Revelation 1:12-16
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 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. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 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.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, John the Apostle saw Jesus transfigured—that is, His appearance changed. Instead of the Jesus that looked just like any other man, John then saw a glimpse of Jesus’ true glory. Today, in our lesson from Revelation 1, John sees Jesus now transfigured into His full glory. No longer is this the Jesus that John would dare to lean on His chest at the Passover. Instead, this is the Jesus that John “fell at His feet as dead.”
Fortunately, our Lord is not simply concerned about His power and glory. St. Paul tells us, that this is the mind of Christ: “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:6-7).
In His incarnation, Jesus became like us, to fulfill God’s commands for us, and then He died in our place. All we who repent of sin and come to Him in faith, receive forgiveness of our sins, new life in Him, and the promise of heaven with Him forever. And once in heaven, we will see Jesus as John saw Him in this vison, as the resurrected and glorified Lord of all. John gives us a glimpse of what that will be like here in Revelation 1. Paul also gives us a glimpse in Philippians 2: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (9-11).
Let us pray: O God, in the glorious transfiguration of your only Son you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the voice that came from the bright cloud you wondrously foreshowed our adoption as your children. Mercifully make us heirs with the Christ of his glory, and bring us at last to share that same glory with him; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
