Showing posts with label Ancient of Days. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ancient of Days. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Revelation 1 and Daniel 7:9-14 -- All About Jesus?

By Ronald R. Day, Sr.
(Needs to be edited)


One has claimed that everything in Revelation 1 is about Jesus.  While we are not sure what is meant by the statement, we do know that the comment was made evidently to defend the trinitarian -- or perhaps the oneness -- philosophy. However, we present our responses below:

In Revelation 1:1,2 John speaks of (1) God - Jehovah (2) Jesus and (3) himself (4) the angel and (5) the servants of Jesus.

In Revelation 1:4,5 John tells who he is writing to and whose message he is writing: the letter is two the seven churches, from (1) He who is, was and is to come, and (2) the seven spirits and (3) Jesus, who is the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth. He who is, was and is to come is not Jesus, but the one person who is "God" in Revelation 1:1.

In Revelation 1:6 John speaks of (1)Jesus who has made his followers to a kingdom of priests and (2) the God of Jesus.

In Revelation 1:7 John speaks of (1) the time when Jesus comes in the figurative clouds, speaking of a time after the last day has begun, and when (2) all, including those who pierced him, will have been raised from the dead.

In Revelation 1:8 John quotes Jehovah God, He who is, was and is to come, of verse 4.

In Revelation 1:9,10 John speaks of (1) himself, and (2) the servants of Jesus in the seven churches, and (3) of "God" in the phrase "word of God." He goes on to speak of a voice he hears behind him.

In Revelation 1:11,12 John relates what the voice is speaking to him, instructing him to write what he sees in a book that was to be sent to seven churches. John turns to see the voice and sees seven golden lampstands.

In Revelation 1:13-16, John describes who he sees in the midst or middle of the lampstands.

In Revelation 1:17-18, the one whom John sees speaks, saying, "Don't be afraid. I am the first and last, the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. I have the keys of Death and Hades." (World English) Thus, he who saw in these verses was not God, who does not die, but rather Jesus, who is the first and the last of the "firstborn of the dead." -- verse 5.

John sees He who is, was and is to come, the One sitting on the throne, and he also sees the slain lamb, who takes the book from the right hand of He who is, was and is to come, who is sitting on the throne. (Revelation 1:4,8; 4:2,8,9,10; 5:1,6,7) Throughout the Revelation, He who is, was and is to come, the One sitting on the throne, is not Jesus, but Jesus is represented as the slain lamb who is worthy to take the book from Him who sat on the throne.

Regarding the above, the statement was made regarding verse 13 that the one like the son of man is Jesus, and cross referenced to Daniel 7:13

Our reply:

Revelation 1:13 - And in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of a man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.

Yes, this one is Jesus. In the Greek, the expression, like a son of a man, is not the same as the definite designation that Jesus usually gave to himself. More correctly, Jesus usually referred to himself as "Son of the Man," which is obviously a Messianic title referring to the promised son of the man, David. In Revelation 1:23, the Greek for man in "a son of man" is indefinite: a son of a man. This is not saying, as some claim, that Jesus is still with the terrestial, earthly bodily glory of flesh (1 Corinthians 15:39-41). Rather Jesus appears to John in the 'likeness' of a son of a man. 

Daniel 7:13 - I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

In Daniel 7, Jesus is likewise depicted as "one like a son of man." Jesus was brought before He who is the "Ancient of Days," and therefore, Jesus is not depicted as being the "Ancient of Days," as many have claimed. Jesus as the "one like a son of a man" in Daniel 7:13 does correspond to Revelation 1:13; 14:14.

Revelation 1:13 - And in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
Revelation 14:14 - I looked, and behold, a white cloud; and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. -- World English.

In both of these scriptures, as well as Daniel 7:13, Jesus is not presented as the "Son of the Man," that is, the son of the man, David (Matthew 1:1; 9:6,27; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8,23,32,40; 13:37,41; 16:13,27,28; 17:9,12,22; 18:11; 19:28; 20:18; 22:42; 24:27,30,37,39,44; 25:13,31; 26:2,24; 26:45; Luke 1:32,69; 3:31; John 7:42; Acts 13:34; Romans 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation 3:7; 22:16), but as being "like" a son of a man. He is not actually a human being, but he appears "like" a human.

But the real point is that he who is like a son of a man is brought before He who is "Ancient of Days." In some vague manner, some seem to confuse the one "like a son of a man" with the Ancient of Days. Jesus, being the one brought before the Ancient of Days, is not the Ancient of Days before whom he brought.

The Ancient of Days corresponds to He who is on the throne, He who is, was and is to come, of Revelation 1:4,8; 4:8-10; 5:1,7; 6:16; 7:10,15; 19:4; 21:5.

He who is like a son of a man in Daniel 7:13 corresponds to the figurative "lamb" of Revelation 5:6,8,12,13; 6:1,16; 7:9,10,14,17 and he who is like a son of a man in Revelation 1:13; 14:14. In Daniel 7:13, the one like a son of man is brought before the Ancient of Days; in Revelation 5:7, the lamb is pictured as coming before He who is the throne, and takes the book out of the right hand of him who is on the throne. Jesus, therefore is not being pictured in Daniel 7 as the Ancient of Days, but as the one who is brought before the Ancient of Days.

See also our study on the Ancient of Days.

Nevertheless, our trinitarian friend still insisted that Jesus is the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7.

Daniel 7:9 I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels of it burning fire. 

This does not describe Jesus, but rather Jehovah, who is the Ancient of Days. Most scholars who believe in the trinity show Ancient of Days to be the Father, not the Son, although they present Jesus as being the eternal God. Jesus is identified later, not as the Ancient of Days, but as the one who was brought to the Ancient of Days. -- Daniel 7:13.

The time period is in after Satan is abyssed. (Revelation 20:3). The Ancient of Days (Jehovah) sits on the throne, and thrones are placed, corresponding to Revelation 20:4. The Ancient of Days (Jehovah) does not judge directly, since the God and Father of Jesus has "given all judgment to the Son." (John 5:22) Not only to the Son is the judgment given, but Paul notes in question form: "Do you not know that the saints (consecrated ones) will judge the world?" (1 Corinthians 6:2) That Daniel 7:22 reiterates that the "judgment was given to the saints of the Most High" and in Revelation 20:4 we read that "judgment was given to" those who were sitting thrones as John saw them.  

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of a man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Daniel 7:14 There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

It is the Ancient of Days -- the God and Father of Jesus -- who has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (Ezekiel 34:23,24; Isaiah 61:1,2; Acts 2:36), and has exalted him to the highest position in the universe, far above the angels, next to the only Most High.-- Acts 2:33,36; 5:31; Philippians 2:9; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 1:4,6; 1 Peter 3:22.

The One who gives this dominion is therefore Jehovah, the Ancient of Days. The dominion is given to Jesus, the one who appears in the likeness of a son of a man. Thus, the one in likeness of a son of a man in Daniel corresponds to the one depicted figuratively a slain lamb in Revelation 5:6,7. The Ancient of Days corresponds to He who is sitting on the throne, He who is, was and is to come. -- Revelation 4:8;  5:1,7.

What we do not find in any of these verses is that Jehovah, the Ancient of Days, is more than one person, or that He is three persons, or that Jesus is a person of Jehovah, etc.

One claims that since Jesus is depicted in Revelation 1:14 with head and hair like white wool, that this means that Jesus is the Ancient of Days spoken of in Daniel 7:9? Actually, we don't have any reason to think so.

Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. -- American Standard Version.

Jehovah here speaks to Isaiah, and he likens justification from sin as being made "white as snow", as wool. "White" is a symbol of righteousness, justified, straight, not crooked.

Daniel 7:9-10 - I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels thereof burning fire.[10] A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

This speaks of Jehovah as the Ancient of Days, not Jesus.

Revelation 1:14-15 - And his head and his hair were white as white wool, [white] as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; [15] and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.

This speaks of Jesus.

Both Jehovah and Jesus are righteous; thus Jehovah is depicted as wearing white raiment in Daniel's vision, while Jesus is depicted as having a white head and hair in John's vision.

The descriptions have similarities although not exactly the same. Do the similarities mean that we must create a lot of trinitarian assumptions beyond what is written, and then add those assumptions to, and read those assumptions into what is written? We certainly do not think so. The Bible is fully at harmony with itself without adding all the trinitarian assumptions to and reading those assumptions into the Bible.

We were told that we should also note Daniel 10:5,6.

Daniel 10:5-6 - I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz: [6] his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

The person Daniel sees here is described as "a man." Obviously, it was not actually a man, but it was an angel. If this is the same one spoken of in Chapter 9, this angel is Gabriel. 

The white linen symbolizes purity and righteousness. His “loins [from the waist down to the knees] were girded with fine gold of Uphaz.” Hence the linen garment was a robe, an outer garment, so that if this person moved and his legs were exposed, gold was seen.

In regard to “Uphaz,” Isaiah 13:12 reads, “I will make a man[‘s life] more precious than fine gold; ... than the golden wedge of Ophir.” The Chaldaic Uphaz is another form of the Aramaic word Ophir. This particular fine gold came from a portion of Turkey and must have been a glazed, shiny gold to make it very striking in appearance.

“His body also was like the beryl” means the appearance of his skin was like beryl, and the word “beryl” is usually chrysolite, which is gold in color. This was a glorified being in the sense that the angel was a messenger from beyond our world, with human appearance and attired in a white linen robe and gold-colored clothing similar to his skin. When Daniel looked at the skin of this being, it was like chrysolite, “chryso” being “gold” and “lithos” being “stone.” Thus chrysolite is a golden stone and also a symbol of wisdom.

“His face [was] as the appearance of lightning.” The Greek astrape in the New Testament, sometimes translated “lightning,” means “bright shining.” The word translated “lightning” here in Daniel 10:6 is the Hebrew equivalent. While it can be applied to "lightning", such is not inherent in the word itself. The angel's face shone forth with a bright light. In other words, although the being's appearance had the body of a human, Daniel knew he was no ordinary person.

“And his eyes as lamps of fire.” The eyes were more electric; similarly, in Revelation 1:14, Jesus is spoken of as having a penetrating gaze (“eyes as a flame of fire”); that is, Jesus can see through any sham, hypocrisy, or mere formalism.

“His arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass.” Brass, chrysolite, and lamps of fire, as well as the clothing, produced a basic coloration of white and gold. “Polished brass” has a high shine that is retained for a long time, especially if lacquered.

“The voice of his words like the voice of a multitude [many people].” By this Daniel would know this was a superhuman being who possessed power and intelligence and would be a source of true information.

This being was not the Almighty Jehovah, nor do we have any reason to think the "man" was Jesus.

It is claimed that in Revelation 1 the Father and Son are presented as "one person."

While John did, in the book of Revelation, see both Jesus (the slain lamb) and the "one God" (1 Corinthians 8:6), who is, was and is to come, depicted, and while Jesus and his God are in unity which could be likened to that of one person (trinitarians usually do not say that Father and Son are both one person, but rather one being, essence, etc.), we have no scriptural reason to believe they are actually one person, any more than the oneness of the Father, the Son, and the church, means that they are all actually one person or one being. -- John 10:30; 17:11,21-22.

It was claimed Jesus prayed for to this oneness or unity to happen again in the garden of Gethsemane before he was taken captive in the book of John. I am not sure what the above is meant to say. It appears to be a reference to John 17. It would seem to be saying that Jesus was not one with his Father while he was saying the prayer, but that he was praying that he might again be one with his Father. Jesus did say earlier that he and his God and Father are one. (John 10:30) Later in the prayer of John 17, Jesus prayed that his followers have this same oneness with him and his Father. (John 17:11,21-23) In verse 3, Jesus prayed for a glory that he had before the world of mankind had been made through him. (John 1:10) While he was in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), Jesus did not have that glory, but he did have the sinless glory that is a little lower than the angels. (Hebrews 2:9) Paul describes that glory as being of the fleshly substance, terrestrial, earthly, of dust, etc., in contrast with the spiritual substance that is the glory of the celestial, heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:35-40) Jesus, in John 17:5, was praying to again have the celestial bodily glory which he did not have at the time of the prayer.

One of our related studies:
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2016/10/john10-30.html


Start:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi300_FvFz0&lc=UgyYOCI0cmwNpGGijsF4AaABAg.8qHJofsYBY28sdBiRpdTql

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Daniel 7:9,13,22 – Is Jesus the Ancient of Days?



Is Jesus the "Ancient of Days" spoken of in Daniel 7?

Daniel 7:9

I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels of it burning fire. -- World English.

Daniel 7:13

I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. --World English.

Daniel 7:22
until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. -- World English.

According to many, one of the titles (or “names”)  of Jesus is “Ancient of Days”. One has claimed: “The book of Daniel also speaks of Christ, Who is represented as both the Ancient of Days and the Son of man.” Another claims: “Jesus is the Ancient of Days, the one on the throne, our judge, our redeemer.” It is also claimed: “Daniel 7:21-22 verifies that ‘the Ancient of days’ is Jesus Christ.” These offer scriptures that, with only a surface examination, may seem to support their conclusions, but when the scriptures are examined closely, we believe that this conclusion is not valid.

On the other hand, many, if not most, trinitarian scholars do realize that the Ancient of Days is the Father of Jesus, but claim that Jesus and the Ancient of Days are both one God.

Some others claim that Jesus is the Ancient of Days and he is also the one described as like “a son of a man,” claiming the dualism or "hypostatic union" of Jesus being both God Almighty and a human being. Some claim that the white hair and white robes in both Daniel 7 and Revelation 1:14 represent the eternal, divine nature of Christ, who is "before all things". In application to these scriptures, this would really be claiming that Jesus is two different persons, two different sentient beings. Of course, in reality, no such concept that Jesus is two beings [God Almighty/Supreme Being and man/ human being] at the same time is ever even once presented in the Bible. It is another of the extra-Biblical concepts that has been formulated beyond what is found in the Bible, and then added to, and read into, many scriptures, in order to accommodate the trinitarian concept, which concept is also nowhere to be found in any scripture.

The scriptures do, however, indicate that the one who appeared like a son of man in Daniel’s prophetic vision is the Messiah, Jehovah's anointed, and the Ancient of Days is the One described in the Revelation is He who sits on the throne in the book of Revelation, that is, Jehovah, the God of Jesus.

Nevertheless, the designation in Daniel 7:13 may appear to some to refer to Jesus simply as a man, as it is applied to mankind in general in Psalm 8:4 and Hebrews 2:6, and to Jesus specifically as a man in Hebrews 2:9, as he was in the days of his flesh. (Hebrews 5:7) If we carefully analyze what is stated, we find that Daniel does not say that he saw “the son of man,” but that he saw one “like” a son of a man. This would indicate an appearance of the one who comes in the clouds as though he were a son of a man (in contrast to the Messianic title, which has a definite article before "man" in Greek New Testament), but not actually so, evidently similar to the way the angels appeared to Abraham as “men”, when they were not actually men. Many translations do add the word “the” before “son of man”, even though the Hebrew does not have a definite article. Similarly, there is no definite article before the word “man”. In other words the expression in Daniel 7:13 is indefinite on both nouns, while the expression -- in the New Testament Greek -- that is usually used of Jesus to designate him as the Messiah is literally translated as “son of the man,” containing the definite article before the word for "man", which apparently designates the Messiah the son of the man David. In Matthew 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27, for instance, we find that Jesus is depicted, not as one like a son of a man, but as the "Son of the Man," evidently referring to Jesus with a Messianic title as being the promised son of the man, David. (Matthew 1:1; 9:6,27; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8,23,32,40; 13:37,41; 16:13,27,28; 17:9,12,22; 18:11; 19:28; 20:18; 22:42; 24:27,30,37,39,44; 25:13,31; 26:2,24; 26:45; Luke 1:32,69; 3:31; John 7:42; Acts 13:34; Romans 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation 3:7; 22:16) Most translations, however, fail to distinguish between the two phrases, the indeifinite "son of a man," and the definite "son of the man," so the distinction between the two terms are not made apparent. In Revelation 14:14, however, the expression in the Greek is not definite, but indefinite, "son of a man," and corresponds to Daniel 7:13. In both scriptures, Jesus is spoken of as being like a son of man, not that he is still a human being.

We also should note that in Daniel we are dealing with a vision with many figurative symbols. What is stated symbolically often has to be applied by determining what is represented by the symbols given. In those visions, what Daniel saw being symbolically depicted is how Jesus appears symbolically to the world, as with "clouds". Many fail to recognize these "clouds" as being figurative and imagine and assume that one day Jesus will come back seated on literal clouds, etc. Nevertheless, this symbolism is also used in Isaiah 5:30, which coincides with the time of trouble that Daniel (Daniel 12:1) later speaks of. “They shall roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea: and if one look to the land [earth], behold, darkness [and] distress; and the light is darkened in the clouds of it.” 

Clouds are also used in the Bible in connection with glory. (Exodus 16:10; 40:35) Jesus speaks of his coming with glory, saying: “then the sign of the Son of [the] Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of [the] Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30) “I tell you, henceforth [after this] you will see the Son of [the] Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.” (Matthew 26:64) “Then will they see the Son of [the] Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26) “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.” (Mark 14:62) And the angel of Jehovah stated in the Revelation concerning Jesus: “He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him.” (Revelation 1:7) In Revelation 1:13; 14:14, we find that Jesus is described, not as a son of a man, but one "like" a son of a man. Jesus, having sacrificed his body of flesh as an offering to God for our sins, is no longer actually a son of a man, having the crown of glory that is a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7,9), but God has now exalted Jesus to a glory that is far above the angels. (Acts 2:33,36; 5:31; Philippians 2:9; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 1:4,6; 1 Peter 3:22) Nevertheless, Jesus appears in the visions given to Daniel and John as one who is "like" a son of a man. We can reason that Jesus is still like a son of a man, in that Jesus is not beyond understanding our infirmities, since he, while in the days of his flesh, suffered as man, and was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. -- Isaiah 53:4,5; Hebrews 2:17,18; 4:15; 5:2,7; See related studies at: Is Jesus Now Flesh?

****below needs to be edited....

Daniel 7:13 - I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. -- World English.

Obviously, two persons are depicted here: The ancient of days and the "one like a son of [a] man." 

The “Ancient of Days” is understood by many Protestant  Bible commentators to be applied to the God and Father of Jesus, and from the trinitarian standpoint, it is often assumed to represent the first person of their alleged triune God. John Gill states regarding the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7:9:
And the Ancient of days did sit; on one of the thrones pitched, as chief Judge: this is to be understood of God the Father, as distinct from the Messiah, the Son of God, said to be like the Son of man brought unto him, Daniel 7:13 and is so called, not only because he is from everlasting, and without beginning of days; but chiefly because he is permanent, and endures for ever; his years fail not, and of his days there will be no end; and he will be when these empires, signified by the four beasts, will be no more; and very fit to be Judge of them, because of his consummate wisdom and prudence, signified also by this phrase; and the divine Father of Christ is still more proper, because it is in Christ's cause the judgment will proceed; and this in order to introduce him openly into his dominions in the world.
Concerning the one like a son of man in verse 13, Gill states:
And, behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven; not Judas Maccabaeus, as Porphyry; nor the Roman people, as Grotius; nor the people of Israel, as Aben Ezra; nor the people of the saints of the most High, as Cocceius; but the Messiah, as most Christian interpreters, and even the Jews themselves, both ancient and modern, allow. 
Gill, John. "Commentary on Daniel 7".
"The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible".

Matthew Henry says regarding Ancient of Days in Daniel 7:9:
The Ancient of days - God Almighty; and this is the only place in the sacred writings where God the Father is represented in a human form.
And regarding he who is like a son of a man:
The Messiah is here called the Son of man--one like unto the Son of man for he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, was found in fashion as a man. I saw one like unto the Son of man, one exactly agreeing with the idea formed in the divine counsels of him that in the fulness of time was to be the Mediator between God and man. He is like unto the son of man, but is indeed the Son of God. Our Savior seems plainly to refer to this vision when he says (John 5:27) that the Father has therefore given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man, and because he is the person whom Daniel saw in vision, to whom a kingdom and dominion were to be given.
Henry, Matthew. "Complete Commentary on Daniel 7:4".
"Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible".

Adam Clarke states of Ancient of Days in verse 9:
The Ancient of days - God Almighty; and this is the only place in the sacred writings where God the Father is represented in a human form.

Regarding verse 13, Clarke states:

One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven - This most certainly points out the Lord Jesus, אנש בר bar enosh, the Son of miserable man; who took our nature upon him that he might redeem us unto himself. To prove himself to be the Messiah he applies, before the high priests, these words of the Prophet Daniel to himself Matthew 24:30.
Near before him - The Ancient of days.
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Daniel 7:4".
"The Adam Clarke Commentary".

We believe that the “Ancient of Days” represents Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus, but the idea that the Ancient of Days is the first person of an alleged triune God has to be assumed in the realm of human imagination, added to, and read into what is stated. Very few commentators distinguish "son of a man" from "son of the man". 

We have been asked two questions:

a.  Who is the Ancient of Days? Our answer is that the Ancient of Days is Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus.

b.  Was He the one sitting on the throne of whom the Son of Man came or is He the one coming for the saints to possess the kingdom? Our answer is that the Ancient of Days is the one sitting on the throne, and that the Ancient of Days is not the one who is like a son of a man.

The person who asks the above questions concludes from these questions that  “the Father and the Son are one God.”

Although we are not certain exactly the purpose of the questions, evidently it is in some vague way meant to claim that Jesus and His God and Father are one God. Apparently, the thought is that by connecting some of the words that are related to both Ancient of Days and also the one designated as like a son of man, this means that both are the same one God.

Some claim that Jesus is the Ancient of Days because judgment is spoken of in connection with the Ancient of Days, and we read that Jesus judges the living and the dead. (1 Timothy 4:1) The reality is that the Ancient of Days (Jehovah) comes to judge the world through the one whom he as ordained, his Son Jesus Christ. (Psalm 96:13; 98:9; Acts 17:12,13; Romans 2:16) This does not mean that the one whom God ordained to judge the world is God, or a person of God.

Jesus stated:

John 5:22 - For neither does the Father judge any man, but he has given all judgment to the Son.

The God and Father of Jesus does not directly do the judging; he has committed all the judging to His Son.

Thus, in Acts 17:13, we find that one person who is God in the preceding verses will judge by means of Jesus, whom God has ordained to do such judging. But there will be more who will be judging along with Jesus:

Speaking prophetically, Daniel says:

“Judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” — Daniel 7:22.

This speaks of the saints, in that the authority to judge was given to the saints.

The language used in Daniel 7:22 is basically the same language that is used of Jesus in John 5:22:

For neither does the Father judge any man, but he has given all judgment to the Son. — World English.

Additionally, Paul states:

Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? — 1 Corinthians 6:2.

And we also read:

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly I tell you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. — Matthew 19:28.

Likewise, John wrote prophetically of those who participate in the first resurrection:

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. — Revelation 20:4.

Furthermore, the Hebrew word translated as given in Daniel 7:27 is the same word that is used in Daniel 7:27, which states:

And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.

In Daniel 7:27, it is not that the kingdom is given on behalf of the saints, but rather it means that the kingdom is given to the saints, and they actually receive the authority and power to rule. Likewise, in Daniel 7:22, it is not that the judgment is given on behalf of the saints, but rather the power and authority are given to the saints so that they judge both the world of mankind and the angels.  -- 1 Corinthians 6:2,3.

The Ancient of Days is said to come to judge, and also the Son comes to judge, but by a comparison of scriptures, we realize that the Ancient of Days comes to judge representatively through, or by means of his Son, whom he has ordained. (Acts 17:31) As we stated, however, none of this means that Jesus and his God are both one God, etc. Any such thought has to imagined and assumed upon what the scriptures actually say.

But the real point is that he who is like a son of a man is brought before He who is "Ancient of Days." Jesus, being brought before the Ancient of Days, is therefore not the Ancient of Days before whom he brought.

The Ancient of Days corresponds to He who is on the throne, He who is, was, and is to come, of Revelation 1:4,8; 4:8-10; 5:1,7; 6:16; 7:10,15; 19:4; 21:5.

He who is like a son of a man in Daniel 7:13 corresponds to the figurative "lamb" of Revelation 5:6,8,12,13; 6:1,16; 7:9,10,14,17 and he who is like a son of a man in Revelation 1:13; 14:14. In Daniel 7:13, the one like a son of man is brought before the Ancient of Days; in Revelation 5:7, the lamb is pictured as coming before He who is the throne, and takes the book out of the right hand of him who is on the throne. Jesus, therefore, is not being pictured in Daniel 7 as the Ancient of Days, but as the one who is brought before the Ancient of Days.

Some Related Studies:


Son of Man and Son of God


Comments/Objections

One has presented several objections/assertions regarding our conclusion that the Ancient of Days refers not to Jesus, but to his God. We are addressing these one at a time below:

1) "Since Jesus Christ has no beginning of Days nor end of life." The fact is, no scripture presents such an idea. Some may read such an idea into Hebrews 7:3, but that is not what it says. See our study:

2) "And since he is God." Assuming "God" here to mean "Supreme Being," the fact is that no scripture presents Jesus as being the Supreme Being. In the Bible, only the God and Father of Jesus is presented as being the Supreme Being. See our study:

3) "The reference you provided is provided by the Holy Spirit to help us distinguish between the Father and the Son." Since the one God of whom are all (1 Corinthians 8:6) is always distinguished from being the Son of the one God of whom are all, yes, the same distinction is presented in Daniel 7.

This statement, however, is evidently meant to refer to the trinitarian 3 persons of God. Since the Bible never presents the one God of whom are all (1 Corinthians 8:6) as being more than one person, the idea of distinguishing the imagined and assumed persons of the imagined and assumed trinitarian God scripturally has no relevance to Daniel 7.

4) "As God, Jesus had no beginning!" Again, assuming "God" to mean Supreme Being, no scripture presents Jesus as the Supreme Being, and no scripture presents Jesus as having no beginning, although this idea is read into several scriptures. See links to various studies provided on our page:

5) "As a man, he came into existence approximately 2,000 years ago in the little town of Bethlehem." This we agree with; the Logos of God, who was with God, was before he became flesh, a mighty spirit being, but he was not the Supreme Being whom he had been with. The body (substance) that Jesus had before he became flesh was that which Paul likened to a celestial body -- substance), which Paul contrasts with the terrestrial, flesh, physical body (substance). (1 Corinthians 15:39-41) Jesus, while he was in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), possessed the sinless glory of a human being (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5), a little lower than the angels. -- Psalm 8:4,5; Hebrews 2:6-9.

Before he became flesh, however, he had a different glory -- a different body (substance), the celestial glory, which he asked to be returned to him. Thus, he did not possess two forms of substance at once, as trinitarians and oneness believers claim. -- John 17:5.

See our studies on Jesus' Prehuman Existence

6) "The Jewish understanding of God only permits for the belief in a Mono (singular) theistic understanding." Monotheism, as a word, is defined outside of the Bible. As such it is not in the Bible. The Jewish adoption of this term, we believe, is appropriate; however, the definition given is the belief that there is only one God. "God" with a capital "G" usually refers to the Supreme Being. The Bible does present only one Supreme Being, and Paul identifies that one Supreme Being as being the God and Father of Jesus. -- 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3.

If however, "monotheism" is defined as meaning that forms the Hebrew and Greek words for God (often transliterated as EL and THEOS) cannot be used of any except Jehovah or false gods, this would be incorrect, since the Bible does use these words of many others than Jehovah or false gods, and thus they can be used also of the Son of the Most High without meaning that Jesus is the Most High Jehovah. See our study:

7) "The Schema of Deuteronomy 6:4 allows for a unified plurality of being for the Lord." We are assuming that this is meant to say that there is something written in Deuteronomy 6:4 that gives meaning to the trinitarian claim that Jehovah is three persons. Some claim that the word "one" can mean more than one person, and it can, as speaking of one group, a figurative body, a family, etc. In such cases, however, one member of the group is never equal to the totality of the group. If this is applied to the trinity doctrine, it would mean that Jesus is part of, but not wholly and fully, the Supreme Being; it would mean that the Father is part of, but not wholly and fully the Supreme Being, and likewise with Jehovah's Holy Spirit. The reality is that there is nothing in Deuteronomy 8:6 that supports the trinitarian claims. For more related to this, see our study: