Deeper Reflection
Daniel saw in his vision “one like a son of man” coming and was presented before the Ancient of Days (v.13). The description “one like a son of man” means that this being “appeared to be simply a mortal human being”³² . Elsewhere in the Old Testament, this phrase “son of man” “often distinguishes mere mortals from God”³³ – as in “God is not man…nor a son of man” (Num 23:19). But Daniel saw in this figure “something more to his humanity than merely God appearing in human shape”³⁴ , like God appearing to Abraham with His two angels as “three men” (Gen 18:1-2, 22). Daniel saw in this being both human and divine traits combined in one person.This son of man comes “with the clouds of heaven” (v.13), which is “a clear symbol of divine authority”³⁵ . In the Old Testament God alone rides on a cloud chariot: “Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud” (Isa 19:1; see also Psa 68:4; 104:3). And the Ancient of Days gives to this son of man authority, glory and sovereign power (v.14). But this authority and sovereignty are not simply the kind that God gives to human kings like Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan 5:18), for “all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him” (v.14, NIV). And he is given an everlasting and indestructible dominion (v.14), “a sovereignty which belongs to God Himself ”³⁶ .The God-man in Daniel’s vision who shares our humanity and also endowed with “the fullness of undiminished deity”³⁷ is Jesus – “the Son of Man…coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mk 14:62).

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³² Iain M. Duguid, 117 ³³ Iain M. Duguid, 117 ³⁴ Iain M. Duguid, 117 ³⁵ Iain M. Duguid, 117 ³⁶ Iain M. Duguid, 117 ³⁷ Iain M. Duguid, 117