Heaven Opened (2)—The Son of Man Object of Angelic Service - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.
John 1:51

Heaven Opened (2)—The Son of Man Object of Angelic Service
This testimony about an open heaven is given by the Lord Jesus Himself, but again, He, the Son of Man, is the object of the opened heaven. The Lord's statement here came to Nathanael, "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit" (v. 47).

In this passage of John 1, Nathanael represents the godly Jews who will turn to Christ in a future day. Nathanael confesses the Lord by exclaiming, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (v. 49). This indeed was very true; Nathanael was, in spirit, confessing Psalm 2:6-7, the great messianic psalm. In that wonderful psalm, we hear the prophetic words concerning God's King whom He has set on Zion's holy hill, and this King would be His Son, who shall inherit the nations. Nathanael believed Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of this and thus confessed Him.

However, Christ pointed Nathanael to something even greater, to "greater things than these" (v. 50), more wonderful, in fact, than just a Messiah for the Jews and for the earth. The Son of Man would, from the present time going forward, and in the future, be the object of heaven! The Son of Man will reign over heaven and earth, not just Israel. Even now He, "is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him" (1 Pet. 3:22; cf. Eph. 1:20-21, Mt. 28:18).

Of course this is all unseen now, except to faith. In the coming millennial day all will be revealed, and the Son of Man will be the great Administrator of blessing throughout the whole range of God's universe and the object of the service of angels. The kingdom will be under His rule and not that of the angels (Heb. 2:5). How the world, even if unconsciously, longs and groans for that day!

Brian Reynolds