EYES OF FIRE (REVELATION 1:14; 2:18; 19:12)

 

 "Behold, a Man" (2004, mixed media)

                                “Look to the Lamb

                                See the One who is

                                who is forever glorified

                                There is love and there is fire in His eyes

                                He is worthy, He is worthy”

This chorus to the excellent praise hymn “Look to the Lamb,” based mainly on images from the book of Revelation, has a line that I particularly like. It appears to allude to two diverse aspects of the glorified Christ: his love and his “fire.” The meaning of the first descriptor is obvious, but “fire” is not so easy to understand. The specific passage in question is found in Revelation 1:14 – “His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire.” This partial description recurs in Revelation 2:18 in the words to the church in Thyatira. And at the end of the book, a rider on a white horse appears who is called Faithful and True, who judges and makes war. He wears many crowns and his eyes are like a flame of fire. (Revelation 19:12) It seems obvious that this also is a description of the glorified Christ, with the fiery eyes perhaps referring to the judgment He is about to carry out.

The powerful image of fire occurs in many places in Scripture, as The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery elaborates: Starting with God's appearance as a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch (Genesis 15:17) and in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), we see that “this association of God with fire runs throughout the Bible...That God should appear as fire is appropriate for many reasons.” Among these are the source of all life in the fire of the sun, its purifying and destroying properties, the way it overcomes the darkness, and its mysterious and undefinable nature. “If God himself appears as fire, so do the things around him.” These include his chariot of fire, throne, and, of course, fire from God often signifies Divine judgment. The other Persons of the Trinity are also associated with fire: the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3-4) and most pertinently for this short essay, the eyes of the glorified Christ.

Since so much of the Book of Revelation refers back to the Old Testament, I began there to see what it had to say regarding “fiery eyes” in order to see where this image originally came from. My first attempt proved to be a dead end. It is doubtful that Genesis 49:12 with its description of Judah as having eyes red (or “dark”) with (or “as”) wine is relevant here, although Jesus was called the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), an idea taken from that same blessing given by Jacob (see Genesis 49:9-10). Additional translations (“eyes bloodshot, dull or cloudy with wine”) take Genesis 49:10 even further from the world of Revelation 1:14.

Ezekiel 1

A far more likely model for the descriptions in Revelation is found in the first chapter of Ezekiel in which the prophet is treated to a heavenly vision probably representing God's chariot-throne itself with God himself probably in its midst. If so, He is pictured as being in the middle of the four living creatures and resembling burning coals of fire, like torches. And the “eyes” come into the description as the wheels of the chariot which are full of eyes on their rims.

One common interpretation to the complex description in Ezekiel is that the wheels facing all directions represent God's omnipresence, the eyes his omniscience (“all-knowingness”), and the fire his omnipotence. If this is the precursor to the visions in Revelation, then it is reasonable to assume that the combination of “fiery eyes” may symbolically stand for the glorified Christ's all-encompassing knowledge and power.

Daniel 10

An even more likely referent is found in Daniel's vision recounted in Daniel 10:2-21. On that occasion, the prophet sees a “man” clothed in linen, with a face like lightning, and “eyes like flaming torches.” This could refer to an angelic being or even to the pre-incarnate Christ. Note that the key words “fire” and “eyes” are now combined into one concept, even though the overall description in Daniel is obviously based on the earlier Ezekiel model (see Hartman and DiLella). And Goldingay states that here the man in linen is described in terms “like those used of God himself in Ezek 1.”

But if Ezekiel was describing God or his movable throne, who is the heavenly personage in Daniel's vision? Scholars are not unanimous in their opinions on this subject, as you can see below:

A.-J. Levine identifies the “man” as Gabriel. Young calls him the pre-incarnate Christ and notes the similarity between Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 1:13-15.

Hartman and DiLella: “The angel is given no name, but is often identified with Gabriel...But the identification is far from certain.” They quote several scholars who feel that the personage in this vision appears to be superior to both Gabriel and Michael. They then note the “remarkable similarities with “the dazzling description of Jesus in Rev. 1:3-16 and 2:18.”

Goldingay: “It is not clear how many supernatural beings are involved in the scene...The man in linen (v. 5-6) may be Michael and the subsequent speaker Gabriel, though – if so – it is odd that the names are not actually applied to the figures...The man in linen is described in more awesome terms than have been used of Gabriel previously.”

Longman cites Miller as suggesting that “we are really dealing with two figures here, a theophany [appearance of God] followed by an angelophany.” Longman is dubious regarding the identification of the angel as Gabriel since “we know so little of the details of the angelic world that such a naming is no more than an educated guess.” And he also points to “the description of the glorified Christ that stands toward the beginning of [Revelation, which] reminds us of the figure dressed in linen in Daniel's final vision.”

Wenham feels that “Ezekiel 1 and Daniel 10:5, 19:6-7 describe angels as dressed in linen, while Rev. 19:8 portrays the saints in heaven as wearing similar clothes.” Regarding Daniel 10, he states that “the revelation is a theophany or pre-incarnate appearance of the eternal son.”

Revelation 1:14

The above prepares us to zero in on the three appearances of the phrase “eyes of fire” in the book of Revelation. Phillips says of the Christ vision in Revelation 1:14, “John sees His eyes now burning like fire as He sweeps the globe with His glance, seeing all.”

In commenting on Rev. 1:14, Beale and McDonough state, “The transferral of the attributes from the judicial figure of the Ancient of Days (cf. Dan. 7:9-12) to Christ...evokes his role as latter-day divine judge...the primary purpose of the heavenly man in Dan. 10 is to reveal the divine decree that Israel's persecutors would assuredly be judged (see 10:21-12:13). Daniel 10:6 even depicts the 'son of man' as having 'eyes...like flaming torches.' The application of the attributes from the Ancient of Days to Christ also points to the eternal life that he has together with his Father.”

Ford: “This probably refers to his omniscience, penetrating into all hidden and mysterious things (cf. Dan 10:6, II Enoch 1:5) and qualifying him to judge absolutely.”

“White hair by itself might leave us with the impression of calmness and dignity, but not of energy and spiritedness. This is rectified by the reference to the eyes which flashed like a flame of fire.” (Morris)

Hendricksen speaks of “those eyes flashing fire, eyes which read every heart and penetrate every hidden corner.”

Mounce says that this verse “expresses the penetrating insight of the one who is sovereign, not only over the seven churches, but over the course of history itself.”

Revelation 2:18

The next time Christ is described as having fiery eyes is in the letter to the church at Thyatira. But in this case, as Walvoord says, the eyes represent “the indignation and righteous judgment” of Christ.

We know this is true because “The eyes like a flame anticipate verse 23.” (Beasley-Murray) This is where Christ promises to strike down in judgment all those who follow the sins of “Jezebel.”

Mounce puts it like this: “The flaming eyes suggest the penetrating power of Christ's ability to see through the seductive arguments of Jezebel and those who were being led astray by her pernicious teaching.”

“The eyes indicate that He sees all, and the feet that He will certainly and swiftly pursue all that is evil, and possibly also that He will tread it down.” (Morris)

“The relation of the message of the letter to the title and the final promise is as follows: the one who speaks has eyes as a flame of fire; it is this very glance which discerns the Spirit (the fire is linked to the Spirit, flames of fire, etc.). He is the one who, at the end will rule with a rod of iron: which is to say that he will impose discipline in the face of spiritual excesses and exercise complete authority...” (Ellul)

Note that Ellul stops short of saying that Christ will exercise judgment although that is certainly the implication of Revelation 2:23. This omission is no doubt due to Ellul's belief in universal salvation.

Revelation 19:12

Now we come to the final reference to eyes of fire in the Bible, and here the context is certainly one of Christ as the final judge of all mankind.

Hendricksen: “This is our Lord at his second coming unto judgment; to judge and make war. He is about to judge righteously, for his penetrating eyes are a flame of fire.”

Ford: “This may signify that his judgment is incapable of deception or fraud, i.e. it penetrates all things, even the secrets of the heart, and consumes his enemies; cf. 1:14; Heb 4:13.”

Mounce: “The metaphor of 'his eyes as a flame of fire'...evokes Christ's role as divine judge, as is clear from vv 14-21 and from 2:18-23.”

Concluding Remarks

At this point I think we are safe in including the Ezekiel 1 vision in the precursors to John's remarks in Revelation. Even though the eyes and fire are separated in that earlier vision, the combination of the divine characteristics of omniscience and omnipotence (especially in the context of power to conquer) is the necessary qualification for truly righteous judgment.

Finally, I am struck by another possible OT parallel with the progression seen in Revelation. In the three references to One with fiery eyes we are told, respectively:

        1. Christ has knowledge of all that goes on, not only in the church, but the world since He is walking in its midst with His penetrating vision. (Rev. 1:14)

        2. He utilizes that knowledge to identify accurately those persons and forces who are opposing Him and His church and will not hesitate to execute judgment on them when the time comes. (Rev. 2:18)

        3. Finally, the time for that righteous judgment is pictured as coming from Christ with swift and sure force on the whole world. (Rev. 19:12)

Now let's turn to another powerful visionary image which appears in both the OT and in Revelation, that of four horses, chariots and/or horsemen:

        1. A man with four variously colored horses patrols the earth to see what is going on, and he reports back that all is at peace (Zechariah 1:7-11). God replies that He will show mercy on His people.

        2. Next is the vision of four chariots going to the four corners of the earth and reporting back to God (Zechariah 6). This time the riders are actually given some specific actions by God to carry out, works which point toward end-time events. As Hicks says, “Although details are not clear, this vision probably refers to the inauguration of the messianic age with its judgment upon all the earth.”

        3. Lastly, in Revelation 6 the four variously colored horses appear again, this time each one with a rider who takes the peace mentioned in Zechariah 1 away from the earth in one way or another as part of God's final judgment.

Notice that the progression is practically the same in each series: 1. God gathers accurate information from the earth; 2. He announces His intention to execute judgment; 3. Righteous judgment is carried out.