Daniel 7 Ancient of Days & the Son of Man - The Heavenly Scene

Bible Study Series: Daniel, Babylon and the End Times

Daniel 7 Lesson: Ancient of Days & the Son of Man - The Heavenly Scene

by I Gordon

We looked last time at the major kingdoms that would arise and rule on this earth as presented to us in Daniel chapter 7. And while man thinks of these kingdoms as something glorious, we saw what heaven thought of them... they were beasts. Ravenous beasts! Now if you remember, the major focus in this chapter was upon the last kingdom of 10 kings and a final 'little horn' with a big mouth that will arise in the last days. This last ruler will hate God, hate God's people and will change the laws of the land to persecute and kill the saints. In short, the most turbulent times for planet earth are still to come according to Bible prophecy.

Now if that was all that the chapter gave us then it would border on being a little grim! But thankfully, it's not! You see, the chapter also shows us the plan of God during this time and that is what we will concentrate on today. As well as showing the conditions on Earth at this time, we are given a far greater and more important glimpse into the heavenly scene. And what is happening there you ask? Well the Judge is taking His seat and One called 'the Son of Man' is seen coming before Him to begin His rule and reign over this planet! Like I said last time, we had to eat our Brussel sprouts first and now we get some apple crumble! So here is what we will focus on:

• With all the chaos occurring on earth, what type of scene do we see in heaven?
• What are the books in the heavenly library that are opened?
• What is the eternal kingdom coming that is given to 'one like a son of man'?
• Who else is given control in this coming kingdom?

So let's pick up the story in verse 8 where Daniel the dial is about to be turned right up in what Daniel gets to see in his vision! 

The throne is hot'n up!

Dan 7:8-9 While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully. (9) As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

While 'big mouth' makes his move for dominance on earth, we see a whole different scene emerge in heaven. We read first of all that 'thrones are set in place'. So what thrones are these? What is being setup do you think? The setting before us is one of a heavenly courtroom and the thrones are for judgement with one central throne for the judge.

Now, what would you say stands out in the scene before us? Two things stand out to me. One is the 'whiteness' of the Judge. And no, we are not talking about race here! We are talking about the Judge's nature and character. The other is the fire that seems to engulf the throne He sits on. As types, we could say the following:

• His appearance as white as snow stands for the absolute purity and righteousness of His character. 
• His title of 'Ancient of Days' indicates His eternal nature - One that has always been and seen all things. Hence, He is someone truly qualified to act as Judge as mentioned. 
• The fire around the throne stands for the judgement of God. The scene before us is not one that you would call 'friendly'. This is a terrifying scene for those that come before it. 

This is what the writer of Hebrews spoke about when he said 'Our God is a consuming fire... It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'  We don't talk about this aspect of God very much anymore. I once read a book called  'When God weeps' by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes. This part caught my eye: 

'What is it about lemonade that appeals on a hot August afternoon? Other drinks are just as cold, just as wet. Surely it's that winning combination of sweet and sour that we love. Imagine if someone handed you a frosty cold glass of sugar water. Sickening. Or envision sucking a raw lemon. Unbelievably tart. (We realize a few of you out there enjoy lemons like this, but we're talking about sane people.) Neither sugar-water or lemon juice tastes very good, but the mixture is a summer classic. For decades now many Christians have been sipping sugar water almost exclusively when it comes to thoughts about God. God's kindness, God's goodness, God's tenderness is all they know about. But there is rugged side of God, a masculine side, that's often avoided. - His holy, powerful, sovereign, sin destroying nature. To come to grips with these will not make us hate Him; it will make us worship Him. It will have us on our faces in awe. It will make Christ's death for us a wonder beyond expressing.'
Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes, When God Weeps

So we see part of this in our vision of God here in Daniel, where God is seen sitting upon a throne with fire all around it, acting as the sovereign judge of the universe. But this also acts as a stark reminder of how good it is to be 'in Christ'! It is the only safe place in this world. He is the One who has already experienced and taken the wrath and fire of God so all those who are in Him are free from condemnation and wrath!

Standing where the fires have burnt...

H. A. Ironside once told the following story which I have always appreciated:

"One of the first gospel illustrations that ever made a real impression upon my young heart was simple story that I heard a preacher tell when I was less than nine years old. It was of pioneers who were making their way across one of the central states to a distant place that had been opened up for homesteading. They traveled in covered wagons drawn by oxen, and progress was necessarily slow. One day they were horrified to note a long line of smoke in the west, stretching for miles across the prairie, and soon it was evident that the dried grass was burning fiercely, and was coming toward them rapidly. They had crossed a river the day before but it would be impossible to go back to that before the flames would be upon them. One man only seemed to have an understanding as to what should be done. He gave the command to set fire to the grass behind them. Then when a space was burned over, the whole company moved back upon it. As the flames roared on toward them from the west, a little girl cried out in terror. "Are you sure we shall not all be burned up?" The leader replied, "My child, the flames cannot reach us here, for we are standing where the fire has been!"

The good news for Christians is that the fires of God's judgment burned themselves out on Him, and all who are in Christ are safe forever, for they are now standing where the fire has been!

God's library...

Daniel 7:10 'A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.'

So we read that thousands upon thousands attend the one on the throne and await His judgement. Remember as you read this, that this is the Heavenly scene as the Antichrist wreaks havoc upon the earth. Innumerable angels stand at God's side waiting, and no doubt longing, to execute the sentence that God announces. 'Just say the word Oh King!' they will be saying! And as the court sits, the books are opened. We are used to the 'books being opened' even in an earthly sense. Whenever there is a problem or financial failure in a company you hear 'ok let's get the books out. We're going to have to do a full audit of the books'. Well, God has His books too. They are a record (for our sake, not His!) of those who have eternal life and of those that don't. They are also a record of deeds done in this life of all that have ever lived. For example, along with the book we read about in this passage, here are a few of the heavenly books mentioned in scripture:

I would especially encourage you to read the inspiring words concerning the Book of Remembrance in Mal 3:13-18. But also take note of the start contrast for unbelievers in Rev 20:11-15 concerning those not found in the Book of Life:

Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. (12)  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.  (13) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. (14) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. (15)  If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 

This is, quite possibly, the most sobering passage in all of scripture. It portrays the day when the unsaved from all generations will come before the One whom they had ignored, denied, ridiculed or blasphemed. On that day there will be no way to talk their way out of it. They will stand alone before the Judge see has recorded everything and has missed nothing. As mentioned, Revelation 20:12 speaks of multiple 'books'. There is a book of life as well as many books that contain a record of the deeds done by individuals. Nothing escapes God's notice. Beliefs in evolution, reincarnation and universal salvation will be found to be completely worthless. Try to imagine what it would be like to come before this judgement throne knowing that you stand guilty and the punishment is the lake of fire! The Christian church doesn't like to talk or even think about these things much anymore. But they are a coming reality nonetheless. So before moving on, please take some time to think of those you know who do not know the Lord. Please ask the Lord who you should be praying for and speaking to.

Enter 'One like a son of man!'

Dan 7:13-14 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. (14) He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

As Daniel continues to look into this Heavenly vision, he sees 'one like a son of man' coming before the Ancient of Days. You can imagine Daniel thinking as he saw this that 'God is giving all authority, power and dominion... to a man! Well, one 'like' a son of man! Who is this one to whom God gives all authority?¹ That's probably one of my easiest questions yet (I hope!) This is the first mention of Jesus as 'the son of man' - a title He applied to Himself more than any other (about 80 times in the Gospels).

Now what kind of scene is before us in Dan 7:13-14? It is a coronation scene.² The Ancient of Days is giving all power and authority over all the nations and peoples into the hands of this one like a son of man. It is the crowning of the King of kings as His rule and Kingdom are about to begin. I love how it says that every nation will worship Him. Finally the One who gave His life for the salvation of men will be receiving the glory from the nations of the world that He deserves. This glimpse of Jesus' coronation day has been given to us elsewhere in the word of God. Psalm 2 is a corresponding passage to this one which shows God's response to the rebellion of mankind on earth at this time:

Psa 2:1-12 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? (2) The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. (3) Let us break their chains, they say, "and throw off their fetters." (4) The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. (5) Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, (6) I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill. (7) I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. (8) Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. (9) You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." (10) Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. (11) Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. (12) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

For mankind to trust and live in relationship with its Creator is the most sane, logical and reasonable thing one can do. On the other hand, to disbelieve and defy the Almighty (as we see in Psalm 2) is about as irrational and stupid a thing that a person can do. But, as we see from Psalm 2 and Daniel 7, the majority of humanity seems to be choosing the later and not the former in these last days. That will however not in any way stop the 'son of man' from taking this planet by force when He returns! And just as Daniel saw Him coming on the clouds of heaven so Revelation 1:7 tells us that 'Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.' 

A Man in Glory!

Before we move on, I want to say one more thing about the 'One like a Son of Man' that comes on the clouds of Heaven. We have seen that this is Jesus but did you note that He is, at His second coming, still seen like 'a son of man'? As mentioned, the Son of Man was the title that Jesus used about Himself more than any other and is emphasizes His humanity. The incredible thing about Jesus is that upon His resurrection and ascension back into heaven, He remains a man... a glorified man. One who is 100% man and 100% God! And yet He is still a man! It is hard for us to comprehend this eternal plan and love of God that He would become as we are... so that we could become like He is, sharing in His glory! Today in the Word gives the following example:

In 1855, J. Hudson Taylor did a radical thing--he adopted traditional Chinese dress as he ministered through China. Few had taken such a bold step prior to this time. But Taylor knew that if he were to be successful in reaching souls in the isolated, inland parts of China, he must speak the language, dress in traditional clothing, and make every attempt possible to adopt local customs. In short, Taylor knew that he had to become as much like those to whom he ministered as possible. His thinking was clearly inspired: the work of the China Inland Mission was enormously effective in reaching China with the love of Christ.

In God’s infinite love and mercy, He also knew that to redeem His people, He had to become like them. Perhaps this is why Jesus’ preferred title for Himself was “the Son of Man.” ... Jesus is not merely a human being--He is the human being--the perfect representation of God’s plan for humanity. Only in Jesus Christ do we behold humanity fully restored from the fall. It’s not surprising that this perfect human being should be given “authority, glory, and sovereign power” and receive the worship of all peoples and nations (Dan. 7:14).

Someone else is given power and sovereignty over the nations... 

Dan 7:26-28 'But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. (27) Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.' (28) This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.

Having explored this heavenly scene, I want to conclude this passage by drawing your attention to how the chapter ends. We have seen that the Antichrist will be persecuting the saints on earth and doing his best to lead a total rebellion against God and His anointed, the Messiah Jesus, in the last days. We have also seen that the time will come for judgement as the court in Heaven sits and the books are opened. At this time all authority will be given to Jesus who will take complete control of this earth when He comes.

But look also at who else is given sovereignty, power and the greatness of the kingdoms at this time... It says above that this will be 'handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High'. What a privilege that is! The New Testament tells us that believers will be co-heirs with Christ! Does this not create a greater desire in you to live for Christ now? What about if things become more difficult to live as a Christian in the future? Will you still take your stand to serve and live for Jesus? Remember that as Daniel thought about what he saw he said he was 'deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale.' He was visibly shaken. The things that Daniel saw that will come upon the earth are alarming. They are full on. Whether you believe in a Pre, Mid or Post Tribulation rapture (and I believe there is the promise of a Pre-Tribulation rapture to the Church³), it doesn't change the fact that difficult times lay ahead for Christians. So we need to bear this in mind. But the days of our greatest glory are still to come as well!

Conclusion - Utopia at last?

So as we conclude, what have we seen and what can we take from it as a personal application? 

• We've seen that God is Judge, sitting upon a fiery throne and has all things recorded in His books. This reminds us of the need to be found 'in Christ', the only place of safety, so that His gift of righteousness can be our covering and standing before a holy God!
• We've seen that in the midst of the chaos on earth, the heavenly court room will sit and pronounce judgment in favor of the saints. This reminds us of the sovereignty of God that is important to remember when things are tough on Earth. All things are in His hands, believer!
• We've seen that there is a new eternal kingdom coming to this planet! The son of man will be given authority to rule over all nations. And we, His saints, will rule with Him. Therefore we want to live with an eternal perspective, knowing that this day is coming soon and that our lives today have a bearing upon our standing and rewards in eternity!

One last thought before we close this message... Men have always looked for paradise on this Earth. They have looked for the way in which the human race can live in peace and prosperity. Sir Thomas More wrote about such a place in 1516. He wrote of a place that was blessed with an ideal social and political state... a place where peace reigned. He called the place 'Utopia'. This word has come to mean 'a place or state of ideal perfection.' Mankind continues their search for Utopia thinking that through education, science and technology such a place can be formed. But unfortunately, despite mankind's search and endeavors, the world is sliding further and further away from it. Joel Richardson summed things up in this warning:  

'The world is melting down around us. I live in the United States; my nation is melting down. If you're from Europe, Europe is melting down. The Middle East is melting down. The global economy is melting down. Morality, globally, is melting down.' 

So it comes as no surprise then to learn that the Greek word 'Utopia' means 'No place'. There is no such place and nor can there be while fallen humanity runs this planet. We won't see it until the King of kings returns and reigns! Daniel chapter 7 tells us that Utopia will come to planet earth. It will come when the only one capable of creating such an environment approaches the Ancient of Days and all power and sovereignty is given into His hands.

Hopefully we live to see that day. And then, as Tolkien expressed in 'The Return of the King':

'Now come the days of the King. May they be blessed!' 

And they certainly will be! God bless.

FOOTNOTES