DANIEL'S NIGHT VISIONS

Son of Man-Daniel

[Dan. 7:13-13]

            What an experience to be chosen by God to be a prophet who is allowed to see the future long before it happens in what is called a night vision and to know it is to be a major treatise for the end of the age* in which he lived.

            He saw the Ancient of Days reigning, He saw one like the Son of Man joining Him [Psalms 110:1; Luke 20:42-43] at some point in time as the Son receives three things from the Ancient of Days at the completion of His work. He saw that men from the whole earth "might"  serve Him and that His rule over these men once established would endure forever in a kingdom never to be destroyed as the others he would envision up to that final kingdom.

            Daniel realized that since the kingdom still wasn't established in his vision, death was in his future. Is it any wonder that Daniel says his spirit was distressed after seeing the events [Dan. 7:15].  "As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me." 

            The question arises 'when did these events begin to take place?'

            The apostle John recognized the moment as he wrote in his letter, recalling the very words of the Son of Man [beginning with John 12:23].

            The Brethren are very adamant about the practice of the upper room experience commanded by the Son of Man. John being one of the two disciples preparing this room as recorded in John 13.

            The chapter division begins with a transitory word "Now." Something has just been staged for what Jesus was about to institute and teach. What was occurring was symbolically picturing of the Son of Man's complete work of perfecting those who might serve Him for eternity in a received kingdom, commanding those to follow His example, being one of the night visions that Daniel saw. Jesus said this in John 12:23 "And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." What Daniel foresaw in his night vision.

            Daniel saw "with the clouds of heaven {glory clouds-Luke 21:27}, One like the Son of Man [Jesus-long awaited Messiah] coming up [ascension-Acts 1:9-10; John 6:62] to the Ancient of Days and was presented [transfigured-Matt. 17:2] before Him." And because of His success, three things were given to Him:

1. Dominion-Matt. 28:18; John 13:3

2. Glory-John 12:23

3. A kingdom Luke 22:29

            As Daniel kept seeing in these night visions, such things as was recorded in Luke 22:21, 48, 53 he was distressed in his spirit. He saw a road of sorrow leading to what he was hoping to occur in his lifetime. In these visions he saw a kingdom established whose character is of heaven  which supplants and judges [Dan. 7:10] political rulers and realms over the entire earth.

            Daniel now knew that death awaited him without the establishment of the long awaited kingdom, but the last recorded words of his book were his great hope, '"But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age." 

                Might we grow in that same hope and not grow weary [2 Tim. 2:12] as the time approaches for our allotted portion at the end of the age.