Revelation 1:12: And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks.

After John heard Christ's trumpet-like voice behind him,¹ he turned to see the voice that spake.² However, when John turned, he did not immediately see Christ but saw seven golden candlesticks (lampstands) instead.³

The seven lampstands represent the seven churches in Asia.⁴ There were seven separate stands because the seven churches were separate in their organization.⁵ In this respect the seven lampstands differed from the Menorah that had seven candles supported by a single stem.⁶ The image of seven separate lampstands indicates that by the time of John's vision in 96 AD there was no central church leadership⁷ because the twelve apostles had all been killed except for John.⁸

The golden colored lampstands were actually made of gold⁹ to symbolize their great worth.¹⁰ Lampstands that are gold in appearance only would symbolize hypocrisy and even evil.¹¹ These lampstands were still gold, even though John describes great wickedness in five of the seven churches.¹² The seven churches are represented as lampstands, rather than lamps or candles, because the churches¹³ hold up or bear the light¹⁴ of Jesus Christ¹⁵ and his gospel.¹⁶ Jesus is the lamp and the seven churches are lampstands that bear up his light.

Revelation 1:13: And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

In the midst of the seven candlesticks,¹⁷ John saw one like unto the Son of man.¹⁸ The Son of Man is a name-title for Jesus Christ,¹⁹ which can be found in the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price (i.e., the four standard works).²⁰ The name means the Son of the Man of holiness.²¹ That is, Jesus Christ, who is the Firstborn and Only Begotten Son of God the Father²² (Elohim).²³ Christ shall come as the Son of Man to the great gathering at Adam-ondi-Ahman²⁴ followed by his Second Coming,²⁵ very soon after the sign of the Son of Man is given.²⁶

The Son of man in the midst of the lampstands²⁷ symbolizes Jesus Christ in the midst of his church ²⁸ as the light of all things.²⁹ This was not an angel acting in the place of Jesus Christ by divine investiture of authority.³⁰ When Christ said I come quickly several times in the Book of Revelation³¹ this was literally true because he was already shown to be in the midst of the seven churches³² by the symbolism of John's vision on Patmos.³³

Christ was clothed with a garment that identifies him as both a king³⁴ and a priest.³⁵ This manner of dress represents the garments of the priesthood.³⁶ Gold symbolizes purity and divinity.³⁷ Therefore, the golden girdle (sash)³⁸ represents the divinity of the wearer.³⁹

Christ's garments resemble the clothing worn by every high priest in Israel⁴⁰ throughout the Mosaic era.⁴¹ The high priest wore the girdle at the chest,⁴² while active temple laborers and attendants secured their loose fitting robes at the waist so that their work was not impeded by their clothing.⁴³ The high priest typified Jesus Christ,⁴⁴ the great high priest of all the earth.⁴⁵ This was especially true on the Day of Atonement,⁴⁶ when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the people in the similitude of Christ's atonement.⁴⁷ Therefore, John saw the Son of Man, who was like unto the great high priest based on the manner of his symbolic dress.⁴⁸

Revelation 1:14-15. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Verses 14 and 15 describe the glory of Christ's person.⁴⁹ His head and hairs were exceedingly white like wool⁵⁰ as a symbol of glory and purity,⁵¹ as well as victory.⁵² Daniel 7:9 describes Adam, the Ancient of Days, with the same characteristics at the future gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman.⁵³

Christ's eyes were also as a flame of fire⁵⁴ to symbolize his penetrating and omniscient gaze.⁵⁵ The flame of his all-seeing eye⁵⁶ includes the power to judge⁵⁷ and to consume the wicked.⁵⁸

Christ's feet were like unto fine brass,⁵⁹ which is a highly durable alloy.⁶⁰ The fine brass in this image was refined to the purest possible state of whiteness,⁶¹ as though Christ's feet glowed⁶² in a furnace.⁶³ These glowing, hot feet will burn all the earthly nations they tread upon at the Second Coming.⁶⁴

Finally, the voice of Jesus was like the majestic and powerful sound of many waters.⁶⁵ This same penetrating voice stilled the raging waters on the Sea of Galilee.⁶⁶ The voice of many waters suggests that John also heard the voices of Christ's servants.⁶⁷ Their many voices combine into the deafening sound of a great waterfall that cannot go unheard.⁶⁸

The combined traits of Jesus Christ in these verses present an imposing and majestic image of the master from head to toe, from fire to water⁶⁹ and from the beginning to the end of the Alpha and Omega.⁷⁰