Daniel 7.13-Daniel Describes One Like a Son of Man Approached the Presence of the Ancient of Days
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday May 21, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 7:13-Daniel Describes One Like a Son of Man Approached the Presence of the Ancient of Days
Lesson # 212
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 7:1.
Daniel 7:1 During Belshazzar’s, Babylon’s king, first year, Daniel saw a dream specifically visions in his mind on his bed. Then, he wrote down the dream. He declares the beginning of the account. 2 Daniel began to speak and said, “I was in a trance like state, staring because of my vision during the night as behold the heaven’s four winds were blowing violently against the great sea. 3 Then, four great beasts, one different from the other, came up out from the sea. 4 The first beast was like a lion with eagle’s wings attached to it. I was in a trance like state staring when its wings were torn off. Then it was lifted up from the ground for the purpose of it standing on two feet like a human being. A human mind was also given to it. 5 Next, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear with it raised up to one side with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. Then, they issued orders to it, ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ 6 After this, I was staring in a trance like state as behold, another one, was like a leopard with it having four bird’s wings on its back. Also, the beast had four heads. Indeed, governmental dominion was given to it. 7 After this, I was continuing to stare in a trance like state because of these night visions as behold, a fourth beast, intimidating, yes even terrifying as well as extremely powerful, possessing two large rows of iron teeth. It devoured as well as crushed. Specifically, it violently crushed the rest with its feet. Indeed, it was characterized as different from all the beasts which were before it in the sense of possessing ten horns. 8 I was contemplating in a trance like state because of these horns as behold, another little horn emerged out from among them. Then, the first three originating from the horns was torn out by being in the presence of it. In fact, behold, on this horn, were eyes like a human being’s eyes as well as a mouth speaking boastfully. 9 I was continuing to stare in a trance like state when thrones were set up. Then, the One Ancient in Days sat. His clothing was white like snow. Also, the hair of His head was like lamb’s wool. His throne was fiery flames. Its wheels were a blazing fire. 10 A river composed of fire was flowing, yes issuing forth from His presence. A thousand times a thousand were continually rendering worshipful service to Him. In fact, ten thousand times ten thousand were continually standing in His presence. The court convened resulting in scrolls being opened. 11 I was continuing to stare in a trance like state at that time because of the sound coming from the boastful words which the horn was making a habit of speaking. I was continuing to stare in a trance like state when the beast was killed. In fact, its body was destroyed. Specifically, it was given over to the consuming fire. 12 On the other hand, the rest of the beasts, their governmental dominion was taken away, though for their benefit an extension of life was granted for a period of time, yes an appointed period of time.” (My translation)
Daniel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is employing the figure of “asyndeton” in order to emphasize the statement here in verse 13 and lead the reader to dwell upon this son of man since he will be given an eternal world-wide kingdom by the Ancient of Days.
Daniel 7:13 “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him.” (NASB95)
“I kept looking” is composed of the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb ḥǎzā(h) (חֲזָה) (khaz-aw´), “looking” which is followed by the first person masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active perfect form of the verb hǎwā(h) (הֲוָה) (hav-aw´), “I kept.”
The verb ḥǎzā(h) means “to stare” and refers to Daniel looking at with studious attention and with open mouth wonder and amazement one looking like a son of man approaching and then entering the presence of the Ancient of Days.
The verb hǎwā(h) denotes Daniel’s trance like state when he saw one like a son of man approaching and then entering the presence of the Ancient of Days.
“In the night visions” is composed of the preposition bĕ (בְּ) (beh), “in” and its object is the masculine plural construct form of the noun ḥězû (חֱזוּ) (khay´-zev), “the visions.”
The noun ḥězû is in the plural and means “visions” referring to the visions that Daniel received which are recorded in Daniel 7:2-12 and is modified by the noun lê∙lê means “night,” i.e. the period of time between sunset and sunrise.
The noun ḥězû is also the object of the preposition bĕ, which is a marker of cause indicating the basis or the reason why Daniel was in a trance like state staring.
“And behold” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the interjection ʾǎrû (אֲרוּ) (ar-oo´), “behold.”
The conjunction wa means “when” or “as” since it is used as a temporal marker relating points of time indicating that “when” or “as” Daniel was staring in a trance like state, a vision of the son of man appeared to him.
The interjection ʾǎrû means “behold” since it is used as a discourse marker to introduce a description of the son of man with emphasis and draws the attention of the reader in order to mark that what Daniel saw regarding this one looking like a son of man coming with the clouds was impressive and astounding to him.
“One like a Son of Man” is composed of the preposition k- (כְּ־) (kee) “like” and its object is the masculine singular construct form of the noun bǎr (בַּר) (bar), “a Son of” which is modifying the masculine singular form of the noun ʾěnāš (אֱנָשׁ) (en-awsh´), “Man.”
The noun bǎr means “son” but in the sense of a divine being, who does not originate from planet earth and describes the familial relationship with the Ancient of Days, which is indicated by the fact that this person described by Daniel in his vision was coming with the clouds of heaven.
This implies deity since the clouds of heaven are often referred to the Old Testament as signifying God’s presence (Exodus 13:21ff. 1 Kings 8:10ff.; Isaiah 19:1; Jeremiah 4:13; Nahum 1:3; Ezekiel 10:4; Psalm 18:10, 12; 97:2-4; 104:3ff.).
The incarnate Son of God Jesus Christ describes Himself as coming with the clouds at His Second Advent (Matthew 24:30; 26:64; Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7).
Lastly, Daniel 7:14 describes this Son of Man as receiving an eternal kingdom from the Ancient of Days and Daniel 7:27 describes this son of man as “the Highest One” whose kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom.
Therefore, the noun bǎr, “Son” denotes the divine nature of this person coming upon the clouds of the earth’s atmosphere and is the object of the preposition k-, which is used as a marker of comparison indicating that it is comparing this person to a son or divine being.
It is also in the construct state meaning that it is governing the noun ʾěnāš, which means “man” describing this divine person coming with the clouds of heaven as a human being, thus, these two words signify that Daniel is describing someone who is both divine and human.
The construct state of bǎr indicates a genitive relationship and specifically, it indicates a type of attributive genitive used in conventional idioms of construct forms with some noun in the genitive case to represent the nature, quality, character or condition of a person.
Therefore, this construction indicates that this son, who was a divine person, was a human being as well.
“With the clouds of heaven” is composed of the preposition ʿim (עִם) (eem), “with” and its object is the masculine plural construct form of the noun ʿǎnān (עֲנָן) (an-an´), “the clouds of” and then we have the masculine plural dual noun šemǎ∙yin (שְׁמַיִן) (shaw-mah´-yin), “heaven.”
The noun šemǎ∙yin refers to the earth’s atmosphere, i.e. the expanse of space that contains oxygen and seems to be over the earth like a dome.
The noun ʿǎnān is the object of the preposition ʿim, which is a marker of a position on a surface of an object, whether vertical or horizontal and in contact with the object indicating that the son of man was coming “upon” the clouds of the earth’s atmosphere.
“And He came up to the Ancient of Days” is epexegetical meaning that it specifies in detail the previous description that a divine being who was a human being was coming upon the clouds of the earth’s atmosphere.
“And He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him” specifies in detail the previous description that one like a son of man went up to the throne of the Ancient of Days indicating that this Son of Man went up to the Ancient of Days “in the sense” that He approached His presence.
Daniel 7:13 “I was continuing to stare in a trance like state because of these visions as behold One like a Son of Man was coming upon the clouds of heaven. Specifically, He went up to the One Ancient in Days in the sense that He approached His presence.” (My translation)
On the heels of the destruction of the fourth beast and the little horn associated with this beast, Daniel sees a vision of one like a Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven, going up to and approaching the presence of the Ancient of Days.
This is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ and His ascension (Acts 1:9-11; Ephesians 4:10; Hebrews 4:14; 9:24) and session (Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3) at the right hand of the Father 40 days after His resurrection.
The Lord Jesus Christ’s interprets this vision as being a reference to Himself (Matthew 24:30; 24:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27).
This expression “Son of Man” indicates that Daniel is describing a person who is both divine and human approaching the Ancient of Days in order to receive an eternal kingdom on the earth and is speaking of the hypostatic union of Jesus Christ.
So this scene in Daniel 7:13 is actually symbolically describing what took place after Jesus Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension.
It thus precedes the Second Advent of Christ and His subsequent millennial reign since Daniel 7:14 records the Son of Man receiving an eternal kingdom from the Ancient of Days after coming with the clouds of heaven and entering the presence of the Ancient of Days.
Jesus Christ ascended into heaven upon the clouds of heaven and He will return at His Second Advent in the same manner (Acts 1:9-11).
The title “Son of Man” was the favorite title that Jesus Christ used of Himself in the Gospels where it used 31 times in Matthew, 15 times in Mark, 26 times in Luke and 12 times in John.
Also, Daniel 7:13 is the most frequently quoted verse in Daniel in the New Testament.