Tumultuous times! Both the apostle John and Ezekiel lived in such times – when the world suffered great mayhem, murder and misery on a grand scale. John saw the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and some millions of Jews killed in the War of the Jews under Emperors Nero and Vespasian. Ezekiel lived through the three deportations by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon around 600BC and all the resultant loss of life and property in the resistance to the Babylonian invasion and control. Daniel went through the same things with Ezekiel – though Daniel lived in Babylon and Ezekiel lived some 80.4 kilometers south east of Babylon.
John has drawn much of his imagery in Revelation from both Ezekiel and Daniel. Both Revelation and the book Daniel are apocalyptic books – dealing with revelation, or dealing with the telos/end of things. Both reveal the Son of Man – see the similarities between Daniel 10:4-14 and Revelation 1:10-19.
See the pattern of things – the pattern of the man with the sword! The Angel guarding the way to the Tree of Life Genesis 3:24; the commander of the Lord’s army who met Joshua at Gilgal Joshua 5:13-15; the Word of God Hebrew 4:12; and here in Revelation 1 and 19 Jesus is revealed as the one who can open up the guarded way to the tree of life.
Revelation 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Ezekiel 1:26-28 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Stars and sun – remember Joseph – the deliverer of His people!
John fell at His feet – Jesus raised him up by hand! Daniel fell at the Son of Man’s feet and He lifted Him up.
There is not a one-to-one correspondence between these things, but there is pattern. Life is not ruled by chaos. Look for pattern in what appears chaotic. Look to the pattern-maker and to what He is revealing.
