Throughout the book of Ezekiel, “Son of man” refers to the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel 2:1, 6 (NKJV), 1 “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.’ … 6 ‘And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words…”
However, “The Son of Man” is primarily one of Jesus’s titles.
“The Son of Man shall send forth his angels,” in the harvest of this Gospel age. Matthew 13:41.
“So shall it be in the presence of the Son of Man,” in the harvest, the end of this age. Matthew 24:27, 37
“When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him.” Matthew 25:32
The Jews identified the expression, “The Son of Man,” with their hoped-for Messiah. They referred back to Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and behold one like unto the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him, and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion…”
Our Lord identified himself with this description in Revelation 14:14, where he represents himself as one “like unto the Son of Man, and having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle” – the Reaper of the harvest of the Gospel age.
There is a most important reason for this title. It is a title of high honor. It is a perpetual reminder of his great Victory – of his faithful, humble obedience to all the Heavenly Father’s arrangements, even unto death, even the death of the cross. By his obedience unto death, he secured the title to all his present and prospective honor and glory, dignity and power, and the divine nature. By this title, “The Son of Man,” both angels and men are referred directly to the great exhibition of humility on the part of the Only Begotten of the Father, and to the underlying principle of the divine government – he that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. Thus every time this title is used it speaks a volume of valuable instruction to all who shall be taught of God, and who are desirous of honoring Him.
In all instances in which our Lord makes use of this term, “The Son of Man,” he used it in an emphatic Greek form. In English, it would need to be expressed with the two words “the” – “the Son of the Man.” Adam alone was perfect, and all others of his race degenerate, except this one human Son, Jesus. Jesus came to be the Redeemer of all that Adam lost. Since Jesus has paid the ransom to redeem Adam from death, the title to be “the son of the man” came legally and indisputably into his possession.
