Revelation 1:12-18 (NIVUK)
12 I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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 round his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
If we were in any doubt about Jesus’ authority and sovereignty, John’s vision of Jesus in Revelation dispel it. To describe what he sees, John reaches for images from the most powerful and brilliant aspects of the world: the richness of gold, the purity of snow, the heat of the furnace, the sound of a waterfall, the majesty of stars, the sharpness of swords and the brilliance of the sun. All these things he sees in Jesus, only more so. He is greater than all of them, as he of course is their source, the word of creation. What a terrifying and awesome vision! No wonder John fell as dead. And yet, the Lord’s response, ‘Do not be afraid…’
Our language is inadequate to describe God, but maybe following John’s example and using descriptions based on the wonder and majesty of the world around us to try and describe him might be a fruitful way into worshipping him this morning.
Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash
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