Not long ago, I had the opportunity to teach on a topic that’s rarely talked about yet full of profound beauty: the future crowns that God wants to give to His faithful servants.
For many Christians, the idea of crowns in Heaven might sound symbolic or even a little mysterious—but it’s not fantasy. It’s a promise! A joyful reality God invites us to live for. These rewards aren’t things we earn like paychecks at the end of a job well done. No, they are expressions of love from our Father, who delights in honoring His children who remain faithful and obedient through the heat of life’s temptations, trials, and deserts.
Over the years, I’ve heard plenty of teachings on these heavenly crowns—messages that stir hope and wonder about what awaits us on the other side. However, as I prepared for this teaching, something caught my attention. I realized that while we often discuss the crowns mentioned in the New Testament, I had never heard anyone teach the very first time the word crown is used in the Holy Bible [King James Version]. That surprised me. So, I dug into the Scriptures, curious and hungry to learn. What I discovered was fantastic, opening my eyes to an insight that filled my heart with overwhelming joy.
The first mention of the word crown in Scripture appears in Genesis 49:26, and it’s tied to Joseph: "...on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."
Now, if you’re familiar with Joseph’s story, you know it’s one of betrayal, suffering, forgiveness, and incredible redemption. Joseph, the young dreamer, was torn from his family, sold by his brothers, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison for many years. But he never abandoned his faith in God. And through all that pain and confusion, God was preparing him for something greater. Joseph rose from the pit to the palace—not just to be a ruler in Egypt, but to become a savior during the famine, to preserve lives, including the very ones who betrayed him.
When I saw that the word crown was first used about Joseph, it struck me with force. That wasn’t just a poetic flourish in Scripture—it was deeply prophetic. There is a biblical principle [only possible with the King James Bible] known as “the law of first mention,” where the first appearance of a word in the Holy Bible sets the tone for how that word is used throughout the rest of the Bible. And here, the crown doesn’t appear on a mighty warrior or even a king—it’s placed on a man who suffered, who forgave, who endured silently and remained faithful in obscurity. That is the one God chose to crown first.
Joseph was separated from his brothers. That separation brought deep sorrow—yet it paved the way for extraordinary elevation. Isn’t that so often the way it works? The pain that isolates us can become the very path God uses to position us for something greater. What struck me most was how much Joseph resembles Jesus Christ—rejected by His people, sold for thirty pieces of silver, falsely accused, suffering in silence—yet, in the end, highly exalted to a place of glory. Joseph was a shadow of the Messiah to come. And just like Jesus, he didn’t seek revenge. He forgave. He saved. He wept with those who wronged him.
It’s no coincidence that this first crown in Genesis points forward to the ultimate Crowned One—The Lord Jesus Christ. And it’s no accident that we, His people, are told again and again in Scripture that crowns await us, too. But they are not rewards for popularity, success, or strength. They are given to those who remain faithful. Those who choose purity when temptation whispers. Those who stay faithful when everyone else walks away. Those who keep their eyes on the heavenly call to obedience when the world offers a temporary compromise.
Joseph’s life was a God-given blueprint for every believer who suffers well, walks in obedience, and remains faithful unto the end. That’s the kind of life God honors—not with earthly accolades, but with eternal crowns. His journey quietly reveals something powerful: redemption comes through suffering; glory grows out of humility, and God entrusts authority to those who walk faithfully (2 Timothy 2:12, Matthew 25:21, Revelation 2:26).
James writes that those who love Christ and endure temptation and trials will receive the crown of life. Paul tells Timothy that a crown of righteousness awaits all who love Christ’s appearing. Peter speaks of a crown of glory for those who shepherd others faithfully.
And in Revelation, we see the end of the story. The faithful fall on their faces before the throne, casting their crowns before the Lamb—not in shame, but in worship. They know those crowns are not their trophies—they’re tributes. Evidence of grace. Proof that in all our weakness, confusion, and wandering, we stayed true to the One who never let left.
That first crown on Joseph’s head whispers a message that echoes from Genesis to Revelation: God sees. God remembers. God rewards.
If you’re walking through a season of isolation, rejection, or suffering—take heart. You’re in good company. You’re walking a road that Joseph walked. A road that Jesus walked. And at the end of that road, there is a ceremony coming. Not a courtroom, but a celebration. A reward ceremony where God will bestow crowns to those the world never applauded, but Heaven watched closely.
Let us not grow weary in doing good. Let us not forfeit the eternal for the temporary. Because in the end, the One who wore a crown of thorns is waiting to give us crowns of glory.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be there—empty-handed of this world’s riches and full-hearted with His honor, elevation, and approval for eternal leadership.
And when He bestows those crowns, if I should be counted worthy, I already know what I’ll do.
I’ll lay it right back at Christ’s feet.
Because He’s the only One who truly deserves them. The Lamb is worthy to receive the rewards of His suffering.
RETURN TO ALL BLOGS
For many Christians, the idea of crowns in Heaven might sound symbolic or even a little mysterious—but it’s not fantasy. It’s a promise! A joyful reality God invites us to live for. These rewards aren’t things we earn like paychecks at the end of a job well done. No, they are expressions of love from our Father, who delights in honoring His children who remain faithful and obedient through the heat of life’s temptations, trials, and deserts.
Over the years, I’ve heard plenty of teachings on these heavenly crowns—messages that stir hope and wonder about what awaits us on the other side. However, as I prepared for this teaching, something caught my attention. I realized that while we often discuss the crowns mentioned in the New Testament, I had never heard anyone teach the very first time the word crown is used in the Holy Bible [King James Version]. That surprised me. So, I dug into the Scriptures, curious and hungry to learn. What I discovered was fantastic, opening my eyes to an insight that filled my heart with overwhelming joy.
The first mention of the word crown in Scripture appears in Genesis 49:26, and it’s tied to Joseph: "...on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."
Now, if you’re familiar with Joseph’s story, you know it’s one of betrayal, suffering, forgiveness, and incredible redemption. Joseph, the young dreamer, was torn from his family, sold by his brothers, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison for many years. But he never abandoned his faith in God. And through all that pain and confusion, God was preparing him for something greater. Joseph rose from the pit to the palace—not just to be a ruler in Egypt, but to become a savior during the famine, to preserve lives, including the very ones who betrayed him.
When I saw that the word crown was first used about Joseph, it struck me with force. That wasn’t just a poetic flourish in Scripture—it was deeply prophetic. There is a biblical principle [only possible with the King James Bible] known as “the law of first mention,” where the first appearance of a word in the Holy Bible sets the tone for how that word is used throughout the rest of the Bible. And here, the crown doesn’t appear on a mighty warrior or even a king—it’s placed on a man who suffered, who forgave, who endured silently and remained faithful in obscurity. That is the one God chose to crown first.
Joseph was separated from his brothers. That separation brought deep sorrow—yet it paved the way for extraordinary elevation. Isn’t that so often the way it works? The pain that isolates us can become the very path God uses to position us for something greater. What struck me most was how much Joseph resembles Jesus Christ—rejected by His people, sold for thirty pieces of silver, falsely accused, suffering in silence—yet, in the end, highly exalted to a place of glory. Joseph was a shadow of the Messiah to come. And just like Jesus, he didn’t seek revenge. He forgave. He saved. He wept with those who wronged him.
It’s no coincidence that this first crown in Genesis points forward to the ultimate Crowned One—The Lord Jesus Christ. And it’s no accident that we, His people, are told again and again in Scripture that crowns await us, too. But they are not rewards for popularity, success, or strength. They are given to those who remain faithful. Those who choose purity when temptation whispers. Those who stay faithful when everyone else walks away. Those who keep their eyes on the heavenly call to obedience when the world offers a temporary compromise.
Joseph’s life was a God-given blueprint for every believer who suffers well, walks in obedience, and remains faithful unto the end. That’s the kind of life God honors—not with earthly accolades, but with eternal crowns. His journey quietly reveals something powerful: redemption comes through suffering; glory grows out of humility, and God entrusts authority to those who walk faithfully (2 Timothy 2:12, Matthew 25:21, Revelation 2:26).
James writes that those who love Christ and endure temptation and trials will receive the crown of life. Paul tells Timothy that a crown of righteousness awaits all who love Christ’s appearing. Peter speaks of a crown of glory for those who shepherd others faithfully.
And in Revelation, we see the end of the story. The faithful fall on their faces before the throne, casting their crowns before the Lamb—not in shame, but in worship. They know those crowns are not their trophies—they’re tributes. Evidence of grace. Proof that in all our weakness, confusion, and wandering, we stayed true to the One who never let left.
That first crown on Joseph’s head whispers a message that echoes from Genesis to Revelation: God sees. God remembers. God rewards.
If you’re walking through a season of isolation, rejection, or suffering—take heart. You’re in good company. You’re walking a road that Joseph walked. A road that Jesus walked. And at the end of that road, there is a ceremony coming. Not a courtroom, but a celebration. A reward ceremony where God will bestow crowns to those the world never applauded, but Heaven watched closely.
Let us not grow weary in doing good. Let us not forfeit the eternal for the temporary. Because in the end, the One who wore a crown of thorns is waiting to give us crowns of glory.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be there—empty-handed of this world’s riches and full-hearted with His honor, elevation, and approval for eternal leadership.
And when He bestows those crowns, if I should be counted worthy, I already know what I’ll do.
I’ll lay it right back at Christ’s feet.
Because He’s the only One who truly deserves them. The Lamb is worthy to receive the rewards of His suffering.
RETURN TO ALL BLOGS
