1848, Nor. Pros. Id. 15 Nov. 1840, N. Y. Pres. James McLachlan........ June, 1798, Glasgow, Scot. 1826, Glas. Pres. Burgher. Preston H. Wylie.... Boyd McCullough. J. R. Lawson...... J. M. Armour.... James M. Dickson. Nathan M. Johnston...... 20 Sep. 75, Wilkinsburg, Pa. Syracuse, 1883, Prof. Westminster College. .Recd, by Synod, 28 May, 1851. Susp. 2 June, 1868, Synod. Lisbon. THIS divine title occurs three times in the Bible, in the 9th, 13th and 22d verses of the seventh chapter of Daniel. The person to whom it belongs occupies a central position in the vision contained in that chapter. It is important, in order to understand the interpretation of the vision and to show its historical fulfilment, to determine which of the divine persons is indicated by the designation "Ancient of Days," and in what relation to the other persons and to the church, he is revealed by it. The common interpretation of the title is, that it is the Father that is here meant, and that it exhibits him in his essential relation to the Son and the Holy Spirit. To this there is a doctrinal objection arising out of the title itself. The idea conveyed by the words is, remoteness of age; antiquity. This is the meaning of the word here rendered "ancient," in 1 Chron. 4:22," There are ancient things." The application of this term as a distinctive designation of the Father would imply a priority of existence to the other persons, and even a succession of duration in his own existence; both of which thoughts are irreconcilable with the co-eternity of the persons in the Godhead." It is designed in this article to show that the Son of God as Mediator is meant, and to present the proof on which this conviction rests. I. There is a remarkable likeness between the description of the Ancient of days by Daniel, and that of Jesus Christ, by John in the Revelation. Daniel 7:9, 10-"The Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Revelation 1: 13-16-" In the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." Chapter 19: 12, 13-" His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God." Chapter 20:11, 12-" And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God." Making allowance for the gorgeous imagery of the oriental languages, we see strong probability that the description by Daniel is of the person seen in vision by John; "the Alpha and Omega "-" he that liveth and was dead and is alive for evermore.' II. What is predicted of the Ancient of days cannot well be applied to any one but the Mediator. Daniel 7: 9, "The Ancient of days did sit." Verse 22, "The Ancient of days came.' Let it be noticed that in the first of these verses the sitting of the Ancient of days is the sequence of what is stated in regard to the thrones. There is good reason for reading the first part of this verse, "the thrones were set up." The Chaldee word is used to express the act of taking up and throwing the three Jewish youths into the fiery furnace, Daniel 3: 21; and Daniel into the lion's den, chap. 6:16. A cognate word in both Chaldee and Hebrew means to set up, to place in power. Daniel 5: 19, "Whom he would he set up." Psalm 75: 7, “ God is the judge, he putteth down one and setteth up another." And the Septuagint renders the word in the place before us by θρονοι ετέθησαν, "thrones were placed-established." And we have the authority of the best critics for our reading. Besides, the same event is manifestly alluded to in verse 26, "But the judgment shall sit." And we may add in Revelation 20:4, "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them." The event here referred to is that described in Revelation 11: 17, "Thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned, when Jesus shall have subdued the world to himself and established his kingdom of righteousness.* It was when the thrones were thus established that "the Ancient of days did sit." This indicates a change of position as it regards the world, entirely proper to the Mediator, but that cannot be predicated of the Father. He is not sent. He never operates immediately in the administration of the affairs of the world, but only by the Son and the Holy Spirit. Hence of him no change in his mode of operation can be supposed. It cannot be said of him, that after the thrones of righteousness shall be established, he shall sit as the immediate supreme arbiter of the affairs of men. "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." John 5:22. In verses 21, 22 we read: "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." Here the same line of argument as that presented above, will bring us to the same conclusion-that the Ancient of days is the Son of God as Mediator. When it is said, he came, it is evident that the idea is a manifestation of him such as had not been previously made. Until this took place the horn, a worldly oppres sive power, prevailed against the saints. The coming of the Ancient of days put an end to this. He set up righteous thrones. As proclaimed by voices from heaven at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, "the kingdoms of the world became our Lord's and his Christ's." Revelation 11: 15. Comparing these two passages in their respective connections, the con *The criticism is not at all essential to our argument. As the words stand in the translation, they are equally pertinent to our purpose. The criticism is necessary to a correct interpretation of the vision. clusion seems to be irresistible that they refer to the same event, and that the coming of the Ancient of days, and the taking of his great power and reigning, refer to the work of the enthroned Mediator, subduing all things to himself. Verse 13 presents the greatest difficulty in the way of our interpretation. "I saw in the night-visions, aud, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him." At first glance this might seem to refer to the grand pageant of the ascension of our Lord to the Father's right hand after his resurrection; and it has been so explained. But this is utterly inconsistent with the chronology of those prophetic events. It is after the Roman government, symbolized by the fourth beast, is slain and his body destroyed, that what is represented by this grand scene shall be enacted. The Roman empire was in its glory when our Lord ascended, and for a long time after. What Daniel here says he saw is a different presentation of the same great scene described in the verses of this chapter already explained. A literal translation of the Chaldee of this verse may give some aid in ascertaining its meaning. "I was looking into the visions of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man he came, and to the Ancient of days he drew near, and into his presence they brought him." The comparison is, we apprehend, not between persons, but between movements or scenes. That which now attracts the prophet's attention is an advent of the Messiah, which the Jews were taught by their prophets to expect, Isa. 59: 20 (compare Rom. 11:26); 62: 11; and to which our Lord when on earth more than once referred to as "the coming of the Son of man.' Matt. 24: 37, 39. It was a manifestation of his presence in these providential movements that precede his enthronement as "King of kings and Lord of lords."* This Daniel personified. Similar language and for the same purpose is used, Isaiah 63: 1, "Who is this that cometh from Edom? with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength?" As there is no neuter pronoun in the Chaldee language, we can, by dropping the personal idea, change he into it, and read the description thus: "As the Son of man it came to the Ancient of days, drew near, and into his presence they brought it." Daniel saw, set forth by appropriate imagery, the approach and development of that dispensation that is to enthrone the Mediator as Lord of all." Mark with what precision the language employed points to the mode of accomplishing the event. It came, this ideal person came, to the Ancient of days, it drew nigh. The Mediator, in the administration of his providential kingdom, is so directing the affairs of men as to bring about their subjection to him without their co-operation and, to a great extent, in op position to them. In mysterious ways he is managing and controlling kingdoms and empires with this end in view, and moving the wheels of the complex machinery forward towards this consummation. And when his plans are wrought out, and the time has come for those most interested in the grand movement to act, his Spirit shall be poured out, and "the people shall be made willing in the day of his power." Then by acclamation he shall be proclaimed King of nations, the Lord of the whole earth. The willing people will then "Bring forth the royal diadem, Robinson says: *The Greek word naρovora must, in these passages in Matthew and some others, be understod in this sense. It is spoken of the coming of Christ for the destruction of the Jewish dispensation," and gives as instances, Matt. 24: 3, 27, 37, 39, and also "of the coming, i. e. manifestation of the man of sin." 2 Thess. 2:9. |