one another, which is why we study Isaiah, to learn from God’s methods.
Preparing the way was the main goal of God’s Highway Project, but there was also a secondary theme that bookends these same passages and that is the theme of reward.
We see this repeated phrase in Isaiah 40 and 62:
Isaiah 40:10 NKJV – “Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.”
Isaiah 62:10-11 NKJV – “Indeed the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world: ‘Say to the daughter of Zion, “Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.”’”
This statement about the reward is the same statement Christ makes in Revelation 22:12.
Revelation 22:12 NKJV – “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”
We have only touched on this aspect of reward so far, but it is vital to the comfort and healing process, so let’s talk about this.
The Reward
Here in Isaiah, the reward is something that comes into view in the kingdom pictures. The reward, in essence, is a crown—the right to rule—and it is granted according to works. This reward was first given to Cyrus for his faithfulness in dealing with Babylonia and freeing Israel. The LORD promised him this:
“Thus says the LORD: ‘The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you, and they shall be yours; They shall walk behind you, they shall come over in chains; and they shall bow down to you. They will make supplication to you, saying, “Surely God is in you, and there is no other; there is no other God.”’” - Isaiah 45:14 NKJV
As we know from history, Cyrus was given absolute rule over Babylonia’s territory and beyond in what became the Medo-Persian empire. That was his reward for his work.
The Servant Himself also pursued this reward. In Isaiah 49, He is given a messianic tasking similar Cyrus, but in the midst of it, He makes the curious statement:
“Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, and my work with my God.’” - Isaiah 49:4 NKJV
Unlike Cyrus, the Servant’s task of saving Israel (and all the world) would require His death before He would receive His reward of a crown and kingdom. The reward of a crown is promised in Isaiah 49:
“Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors, to the Servant of rulers: ‘Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel; and He has chosen You.’” - Isaiah 49:7 NKJV
The reward for His work is further assured in Isaiah 53:
“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” - Isaiah 53:11-12 NKJV
The Servant pursued this reward, gave His life for it, and He then shares that honor with the strong—those who endure as He did in pursuit of that kingdom and its goals. The sharing of the kingdom was mentioned again in Isaiah 55:3-5 where the right to rule is democratized as the king extends the status of royalty to the faithful of Israel. But who is counted among Israel in the aftermath of the Servant’s death? In Isaiah 56, God promised that the faithful among Gentiles will share in this reward, as well.
The reward, by Isaiah’s definition, is the right to rule, to be counted among royalty in the kingdom and enjoy the blessings and distinction accorded with royalty. We bring this definition of the reward into New Testament teachings on pursuing crowns. This reward isn’t just for Israel but for all the faithful who are called by Christ’s name and who pursue His kingdom even at the cost of their own life.
The reward of the crown fits into the greater framework of recompense which we talked about in Isaiah 59. Recompense—shalam, in Hebrew—carries with it the idea of being compensated for your works, good or evil. You reap what you sow, for better or worse. Recompense is a vital part of God’s Highway Project because it is needed to resolve the conflict between victims and oppressors and return a sense of wholeness to the victims materially, emotionally, and spiritually, so we cannot neglect the reward aspect of the process.
Recompense for works is judged on a scale of good to evil. The honor of a royal crown is the pinnacle reward for works on the good side—works that show a heart and mind aligned with God and His kingdom goals and actively pursuing and even sacrificing oneself toward that end. On the opposite end of the spectrum, are the works that go against those goals. The unrepentant evil of God’s enemies is recompensed with eternal separation from Him and His kingdom. This is the important thing to remember: All people, believers and unbelievers, are judged according to their works and are given some kind of recompense for them, as Jesus promised,
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” - Revelation 22:12 NKJV
This isn’t just everyone in the kingdom, but all men across all ages. Everyone comes to this moment of standing before the King and having their lifetime achievements reviewed and rewarded, for better or worse. It is necessary to end all conflict and create health and wholeness.
In the New Testament, the doctrine of crowns builds on the foundation of the Old Testament. A crown is defined as a reward or inheritance that we as believers are called to pursue as part of our glorification. Some of the crowns mentioned are:
- The crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19)
- The crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8)
- The crown of life (James 1:12)
- The crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4)
Paul counts his brethren in the faith as being his joy and crown, meaning his legacy (Philippians 4:1), and he describes the crown as being similar to a prize that competitors vie for, only of an imperishable quality rather than a perishable one (1 Corinthians 9:25).
But how does the awarding of a crown fit with our understanding of salvation, sanctification, and glorification? Is a crown equated with receiving salvation or does it represent a fuller honor granted apart from salvation? There is a tremendous amount of doctrinal division over these questions, so I am going to explain how we teach this here at FBC, which is also my personal belief.
When we talk about a crown, we are talking about the reward or inheritance that we will receive as part of our glorification after we have endured the sanctification process. The terms crown, reward, or inheritance are used somewhat interchangeably in the New Testament.
Crowns or rewards are not equated with salvation. Receiving a crown does not mean simply being awarded a place in the kingdom. Here at FBC, we teach that our salvation is based on faith in Christ alone by grace alone and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9), and our place in the kingdom is granted and guaranteed at that moment of belief. It is not granted according to works. That is an important distinction to make, in Isaiah as well as in the New Testament. Our salvation cannot be lost by anything we do any more than it can be earned by anything we do, because we are justified by Christ’s merit, not our own. The only way we can lose our place in the kingdom is if He loses His place first—and that is not going to happen. So, we believe that our salvation—our citizenship in the kingdom—is secure.
The doctrine of crowns stems from the Scriptural teaching that we will be co-heirs with Christ as part of our glorification in the kingdom. This comes out of Isaiah 55:5 with the promise of the democratization of the kingship under the King. The Lord has promised to extend the glory of royalty to us if we endure even as Christ endured. Paul further develops this theme for us:
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” - Romans 8:16-17
“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” - 2 Timothy 2:11-13
Notice that living with Him is separate from reigning with Him. The first is the act of belief and identification that gives us salvation and citizenship. The second is an act of endurance through trials that is rewarded with the crown and the right to reign. That is the difference between salvation and sanctification. Salvation happens at the moment of belief. Sanctification involves enduring over time.
Thus, there is an endurance test that must be passed to attain the crown, and that endurance test is what we encounter during the sanctification process.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” - James 1:12
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” - Revelation 2:10
Unlike salvation which is by grace, the reward is works-based. A crown can be earned, but it can also be lost in the course of the journey.
"Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” - Revelation 3:10-11
“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” - 1 Corinthians 9:25-27
What does disqualified mean? That depends on what you believe about the permanence of your salvation.
- If you do not believe that your salvation is permanent and guaranteed, then you can interpret being disqualified to mean that you can lose your salvation and citizenry.
- But, if you do believe that salvation is permanent at the moment of belief, then being disqualified doesn’t mean that you have lost your citizenry. It only means you have lost the added glory of the right to royalty. The crown is viewed as an added glory that distinguishes those who have endured to greater or lesser extents.
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” - 1 Peter 5:2-4
This understanding of crowns builds off of the pictures in Isaiah. The crown is an extension of royalty given first to the Messiah and then from the Messiah to the people, and it becomes part of their persona as a royal priesthood. Determining the reward is part of the Servant’s tasking.
So, what is involved with the pursuit of a crown? There are right and wrong kings with whom to align when pursuing a crown, right and wrong crowns or rewards to pursue, right and wrong ways of pursuing a crown, and right and wrong reasons for doing so. I tackled this topic in my study of First Samuel, titled "Pursuing Crowns." I have put that study into book form and you can purchase a copy online. Here is the link: Pursuing Crowns
Isaiah 63-66
This is the wrap-up of God’s Highway Project, but there are still a number of chapters left in Isaiah. In the next blog, we will look at the chiastic structure of these chapters and then talk about the treading of the winepress in Isaiah 63-65:16.