3. Hope in a new creation

The third hymn in the funeral service, and the final one at Westminster Abbey, was Charles Wesley’s ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’.

One of the most poignant moments on the day of the Queen’s funeral took place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. During the committal, a sceptre, an orb and a crown were removed from the top of the Queen’s coffin, symbolising the end of her reign as monarch.

But remarkably, the Queen had arranged it so that people had already sung about the giving up of crowns! That took place several hours earlier, in Westminster Abbey, with the singing of ‘Love Divine’.

The last lines of this hymn anticipate a time in the future when Christian people will stand before the Lord Jesus. And those singing these lines are excited, because they are looking forward to the moment when they cast their crowns before Jesus, “lost in wonder, love and praise.”

This idea of casting down crowns comes straight from the Bible. It’s in the book of Revelation, in a particular vision given to the apostle John, in which he and we are given a peep at what is going on in heaven right now. And what is going on is a lot of praise. Twenty-four elders are casting their crowns before the throne of God, signalling that the King on the throne is worthy of receiving glory, honour and power. Then a lamb appears at the centre of the throne, “looking as if it had been slain” – the lamb stands for Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen king. He is the one who has all authority, for ever.

“For ever” is a long time. The one who sits on the throne lives “for ever and ever”, according to John. But this world, as we were reminded by the first two hymns, is passing away – it’s certainly not “for ever” . So what does “for ever” look like?

The answer is also there in Charles Wesley’s hymn: it is a “new creation”. This is what our world is heading towards: a renewing and refining, which will result in a brand new world. It will be a meeting of heaven and earth, where there will be no more sickness and suffering and pain, and the only tears will be tears of joy. Those who trust the Lord Jesus will finally be free from sin in that place, and that’s why the final verse starts with the cry: “Finish then Thy new creation / Pure and spotless let us be!”

What a day that will be. It will be a day of huge relief and joy for Christian people. And that joy, rather than sadness, will come from surrendering to Jesus – giving praise to him, and casting crowns before him. The owners of the uncrowned heads will not be left in deficit! This moment of praise is when they achieve their deepest ambition.

Which brings us back to the Queen’s funeral services. As a Christian, the Queen knew that her authority as sovereign was time-limited, and given to her by the one whose authority will never wane. She made it clear by her choice of this hymn that she was thoroughly happy to cast her crown before Jesus. She did that figuratively throughout her life in this tough and changing world. And she was looking forward to doing it one day, in the grandest of ways, in a new creation, where she would be settled with her saviour king for ever.

So in the singing of one verse of a hymn, a moment of sadness, as a crown was taken away by gloved hands, became a reminder of a glorious future to come. It is a future hope for all those who know that perfect freedom lies in serving the king of kings. That king has all authority, and at the same time, he is utterly loving and compassionate. He is inviting you and me to find that joy and freedom in serving him right now, and for ever.

Where to find it in the Bible: Revelation 4 and 5