The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man

Dan 7:9-14 (ESV) “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. [10] A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. [11] “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. [12] As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. [13] “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. [14] And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

In 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first two men to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. 29,028 feet! Take a look at the view from the tallest mountain peak on the planet.

This passage of scripture has been described as the high point of Daniel. This description in Daniel 7:9-14 is the point of the whole book. Not only is it the Everest of Daniel, but it is also one of the great mountain peaks of all the Bible. If you have a firm grasp on what the Lord reveals to Daniel, then you will have a firm grasp on the point of Scripture. This short section shapes how we view reality. It gives us clarity of sight as to what is going on around us. It gives us peace of mind to know that our God reigns.

1. As I looked…
   • Daniel is still seeing the dream and visions described in verse 1.

2. Thrones were placed…
   • Envision a royal throne room with thrones being placed. This is a scene of judgment. The thrones have been set and the king is getting ready to be seated.

3. And the Ancient of Days took his seat…
   • Multiple times we have seen in the pages of Daniel that it is the Lord who gives power, glory, and dominion. Here in this vision it is absolutely clear that our God is the eternal, everlasting King to whom alone belong power, glory, and dominion.
   • Hab 1:12 (ESV) Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?
   • Sinclair Ferguson makes a great comment about the fact that the Ancient of Days takes his seat. “Human kingdoms are always caught up in feverish activity military or diplomatic, but ‘the Ancient of Days was seated.’ He is never taken by surprise, never undecided, never in a panic about his world. He reigns…Ultimate power is not centered in Washington, D.C. or London or Beijing or Moscow. It lies in the hands of God.

4. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool…
   • The description of the clothing and hair of the Ancient of Days is probably intended to remind the reader of the purity and holiness of the Lord.

5. His throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him…
   • This description adds to the element of judgment that is soon to happen in verses 11-12. As Daniel Akin says, “This speaks of purifying and righteous judgment.”
   • The description of burning wheels on a throne? This throne is pictured as mobile. There is nowhere within this universe that God does not reign or judge righteously.
   • Psa 50:3-4 (ESV) Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. [4] He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
   • Psa 97:1-3 (ESV) The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! [2] Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. [3] Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.

6. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him…
   • This is most likely a reference to the hosts of angels that constantly serve the Lord.
   • Rev 5:11 (ESV) Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,

7. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened…
   • Court is now in session and the evidence for judgment has been produced. The fourth beast and the little horn are about to be judged.
   • This is also language reminiscent of the end of time as recorded in Revelation.
   • Rev 20:12 (ESV) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

8. “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
   • Daniel looks over at the scene of the beast and the little horn because the impression is that while he was seeing this incredible vision of the Ancient of Days, the little horn was continually speaking arrogance and blasphemy against the Lord.
   • In what has been described as an anticlimactic scene the beast and the little horn are killed and given over to the destruction of fire.
   • This is a blunt statement of the absolute authority, power, and sovereignty of the Lord. All rule that opposes him will be taken away. Any supposed power will have its power taken away. The Lord alone rules!

And now we get to one of the greatest descriptions, I believe, in all the Old Testament!

9. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. [14] And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
   • This is a continuation of the previous visions.
   • Daniel sees one “like a son of man.”
   • He’s a man, but there is something distinct about him.
   • He comes on the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days and he is presented, ushered into his presence.
   • Notice the incredible description of verse 14—the Ancient of Days gives him dominion and glory and a kingdom so that all people everywhere should serve him. His dominion is everlasting and will never pass away, and his kingdom will be one that shall never be destroyed.
   • The question is asked—who is this “one like a son of man?”
   • If we look to the Old Testament, all occurences of this phrase, other than the one here in Daniel, seem to indicate just a normal human existence. The phrase is used extensively in Ezekiel to highlight the humanity of the prophet.
   • What happens when we look to the phrase in the New Testament?
   • The phrase “Son of Man” was the favorite phrase of Jesus in referring to the nature of who he is and the purpose for which he came. Almost every occurrence in the gospels has to refer to the divine nature of Jesus, the pronouncement of his atoning sacrifice and suffering at the cross, and to his resurrection from the dead.
   • Daniel Akin stated in his commentary, “In Mark 10:45, Jesus weds the title to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 and thereby redefine the concept of Messiah. In Mark 14:62, he weds the title to Psalm 110 and the King/Priest portrait of Messiah.
   • Mrk 2:10 (ESV) But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
   • Mrk 2:28 (ESV) So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
   • Mrk 8:38 (ESV) For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
   • Mat 20:28 (ESV) even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
   • Mat 26:63-64 (ESV) But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” [64] Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
   • Mrk 13:26 (ESV) And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Jesus is the “one like a son of man.” He is as Sinclair Ferguson said it, “The True Man…He is man as he was intended to be in the image of God—perfect in love, perfect in obedience.” But he is only one “like a son of man.” He is man and so much more. He is the one in which deity dwells.

Col 2:9 (ESV) For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

And he has received and will receive the eternal kingdom. He has accomplished his messianic mission and he has ascended on the clouds into the presence of the Ancient of Days and he has received all dominion, power, and a kingdom that shall never end.

Psa 2:8 (ESV) Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

I close with this quote from Duncan in his commentary on Daniel:

“A vision that began with monsters coming out of the sea, ends happily and hopefully with a Man coming out of heaven whom God crowns sovereign over the world!”