Deeper Reflection
The “one like a son of man” who is given an everlasting kingdom in Daniel’s vision (vv.13-14) is representative of “the saints of the Highest One” who will receive an everlasting kingdom (v.18).⁴⁶ Fallen humanity corrupts their God-intended dominion over all the earth (Gen 1:26-28) “into domination and ends up creating power structures like the empires of Daniel’s vision, which are ‘bestial.’ The investiture of this ‘son of man’ [vv.13-14] restores the rightful rule of humanity, which, in the true image of God, will be ‘humane’.”⁴⁷Psalm 8 speaks of the restoration of the rightful rule of humanity (Psa 8:4-8), which the writer of Hebrews calls “the world to come” (Heb 2:5). But God’s crowning of man “with glory and honour” with “all things in subjection under his feet” is a reality that “now we do not yet see” (Psa 8:5-6; Heb 2:8). Psalm 8 is eschatological, which is interpreted Christologically in Hebrews: “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than angels, namely Jesus” who was “crowned with glory and honour” (Heb 2:9). How was Jesus crowned? Through “the suffering of death” (Heb 2:9). It is through the cross that Psalm 8 will be fulfilled in us – “the saints of the Highest One” (v.18): “in bringing many sons to glory” through the “sufferings” of Christ (Heb 2:10). We belong to the already-andnot-yet Kingdom of God, in which we reign with Christ in His glory through suffering with Him (Rom 8:16-17), which is unpacked in Daniel 7:19-27. Indeed, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

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⁴⁶ Gordon Wong, 102; Christopher J. H. Wright, 157 ⁴⁷ Christopher J. H. Wright, 157