Today’s reading: Matthew 10:23 “…Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
If I were to ask you why Jesus was often referenced in scripture as “The Son of Man”, what would be your answer? Until recently I was always quick to confirm the sermons I had heard all my life, that the title the Son of God showed us He was God, but the title Son of Man reminded us that He also chose to be born as a human. He purposefully chose to lay aside His glory and be born of human flesh, so that He could lay down His life as the perfect sacrifice that was acceptable payment to redeem us and restore us to right relationship with Father God. There was no other way to do this outside of being born in human flesh. Yes and amen.
But how many of you know there is more to it than that (as if that was not enough)! Whenever Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man, He does so not just to remind us that He has a human side, but to intentionally point to Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man:
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. ‘ Daniel 7:13-14
Sound familiar? Here He is being described again by John in the book of Revelation:
“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. ‘ Revelation 1:12-18
Whenever Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man, He did so for the specific purpose of pointing out to the Jews who were listening that “Hey, that’s ME – I AM the guy Daniel envisioned!” For anyone with ears to hear, including us, to understand that was one more fulfillment of prophecy adding up to the fact that He was Christ, the Messiah.
So… the next time you see Jesus being referenced as the Son of Man, perhaps like me, you will now catch a vision of this as more than just “the human side” of Him.
Alabastersky 