Revelation 1:12-16

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Καὶ ἐπέστρεψα βλέπειν τὴν φωνὴν ἥτις ἐλάλει μετ’ ἐμοῦ· καὶ ἐπιστρέψας εἶδον ἑπτὰ λυχνίας χρυσᾶς, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῶν λυχνιῶν ὅμοιον υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου, ἐνδεδυμένον ποδήρη καὶ περιεζωσμένον πρὸς τοῖς μαστοῖς ζώνην χρυσᾶν· ἡ δὲ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ τρίχες λευκαὶ ὡς ἔριον λευκόν, ὡς χιών, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡς φλὸξ πυρός, καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὅμοιοι χαλκολιβάνῳ, ὡς ἐν καμίνῳ πεπυρωμένης, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ ὡς φωνὴ ὑδάτων πολλῶν, καὶ ἔχων ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ἀστέρας ἑπτά, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ῥομφαία δίστομος ὀξεῖα ἐκπορευομένη, καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος φαίνει ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ.

Just as Jesus taught that the coming of the Son of Man will follow the “tribulation” described in the Olivet Discourse, it makes a lot of sense that John turns to see the voice that was speaking with him, and he sees “one like a son of man” in the midst of seven golden lampstands (the seven lampstands represent the seven churches as explained in Rev. 1:20). However, before taking a look at the description of the Son of Man, it is interesting to note the reference to the “seven golden lampstands” which alludes to Exodus 25:37. In the Exodus passage, Moses provided instructions for the golden lampstand with seven lamps which was to be placed in the Holy Place in the tabernacle. This lampstand was to provide light within the tabernacle and the priests were instructed to maintain the light, that is, to keep it burning perpetually. The description of the golden lampstand also appears to allude back to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. In Revelation, the “one” lampstand from Exodus has been changed to “seven” golden lampstands, which represents the complete, universal church, but can also point towards the expansion of the kingdom of God to include nations beyond the borders of Israel.

It is comforting to John’s immediate audience, the seven churches, that Jesus, the Son of Man, is in the midst of them. Jesus is not far or distant from them, and is not unaware of the tribulation that the churches are going through. Rather, He is among them even as the churches undergo tribulation with patient endurance.

Jesus is first described as “one like a son of man”, alluding to Daniel 7:13, “clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest”, alluding to the man of Daniel 10. The long robe and golden sash brings to mind the clothing worn by priests, highlighting a priestly function of the Son of Man. He is then described as having hair as white as snow and white wool, alluding to Daniel 7:9, in which the Ancient of Days is sitting on His throne in judgment over the “beasts”. In the Daniel passage, the Ancient of Days refers to the Father on the throne, who gives the everlasting kingdom to the Son of Man. However, John applies the kingly nature of the Ancient of Days to Jesus in order to show that Jesus is the One reigning on the throne and who has the power to judge.

To support the theme of Christ reigning on His throne and presiding over the “beasts” in judgment, John describes Jesus as having eyes like a flame of fire, alluding to Daniel 10:6 in which the man has eyes like flaming torches. This appears to be an image pointing to the fact that Christ sees all, even into the hearts of men. It is impossible to hide anything from Him. In the letters to the churches, readers shall encounter the common phrase “I know” spoken by Christ. He knows the true condition of the churches, despite their external appearances.

The description of “his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace” is an allusion to Ezekiel 1:7 and Daniel 10:6, referring to the strength of His legs and feet to crush His enemies. This also supports the theme of Christ’s judgment on His enemies, whom He will crush under His feet. In fact, 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 states that:

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

The picture of putting enemies under His feet is one of judgment and forceful subjection. In fact, the last enemy to be “placed” under His feet is death, and this “placing” under His feet is described as being destroyed. Therefore, the “feet like burnished bronze” appears to point to the fact that Christ is about to judge and destroy something or someone.

The description of “his voice was like the roar of many waters” appears to be an allusion to Ezekiel 43:2, which describes “the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters“. The context of the Ezekiel passage is about the coming of the God of Israel and His glory filling the temple, an event which readers shall see will come up again later on in Revelation.

In Jesus’s right hand, he is holding “seven stars”, which represents the seven angels of the churches, as explained in Rev. 1:20. In the Scriptures, the “right hand” is an image of strength and power, showing that the “angels” are secure in His hand and sovereignty. It is possible that these seven stars / angels represent human messengers (ἄγγελοι, angeloi, meaning “messengers”), that is, representative elders/pastors of the churches, or angelic beings that are watching over these churches, or representative of these churches under their care. Both interpretations appear to be possible and consistent with the overall context of Revelation, though for me it seems that “angels” = human representatives appears to make more sense in this particular case.

From the mouth of Jesus “came a sharp two-edged sword”, which represents the Word of God. The sword, being an offensive weapon of a soldier, points to the fact that Christ conquers over His enemies with the power of His word. Jesus is both the judge who judges righteously and the executer of His just judgments over against His enemies.

The face of Christ “was like the sun shining in full strength”. John, being one of the three disciples who saw Christ transfigured before them, saw his Lord’s face shining like the sun in full strength. Similar to how Moses’s face shone temporarily as a result of being in the presence of God’s glory, the face of Jesus shines permanently and with much greater strength because Jesus is God. This ought to remind readers of the passage in 2 Corinthians 2:7-11:

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

It is interesting to note that Paul, in this passage, contrasts the much greater glory of the new covenant established in Christ over against the lesser glory of the old covenant, which was being brought to an end. It appears that at the time of writing of this Pauline epistle, the old covenant has not yet been brought to an end, reason being that the temple was still standing at that time and sacrifices were still being offered at the temple despite the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. So the question that readers must ask is, “When was the old covenant brought to an end?” For the primitive church during Paul’s time, the question they were asking was, “When will the old covenant be brought to an end?” This is the question that the book of Revelation appears to be answering. The intensity of the glory of Christ on His face was “like the sun shining in full strength”, demonstrating that this glory is much greater and “far exceed[s]” the temporary glory of the old covenant, which is about to be brought to an end.

As the author of Hebrews states in 8:13:

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The old covenant is about to disappear. Revelation describes this “disappearing” of the old covenant temple system. The permanent, everlasting new covenant is all that remains for the people of God, the true Israel.

Soli Deo gloria!