Chapter 7:8-14 (ESV) - I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
“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.
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.
“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.
“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.
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.
Question to consider: Who is this son of man?
We will study more about the fourth beast with its ten horns and strange little horn that arose among them tomorrow, but today we are going to focus on the everlasting kingdom which I believe is the main focus of this entire book.
In the historical chapters leading up to this one, both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius recognized that the Most High reigns eternally. Nebuchadnezzar said (or possibly sang), “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:3 and similar in verse 34). Darius said (or possibly sang), “For he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth,” (Daniel 6:26-27).
Belshazzar (the king who reigned when Daniel had this vision) gave no such praise, defiled the treasures of the Most High, and received the decree that the days of his kingdom were numbered and would be divided among the Medes and Persians because it had been found wanting.
The vision of the Most High (called Ancient of Days) ruling from the throne was a visual manifestation of the songs of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. His reign would be eternal, and He would judge all of the earthly nations (beasts) that would arise from the sea— even the fearsome fourth beast which “greatly alarmed” Daniel at the end of this vision.
The most surprising turn of events in this vision was the rise of one like a son of man (descendant of Adam) who approached the Ancient of Days on the clouds of heaven and was given everlasting dominion over people from every nation, tribe, and language. Personally, I believe this figure was meant to be the same one mentioned by Nebuchadnezzar in regard to the fiery furnace, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)
Jesus declared Himself to be this One who is both Son of God and Son of Man when He said to Caiaphas, the high priest, “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.” (Matthew 26:64) The gospel writer, Luke, described the fulfillment of this passage in his book which he wrote to prove the reign of Christ to his friend Theophilus, “...as [the disciples] were looking on, [Jesus] was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while [the disciples] were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:9-11).
In case this point wasn’t clear enough, Luke wrote this at the stoning of Stephen, “But [Stephen]], full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’” (Acts 7:55-56)
This vision given to Daniel was the clearest declaration to his brothers and sisters of Israel and Judah that there would be an earthly Messiah who would be given eternal dominion by God. Given that the earthly image of this judgment seat was found on the cover of the Ark of the Covenant when it was in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle (and later the temple), they could only assume that once the temple had been restored after the exile, the Messiah would come and reign from the holy mountain (Zion). The Ark may have been lost, but it was a mere type and shadow of this king that was to come in its stead.
The writer of Hebrews believed this was fulfilled in Jesus’ ascension. He wrote, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22-24)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to Your great mercy, You have caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us, who by Your power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Amen! (from 1 Peter 1:3-5)