The Son of Man Speaks

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
-- Rev 1:12-13 NIV

When John hears a loud voice like a trumpet, he turns to see who is speaking to him. Standing in the midst of seven golden lampstands, he sees one like a son of man. Although his is like a son of man, all else about him speaks of divinity. The voice like a trumpet reminds us of the trumpet at Mount Sinai where God spoke to the Israelites. The golden lampstands remind us of the temple where God's presence dwelled among his people. His long robe, his snowy white hair, and his eyes like flames of fire remind us of the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7:9. Indeed, he is none other than Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of God. He is the one Daniel saw in the vision who came before the Ancient of Days with the clouds of heaven and was given "dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him" forever and ever (Daniel 7:13-14). He is the son of Mary to whom God would give the throne of David and whose kingdom would never end (Luke 1:32-33). He is the one the disciples saw just outside Jerusalem ascend with the clouds into heaven where he took a seat on the throne at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9; 2:29-36). This one who is exalted far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, this one whose name is above every name that is named both in this age and the age to come (Ephesians 1:20-21) is the one who commissions John to send personal messages to the churches. Let all in the churches who have ears to hear listen to his words.