Robert Gresham Huggins (1877-1955) was a pastor with The Church of God Abrahamic Faith.
Who Is the Ancient of Days? I
would like to ask you a question—Who is the Ancient of Days spoken of in
Daniel, 7th chapter—Mrs. A. M. Castle
REPLY. The Ancient of Days is
spoken of three times in Daniel 7th chapter, (verses 9, 13, 32). A critical
reading of these verses will show you that the prophet is speaking about two
personages: one called “the Ancient of Days;” the other, “the Son of Man.” That
Jesus is the Son of Man is admitted without demonstration; and that by the
Ancient of Days his Father is meant must be obvious from the fact that the Son
of Man is represented as subordinate to the Ancient of Days. The superiority of
the Ancient of Days over the Son is apparent in such statements as, “The Son of
Man came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him (the son) near before
him” (the Ancient of Days) v. 13. The son is said to “come to the Ancient of
Days,” and to be “brought near before him,” before he was “given dominion, and
glory, and a kingdom” (v. 14). What is meant by, “And they brought him near
before him,” and “There was given him a kingdom,” is lucidly explained by Christ’s
parable of the Nobleman in the 19th chapter of Luke. It was the Roman custom
for all officials of the provinces, before assuming the throne of government,
to make a journey to Rome, the Eternal City, so-called. They were “brought
near” the Emperor in stately style, and then they received from him legal
authority or title deeds of their office. Basing his parable upon this Roman
custom, Christ represents himself as a Nobleman “going into a far country to
receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ’ V. 12. “And it came to pass,
when he had returned, having received the kingdom.’’ V. 15. One grand purpose
of Christ’s going to the “far country” (heaven), was to “receive for himself a
kingdom.” He was “brought near” the Ancient of Days for this very purpose, that
he might receive “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, and
nations, and languages, should serve him. These things are promised to him, and
he is heir of them all, but they have not yet been “given” (Dan. 7: 14) to him;
as is manifest from the fact that “all people, nations, and languages” are
serving Gentile rulers, and especially that system of government represented by
the Greco-Roman Dragon. But when the Son actually “receives for himself a
kingdom” he will “return” and “sit in Jerusalem, the Holy City (the true
Eternal City), to judge all the nations round about.” Joel 3: 12, 13. Then the
saints will “take the kingdom” (Dan. 7: 18, 27) and possess it with him.
Thus you see, Sister Castle, that
while the prophecy discriminates between the Ancient of Days and the Son of
Man, representing the first as superior to the second, yet in the same chapter
the two are blended, and the Son of man is called the Ancient of Days. Verses
9, 22. The description of the Son in the 9th verse compared with the
description of Christ in Rev. 1: 12-17 shows they are the same person. How the
Ancient of Days can be both the Father and the Son may be a little confusing
for a moment, but a few thoughts about the manifestation of the Eternal Father
in flesh will clarify the subject. Though the Father is primarily the Ancient
of Days, and though he is judge of all (Dan. 7: 10), yet he has delegated to
his Son all power in heaven and in earth. Matt. 28: 18. “He has,” to use the
language of our Master, “committed all judgment unto the Son;” so it is true in
fact that the Father “judgeth no man.” John 5: 22. God’s design in this
arrangement is that “all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the
Father.” V. 23. As he is God’s Son, like all other children, he has inherited
his Father’s name hence is called “the Everlasting Father” Isa. 9:7); “The Lord
of Hosts” (Zech. 14: 16; “Our God” (Psa. 30: 3); “the God of the Whole earth.”
Isa. 54: 5; Jude 14, and the Ancient of Days. (Robert G. Huggins, The Bible:
Its Principles and Texts [Cleveland: 1973], 145-147)