Chapter 7:13-28.
IN verse 13 a new scene is ushered in; the “Son of Man” comes with the clouds of heaven to the “Ancient of days,” and dominion, power, and glory are given to Him. The reason of His being thus presented in a double character is this: as “Son of Man” He has gained a right by his work on the cross, by His path on earth, to be made Head over all things. (See Heb. 2., Phil. 2.) As such He rules over the kingdoms of this world, administering them as the faithful servant, till He delivers them up to God even the Father, that God may be all in all. (See 1 Cor. 15.) Thus we have the Lord Jesus Christ in two characters here―as the “Ancient of days”―the one who has been of old from everlasting, and as the “Son of Man.” 1St As the One who is “before all things,” and 2nd As the One “for whom” all things were created, both things “that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.” (Colossians 1)
In verse 17 and 18 we find the interpretation of this vision, which states two facts, one we have already looked at, viz., That the four beasts are our kings which shall arise out of the earth: Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Alexander, and the “Little Horn.” Secondly, A point not yet noticed is added, and it is that the saints of the Most High would take the kingdom; the beasts being set aside. Notice here the word “Most High,” which we have seen in the earlier chapters of this book to be the millennial name of Christ as “the possessor of heaven and earth.” (Genesis 14:1919And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (Genesis 14:19).) It should, however, be read according to the marginal reading (high places) in every verse but the 25th where it stands as it is, the name of Christ.
It occurs in various parts of the chapter in order to characterize the saints, for as we shall see a little lower down, there are more than one company of saints mentioned―those that belong to the heavens, and come with the “Son of Man” in His glory, for “the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (Zechariah 14:55And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5)); and “when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4,4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) also Matthew 13:4343Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:43)); and those that are on the earth―the suffering remnant, so fully described in the Psalms and Prophets (Zechariah 13:99And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:9)), give us their character. Daniel and his companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Obednego, are types of them.
The saints then that belong to the heavens and come with the Son of Man, take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. (See Revelation 20:4,4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4) and 1 Corinthians 6:22Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2).)
Precious truth, blessed end for them, after all their wanderings, in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth; being accounted “the filth, the off-scouring of the earth,” they have been through “a time of patience, for His name’s sake, have” labored and not fainted,” but now their reward is given. The world which had cast them out, sees them coming with the Son of Man in power and great glory,” taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The saints which are thus brought upon the scene form an important part of the rest of the chapter; in the first part we merely have the history of the beasts, now we have the saints as well, and find the beast persecuting them, but more than that, he prevails against them; only, however, till the “Ancient of days” comes, which soon puts a stop to it all. These are the times our Lord speaks of in Matthew 24. and so fully in the Old Testament Scriptures.
Note as well, that here in verse 22, it is the “Ancient of days” comes, he is thus identified with the One who has the dominion given to Him in verse 14, the “Son of Man” of Psalms 8.
But we find at the close of verse 22 Saints mentioned again, who possess the kingdom on its being taken by the “Ancient of days,” they are those who are spared, or who have escaped on the earth during the time of persecution, and who inherit the earthly kingdom, partaking of the long promised blessings to Abraham’s seed, as well as comprising the heavenly saints who possess the kingdom, inasmuch as they have the judgment of it given to them; “for unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come.”
Thus, in verse 22, we have both the heavenly and earthly saints brought before us as the result of the appearing of the Ancient of days, and the consequent judgment on the little horn.
In verse 23 the historical details of this “fourth beast” begin; it is not a consolidated empire, as we have already seen, (see verse 7,) but divided into ten parts; it is nevertheless terrible in its actions, ravaging the whole earth. During the existence of these ten kingdoms, the “little horn” arises from out of their midst. He is different from the ten and subdues “three” of them. We have this verse explained more fully by Revelation 13:1-101And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1‑10); but the close of that chapter, be it remembered, is descriptive of the false prophet or Antichrist, though they are both “anti-Christian,” but he has more of the ecclesiastical character about him.
The summing up of the iniquity of this “little horn” is his speaking great words against the Most High; here (verse 25) the name is used with reference to God, and is not characteristic of the saints; but more than that, he vents his malice by seeking to wear out the saints of God on the earth, who have refused to acknowledge him, but confess the name and authority of God as the lawful ruler, not of heaven only, but of the earth as well. Many of these as we may gather from the book of Revelation, are slain by him, but if thus losing an earthly kingdom, they have instead on the Revelation of the “Ancient of days,” a place in the heavenly one. (Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4).) Some, however, will escape, and are the elect, for whose sake these days shall be’ shortened; but the Jewish laws and feasts will be given into his hand, only however for “three years and a half.” Here it is that the dates come in, and we find their use, that they are given by God to be a comfort to His beloved people; so that when their oppression is at the worst they may have a sure ground of hope, and know that soon the oppressor will have ceased, the enemy perished out of the land, their darkness be past away, and the “Sun of righteousness arise with healing on His wings.” For ourselves we need not to know the times or seasons; we are of the light, the children of the day. (1 Thessalonians 5) Our hope is in the coming of the Lord to take us to Himself.