Answer
While in exile on the island of Patmos, the apostle John had a vision of the risen Lord (Revelation 1:9–20). John was worshiping in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when the loud voice of the glorified Christ instructed him to write down what he saw and send it to “the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea” (verse 11). John described Jesus with unique characteristics: “Like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters” (Revelation 1:13–15, ESV).
John’s vision of Jesus is reminiscent of Daniel’s vision of an angel: “His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude” (Daniel 10:6). Earlier, the prophet had a vision of the Ancient of Days seated on His throne, and the throne itself is “flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze” (Daniel 7:9).
In the Bible, fire is a picture of God’s divine judgment (see Leviticus 10:2; Numbers 11:1; 16:35; Malachi 4:1; Luke 9:54; Hebrews 10:27; 2 Peter 3:7, 10). John the Baptist said the Messiah would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16; cf. Luke 3:9, 17). Jesus told His disciples, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49).
Isaiah saw the Messiah “coming with fire . . . to rebuke with flames of fire . . . and with his sword” to judge and punish those who would choose not to dedicate themselves to His mission (see Isaiah 66:15–16). The second coming of Christ will bring severe and final judgment “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire” (2 Thessalonians 1:7–8; see also Matthew 25:41).
The significance of fiery judgment in Jesus’ eyes is that, as God, He is omniscient. With sharp and penetrating insight, Jesus can see all things everywhere (Job 24:23; 34:21; Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 33:13–15). Even what is hidden from human sight comes into sharp focus in the Lord’s eyes. He has the ability to examine hearts and motives, and He knows everything about every person (see Ezekiel 11:5; Psalm 139; Hebrews 4:12).
With His all-knowing, all-seeing gaze, Christ came and will come again to judge sin in the church, the works of believers, and the evil in the world. On the day of judgment, when each person stands before Him, Jesus’ eyes will illuminate and discern the eternal value of each one’s work (see 1 Corinthians 3:13–15).
Blazing bright and piercing like a flame of fire, the eyes of the Lord see into the depths of every human soul. The writer of Hebrews declares, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable” (Hebrews 4:13, NLT). Because Jesus is righteous and He is God, He sees the evil in the world and can judge righteously and fairly (Psalm 9:7–8; 50:6; Revelation 19:11), with justice and truth (Psalm 96:13).
