The Coronation of the Son of Man
-Earth’s New Ruler
Daniel 7:9-14, 26, 27
-Earth’s New Ruler
Daniel 7:9-14, 26, 27
As this vision proceeds Daniel says:
“I continued watching until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat...11 “I continued watching then because of the noise of the boastful words of the horn who was speaking; I continued watching until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed, and it was given over to burning with fire. And as for the remainder of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but a prolongation of their life was given to them for a season and a time. “I continued watching in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages would serve him; his dominion is a dominion without end that will not cease, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.”
Then the court will sit, and his [the eleventh king’s] dominion will be removed, to be eradicated and to be destroyed totally. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the nation of the holy ones of the Most High; his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey him.”
This vision runs parallel to the vision in Revelation Chapters 4 and 5 where the Lamb is given the seven-sealed scroll. The vision in Daniel was not fulfilled when Jesus ascended to God’s right hand, but rather it is a future event. This is evident for the following reasons:
The time of the visions does not harmonize with the first century ascension of Jesus.
The vision of Revelation 4 and 5 was given in c. A.D. 96, long after Jesus had ascended. The court sits in judgment when the antichrist—the eleventh king—has his yet future dominion removed (Dan. 7:26).
The Psalm 110:1 prophecy shows Jesus’ rulership to begin after an interval of his sitting at God’s right hand so that he did not receive the kingdom at his ascension.
Hebrews 10:13 quotes Psalm 110 to show Jesus “waiting” so that the rulership is to be granted long after the ascension.
In both Daniel 7 and Revelation 5 Jesus is not on a throne but “came to the Ancient of Days” and was standing in front of “him who was seated on the throne.” This moves us to a time when Jesus is no longer sitting at God’s right hand.
MESSIAH “CAME TO THE ANCIENT OF DAYS”
Indeed, the throne to which Christ ascended in the first century is not the throne of these visions. When Jesus ascended, he “passed through the heavens” (Heb. 4:14) and “also ascended far above all the heavens” (Eph. 4:10). God’s throne is even above “the heaven of heavens” (1 Kings 8:27). So, this is God’s permanent, eternal throne. However, when Jesus is given the Kingdom, he will have his own throne (Matt. 25:31; Luke 1:32; Rev. 3:21)—one that never previously existed, except in prophecy. Indeed, Daniel 7:13 is not about ascension.
JESUS’ PRESENT POSITION
The present position and service of Christ is not that which is disclosed in these visions. In fact:
Jesus’ present work in heaven is that of intercession as helper/advocate and high priest (John 17:9; 1 John 2:1, 2; Heb. 4:14). He ministers to the needs of the seven communities of God’s people and not to the world. His work includes judging those of “the household of God” (1 Pet. 4:16, 17).
However, the moment Jesus is standing and takes the seven sealed scroll (Rev. 5:8) a change occurs so that the priestly service on behalf of “the holy ones”—the Christians—is now rendered by the 24 elders (vs. 9).
Also, once Jesus takes the scroll his attention is focused on the world scene as portrayed in the scroll and leading to his pouring out of the wrath of God. So, his role changes as he breaks each of the seals of the scroll and is then as executioner of the judgments on mankind as stated in the scrolls. He then has the dominion that is detailed in Daniel 7.
NOT A FIRST CENTURY FULFILMENT
The details of Daniel 7 are distinctly against a first century fulfilment. Whatever view one takes of the timing for the arrival of the four beasts in Daniel 7 it is evident that the ten horns on the fourth beast and “the little horn” did not arise before the ascension of Jesus. Yet in Daniel 7 these events do occur before the coronation of the Son of man.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM
Along with the statement in Daniel 7:9-14 showing that, at his return to earth, Jesus is “given the kingdom” we also learn that, “the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom forever, forever and ever” (Dan. 7:18 LEB). This is restated later in the same chapter of Daniel when he is told that:
“...the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the nation of the holy ones of the Most High; his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey him” (Dan. 7:27 LEB).
This time period will include the destruction of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:8) and his followers immediately before the Kingdom is established. Also, because this will be a literal kingdom, this will undoubtedly be a time of the violent overthrow of the governments of the world which refuse to submit to Messiah’s rule (Ps. 2). This will also be a time when believers “will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5).
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