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Included in the physical appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation Chapter One is the phrase: ‘white as snow’.  Revelation 1:14 – “His head and hairs were white like wool, as white as snow …”

As the symbol of holiness, pure white finds its clearest natural expression in the beautiful snow when it has freshly covered the ground.

There are other occurrences of this fascinating phrase in the Bible:

Twice the phrase is used to describe the cleansing of a guilty sinner by the grace of God.  David, after confessing his own sin, prayed: “Have mercy upon me, O God … Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin … wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” – Psalm 51:1-2, 7.  Then, God promises through His prophet: “Come now, and let us reason together, … though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” – Isaiah 1:18.  The cleansing blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, is the only substance that can turn blood-red scarlet into snowy white.

In Daniel’s vision there is the everlasting God on His fiery judgment throne: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.” – Daniel 7:9

When Christ ascended the Mount of Transfiguration, “And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.” Mark 9:3, which confirmed to the three disciples that He was the Son of God, even as the voice from heaven had said (Matthew 17:5).

At the empty tomb following His resurrection, “the angel of the Lord” also had “raiment white as snow” – Matthew 28:3.

Finally, when John saw Christ in His glorified body, he testified that “his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow” – Revelation 1:14 – from the passage at the beginning of this article.

It is marvellous that the Ancient of days; the transfigured Christ – as well as Christ in His glory; and the raiment of the angel of God are all described with the same phrase as the soul of one whose sins are forgiven.

Click here for: The Seven Beatitudes of Revelation