Gold Crown

Somewhat surprisingly, the first references to golden crowns in the Bible do not refer to kings but to priests. The high priest has a “crown of pure gold,” a “holy crown” on his turban (Exodus 39:30; Leviticus 8:9). 

Even as late as Zechariah 6:11, the silver and gold crown is made for “Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.” It is reserved for the “Branch,” a Davidic figure, but the one who receives the crown initially is the priest.

This is consistent with the few references to gold crowns in the New Testament, all in Revelation. The Ancient Ones in the heavenly temple/throne room are crowned with gold (4:4), and they have a liturgical function as much as anything. The locorpions of Revelation 9:7 have gold crowns – they are false, demonized priests. So too the “one like the son of man” who goes out on a cloud to harvest is crowned with gold (14:14).

David does get a gold crown but, again surprisingly, it is taken from the king of Rabbah (2 Samuel 12:30; 1 Chronicles 20:2). When David says in Psalm 21:3 that the Lord “set a crown of fine gold on his head,” it may well refer not to a Davidic dynastic crown but to the priestly dimension of his office; it may even refer to the fact that David is crowned with a Gentile crown.

We might say this: The crown is first given to the priest, and to the priestly nation. It is held in trust until the true King should come, Melchizedek who wears a double crown, both priest and king.