Captured Crown of Glory

2 Samuel 12:26-31 

    26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city's water supply. 28 Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. 30 Then he took their king's crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David's head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

David conquered a royal city by the hand of his army’s commander, Joab, taking the final warring action to make it His victory at the behest of Joab.  He did this that the city be named after his king and not himself; Joab honored and served the anointed king of Israel, and wanted the glory to be his and not his own.  David received the crown of the city’s king and wore it.  He also took much treasure and put the people to work as laborers in making bricks, much as Pharaoh had Israel do years before, but without the harshness and abuse.  Instead they were a conquered people put to work and not to death.  This was wise mercy, not cruel enslavement.  Then they returned to Jerusalem after conquering more Ammonite cities in the same way, building up a labor force and wealth for the kingdom.  In a similar way we can look at our battles for the Lord Christ and His glory as His army and servants, taking prisoners from enslavement to sin and putting them to work in the kingdom of God on the way to our heavenly city to come, the Celestial City of God’s presence among the true treasures rescued which are the souls of people set free in Jesus Christ.  A rough analogy, but one brought to mind by this short tale of God’s work here by David and his battles to capture a crown for God’s glory.  It is a short reminder of how David’s Captured Crown of Glory evokes reflection on the crowns we gain to give to the Lord at the end (Revelation 4:10).