“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. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples 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." (Daniel 7:13-14, emphasis added)
This messianic prophecy articulated through Daniel emphatically describes God ("Ancient of Days") as sitting in judgment over the conquered nations of rebellion. They are represented in context as various beasts, along with the establishment of the eternal throne of Jesus Christ His Son. He is clearly portrayed in this text as being sovereign over creation. He is thus a figure worthy of our worship. This vision reveals to us that both God the Father and God the Son rule over all creation.
This is the only occurrence in the Old Testament of the term "son of man" referring solely to the promised Jewish Messiah. Daniel wrote of Jesus Christ from the viewpoint of heaven, whereas the gospel writers described Him from an earthly vantage point. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven through the clouds. Now, He sits at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12). Christ has been given dominion over His eternal kingdom.
Moreover, the text of Daniel 7:13-14 can be paralleled with Revelation chapters four and five. In that context, we see that the Lamb of God alone is found to be worthy of opening the scroll declaring the inheritance of the nations. This takes place when the evil kingdoms of this world get eliminated forever. He has been given authority, glory, and power. Christ reigns with majestic glory for all eternity onward. He shares the throne of God. Christ is truly God incarnate.
Jerome wrote the following in his commentary on Daniel 7:13:
“And behold, there came One with the clouds of heaven like unto the Son of man.” He who was described in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar as a rock cut without hands, which also grew to be a large mountain, and which smashed the earthenware, the iron, the bronze, the silver, and the gold is now introduced as the very person of the Son of man, so as to indicate in the case of the Son of God how He took upon Himself human flesh; according to the statement which we read in the Acts of the Apostles: ‘Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up towards heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him going into heaven' (Acts 1:11)”.
Wayne A. Grudem provides further insight on the text of Daniel 7:13-14 being a messianic prophecy:
"Someone who had heavenly origin and who was given eternal rule over the whole world. The high priests did not miss the point of this passage when Jesus said, ‘Hereafter you will see the Son of man seated on the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven‘ (Matt. 26:46). The reference to Daniel 7:13-14 was unmistakable, and the high priest and his council knew that Jesus was claiming to be the eternal world ruler of heavenly origin spoken of in Daniel’s vision. Immediately they said, ‘He has uttered blasphemy…. He deserves death’ (Matt. 26:65-66).” (Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith, p. 238)
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