In the vision, John heard a voice. Turning, He saw a figure that appeared to him throughout  Revelation’s 1: 12-20. It was an appearance of a sun-bright, glorified body that could only be described in figurative terms. However, John recognized the human form. The being before him was like the Son of Man he walked with for 3-1/2 years. And indeed John realized that it was Him – Christ Jesus.

Divinity no longer cloaked by humanity, Jesus protected John by symbolically presenting Himself. Jesus’ hair was as snow-white wool. Being the express image of God, it is not surprising, for so was the hair of the Ancient of Days (God the Father) in Daniel 7: 9.

The eyes of Jesus were intense and penetrating, like flames of fire; an indication of His ability to judge. For in Hebrews 4: 12 and 13, we read that Jesus is “a discerner of the intents and thoughts of the heart” and “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Having walked a fiery path of affliction and resistance on earth, Jesus’ feet were of a burnished bronze, as though they had been refined in a furnace.

As a reminder that He is the ultimate high priest, Jesus dressed in a robe that reached the feet. It was girded about the chest with a golden band. Such attire was not only worn by the temple priests, but also worn by Old Testament kings, a reminder also of Jesus’ standing as the ultimate ruler.

Seven stars, Jesus held in His right hand; the symbolic hand of power and authority. Jesus likened those stars to angels. The word “angels” means messengers. In Daniel 12: 3, God’s people are also likened to stars. “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.“ In other words, because it was His right hand, it was a picture showing that Jesus would delegate power and authority to the seven messengers or ministers of the seven churches.* Their assignment: preach Revelation’s messages.

Some of those messages were accusatory, decrying the worldliness and apostasy that had been allowed to creep into the church. Jesus, of course, opposed those things and went to war against those churches. It wouldn’t be a physical fight, but a spiritual one, verbal in nature. That’s why, seen protruding from His mouth, was a two-edged sword – an Old Testament symbol of judgment upon the wicked, and a New Testament symbol of the Word of God.

In the vision too were seven lampstands. Each lampstand represented one of the seven churches. The churches were setup to be light-bearing witnesses of the gospel before the darkened world. And Jesus walked among the lampstands (Rev. 2: 1). That signified Jesus’ presence in the churches and a care for the needs of the individual churches. It’s was a symbolic walk that fulfilled the promise: “I will make my dwelling among you…I will walk among you and be your God and you will be My people.”

And then Jesus told John the purpose for the vision. He spoke in a voice that was of many waters. Many waters, like the many waves of the ocean, denote the sound of power, majesty, and even harmony. Such was Jesus’ voice that said to John: “Write what you have seen (the foregoing); the things that are (the situation and needs of the seven churches at the time); and the things that will take place after this” (the scenes that will come in Rev.’s chapter 4 thru 22).

——————————

* There’s more detail identifying the stars in Jesus’ hand in Who’re the Seven Angels of the Seven churches? Click here to read about it.