The names of Jesus in the Book of Revelation – Part 7

“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. 14 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.” (Dan 7:13).

Dan 7:13, 14: This “One like the Son of Man” is the Messiah. Jesus used this verse to refer to himself (Mathew 26:64; Luke 21:27; John 1:51).

The clouds of heaven portray the Son of Man as divine. Throughout the Bible, clouds represent His majesty and awesome presence. God’s glory appeared in a cloud in Exodus 16:10 and 19:9 at the giving of the law at Sinai.

Ezekiel
“And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.” (Ezek 1: 26).

“The likeness as the appearance of a man.” Ezekiel sees God sitting upon the throne in the likeness of a man. This vision points to the fact that, when God chose to reveal Himself fully, He did so in human form—through Jesus Christ (cf Phil 2:5-7; Col 2:9)

“Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” (Ezek 1:28)

“The glory of the LORD.” This verse gives the significance of the entire vision: it was a vision of the glory of God. (1) God revealed His glory and might to Ezekiel to prepare him for the work to which He was calling him. The Lord would continue to appear to Ezekiel throughout his life in order to sustain him in that ministry (3:12,23-24; 8:2-4; 9:3; 10:1-22; 11:22-23; 43:2-4). (2) The appearance of God’s glory to Ezekiel indicated that it had left the temple in Jerusalem (cf. 1 Ki 8:11; Ps 26:8; 63:2) and was now being manifested to the exiles. Ezekiel later prophesied that the glory of God would return to Canaan and Jerusalem (see 43:2-3,7). (3) Just as Ezekiel needed a vision of God’s glory to prepare him to serve the Lord. So, we too must experience the power of God’s glory and holiness (cf. Is 6) before we can actively enter into His work. We receive an understanding of God in all His glory through Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:14), through the Holy Spirit (1 Pet 4:14) and through the Word of God (2 Cor 3:7-11; see Acts 1:8).

NT Fulfilment
“Son Of Man”
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”― He said to the man who was paralysed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Lk 5:24)

“Son of Man.” “The Son of Man” is Jesus’ favourite expression by which He refers to Himself. Dan 7:13 seems to be the background for Jesus’ use of the expression. Daniel used the title to describe a person he saw in a vision, one “like the Son of Man” coming with the clouds of heaven, who is given an everlasting kingdom (see Dan 7:13). Thus Jesus expresses the truth that He is the predicted Messiah, sent by God.