In chapter one of Revelation there are eight crucial points: the revelation of Christ, the testimony of Jesus, the Triune God, the second coming of Christ, the joint partakers in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance in Jesus, the local churches, the lampstands, and the Son of Man. Having covered the first seven points, we come in this message to the eighth—the Son of Man in the midst of the churches (1:12-20). In this book, Christ is firstly revealed as the Son of Man. Whenever He is related to the church, He is revealed in His human nature because the church is composed of human beings. The Head of the church is not only the Son of God but also the Son of Man. That the Lord is still the Son of Man after His ascension indicates that He has not put off His human nature after resurrection and that His dealings with us are based upon His humanity. As a man, He succeeded in being God’s testimony. Thus, we in the churches today, being human, can also be God’s testimony. The Lord was victorious as a man, and we can be victorious also.
Christ today is “in the midst of” the churches. On the one hand, as the High Priest, He is interceding in the heavens for the churches (Heb. 9:24; 7:25-26; Rom. 8:34), and, on the other hand, He is moving in the churches to care for them. If we would participate in His move and enjoy His care, we must be in the churches.
Verse 13 says, “And in the midst of the lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment reaching to the feet, and girded about at the breasts with a golden girdle.” Christ is not only depicted here as the High Priest, as shown by His garments, but also unveiled “like the Son of Man.” He is still both divine and human. As our High Priest, He is caring for the churches in His humanity.
Throughout the centuries, some so-called Christians have taught that Christ was not the Son of God. Even today, there are some so-called Christians who do not believe that Christ is the Son of God. To deny that Christ is the Son of God is heretical. Such a teaching is devilish and comes from Hades, and we must uncompromisingly stand against it. Some Christians, on the contrary, do not believe that Christ today is still the Son of Man. They say that Christ became a man by incarnation, but that in His resurrection He put off His humanity. Some of these Christians think that today Christ is merely the Son of God, no longer being the Son of Man. When about fifteen years ago I fought against this concept, some opposed me saying that it was erroneous to teach that Christ is still the Son of Man. While some Christians do not believe that Christ is the Son of Man today, we believe it. According to the pure Word, the Lord Jesus is still both the Son of God and the Son of Man. We cannot explain this adequately because our mind is so limited. Nevertheless, we believe and accept the fact that our Christ is both the Son of God with divinity and the Son of Man with humanity. In Him we have true divinity and proper humanity.
During the past nineteen centuries, especially during the first six centuries, Christology was a subject of intense controversy among Christians. Concerning the Person of Christ there have been differing opinions, and Christians have fought with one another about them. We must drop all these so-called theological schools. According to the Bible, we believe that our Christ is truly the Son of God and the Son of Man. He has two natures, divinity and humanity.
When Christ comes to deal with us in the churches, He does so not only in His divinity but also in His humanity. You may excuse yourself, thinking that the Lord could make it because He was the Son of God, but that since you are human the Lord must sympathize with you. As the Son of God, the Lord is quite capable, but you, as a mere son of man, are pitiful, and the Lord should not condemn you so much. But when He comes to us as the Son of Man, you have no excuse. He also was a man and made it as a man, not as the Son of God. Do not make any excuses for yourself. If you are defeated and fail in the church life, do not sympathize with yourself, saying that it is excusable because you are only a human being. Human beings are just the right material for the church life. Thus, in the midst of the churches, Christ is walking as the Son of Man. In Daniel 3 we are told that the Son of God was walking in the fire, but in Revelation 1 we see that it is the Son of Man who is walking in the midst of the churches. We all must worship Him as the Son of Man. Because He is both human and divine, He is such a wonderful One. Because He is both divine and human, He knows heaven and earth, God and man. In Him we have divinity and humanity. In Him we are in the heavens and also are on the earth. Today the Lord is both in the heavens and on the earth walking, in His humanity, in the midst of the local churches.