Is it correct to tell someone their loved one went to heaven?

Question from Lianne:

I have been wondering lately is it biblically wrong or correct to tell someone that has lost a loved one that they have went to heaven or to a better place? And if you can, can you please back your answer up with scripture? I have been saying this but I am wondering if we should be saying this. The reason I say that is because we really do not know where our loved ones are going after they pass on or do we? I mean we can believe that they are going to heaven, but we do not know for sure, do we?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Lianne, when speaking to a person who has lost a loved one, you always want to be encouraging and comforting, but you do not want to say something that is beyond what scripture says.
The key to answering your question is: do you know that your friend's loved one has given a clear testimony of having trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that we are confident that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and in 1 John 5:13 that if you believe in the Son of God (Jesus), then "you may know that you have eternal life." Paul himself speaks with confidence about going to heaven when he dies (Philippians 1:21-23), and he talks to Christians about going to be with the Lord, using the plural "we" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. So if you know that your friend's loved one has trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, then yes, it is very appropriate to say that the person has gone to heaven.
But what if you are uncertain whether or not your friend's loved one was a believer? Maybe you have not heard, or their testimony was unclear. In that case, I would suggest that you focus on the hope that we have in Christ, without being specific about the individual who is deceased. In other words, you can say, "What a comfort it is to know that when we believe in Christ, we will see one another again in heaven."
Finally, if you are fairly certain that the deceased was not a believer, you may want to say something like, "I'll be praying for God to give you comfort during your time of loss," and if the grieving person is also an unbeliever, you can ask for an opportunity to share the hope that you have in Christ and how they can know that they can go to heaven.

What is the "third heaven?"

Question from Danny:
I read in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that a man was "caught up into the third heaven." What does that mean?

Answer from Pastor Bob:
Apparently Paul was speaking about a vision he himself had, and "third heaven" was an expression for being in the presence of God in heaven itself (first heaven would refer the atmosphere, second heaven would refer to the planets and stars, and third heaven would be God's presence.) Verse four says he "was caught up into paradise." Since paradise and heaven are one and the same, we can gather that "third heaven" means the same thing that we would normally call heaven.
Some religious groups teach that there are three different heavens, and that some people go to one heaven and some to another, but that is a misunderstanding of the expression in this passage.

How much should I tithe?

Question from Jennifer:

Bob... I am reading a book on tithing. I haven't been doing close to enough to what God asks. I am determined to tithe and gift. I realized a lot about ...giving when you don't make anything. My question is most people get paid a paycheck. I get paid and then I turn around and pay rent on my booth and supplies used. Do I give first fruits of what I earned before I pay my booth rent, etc. or after the booth rent?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Jennifer, that is a question many people ask. Many wonder if they should tithe on their gross income or their net income, which is a question similar to the one you are asking. Many would point out that Exodus 23:19 and other passages teach that we give our firstfruits to the Lord. Some would say that applies to the gross, meaning we tithe first, before taxes or before expenses. Whether or not it applies to the gross, I definitely think it means that we should set aside our tithe before paying any other bills.
Now to answer your specific question: I think you have to decide in your own heart what is right. Second Corinthians 9:7 (HCSB) says, "Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not out of regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver."
God owns it all, and everything we have belongs to Him. But more than our money, He wants our hearts. It says in 2 Corinthians 8:5 that the churches in Macedonia gave first of themselves and then gave their offering.
If you resent God because you had to give the gross, then you cannot be a cheerful giver, and you should tithe the net. But if you feeling guilty for tithing the net, then you need to the tithe the gross. It all belongs to God, but we need to give it cheerfully.

Will animals be in heaven?

Question from Nick:
What happens to animals during the rapture and will they also be killed during the 7 bowls of judgment and the seals and etc.?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Nick, I'm not sure, but the Bible talks about heaven being a wonderful place with all of the good things on earth there, only better, and Isaiah talks about how great heaven is and describes it as "the wolf lying down with the lamb" (Isaiah 11:6) and talks like animals could be there.

So I'm not sure, but I think if is likely that animals will be in heaven, but they will not hurt anybody.

Where does the Bible says Jesus is God?

Question from Douglas:
I need your help. I was asked...where in the Bible does it say God and Jesus are the same person?...

Answer from Pastor Bob:
John 1:1 says "the Word" is God and verse 17 of that chapter makes it clear its talking about Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:9 says that the entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ.
When Doubting Thomas saw the hands and feet of the Risen Christ, he called Jesus "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28) and in the next verse, Jesus blessed him for making the statement.
Some people make a big issue about how Jesus was the "Son" of God, as if somehow it made Jesus' nature less divine to be God's Son. Nothing could be further from the truth. They point to John 14:28, where Jesus says "the Father is greater than I." But that only means that Jesus follows the leadership of His father, just as an earthly son would listen to the counsel of his earthly father. It does not mean Jesus is any less divine. That's why Jesus could also say "The Father and I are one" (John 10:30). Perhaps the most important verse is John 5:18, which proves that the Jews themselves understood that when Jesus called Himself the Son of God, he was "making Himself equal with God."

To mourn or not to mourn?

Question from Lianne:
Can you tell me anywhere in scripture that it says we are not suppose to mourn? I would really appreciate your help with this.

Answer from Pastor Bob:
Nehemiah 8:9 says that the day was a holy day of celebration, and thus the people were told, "Do not mourn" on that day. The people wept because they were grieved over their sin when they heard the words of the law.

Did Daniel's dream refer to America?

Question from Wade:
I was reading the Book of Daniel and I was reflecting on Daniel 2:31-35. In prophecy there is no mention of America when it comes to great kingdoms. Is it possible the feet of the statue in Daniel's dream represents the old Roman kingdom (iron) and American being the clay?

Answer from Pastor Bob:
Most interpreters see the statue as Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon at the time of Daniel. According to Daniel 2:36-40, this refers to kingdoms that come after Babylon, which historically would be Babylon, then the Medo-Persian Empire, then the Greek Empire. The fourth kingdom would refer to the Roman Empire.
I do not think that the prophecy was a direct reference to America. However, Daniel's prophecy shows how kingdoms will rise and fall according to God's direction, and that is an important point for every nation to remember, including the United States of America. No nation or kingdom is greater than the kingdom of God.

Bible commentaries online

Question from Jan:
I have been looking at some Bible commentaries online. I would like to know which one you would recommend. I looked at Matthew Henry, John Wesley, and John Darby.

Answer from Pastor Bob:
Those are all Bible-believing writers. My personal favorite is Matthew Henry. You can find these and other free Bible commentaries online at http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/

Before we were Christians, was our "father" Satan?

Question from Bryan:

Is it okay to say that our father before we were Christians was Satan? Is that biblically correct?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes, I guess you could say that, since Jesus told the Pharisees they were of their father, the devil (John 8:44).

Who is 666?

Many people ask me about the meaning of Revelation 13:18:
"This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666."

Since the second century, people have proposed all kinds of theories for a name that would whose letters would spell 666, from Nero Caesar to Hitler.

Revelation 13:18 calls for wisdom and insight to calculate the number of the beast: 666. All of the speculation that it adds up to a name misses the point. The Revelation never uses numbers to stand for letters. It always uses numbers as symbols for other things. For example, we have seen that 3 stands for God, 4 stands for the earth, 7 is perfection, and 12 stands for God’s people. Revelation often uses an imperfect number 3 ½, because it is half of 7. In Revelation 13:18, we have another imperfect number: 6. The number 6 is imperfect because it falls one short of 7, the perfect number. Notice that 666 is called a “man’s number,” not God’s number. And remember that the number 3 stands for God, because of the Trinity. So 777 would stand for Godly perfection. Thus the simplest explanation is that 666 stands for ungodly evil imitation of God. It could mean a specific future false prophet or Antichrist, but it can apply to anybody who puts himself and his ideas ahead of Jesus Christ. After all, since Satan does not know when Jesus will come back, he must always have antichrists and false prophets in waiting.

Who wrote Hebrews?

Question from Leah:

Do we know who wrote Hebrews?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Nobody knows who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews. The letter itself does not say. It was probably not Paul, for several reasons. The writing style is different from Paul's. Hebrews 2:4 says the gospel "was confirmed to us by those who heard Him," and Paul received the gospel by direct revelation (Galatians 1:12).
The two most popular suggestions for authorship are Barnabas, who was a Jew of the priestly tribe of Levi (Acts 4:36) and would be familiar with the priesthood that is discussed so much in Hebrews, or Apollos, an intellectual (Acts 18:24) associate of Paul who would have used the sophisticated writing style we find in Hebrews. But nobody knows for sure.

Was John the Baptist the reincarnation of Elijah?

Question from Leah:

When people in the Bible thought John the Baptist was Elijah does that mean people in the Bible believed in reincarnation? Or does it indicate that God may let souls who have passed come back for a specific purpose. I do know the Bible tells us NOT to try to contact the dead.

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Hebrews 9:27 says we die once and then go to judgment, which does not allow for reincarnation. So what was going on with John the Baptist when Matthew 11:14 says he was Elijah who was to come?
1) Elijah himself never died, but was taken up to heaven, according to 2 Kings 2:11 he went to heaven in a whirlwind.
2) Elijah himself appeared with Jesus in the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3), so Elijah was not reincarnated as someone else.
3) Luke 1:17 explains that John came "in the spirit and power of Elijah," not a literal reincarnation.
So John was not a "reincarnation" of Elijah, but he was a repeat of the spirit and power of Elijah, that is, he carried on a similar ministry, just as Billy Graham was the most famous evangelical preacher in America years ago, and today Rick Warren is the most famous evangelical preacher in America.

What should I call God in prayer?

Question from Edmond:

Brother Bob...I was just recently doing some research into just what the significance of baal worship is into the old testament when I came across Hosea 2:16-17. It reads:
"In that day," declares the LORD,
"you will call me 'my husband';
you will no longer call me 'my master' (or baal in Hebrew)....
I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;
no longer will their names be invoked."

My question is: Does God dislike it when we refer to him as "God" and "Lord" and "Master"? B/c that's how I usually do it. I always call Him Lord in prayer and when I am speaking to Him. Should I stop and adopt a more...equal word, like say Father? What are your thoughts? It seems contradict the New Testament usage...

Answer from Pastor Bob:

The context of Hosea 2 is that Israel was unfaithful to the Lord their God and the Israelites were following after other gods, like Baal. Hosea the prophet had this illustrated this in his own marriage, as his wife Gomer was unfaithful to him. So this was a pun on the name "Baal" because the word "baal" had a double meaning, as the word meant "master" and could be used by a wife to refer to her husband and could also be used as the name of the pagan Canaanite god. God considered Israel to be unfaithful to Him the way an adulterous wife is unfaithful to her husband. Thus the main point of Hosea 2:16-17 is that God was saying he wanted Israel's complete loyalty.
A similar analogy to Hosea 2:16-17 would be if an Arabic-speaking Muslim became a Christian. The word for "God" in Arabic is allah. However, Allah is used by Muslims for their God, and so the Arabic-speaking Christian might prefer to use another term, such as "Lord," to avoid sounding like he is still worshiping the God of Islam.
Regarding what you and I should call God in prayer, Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer to call Him "Father." He is also addressed as "Lord," "Master" and "God" in many passages. Any of these terms are appropriate for the Christian to pray. The key is that we address God with respect and love.

Who is the man measuring in Ezekiel 43?

Question from Greg:

I have a question about Ezekiel, chapter 43.

Who is the man measuring and standing beside Ezekiel? v.6

Answer from Pastor Bob:

In the early chapters of Ezekiel, the glory of the Lord departed, because of the sin of the people, committed even in the temple (Ezekiel chapters 8-10).
Apparently the "measurement" of the new temple in Ezekiel 43 represents a prophecy of a coming perfection in the last days, when God's glory will return and worship will be pure and pleasing to God. "Measurement" is a symbolic way of saying that God measures them spiritually to see if they "measure up." The man beside Ezekiel seems to be a heavenly guide, perhaps an angel. Verses 10-12 may refer to the first coming and/or Second Coming of Christ. Revelation 11:1-2 tells of another heavenly being who is given a rod to measure the temple.

What does the Bible teach on stewardship?

Question from Sherri:

My dad was in church ... made some strong points on tithing... Would you be willing to share some points with me/him on tithing...? My dad leads their parish for the Bishop's Annual Appeal each year. He was very impressed with so many things you brought to his attention.

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Thanks! I appreciate your encouraging words. I don't remember which message your father heard, but here are several points that I made that month as a part of our stewardship emphasis, which he is welcome to use:
Malachi 3:8-10 teaches that the tithe belongs to God, and if we don't give it, we are robbing God. It also teaches to bring the tithe into the "storehouse," which referred to the storage warehouses at the temple itself. This means they did not have the option of giving the tithe to whatever they wanted, but they were to bring it to God's house. The application is that the tithe should come to the local church where we worship. If a person gives to another charity, that's fine, but he or she should give the tithe to the local church.
2 Corinthians 9:7 teaches that God loves a cheerful giver. The Greek word is hilarion, from which we get the word "hilarious." Imagine the offering plate coming by and the husband saying to the wife, "Go ahead honey, put it in!" as he laughs out loud for joy. God loves that attitude. If we think about all of the wonderful ministries the church is doing because of our giving, we should give cheerfully.
2 Corinthians 9:15 says, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" This is a reminder that whatever money we give to God's work can never equal what God has already given to us through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ. So we can never outgive God.
1 Corinthians 16:2 teaches two principles of giving. This text comes from when the apostle Paul was taking a love offering from the Gentile churches to send to the Jerusalem church, which was suffering. He tells them to give regularly and proportionally. He says to set aside money on the first day of the week. That's regular giving. He says to do it "to the extend that you prosper." That's proportional. The great thing about tithing is that it is proportional. If you earn $100 a week, then a tithe is $10, and if you earn $1000 a week, then a tithe is $100. God does not ask for equal gifts, but equal sacrifice.
1 Chronicles 21:24 teaches sacrificial giving. When King David wanted to buy property from Ornan the Jebusite, to build an altar to the Lord at the place where the plague ended, Ornan told him to take it for free. David replied that he insisted on paying full price, "for I will not take for the Lord what belongs to you or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing." Wow! What a statement. He's not going to make an offering to God that cost him nothing. He wants to make a gift to God that actually involves sacrifice. A similar point is made in Malachi 1:13 when God rejects the offering of those who bring stolen, lame or sick animals to the Lord. It is an insult to God to give Him our leftovers. God deserves our very best.
1 Chronicles 29:3 says that David gladly gave "over and above." There is nothing wrong with giving beyond the tithe, as God has prospered you. Notice in verse 9 that the people rejoiced because their leaders were willing to give. When the leaders of the church set the pace, others in the church will give more faithfully

Girding up your loins

Question from Tim:

Brother Bob, what does it mean in the Bible when it says to "gird up your loins"?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

This is an expression similar to our English saying, "roll up your sleeves." It comes from the ancients who wore robes, but needed to pull them above their knees and tuck them in their belt (girdle) to have freedom of movement. Thus "gird up your loins" mean to pull up your robe and tuck it into your belt for action.
That is why 1 Peter 1:13 says in the King James Version, "Gird up the loins of your mind..." and in New International Version the same verse says, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action..."

How old is the earth?

Question from Bryan:

I was wondering what your personal opinion is on the age of both the earth and the age of the universe (in general)?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

I take the days of creation in Genesis 1 as symbolic of long periods of time. I am not a scientist, but I don't see the need to insist on a young earth. The Hebrew word yom (day) is used in Genesis 2:4 as a period of time ("In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens"), so why must it be limited to 24 hours in Genesis 1? What's more, the sun and moon were not made until the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19), so how would 24 hours be determined on the previous days? I see no conflict between Genesis 1 and the theory that the earth is millions of years old.
I recommend the following books on the subject: Philip Johnson's Darwin on Trial and Lee Strobel's The Case for the Creator and William Demski's The Design Revolution. I would also recommend the website of the Discovery Institute: www.discovery.org.
If people prefer to believe a literal 6 days of creation, I'm not interesting in arguing with them, as long as we can agree that God created and we do not believe in Darwinian macro-evolution.

Does Exodus contradict itself about saying Moses talked to God "face to face"?

Question from Keri's Bible class:

It says that Moses sat down and talked to God face to face, yet it later says that God put Moses in a cleft so that he couldn't see God's face because nobody had ever seen God's face. Don't these accounts seem to contradict themselves?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Exodus 33:11 says Moses spoke with God "face to face" but Exodus 33:20 says nobody can see God's face and live, and Exodus 33:23 says God allowed Moses to see His back, but not his face. Apparently when the scripture says Moses spoke "face to face" this expression was not meant to be taken literally, but was a way of saying that they spoke personally.

Did the high priest wear a rope into the Holy of Holies so he could be pulled out?

Question from Keri's Bible class:

Is it true that the high priests had to wear a rope around their waist when they entered the Holy of Holies in case they fainted or died while they were in there...so someone outside the curtain could pull them out?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

This is a late Jewish tradition, but I cannot find a specific reference to it in the Bible. Exodus 28:35 says he is to wear a bell that will be heard when he enters the Holy of Holies, "so that he does not die." God knows everything, and so the noise of the bell wasn't because God couldn't hear them coming it, but it was a way of showing reverence to greet God, so the priest would not enter the Holy of Holies flippantly. However, there is nothing in the Bible that says the priest wore a rope or cord to be pulled out. This is in some Jewish traditions, but not in the Bible.

If jealousy is one of the Ten Commandments, why is God jealous?

Question from Keri's Bible class:

If envy/jealousy is one of the Ten Commandments, why does God say his name is Jealous in Exodus?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Read Exodus 20:1-17 again. Jealousy is not one of the Ten Commandments. When Exodus 20:5 stresses in the Second Commandment against idolatry that God is a "jealous" God, the Hebrew word used is a word only used of God. There is a different word for jealousy used in Hebrew for jealousy among people. God's "jealousy" refers to his unwillingness to share second place with anything or anyone else, because He is God and deserves to be Number One.

Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart?

Question from Keri:

We were studying Exodus when the following question came up in my Bible class:

Why does God harden Pharoah's heart (or so the Bible words it) if he wanted the Israelites to go free? The way that's worded is confusing to the students and me.

Answer from Pastor Bob:

Strange as it sounds to us, nine times in Exodus it says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart (4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1; 10:20; 10:27: 11:10; 14:4; 14:8) and another nine times it says Pharaoh hardened his own heart (7:13-14; 7:22; 8:15; 8:19; 8:32; 9:7: 9:34-35). So Pharaoh was responsible for his own actions, but the Lord was ultimately in control of events. It's like the issue of predestination; man has a free choice, but God already knows what that choice will be, so God can speak of it as predestined because of His foreknowledge. The bottom line is that God knew how Pharaoh would resist, but God was going to have His will done, yet without violating Pharaoh's free will. God's purpose through it all was to bring glory to His name. Notice Exodus 6:7: "Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians."

Who are Daniel's kings of the South and North?

Question from Joseph:
Brother Bob, I was reading Daniel 11, and I don't understand who it is talking about when it describes the "king of the South" and the "king of the North." Who does this mean?

Answer from Pastor Bob:
Although it may bring to the mind of some Americans the Civil War, it does not refer to Confederates and Yankees!
This passage is a prophecy about Alexander the Great ("a mighty king" from Greece mentioned in Daniel 11:2-3), whose "empire will be broken up" (11:4). We know from history that Alexander's empire was divided after his death. "The king of the South" refers to Ptolemaic rulers in Egypt, and "the king of the North" refers to Seleucid rulers whose empire stretched from Syria to part of India. A good study Bible can list the specific rulers and dates of the battles described in the chapter.
The king who exalts himself described in Daniel 11:36 and following seems to shift from kings known in history to the future Antichrist.

How can I know I am saved?

Question from Beverly:

I was baptized when I was a real small child. I followed my brother down the aisle. Later when I was a young adult I got serious about following Jesus. In my heart I doubt that I'm really a Christian. Now I wonder if I'm really saved! How can I know?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

We base our salvation upon the truth of God's word, not our feelings. First John 3:19-20 (ESV) says, "By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything."
So we don't follow our hearts, because our hearts may lead us astray; we let God's word lead our hearts.
Do you need a test? We read in 2 Corinthians 13:5 (HCSB): "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?-- unless you fail the test." So the test is "Jesus Christ is in you." That comes by faith and trust. Notice what it says in 1 John 5:13 (HCSB): "I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." Did you trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Him alone, to save you from sin? Then according to scripture you can know that you have eternal life in heaven.
Stand on the truth of God's word, not what your heart feels at the moment. Let faith be the engine that drives your life, and feelings will the caboose that will come along in due time.

If I had a bad father, how can I pray to God as Father?

Question from Anonymous:

I had a bad experience with my father when I was growing up. I know Jesus taught us to pray to God as "Our Father," but it's really hard for me when I have such negative images of a father. How do I love my heavenly Father when I never felt loved by my earthly father?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

My heart goes out to you. We have talked privately about this, and I thank you for giving me permission to post this answer so that others with a similar struggle could benefit.
Here is a key verse you may want to memorize: "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me." (Psalm 27:10, NIV)
Perhaps it will help to read scripture about God as Father, and learn what a good father should be. Then focus on developing your relationship with your Heavenly Father, thanking Him for being there for you, even when your earthly father was not. Notice these qualities of God that make us love Him as our Father:
1) Because He takes care of us. Psalm 68:5, Luke 12:30, Matthew 7:9-11.
2) Because He disciplines us for our good. Proverbs 3:11-12, Hebrews 12:7-8, 1 Peter 1:17.
"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son He delights in." (Proverbs 3:11-12, NIV)
3) Because He loves us. 1 John 4:7-10.
4) Because He forgives us. Read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24.
5) Because He adopts us as His children. Romans 8:14-17. God adopts us and lets us call Him "Abba," which is Aramaic for "Daddy."
God is not an indulgent uncle, a doting grandfather, or an approving friend. He is a loving Father. He is there for us, to discipline us for our good, to guide us, provide for us, and never will He leave us. Get to know Him as your Heavenly Father, and let His love replace the rejection you felt from your earthly father.

Why was Ezekiel called "Son of man"?

Question from Mark:

Kimberly and I are doing the daily reading in Ezekiel together.... Just one comment: I couldn’t help notice that God actually called Ezekiel “Son of Man”. I remember that Jesus called himself this many times, so I wondered if there was any significance to Ezekiel being called this. Did God call other prophets by this name?

Answer from Pastor Bob:

You made a good observation about Ezekiel's use of "son of man." This term is used by God to address Ezekiel over 90 times in the book, but "son of man" is rarely used anywhere else in the Old Testament.
In Hebrew, to say "son of ..." is a way of saying it belongs to something or to emphasize its association with something. For example, Isaiah 5 describes a fertile hill literally in the Hebrew as "a hill, the son of fatness." The phrase "son of fatness" is a Hebrew idiom for "very fat" or very fertile. So when God calls Ezekiel "son of man," it is a way of saying he is completely a man, a mere human creature in contrast to the Creator. So the term "son of man" in Ezekiel stresses Ezekiel's humility in contrast to God's glory.
Daniel 7:13 uses the term "one like a son of man" when describing a person coming in glory as God on the clouds, to stress that the Messiah is both divine and human. When Jesus used the term "the Son of Man" to describe himself, Jesus was referring to Daniel 7:13, not Ezekiel's use of the term.

How can I read and understand Revelation?

Question many people ask: How can I read and understand the Book of Revelation?

Answer from Pastor Bob:
Perhaps the most mysterious book of the Bible is the last one: Revelation.
David Koresh led his cult to a fiery death in Waco, Texas, in part because of his interpretation of Revelation. Movies have been made about Armageddon, 666, and other terms and events in the Revelation. Some Christians spend so much time studying Revelation that they neglect the rest of scripture, while other Christians are afraid of it and neglect it altogether.
Revelation 1:3 promises and blessing to those who read and obey it. So how should we go about reading this mysterious book?
First, understand that it is a book of symbolism. Revelation 1:1 says it was "signified," that is, that it is meant to be taken symbolically. Sometimes it comes right out and tells us what certain symbols are, such as Revelation 1:20 that says the seven stars are angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. So when you read the book, don't take it all literally, but take it seriously, by looking for symbolic meaning. Some commonly understand symbols include "horn" which means strength, the color "white" for victory, "Lamb" for Jesus, "dragon" for Satan, the number "3" for God, the number "4" for earth, the number "6" for evil, the number "7" for perfection, and the number "12" for God's people.
Second, notice that it is structured with many sevens. There are seven blessings, seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. So read a large portion of the book in one sitting, or listen to it on CD, and you will get the dramatic feel for the book.
Third, look for the big picture, and don't get bogged down in details. While there are different opinions about the 144,000 or the millenium, the main message is still clear: Jesus Christ is coming back, there will be a judgment day for all people, and everybody will either go to heaven or hell.
Fourth, look for hope and encouragement. Revelation has seven "blessings" found in 1:3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7 and 22:14. As you read the last two chapters, especially, you will be greatly encouraged to think of the beauty of heaven.
So pick up the Bible and read the last book! You'll be blessed if you do.