Wednesday Bible Study Fellowship, May 21, 2008
The Ancient of Days
Daniel 7:9-14
I. God: The Ancient of Days (9-12)
A. Thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days takes His seat.
1. Compare Rev.4:1-4
2. John tells us there are 24 thrones
3. The Ancient of Days (literally: Advanced of Days) refers to God
4. The fire signifies purity (Ezekiel 1)
5. The wheels “…show the omnipresence of the divine throne of judgment…” (Klieforth in Keil and Delitzsch, pg.230) Note Ezekiel 1:18
6. We know that God’s throne is founded on:
a. righteousness and judgment (Ps.97:2)
b. purity (Ps.97:3)
c. underneath the throne is something like sapphire (Ex.24:10)
7. We know that myriads of angels minister to God (Deut.33:2)
8. The court is seated and the books are opened. This places the event at the time that God will judge the Antichrist. “In Daniel, the judgment is in heaven and relates to the little horn and the beast.” (Walvoord, pg.165)
B. The 24 elders (Rev.4:4)
1. Elder (presbuteros) a senior in age, a rank of office. “…in every case it carries the connotation of administrative or judicial authority, based essentially upon dignity of position arising largely out of length of experience.” (Daniel, Newell, pg.101)
2. Are they 12 representatives of Israel and 12 apostles? (Rev.5:9-10) “Thou…hast redeemed us to God…”
3. Others reject “us” as not in the original manuscripts.
4. We find the 24 elders in Revelation 11:16-18 where they appear to be distinct from the servants, prophets and saints.
5. A suggestion based upon “elders” as those who rule (Daniel, Newell, pg.103ff) is that:
a. Satan has his ruling hierarchy (Eph.6:12; Is.14:13-14; Rev.12:4; Dan.10:12-21; II Cor.10:45; Ezek.28:14; Jude 9)
b. God has His ruling hierarchy (Col.1:16; Jer.23:8; Is.14:13; Ezek.28:14, 16; Job 1:6; 2:1; I Kings 22:19-23; Dan.4:13, 17; Ps.103:20-21)
6. The court is seated (vs.10) and will render its verdict. It will take away the authority of the Antichrist. “This is brought forcibly before us in detail in Revelation 19:11-21” (Daniel, Newell, pg.106)
C. The books are opened (7:10)
1. Rev.20:12 speaks of the books being opened. This is after the millennium.
2. Daniel 7:10 & 11 are the opening of the books to judge the Antichrist and the false prophet. These are the first two to be cast into hell (Rev.19:20)
a. God has a book of evil deeds (Is.65:6)
b. God has a book of good deeds (Mal.3:16)
c. God has a book of life (Rev.20:15)
II. Jesus: The Son of Man (13-14
A. Jesus used the title “Son of Man” for Himself 69 times in the Synoptic Gospels and 12 times in the book of John!
B. Jesus is brought before God the Father. There the 5th kingdom is given to Him. We have had Babylon, Medio-Persia, Greece, Rome and now the eternal kingdom is given to Jesus!
1. Rev.1:7 states that Jesus comes with the clouds.
2. Acts 1:9 Jesus ascended with the clouds.
3. Acts 1:11 Jesus will return with the clouds.
C. Jesus now begins His Millennial Reign. We are told, for the first time in Scripture that we will reign with Jesus! (26, 27) We find this truth as well in:
1. I Cor.6:1-11
2. II Timothy 2:12 “We can be encouraged to endure now because we know that one day we will reign with Jesus.” “It is also a warning since our reigning with Christ later seems to depend upon our endurance now.” (Boice, pg.86). Note: Matthew 24:12-13.