One Like the Son of Man

2006-12-10 16:09:00

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1:11)

Alpha and Omega, which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet are deep with symbolism in relation to Christ. Here are several:

He is first in the eyes of those who are focused on the spirit, but last in the eyes of those who look to the lower nature. He makes them so angry they want to crucify him.
He is the first to serve but the last to receive a reward.
He is the first in intelligence, but the last to have his ideas accepted.
He was the first to overcome death, but the last to labor in assisting others to do the same.
We were all with the one God in Christ at the first before we were born and we shall be with him in the end.

"What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches..."

These are teachings that will assist the various disciples of the world who are esoterically divided into seven groups that are working under the influence of the seven rays.

The number seven also shows up in the seven chakras and their symbolism will be discussed. Each of the seven chakras is governed by one of the rays.

"...which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea."

These are the names of the seven churches but they stand for much more than seven churches. They represent the seven divisions of humanity as governed by the seven rays.

We will not analyze the seven churches at this point but will as they come up soon in John's writing.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation 1:12-13)

Now everyone assumes that this is Jesus Christ speaking, but that is not what it says. Instead we are told that John saw "one like unto the Son of man." The word "like" comes from the Greek HOMOIOS which means "resembling or corresponding to a thing."

Jesus used this word over and over when he gave his parables and said "the kingdom of heaven is like..."

Some of the things the kingdom was corresponded to were: a mustard seed, leaven, a net, a treasure, an employer, a merchant etc. Does this mean that a mustard seed is the kingdom of heaven? No, but it has within it a correspondence to it.

Similarly, John witnessed a presence that caused him to make a correspondence to Jesus. It was like listening to his master, but he was not saying it was the man Jesus.

If it was not the man Jesus that John saw and heard then who or what was it?

John had his revelation after a long period of meditation in isolation on an island. After much contemplation we are told he entered into "the spirit" and in that spirit his mind penetrated into the mind of God and from that mind merged with other minds. This resulted in bringing down to regular waking consciousness images and words that could describe in symbolic language the path of the disciple on the road to divine sonship.

John then contacted, through the Oneness Principle, the higher spiritual realms and the voice he heard was his own merged with God. Jesus said "I and my Father are one." In this case John and God were one and the voice was John merged with the Divine.

John proceeds with the revelation describing the Son of man.

He was "clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps (breast) with a golden girdle."

John's description of the garment symbolizes the fact that this being's identity is covered and is a mystery to John. He knows he is from God, but is not sure who he is. All he knows for sure is he is "like" the Son of man.

About his breast area was a "golden girdle." Gold is a symbol of purification and the breast a symbol of the heart and the love of God. This tells us that John felt tremendous heart energies coming from this being which emanated pure unselfish love.

The description continues: "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;" (Verse 14)

White is also seen as a symbol of purity by many but it is not as quintessential a symbol of this as is gold, which is one color. White is created from the seven colors synthesized into one. This corresponds to the effort here to give messages to the seven churches or group and synthesize them into one.

Hair is symbolic of strength and virility as exemplified by Samson. The fact that it is white shows that the strength of Gods lies in synthesizing the seven types or groups of people into one. In the past this synthesis has only happened on the tiniest of scales but when the day comes that the differing and quarreling groups of the earth can unite under one banner of truth then the true glory of God will become manifest.

So what is the meaning of his eyes being as "a flame of fire?"

A flame penetrates into the deepest recesses and nothing can withstand a flame if the intensity is high enough. This tells us that John contacted a presence which can see into the heart of all things from which nothing can hide and no deception can be present.

"And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters." (Verse 15)

Feet symbolize power to subdue all that hinders the path taken. They are also the foundation of the strength of the body.

Brass in the scriptures was found in the vision of Daniel which is identified with Greece and was to "bear rule over all the earth" (Daniel 2:39) This power was epitomized by Alexander the Great who conquered most of the known world by the age of 33. Just as Alexander conquered the physical world, the Christ subdues the greater kingdom within and places it in alignment with the will of God.

The feet of fine brass tells us that the Christ within has complete domination over all things, from the spiritual world to the passions and feelings of the lower self.

The statement that the feet burned as if they were in a furnace tells us that nothing can resist the eventual domination of the God or Christ within.

"and his voice as the sound of many waters."

The sound of the many waters of a waterfall drowns out all other sounds. Even so, the voice of God is so engulfing that all else is drowned out so the voice is all there is.

The next verses are:

¹⁶ And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Revelation 1:16

¹⁷ And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: Revelation 1:17

¹⁸ I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Revelation 1:16-18

As man leaves the animal, the strictly physical and the highly emotional and inflammable stages behind him and learns to think, then (and only then) will war cease.
DK, Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 2, Pg 220