Seeing Jesus . . .

Jesus’ disciple, John, wrote, “We are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) Did he realize that soon after he would see Jesus as He is? Not likely, nor did he know that his vision of Jesus would be terrifying. John was not yet in his eternal state and he would be seeing Jesus through the eyes of a man not yet resurrected, not yet able to take in this vision.

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. (Revelation 1:12–16)

This is not the Jesus depicted in Sunday School illustrations or paintings by artists trying to capture His likeness. This is not the Lamb of God, more like the Lion of Judah, yet beyond most biblical descriptions except perhaps His appearance at the Transfiguration.

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:2)

Like that day on the mountain, John didn’t know how to deal with this view of Jesus. He used the expression that this was “like a Son of Man” also used in Daniel 7:13 to refer to Christ. He appeared as a priest in a long robe with a golden sash around his chest. White hair corresponds to “the Ancient of Days” in Daniel 7:9 pointing to God the Father symbolized by the whiteness of His head and hair and signifying that Jesus has the same purity and eternal existence.

The eyes like blazing fire described His piercing judgment of sin, as do His feet like bronze glowing in a furnace and pointing to the bronze altar in the temple, the place of sacrifice for sin and to divine judgment. His voice was compared to the roar of rushing waters. His face glowed with a brilliance like the sun shining.

The seven stars symbolize the angels or messengers of the seven churches, held in His right hand indicating sovereign possession. The double-edged sword coming out of His mouth was ‘rhomphaia’ and used by the Romans in a stabbing action designed to kill. This Jesus Christ was no longer a baby in Bethlehem or a Man of sorrows crowned with thorns. He is now the Lord of glory!

John was terrified and fell to the ground. However, Jesus immediately reassured him:

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17–20)

John received reassurance from Christ in the words, “Do not be afraid” an encouragement that appears more than one hundred times in the Bible. And why not? Jesus gives reasons . . .  

Jesus Christ is the eternal One, the First and the Last, and the resurrected One, though once dead is now alive forever and ever! He alone has the keys of death and hades meaning He has authority over death and the place of the dead. He is worthy of fall-on-your-face reverence yet those who trust Him can be assured that He accepts them. My death and resurrection are in His hands.

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Jesus, I’ve no idea how You will appear to me when I see You as You are, only that awe-filled fear and incredible assurance will both be there. This revelation of You is important for those who imagine You only as ‘meek and mild’ and for those who forget the awfulness of sin and the awful death You experienced so we do not have to pay its terrible price. I’ve imagined You as a Shepherd, as a Lion (like Aslan in “The Chronicles of Narnia”), as a Friend, even as a Dance Partner in the music of life, but today You give me another image on which to rest my thoughts.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- calm in my heart as I think about this view of Christ.

- assurance of my eternal destiny.

- ability to make progress on an item with a looming deadline.

- hubby helping me with a whopping big cartful of groceries.

- Pane Roma bread toasted with Brie cheese on top, yum!

- pleasant fatigue.