Revelation 14:14; The Son of Man with the Sharp Sickle (2)

Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud onesat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 

The heaven Reaper whom John saw was, without doubt, the Lord Jesus Christ, referred to as “the Son of man.” It is under that title Christ deals with the state of things on the earth and judges the ungodly.

Matthew 25:31-33 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

John 5:22-27 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Because of His connection with the human race, Christ exercises all those characteristics entitling Him to universal dominion.

Introducing the vision of the Reaper, John uses another “behold”, since subjects of unusual interest are about to be dealt with. The first object attracting the apostle was a white cloud. This cloud was akin to the bright cloud of the transfiguration of Christ.

Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 

Clouds symbolize divine presence.

Ezekiel 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory. 

Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 

White constitute a prominent colour in Revelation, indicates the purity and absolute righteousness of the Reaper in all His actions.

Seated upon a white cloud is the Creator of all clouds. Making this cloud His chariot, He rides to His grim task. Sitting on the cloud suggests calm, deliberative judgment. With no undue haste, the Reaper reaps His harvest.

[Herbert Lockyer, Revelation – Drama of the Ages, Whitaker House, 2012, 227]