Larger than Life

It is no coincidence that the other major apocalyptic book of the Bible holds a similar description of the Savior: “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” (Daniel 10:5, 6). Let’s keep this in mind through the next several verses.

It should now be evident that the nature of apocalyptic literature is heavy on symbolic imagery. Some suggest that the Greek word John used here, chalkolibanos, is a reference to a metal called Corinthian brass, made by the Greeks and Romans out of copper, silver, and gold. It was considered even more valuable than gold because of its enduring nature. It was also known to be more whitish in color. Notice that Christ’s brightness is what both Daniel and John attempt to describe. Yet what mortal language could even come close to painting an accurate picture of the glory of the Lord?

In Scripture, the feet represent the carrying of the gospel to the world. Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 when he writes, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15). In His message to the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18), Christ’s salutation references His feet “refined in a furnace.” Interestingly enough, Thyatira was a church that needed to be refined through fire, to be purified through tribulation.

Ezekiel wrote, “Behold, the glory of the God of Israel. … His voice was like the sound of many waters” (Ezekiel 43:2). Notice the effort to describe the immensity of God’s voice. This is the voice that created everything out of nothing, who reigns over nature. This is the voice that breathes life into inanimate dust (Genesis 2:7) and brings the dead back to life (John 11:43, 44), who commands the fiercest storm, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39). Only He could “overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Our Lord who is larger than life, we glorify You, who condescended to live in this sin-sick world for the salvation of us all.

For Further Study: Ezekiel 1:24; John 12:29; Ephesians 6:15

Key Bible Texts

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (Revelation 1:15 KJV)