John had used the same words to describe the eyes of Son of Man in Revelation 1:14 (Revelation 2:18). These eyes hold you so that you cannot look away and in the process they examine you, see through you, so as to make you feel that their owner knows everything there is to know about you. As one who judges in righteousness he certainly needs to know where each person stands in the battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Revelation 12:1–17). The use of imagery from Revelation 1:1–20 also clarifies who the rider on the horse is, that is, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ.
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.