15… and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
Revelation 1:15b
resources
marks material included in following notes
John Lee’s Notes on Revelation 1
Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), by Grant R. Osbourne
(Book unavailable online)
The Beauty of Jesus: Son of Man, Prophet, Priest & King (Rev. 1:10-20), by Mike Bickle
[Notes, Video, and Audio available online]
 — Notes written by John Lee —
Nine-fold Glory of The Son of Man
-
His voice was like the sound of many waters
Right now, just imagine that you are in front of the Niagara Falls. Hear the mighty rushing water…
God gives life to the dead (resurrection) and calls into being that which does not exist (creation) with His almighty voice.
3 Then God said, “Let here be light”; and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD is over many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful, the voice of the LORD is majestic. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like of a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness … 9 the voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve and strips the forest bare… (Psalm 29:3-9)
25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those hear will live. (John 5:25)
43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “ Lazarus, come forth.” 44 The man who had died came forth… (John 11:43~44)
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
— Excerpts from Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) —
15… and his voice was like the sound of roaring waters. (Rev. 1:15b)
-
Again John draws on OT descriptions of Yahweh to show Christ in his divine glory and power. This detail stems from Ezek. 1:24 (the living creatures’ wings “like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty”) and 43:2 (Yahweh’s voice “like the roar of rushing waters”).
24I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. (Ezek. 1:24)
2and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. (Ezek. 43:2)
-
This concept is used again in Rev. 14:2 (the voice from heaven) and 19:6 (the voice of the great multitude raised in praise).
2And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. (Rev. 14:2)
6Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. (Rev. 19:6)
-
The Greek “like the sound of rushing waters” actually connotes “many waters” or “Great waters” and could picture a great waterfall or a white-water cascade or “the endless pounding of the shores of Patmos by waves of the Aegean Sea.” In the Mediterranean region the roar of oceanic waters is the more likely.
-
In any case, the image is that of power and strength, the awesome voice of God.
-
Christ’s speaking has already been described as “a loud voice like a trumpet,” and this obviously builds on that image.
— Excerpts from “The Beauty of Jesus” —
-
THE TWOFOLD DIMENSION OF HIS EYES OF FIRE
15 …His voice as the sound of many waters. (Rev. 1:15b)
-
Jesus’ voice is like a trumpet and thunder (Rev. 1:10; 14:2).
10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet. (Rev. 1:10)
10They shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west... (Hos. 11:10)
Forerunner Christian Church
www.forerunner.cc
Share with your friends: |
