One Like a Son of Man
REVELATION Number 25
One Like a Son of Man
Revelation 1:13-16 (NASB 2020)
“and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
This human figure is quite certainly Jesus the Christ. Giving credence to this assertion is Jesus’ own reference to Himself as “the Son of Man.” Refer to Matthew 8:20, Mark 2:10, Luke 5:24, and John 1:51 just for the first uses in each of the four Gospel accounts.
Likewise, Acts 7:55–56 reports that Stephen, while being martyred, saw a similar vision. It reads, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’” (NASB 2020)
The Apostle, like Daniel before him, has seen “one like a son of man.” Back in verse seven of our text John evoked the imagery of the Lord Jesus coming with the clouds. His introduction there of the Lord Jesus evokes the description found in Daniel 7:13–14 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Honor, and a kingdom, So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.” (NASB 2020)
There can be little doubt that it is the Lord Jesus Christ John witnessed here. As he continues describing what he saw, even more allusions to the old books come into view. Daniel 7:9 speaks of God as being clothed in white like snow and having hair like wool. In another vision recorded in Daniel 10:5–6 we find language similar to that which John used. Listen as Daniel describes the One he saw. “I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man dressed in linen, whose waist had a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like topaz, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.” (NASB 2020)
The prophet Ezekiel too recounts the voice of God using the same imagery when he says, “and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone from His glory.” Ezekiel 43:2 (NASB 2020)
Out of the mouth of the Lord came a two-edged sword. We are told in Hebrews 4:12 that, “the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (NASB 2020) This penetrating, dividing, and judging is a theme throughout The Revelation. One example is found in Revelation 19:15 “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” (NASB 2020) Also refer to Revelation 2:12 and 16.
Isaiah 49:1–2 also speaks of such a sword, saying, “Listen to Me, you islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me. He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a sharpened arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver.” (NASB 2020)
William Hendriksen, in his excellent book “More Than Conquerors – An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation” writes, “The entire picture, taken as a whole, is symbolic of Christ, the Holy One, coming to purge His churches and to punish those who are persecuting His elect.”
Faced with such an incredible image, there is only one response we can expect to have. One of all-encompassing awe, humility, worship, and utter weakness. The great and awesome God who stood before John, walks among His churches and dwells among His people. His love and grace are overpowering, and his vast power and majestic glory will be on enrapturing display in His Revelation.
