Cradle, Cross & Crown

‌The mountains echo with the beauty of good news, as proclaimed in Isaiah 52:7-10: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (ESV)

Everything else fades in comparison to the central figure of the Bible – Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, every book tells a part of His story.

• In Genesis, Jesus Christ is the Seed of the Woman.
• In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb.
• In Leviticus, He is our High Priest.
• In Numbers, He is the Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night.
• In Deuteronomy, He is the Prophet like Moses.
• In Joshua, He is the Captain of our Salvation.
• In Judges, He is our Judge and Lawgiver.
• In Ruth, He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
• In 1 and 2 Samuel, He is our Prophet from the Lord.
• In 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles, He is our Reigning King.
• In Ezra, He is our Faithful Scribe.
• In Nehemiah, He is our Rebuilder of Walls.
• In Esther, He is our Mordecai.
• In Job, He is our Ever-Living Redeemer.
• In Psalms, He is our Shepherd.
• In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He is the Wisdom of God.
• In The Song of Solomon, He is our Loving Bridegroom.
• In Isaiah, He is the Prince of Peace.
• In Jeremiah and Lamentations, He is our Weeping Prophet.
• In Ezekiel, He is the Son of Man.
• In Daniel, He is the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.
• In Hosea, He is our Faithful Husband.
• In Joel, He is our Baptizer with the Holy Spirit.
• In Amos, He is our Burden-Bearer.
• In Obadiah, He is our Mighty Savior.
• In Jonah, He is our Forgiving God.
• In Micah, He is our Messenger.
• In Nahum, He is the Avenger of God’s Elect.
• In Habakkuk, He is God’s Evangelist, crying out for revival.
• In Zephaniah, He is our Restorer.
• In Haggai, He is our Cleansing Fountain.
• In Zechariah, He is the Son who would be pierced.
• In Malachi, He is the Son of Righteousness, rising with healing in His wings.
• In Matthew, He is the King of the Jews.
• In Mark, He is the Humble Servant.
• In Luke, He is the Son of Man.
• In John, He is the Son of God.
• In Acts, He is the Savior of the World.
• In Romans, He is the Righteousness of God.
• In 1 Corinthians, He is the First-fruits and the Last Adam,
• In 2 Corinthians, He is the Victorious One.
• In Galatians, He is our Freedom.
• In Ephesians, He is the Head of the Church.
• In Philippians, He is our Joy.
• In Colossians, He is the fulness of the Godhead.
• In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, He is our Soon-Coming King.
• In 1 Timothy, He is our Faith.
• In 2 Timothy, He is our Stability.
• In Philemon, He is our Benefactor and Friend.
• In Titus, He is our Blessed Hope.
• In Hebrews, He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
• In James, He is our Great Physician.
• In 1 and 2 Peter, He is our Chief Shepherd.
• In 1, 2, and 3 John, He is our Everlasting Love.‌
• In Jude, He is God our Savior.
• And in The Revelation, He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.*

‌And so the story unfolds, revealing Jesus in various roles throughout the Old Testament.

Born from Bethlehem, Gruesome at Golgotha, he wears a crown. This Jesus: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

Cradle, Cross, Crown

As we transition into the New Testament, we encounter Jesus in three significant aspects – the Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown.

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5–7, ESV)

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7, ESV)

The Cradle: In Philippians 2:5-7, we learn that Jesus, though in the form of God, humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant. This humility is exemplified in His birth in Bethlehem, fulfilling prophecies from Isaiah and ushering in a plan of reconciliation.

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8, ESV)

The Cross: Philippians 2:8 emphasizes Jesus’ obedience, even to the point of death on the cross. This act connects us to His identity as the suffering and sacrificial Savior. The cross is not just a place of suffering for Jesus but a place of salvation for us.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11, ESV)

The Crown: In Philippians 2:9-11, we see the story’s culmination – God exalting Jesus above all names, confirming His deity as Lord and the Son of God. From cradle to cross to crown, Jesus reveals Himself as Man, Savior, Lord, and God.

Reigning from Cradle to Crown

The story of Jesus doesn’t end at the manger, nor does it end on the cross. Revelation 19:11-16 declares He comes again as the conquering King. From Cradle to Cross to Crown, He reigns supreme.

As we reflect on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, which underscores the importance of Christ’s death and resurrection, we grasp the significance of the entire narrative. This is the essence of Christianity – the story of Jesus, from birth to death to resurrection, bringing salvation to humanity.

In this tale of grace and love, Jesus is the central character, and through Him, we find hope, redemption, and eternal life. May we, like the wise men, seek Him earnestly, for in Jesus, the rejected One, lies the salvation of all.

‌~PW 🌮🛶

*There are many lists like this, all with individual merit; I am still hunting for some of the oldest versions.