What does it mean that Jesus' feet were like burnished bronze (Revelation 1:15)?

"His eyes like a flame of fire" set forth the penetration that marked Him in judgment. "His feet like fine brass,* as if burned in a furnace" — they could not contract any defilement, and are unbending in judicial strength, as dealing with responsible man according to God. "His voice as the voice of many waters" expressed resistless power and majesty outside the control of men (verses 12-15). Such He is personally and relatively.

A. — The contextual aim differs like the phrase, though the same remarkable word reappears. But in chap. 1:15 it is part of the Lord's judicial attributes, not only "eyes as a flame of fire," but "feet like brilliant brass (or copper), as though they glowed in a furnace," penetrative and firm unsparingness to the last degree in judgment of responsible man. They were as though red-hot in a furnace. In chap. 3:18 the scope is wholly different; for there the Lord counsels the angel of the church in Laodicea to abandon his self-satisfaction in their empty riches and acquisitions, and to buy of Him what is alone genuine wealth before God, "gold tried by fire," His own righteousness to suit His nature and presence; as also the white garments figure the practical righteousnesses which become the saint. The justified must be righteous. But so distinct is the connection that it is extremely difficult to suggest one English counterpart to both. For it is ἐν καμίνῳ in the one text, and ἐκ πυρὸς in the other. This modifies the rendering of πεπυρωμένος. It is true that copper or brass, as in the altar of Burnt-offering, also represents divine righteousness; yet this, not as meeting God's nature on high, but rather as dealing with man's responsibility on earth. "Fired" as in a furnace or out of fire is literal, but would be somewhat harsh.

As 'brass' is a compound, it is probable that copper is the metal often alluded to in scripture. See Deut. 8:9. In some cases it may be 'bronze,' as it is known that this was in use in ancient Egypt. The Hebrew word nechosheth is translated 'copper' in Ezra 8:27, where it is said to be 'precious as gold.' Brass is used as a symbol for righteousness according to the claims of God upon man, as in the brazen altar; the Lord as seen in the vision in the Revelation has feet like fine brass, 'burning as in a furnace:' that is, righteous judgement according to responsibility. Rev. 1:15; Rev. 2:18.

His person is as indicative of judgment as His robe, and shows His divine glory as well as His human exaltation. "His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow." In Daniel's vision, when the judgment of the earth began, "the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool." (Dan. 7:9.) The glory therefore which in Daniel belongs to the Ancient of days, is here seen investing the "One like unto the Son of man."

"His eyes were as a flame of fire, and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." Both figures signify judgment. Brass was the material of the altar on which the sacrifice was burnt to meet the claims of God's righteousness. The eyes like fire show searching, discriminating judgment; for fire is what tests, purifying the good, destroying the bad. Thus in Malachi, Christ comes "like a refiner's fire" (Mal. 3:2), and when Israel is restored, the Lord will purge "the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning." (Isa. 4:4.) Paul, too, says that "every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." (1 Cor. 3; 13.)

"And His voice was as the sound of many waters." This figure is eminently expressive of majesty and power, and is so used by our own poets, as Wordsworth says of Milton: "Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea." In Ezekiel 1; 24 the sound made by the wings of the cherubim is compared to "the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty;" and afterwards, "the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like a noise of many waters" (Ezek. 43:2.) A voice like the sound of many waters is, therefore, a Scriptural figure of the glory and majesty of God, and it is in this glory that Christ, though man, now appears.

In this delineation of His person that follows, we have first, His head and hairs described as being "white like wool, as white as snow." This reminds us of Daniel 7:9 where the Ancient of days is described in similar language. He is the One who is from all eternity. We have to do with the eternal One, the Ancient of days. Second, His "eyes were as a flame of fire." Fire is piercing and consuming, a figure of the holiness of God searching all things. Third, "His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." That speaks of judgment, for brass in Scripture is a figure of the righteousness of God in connection with man in judgment.

In Revelation 1 we find the divine attributes in One who is Man. There is a full description of the Lord Jesus, not as girded for priestly service, but "clothed with a garment down to his foot"; here it is priestly judgment. The "golden girdle" is divine righteousness. "His head and his hairs were white like wool," the Ancient of days; Dan. 7:9. "His eyes a flame of fire" are divine unsparing scrutiny; "His feet like unto fine brass," earthly judgment; "His voice as the sound of many waters," His majesty; "His countenance as the sun," supreme light; "The first and the last," Jehovah; "He that liveth and was dead," the risen man. We see Him with certain divine attributes, and executing judgment as the Son of man. There is something similar in chapters 7 and 10 of Daniel. You get Him as Jehovah, and as One risen from the dead, as the risen Man walking among the candlesticks.

Rev. 1:15. — “His feet like fine brass, as burning in a furnace.” An emblem of the most awful unyielding strength in judicial judgment (compare with Rev. 10:1).

Copper and fire are often united in scripture, as in verse 15), both speaking of the holiness of God, for copper is the fiery color. In burning holiness He will subdue all things under His feet. The tremendous power of His voice is likened to many waters, with its irresistible, awe-inspiring resonance. It is no longer a voice of gentle grace heard only by His own sheep (John 10:27), but that which will be heard by every ear in the whole universe.

"His feet like to fine brass as if they burned in a furnace," speaking of the inflexible holiness of walk, that never turns to any crooked way, and is undefiled by any soil of earth.

The Lord in the midst of the candlesticks, which represent His assemblies on earth (Rev. 2 and 3), is now looking with eyes like a piercing flame of fire, and with heart-searching words, among those who are in the place of responsible testimony for Him. Solemn and searching scene it is! While singling out everything He can approve, He equally singles out what He must judge and condemn — He is executing judgment in the midst of the assemblies. These scriptures will be sufficient to show the appropriateness of the copper in connection with the laver. It is not the execution of judgment upon our Substitute, nor is it the infliction of judgment upon us; but it is the testing and trying of our ways by the Son of God according to the authority given Him to judge among His people, before He judges all the earth at a later day.