1. The Story-Line of Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect LESSON 6: SON OF MAN AND JUDGMENT ON EARTH While “one like a son of man came on clouds of heaven” to God in Daniel 7 in the Hebrew Bible, the Son of man will come on clouds to earth in Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the New Testament. Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect in the book of Revelation in the New Testament transforms the Son of man into a personage who merges features of God and features of the angel Gabriel in the apocalyptic book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible.  Click for the next slide and a Hebrew Bible resource for Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

2. The Son of Man in Daniel 7 in the Hebrew Bible In Daniel 7, “one like a son of man” approaches God’s throne on clouds. In Daniel 10, the angel Gabriel is a blend of human, metals, lightning, and fire.  Click to read the presentation of the one like a son of man in Daniel.

3. A Hebrew Bible Resource for Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN COMES ON CLOUDS TO GOD Daniel 7:9 I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire. 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.  Click for continuation of Daniel 7.

4. A Hebrew Bible Resource for Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN COMES ON CLOUDS TO GOD Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 7:14 There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Read Daniel 7) his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Read Daniel 7) Daniel 7Daniel 7  Click for the angel Gabriel in Daniel 10.

5. Hebrew Bible Resource: GABRIEL IS HUMAN, WITH BODY PARTS LIKE PRECIOUS METALS, LIGHTNING, AND FIRE, AND A VOICE LIKE LOUD, ROARING WORDS Daniel 10:5 I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, whose thighs were girded with pure gold of Uphaz: 10:6 his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.  Click for the form of God in the Hebrew Bible.

6. The Human Form of God in Daniel 7 As you recall from Lesson 5, God has a form like a human in Daniel 7 in the Hebrew Bible.  Click to read the presentation of God in human form in Daniel 7.

7. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD IS LIKE HUMAN FORM, GOD’S THRONE IS FIRE in Daniel 7 Daniel 7:9 I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.  Click to read the continuation in Daniel 7.

8. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD IS LIKE HUMAN FORM, GOD’S THRONE IS FIRE in Daniel 7 cont. Daniel 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (cf. Ezekiel 1) Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 1 (Read Daniel 7) Daniel 7Daniel 7  Click to read about the image of the Son of Man in Revelation to John in the New Testament.

9. CHRISTIAN APOCALYPTIC RHETOROLECT IN THE REVELATION TO JOHN PRESENTS THE SON OF MAN AS A BLEND OF THE IMAGE OF GOD AND THE IMAGE OF THE ANGEL GABRIEL IN DANIEL   Click for next slide.

10. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect in Revelation: SON OF MAN WITH LONG ROBE, GOLDEN SASH, HAIR WHITE AS SNOW, EYES OF FIRE, FEET OF BRONZE, VOICE LIKE MANY WATERS Revelation 1:12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands 1:13 And among the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. 1:14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 1:15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.  Click to read about a mouth like a sharp sword.

11. The Son of Man and a Mouth like a Sharp Sword In Isaiah 49, God makes the mouth of the prophet Isaiah like a sharp sword. In Revelation 1, the Son of man, who is a blend of the human figure of God and the angel Gabriel in the Daniel, has a sharp, two-edged sword coming out of his mouth.  Click to read Isaiah’s mouth like a sharp sword in the Hebrew Bible.

12. Hebrew Bible Resource: ISAIAH'S MOUTH LIKE A SHARP SWORD Isaiah 49:2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close.  Click for an explanation of this in Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

13. CHRISTIAN APOCALYPTIC RHETOROLECT IN REVELATION RECONFIGURES THE IMAGE OF THE PROPHET’S MOUTH LIKE A SHARP SWORD INTO A TWO-EDGED SWORD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE SON OF MAN   Click for next slide.

14. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: SON OF MAN’S MOUTH LIKE TWO-EDGED SWORD Revelation 1:16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.  Click to read about Judgment on Earth.

15. The Son of Man Judges on Earth In the Hebrew Bible, either God or the angel Gabriel judges humans on earth.  Click to read the presentation of God judging on earth in Zechariah.

16. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE ON EARTH Zechariah 14:5 You shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Adonai my God will come, and all the holy ones with you. (Read Zechariah 14) Zechariah 14Zechariah 14  Click to read the presentation of God judging on earth in Ezekiel.

17. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE ON EARTH cont. (1) Ezekiel 34:15 “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down,” says the Lord Adonai. 16: “I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice. 17: As for you, my flock,” thus says the Lord GOD, “I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats.” (Read Ezekiel 34) Ezekiel 34Ezekiel 34  Click to read the presentation of God judging on earth in Isaiah and Proverbs.

18. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE ON EARTH cont. (2) Isaiah 58:3 “Why have we fasted,” they say, “and you don’t see? why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors. 58:7 Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? (Read Isaiah 58) Isaiah 58Isaiah 58 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Adonai; he will reward him. (Read Proverbs 19) Proverbs 19Proverbs 19  Click to read OT Apocrypha resource.

19. OT Apocrypha Resource: GABRIEL’S JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE ON EARTH 1 Enoch 10:13: To Gabriel also the Lord said, “Go to the biters, to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; (cf. Genesis 6) Genesis 6Genesis 6 bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by mutual slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.” (Read 1 Enoch 10) 1 Enoch 101 Enoch 10  Click for an explanation of Christian apocalyptic judgment on earth.

20. CHRISTIAN APOCALYPTIC RHETOROLECT IN MARK SHOWS THE SON OF MAN COMING TO EARTH SIMPLY TO GATHER THE ELECT.   Click for next slide.

21. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: THE SON OF MAN WILL COME ON CLOUDS TO EARTH Mark 13:26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 13:27 Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky. (Read Mark 13; Matthew 24: Luke 21) Mark 13Matthew 24Luke 21Mark 13Matthew 24Luke 21  Click for an explanation of the Son of Man’s judgment on earth in Matthew 25.

22. CHRISTIAN APOCALYPTIC RHETOROLECT IN MATTHEW 25 RECONFIGURES JUDGMENT EITHER BY GOD OR BY THE ANGEL GABRIEL INTO JUDGMENT BY THE SON OF MAN   Click for next slide.

23. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect in Matthew: SON OF MAN ON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY Matthew 25:31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32: Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (cf. Ezekiel 34) Ezekiel 34Ezekiel 34 33: He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  Click to continue reading Matthew 25.

24. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect in Matthew: SON OF MAN ON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY cont. (1) Matthew 25:34 Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35: for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36: I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’ 37: Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?  Click to continue reading Matthew 25.

25. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect in Matthew: SON OF MAN ON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY cont. (2) Matthew 25:38 When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? 39: When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ 40: “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41: Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42: for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;  Click to continue Matthew 25.

26. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect in Matthew: SON OF MAN ON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY cont. (2) Matthew 25:43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44: Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ 45: Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ 46: These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Click for judgment before Christ in 2 Corinthians.

27. Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Click for a short summary.

28. Good Work! In this lesson you have learned that: The Son of man in Revelation blends together features characteristic both of God and of the angel Gabriel in the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah’s mouth like a sharp sword becomes a sharp two-edged sword out of the mouth of the Son of Man in Revelation.  Click to continue the summary.

29. Excellent Work! Both God’s and the angel Gabriel’s activity of judging people on earth blends together in the Son of Man’s judgment of people on earth in Matthew 25. Judgment before the seat of Christ also appears in Paul’s letter of 2 Corinthians. Well done! Every good wish as you continue with Lesson 7 in the Christian Apocalyptic Story-Line.