Daniel has a Vision of Four Animals Coming up from the Sea, 1-14
7:1 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream filled with visions while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion. 7:2 Daniel explained: “I was watching in my vision during the night as the four winds of the sky were stirring up the great sea. 7:3 Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another.
7:4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind was given to it.
7:5 “Then a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’
7:6 “After these things, as I was watching, another beast like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back. This beast had four heads, and ruling authority was given to it.
7:7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visions a fourth beast appeared—one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. It had two large rows of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.
7:8 “As I was contemplating the horns, another horn—a small one—came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things.
7:9 “While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame.
7:10 A river of fire was streaming forth
and proceeding from his presence.
Many thousands were ministering to him;
Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him.
The court convened
and the books were opened.
7:11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into the flaming fire. 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living for a time and a season. 7:13 I was watching in the night visions,
“And with the clouds of the sky
one like a son of man was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before him.
7:14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away.
His kingdom will not be destroyed.
‘This passage [7-14] lies at the very heart of the book of Daniel, and is probably the most important scene in the entire work in terms of its impact upon subsequent Jewish and Christian thought. ‘ (Harper’s Bible Commentary)
The court was seated –
‘The background to this is the divine council motif, which is common in ancient Near Eastern texts. Among Israel’s polytheistic neighbors there would be a chief god who was king and head of the pantheon. The lesser gods served as part of his court and privy council. In Israel, of course, there was only supposed to be one God. The other heavenly beings were not normally called deities, but they were part of his council (1 Kgs. 22:19–22; Job 1–2; Pss. 82; 89:6–8; Isa. 6:1–7; Jer. 23:18). Psalm 82 is unusual because it does seem to allow that the members of the heavenly assembly were gods (Ps. 82:1). But God judges them and condemns them to death (Ps. 82:6–7). It concludes with a prayer that God will “rise up” and “judge the earth” (Ps. 82:8). Psalm 96 also proclaims God as judge: “he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with his truth” (Ps. 96:13). In the NT, Jesus promises twelve thrones for his disciples so that they might judge Israel (Matt. 19:28). There are also thrones in heaven for the twenty-four elders (Rev. 4:4).’ (Nelson)
One like a son of man – ‘This figure is True Man by contrast with the beasts. He is able to bear the holiness of God and remain in his presence. In this figure the rock of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan 2:35, 44–45) becomes a man in whom the true image of God shines forth (Gen 1:26–28), the Messianic Man who will be God’s true regent (cf. Pss 2:8; 8:4–8; 72:1–11, 17; Heb. 2:5–9; 12:28).’ (NBC)
Waltke & Ue observe:
‘Jesus appropriated to himself the title Son of Man in Daniel 7:13, though in Daniel the epithet refers to the kingdom of Israel in contrast to the bestial nations that ruled prior to the advent of the kingdom of God in the Messiah. In any case, Jesus is the quintessential expression of that kingdom.’
(An Old Testament Theology)
The clouds of heaven – Consistently suggestive, in the OT, of a theophany. ‘The act of coming with clouds suggests a theophany of Yahweh himself. If Dan. 7:13 does not refer to a divine being, then it is the only exception out of about seventy passages in the O.T.’ (J.A. Emerton)
He approached the Ancient of Days – The LXX translates this, ‘He came as the Ancient of Days’.
Davis comments:
‘The text is saying to you: ‘Here, you must see this scene [9–14] behind the “seen” [7–8]: the majestic Judge [9–10] and reigning King [13–14] have mortgaged none of their sovereignty over history and its scourges.’ Seeing this secret behind history may not keep God’s people from pain but should keep them from panic; we may still be fearful but should not be frantic.’
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