The following are some examples of either Joseph Smith or his contemporaries offering reasons for identifying the "Ancient of Days" in Daniel 7 with Michael and/or Adam:
Ancient of Days.— one came to the
Ancient of Days—Many suppose this was the son. after jud[g]ment. sat son of man
comes to Ancient of Days. the most Ancient man of God that lived in days. else
he could not have been the Ancient of Days. Father Adam is to come, and
organize a great Council to prepare for the coming of the 2d advent— Jesus
comes to the Ancient of Days (Minutes
and Discourses, 6–8 April 1843: [86-87]
The last revelation says ye shall
not have time to have gone over the Earth until these things come. It will come
as did the Cholera. war. & fires burning Earthquake one pestilence after
another &c until until the Ancient of Days come then judgment will
be given to the Saints. (Discourse,
between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Willard
Richards)
With these feelings, and desires,
and believing that, that Being, who holds the destinies of nations of the earth
in his hands, will overrule all things for the furtherance of the work, which
he has set his hands to perform in these days, till the throne shall be cast
down, The Ancient of days sit and the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness
of the Kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the
Saints of the most high— Whose kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and dominions
shall serve and obey him (Elias
Smith, Letter with postscript by Joseph Smith, to Elias Higbee, March 7, 1840;
Joseph’s postscript reads “I heartily concur in the above sentiment”)
Commencing with Adam who was the first man who is spoken of in Daniel as being or “the Ancient of Days” in other words the first and oldest of all, the great grand progenitor of whom it is said in another place he is Michael because he was the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but — — — — the first to hold the Spiritual blessings to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the Salvation of his posterity unto the end and to whom Christ was first revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven and will continue to be revealed from henceforth. Adam holds the keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times, i.e. the dispensation of all the times, have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning to Christ and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are to be revealed Ephesians 1st. ch 9 & 10 (Comments recorded from October 5, 1840 as found in History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]: 16 [addenda])
So shall it be with my father: he shall be called a prince
over his posterity, holding the keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the
kingdom of God on earth, even the Church of the Latter Day Saints; and he shall
sit in the general assembly of patriarchs, even in council with the Ancient of
Days when he shall sit and all the patriarchs with him— and shall enjoy his
right and authority under the direction of the Ancient of Days (Blessing
to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835)
And again I understand from
Daniel, Chap. VII. 13. verse that this person like unto the Son of man will
receive his kingdom when the Ancient of Days shall sit and not before; and I
further understand at that time this character will appear as the Deliverer who
Paul says is to come out of Zion; and that then the saints shall prevail, and
at length possess the earth. (Gladden
Bishop, Letter to Joseph Smith, September 26, 1843)
In the course of the lecture he
threw much light on the subject of the “Ancient of Days,” showing him not to be
the Lord Jesus Christ, nor God the Father, but that he is old father Adam, who
shall sit as a great patria[r]ch at the head of the whole family; when the
second Adam, the Lord fom heaven, the Son of Man shall come with the clouds,
and come to the Ancient of Days, and the saints should take the kingdom, and
the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, according to Daniel,
chapter vii. ("Latter
Day Saints, or Mormons," in Times and Seasons 3, no. 17 [July
1, 1842]: 835)
Further Reading