And in the midst of the lamp stands one like the son of man….
Revelation 1:12
Unlike any person John had seen or known, ‘one like the son of man’ revealed himself on the isle of Patmos. He ‘was 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, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword and his face was like the sun shinning in full strength. When I (John) saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.’
The book of Revelation shows us a very different picture of Jesus as the son of man. In Revelation it’s written, one ‘like the son of man’. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, Jesus is now the exalted one Daniel has prophesied, ruling and reigning at the Fathers right hand. The glory Jesus sought in his prayer from John 17 has now been placed upon him. What was sown perishable has been raised imperishable. What was sown in dishonour is raised in glory. What was sown in weakness was raised in power. A natural body, raised a spiritual body. I can only imagine.
Jesus as the glorified Christ now identifies himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the morning star and the living One. The one who died, and behold is alive forevermore holding the Keys of death and HADES. Again, the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy.
As we beheld his glory upon earth (John 1:14) so too we have opportunity now to behold his glory. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up with his train filling the temple. Peter, James and John on the mount of transfiguration were witnesses to the Lord’s transformation ‘his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.’
Paul met him on the Damascus road and was blinded by His light. We see, some years later, Paul caught up to the third heaven, seeing and hearing things that he was not allowed to speak. Here we have John’s testimony from the book of Revelation. All these moments were transforming in the individual lives of these men.
John, on the isle of Patmos, in the book of Revelation, was ‘in the spirit on the Lords day’ and was to ‘write what you see in a book…’ From chapter four of Revelation, we see John instructed to ‘come up here’ to see things that will take place. While we can’t make an experience like this happen, we are all invited to come and behold Him. Allowing the written word to show us ‘as He is,’ and will be in the age to come, we can now see him as he is.
While I have never personally experienced a visible encounter with the Lord, I can say, we all have opportunity to behold him with unveiled faces and be transformed through His glorious revealing. While we may see in a mirror dimly now, we do have the promise of a then, face to face, knowing Him fully.
This Apostle, John, who was privileged to know him on earth as a man, and to see Him as the glorified Christ, wrote in his first letter to the church ~
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
1 John 3:2.
Until then… all of heaven now exalts and honours Jesus. Until then..we on earth
are to join with the heavenly hosts, the created beings, the elders and worship (in the fullness of that word) the one who alone is worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing. Jesus, one like the son of man, glorified, seated at the right hand of our Father and soon coming King.