Let’s now read verses 12 through 16:

[verse 12] “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

[verse 13] and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

[verse 14] His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;

[verse 15] His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;

[verse 16] He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”

John has heard a voice and he turns now to see Who it is that is speaking. The first thing that he sees is “seven golden lampstands.” The description here of “golden lampstands” should remind us of the lampstands that were made for the Tabernacle. Exodus 25 and Exodus 37 come to mind, where a description was given by the Lord—instructions on how to manufacture or make golden lampstands for the Tabernacle. Then, of course, these were also carried over in to the Temple of Solomon.

How remarkable that the first thing that John saw were these lampstands! They represent the churches. Now get the imagery here: picture seven golden lampstands. “In the midst of” these “lampstands,” Christ was seen. He was there “in the midst of” His churches [local congregations of His one church] and this is where He remains even today. He knows His churches; He knows those who belong to Him; and He walks in their “midst.” We believe that as we come together and assemble as a congregation to worship, even on an occasion like this [the Wednesday night worship and Bible study], maybe a little less formal, but we’ve come together to worship, to praise God, and we believe that His Son is here in our “midst.” That’s the imagery that we see and that John saw on that occasion. It is “One like the Son of Man,” we see there in verse 13.

As we go through Revelation, we’re going to see a number of similarities to the Old Testament books of Daniel, in particular, and Ezekiel, and some others. Here is a case where we see something that is very similar to something that Daniel saw in the long ago. Turn over to Daniel, chapter 7 and let’s look at verse 13 and following. This is a vision that Daniel saw, a vision of the Ancient of Days, verse 13: “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” Then, three chapters over, Daniel, chapter 10, beginning with verse 5, here’s a description of Daniel’s vision of the glorious man. He says, “I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain Man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, His face like the appearance of lightning, His eyes like torches of fire, His arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of His Words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of His Words; and while I heard the sound of His Words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.”

Don’t those visions sound very similar to the descriptions that we have seen here in Revelation, chapter 1? “One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band” [verse 13]. Indeed! You might look at Daniel 7, verse 9, because we’re going to see a further reference to this description in that section of Daniel [“I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.”]. This term, the “Son of Man,” was our Lord’s favorite term to describe Himself during His earthly ministry. He never referred to Himself as the “Son of God.” He referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.” So the passages that we have looked at in Daniel have a messianic meaning to them.

The description turns then from His clothing to His person. John describes “His head and hair” being like “white like wool, as white as snow,” [verse 14]. In Daniel 7, verse 9, Daniel will see that as well. These figures symbolize His eternity and His purity. “His eyes” were “flaming”—penetrating—searching. “His feet” were glowing like freshly heated “brass” “in a furnace,” [verse 15]. This shows not only His strength, but also His consuming judgment. His strong commanding “voice” is like the roar of mighty “waters.”In the “right hand” of His ruling power are the “stars,” the significance of which we will see a bit later. And we see there [verse 16] that “out of His mouth” came a “sharp two-edged sword,” showing the power and the force of His Message.