Like the Roar of Many Waters

(This is the Revelation 1 follow-up post I mentioned.)

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw even golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Revelation 1:12-16

This paragraph gives an amazing description of Jesus. The words that really caught my attention were in verse 15, which says that "his voice was like the roar of many waters." Hmm, what does that mean?

How often do we stop to think about Biblical symbolism? We too easily pass off descriptions as metaphorical, without really considering exactly how they are metaphorical. When I came to this verse as I was praying, several things came to mind.

First, the roar of many waters is loud--not obnoxious, but nonetheless loud. It grabs your attention. "Roar" most certainly does not imply an idyllic background noise. So too, in this passage, we read an awesome description of the voice of our Savior. His voice is not just one more mixing in among many others. All other sounds become as nothing at the sound of His voice.

Second, a person often hears the sound of roaring, rushing waters before he sees the actual waves. The roaring of many waters tells the hearer of something more: the waters. It is not just a sound, coming and going with little lasting effect. In the same way, we hear the words of our Savior before we see Him. His own words tell us of Him. By His words He opens our minds and hearts to Him.

I mentioned already that the roar of many waters drowns out every other sound. But the power of water is not just in making a loud sound; nothing can physically stand before these same waters. When the rushing water comes, it overwhelms all in its path. So too, none can stand before the One who speaks with a voice which is described as being like the roar of many waters. We see this just two verses later, as John says that he "fell at His feet" (v17).

Finally, though water can be overwhelming, it sustains us. Without it we could not live. Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4 that He gives living water (v10), which "will become in him [who drinks of it] a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (v14). And in Deuteronomy 8:3 we are told that "man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God."