This question may not matter to you. I believe we are at liberty to choose within the options the Bible provides. What is your image of Jesus? There are a lot of artists who have depicted Him. The images have taken on the aspects of the particular culture in which they were created. Most of them have an eye pleasing, peaceful, angelic image of Him, which is contrary to Isaiah’s prophecy (53:2). Some depict Him with sheep, some with children and some on the cross, all of which happened at some time and all of which speak to His earthly appearance. What if I told you there was another way to look at Jesus the Christ?
The apostle John writes more about the image and person of the Christ than any other apostle. It is John that writes about His origin, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). It is John who records Jesus’ seven “I Am” statements: “Bread of life” (6:48), “Light of the world” (8:12), “the Door” (10:7), “the Good Shepherd” (10:11), “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (14:6), and “the True Vine” (15:1). In the gospel of John (21:12-14) and in his first letter (1:1-4), John makes it clear that the resurrected Jesus was not a ghost but the real living person of Jesus. With so much being written by John about the presage of the Christ, it is no wonder that he would be the one to the record the most powerful images of the exalted Savior.
When John was on the Isle of Patmos, the visions that he was shown of heaven and things that “must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1) included imagery of the Exalted Christ. In the opening chapter of Revelation, John records what he sees of Jesus: voice like thunder or many waters (1:10,15), clothed in a robe with golden sash (1:13), hair like white wool (1:14), eyes like fire (1:14), feet like molten bronze (1:15), two-edged sword for a tongue (1:16), and His face shown like the sun (1:16). This was such an impressive sight that John fell down as though he was dead. Jesus comforts John and tells him to write to the seven churches of Asia. Jesus opens these letters with a description of Himself, some of which comes from John’s vision of Him. It is important to note that Jesus would use the imagery of His exalted form to address these letters. It is this form that would impress upon them the changes they needed to make. It was this form that would encourage those congregations suffering persecution. If you were under the thumb of an abusive government, who would you want as your Savior? A nice looking guy holding a sheep or the exalted King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:11-16)? Tremble and repent at the thought of Him who has the eyes of flaming fire. Take courage and fight with the One who judges and wages war.