Seeing God in Jesus

Rev 2:18 ...These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass...

This vision was seen long before, likewise in a vision by Daniel:

Dan 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

The river Hiddekel is interpreted to be the Tigress by Gensenius.  This was one of four streams which flowed out of Eden from its headwaters. Normally, rivers flow into waters from the mountains. These rivers flowed out of the waters into the land. Since the land was much different at the creation, I believe that at that time, all the four rivers flowed from the Mediterranean sea ( http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2016/10/eden-pangea.html).

However, the location of Daniel has no meaning other than he seems to be on one of the rivers of God. "The River of God", I believe was Gihon Spring which flows from the Kidron Valley into the Pool of Siloam in the City of David. It's name means "fountain of the virgin" . This Spring was the livelihood of Jerusalem since its beginning. Obviously, the Gihon Spring is the "living water" of Jesus who was born of the virgin Mary.

I believe that the Gihon Spring was the river Gihon (Gen 2:13) which flowed from the head waters. (It is to be noted that I have learned much more about Eden since the time I wrote the commentary on Pangea.) What I'm saying is that the Garden of Eden is the Old City of David, and perhaps the Gihon Spring is the River of God:

Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life.

From all this seemingly diverse material, it is implied that the vision of the Son of God (Rev 2:18) above was the Tree of Life who is God manifested.  As Daniel looked on the Hiddekel, it was water which flowed from the throne of God and the Lamb. Scripture says that Heaven is God's throne and the earth His footstool (Isa 61:6) but they were connected (2 Chron 9:18). Hence, Eden on earth where Daniel stood at God's footstool is Heaven where the Throne of God is.

My contention is that just as God ascended to heaven, and sits on His throne, that long before the Garden had ascended as well to prepare for Jesus a place, just as he prepares for us a place. That notion is reinforced by the City of God as New Jerusalem which will someday descend into it's place:

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

It would seem that John saw his vision from Patmos on the Mediterranean, which I believe to be the headwaters of the rivers of the Garden. Daniel saw the same vision from one of it's four branches.

What is the significance, then, of the fine brass (Rev 2:18) and the polished brass (Dan 10:6)? Both were descriptions of Jesus's feet. Bronze was in those days more specifically brass according to Easton's Bible Dictionary. The bronze snake from John 3 was symbolic of Jesus Christ, and those who looked upon it were safe. The bronze - brass snake was the color red, representing the blood of Jesus. The laver for the water in the tabernacle had feet of bronze just as Jesus does here. Jesus is the source of living water, represented by the still water in the laver whose turbulence, when applied, washed the priests clean.

Thus, I believe the bronze feet represented Jesus' power to wash away sin by his atoning blood.

What about "his eyes like unto a flame of fire"?  Daniel described them as, "his eyes as lamps of fire" (Dan 10:6).

Isaiah spoke of the last days:

Isa 66:14 And when ye see this (the man child), your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. 15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

That explains both the fire and the sword!

The "eyes of fire" which John saw symbolizes justice. Ironically, although many deny it, God's metrics for love are the Commandments written on stone - to endure forever. We find God "as of fire" writing the Laws of God on stone. The following is Moses encounter with him on "the mountain of God" Mount Horeb.

Exod 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Horeb is the place where Moses struck the rock and the water of life flowed from it (Exod 17:6).  I contend that the Burning Bush represents the Holy Trinity just as the Tree of Life does. There are three parts to each: the unseen, the seen, and the power. For the Tree of Life, the Tree represents Jesus, the Root of the Tree - God and the underground stream - the Holy Spirit. With the Burning Bush, the Mountain - God, the Bush - Jesus and the Flame - the Holy Spirit. As such when one looked at the flaming eyes of God (Rev 2) it was Jesus who is seen! Moses couldn't look God in the face but he could look at the burning bush with no reason to avert his gaze (Exod 3:3).

John saw God's face. Moses could too! However, it was Jesus manifested in both cases. God showed Daniel his face as well. When you see Jesus you are looking at God:

Col 1:15 Who (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature...

Whenever any biblical patriarch saw images of God, it was Jesus who they saw. Most of the time, when the image of God spoke, He was "the Angel of God". The description in Rev 2:18 was the same Angel of God with whom Jacob wrestled, Samson's parents spoke, Shadrack and his brothers walked with in the fiery furnace and so on! In fact, the bronze feet was the power to walk through that furnace, and save the three brothers.

Now I have explained the vision John saw as he wrote to the angel of the Church at Thyatira. I hope you see God finally. We can see him in Jesus!