In the book, The Approaching End of the Great Prophetic Periods (1897), J.B. Dimbleby wrote the following about the identity of the “Ancient of Days” in Dan 7 wherein he argued for the traditional view (i.e., the “Ancient of Days” being God the Father):
ORDER IN
THE JUDGMENT BY THE ANCIENT OF DAYS.
The following is an outline of
the Great Assize, to be held by the Ancient of Days:
THE
ORDER.
1 The thrones are set or placed.
See Rev. 20:5.
2 The Ancient of Days, or
Everlasting God, in person, comes. See Rev. 4:2, 3, and Heb. 12:23. Compare
with "came" in Dan. 7:22 J.B. Dimbleby, The Approaching End of the
Great Prophetic Periods [Belle Plaine, Iowa: The Evangelist Office, 1897],
63)
However, in a note to the above, the editor George M. Myers
(1842-1908), pastor of the Restitution Church of God, Irving, Iowa., disagrees
with the identification of the “Ancient of Days” with the “Everlasting God,”
and instead argues for the Ancient of Days being a corporate identity:
REMARK 2 We are not satisfied
with No. "2" above that the Ancient of Days is the Everlasting God.
In Daniel 7:26, 27 about the official work is assigned to the people, the
saints of the Most High, that is ascribed to the Ancient of Days in verse 9. It
the term "saints" refers to the saints of this dispensation, then
they will be resurrected ones. If the saints of the former dispensation, the
Saints of Daniel's day and people, then they may be the people of Ancient of
Days, as the Greek word "Palaios" of v. 9 is defined, "Old,
former, not new or recent, 'ere now." (Ibid., 66)
In his 1901 book of biblical-inspired fiction, Over the
Border: From the Resurrection to the Millennium, featuring many imagined
conversations between biblical figures, Myers’ understanding of the “Ancient of
Days” being assigned to the Messiah and/or a corporate body is further
explicated:
Jeremiah then arose and said: “My
companion in trials and tribulation—Daniel—has given us a very interesting
description of the term ‘Ancient of Days,’ though used by him in his vision
after I had left Palestine for the western isles, yet interesting to me because
of his application of the phrase to our ancient people Israel. And his language
thus indicating that Israel would be a power up to the very date of Messiah's
Kingdom, reminds me of the vision shown me that Israel was to become God’s
battle-axe and weapons of war for the breaking of the nations, and the
destruction of kingdoms. How much I would like to know more of our people, as L
have learned that my sleep in death has been a long one, reaching almost 2500
years.” (G.M. Myers, Over the Border: From the Resurrection to the Millennium
[Beatrice, Nebr.: 1901], 189-90)
Cleopas here remarked to
Mordecai: “How much I have enjoyed your talk, and to learn of this conference
and its descisions. I have well understood that the introduction of the kingdom
is near. That this is the next event marked on the horoscope, but how this
would be brought about I have not comprehended. Now this appears to me plain,
except one point I have so often read in the prophecy of Daniel, and that is,
that Jesus, the Son of man, is to be invested with pow er by the Ancient of
Days.”
Mordecai in reply said: “But did
you not see in these Elders of the Jews and the Anglo-Saxon consuls a
description of Daniel’s Ancient of Days —men aged, venerable, and heads as
white as the northern snows? Men having authority. Men whose governments have
cast down—placed for occupation thrones, and sit upon these thrones these many,
many years, and therefore, have authority to give a kingdom which will grow
into an extensive dominion?”
“But see this venerable council,”
said Silas, “comes forth from the camp of the Jews! What noble characters they
appear to be. Mow white their heads and how grand their attire! Surely these
are Daniel’s Ancient of days.”
“Yes,” said Mordecai, “rather
representatives of a people from of old, of ancient days. These are none other
than the representatives of ancient Israel. This is the Ancient of Days as seen
by Daniel.”
“But see,” said Cleopas, “our
cloud is drawing nigh to this company! How Daniel’s prophecy is here fulfilled!
One like the Son of Man conies in the clouds of heaven, and is invested in
power. And see! David goes forth. He is the Lord’s Prince and representative.
These incidents are national secrets that are for prudence generally withheld
from the masses. But here Jesus is rendered manifest, and David becomes known
to them as to who he is, and that he is the Messiah’s representative from the
cloud, while the Prince of the Jews here becomes his representative upon the
plane of humanity.
Nathaniel then remarked, “See,
David and the Prince from the Jewish camp join each other. And now they
approach these representatives of a people of Ancient Days.”
“The transfer of power is here to
be made under the canopy of the Cloud, lifted up by the light of Divine
presence,” said Mordecai. “What a grandeur presented in this Cloud to this
company! If possible a grander scene presented here than Peter, John and James
saw upon the top of the mountain when in vision Moses and Elijah appeared with
Jesus. A grander scene than when the Law was given at Sinai, but not so
terrible.
“And now see, a chief spokesman
of these consuls addresses the Jewish Prince and David, and transfers the
original protectorate papers, and documents of transfer of power and authority,
and the Kingdom, and a promise of a dominion to follow. Yes, they are ready to
transfer their entire kingdoms. But David is not authorized to receive more,
but in an address he informs them that they are God’s battle axe for the
breaking of the nations, and that their alliance and power will be needed and
called for.”
“Now that the transfer has been
made and Jesus is invested with power as the Father has ordered it,” said
Cleopas, “the cloud rises from over the scene, David returns to the General
Assembly, the Jewish Elders with their Prince return to the Jewish camp, and
the Anglo-Saxon consuls, with the retinue of officers, move away to the west to
their encampments.”
Paul then remarked, “We now have
received a kingdom, of its permanency, I saw as one that can not be removed.”
(Ibid., 289-91)
. . . Peter, John and James
prostrate at Messiah's feet while Moses and Elijah sit with him. Here, see,
Moses arises and addresses the Messiah and surrenders to him all his rights and
claims as to a law giver and takes his seat at his feet as subject to his will.
And now Elijah as a chief of the prophets addresses him in the same way as did
Moses and sits at his feet. But Hark! hold! what is this voice from the cloud!
Hear its words: ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.’
Now that the Ancient of days have
invested our Messiah with their power; that Moses has surrendered his claims as
a law giver; that Elijah has surrendered as a prophet his claims, and that God
has commanded us to hear the Messiah truly he is invested with all power to
reign.”
Cleopas here said, “But Mordecai,
I see now in the hands of the Messiah a book that is sealed. Can it be that
there are revelations yet to be made? Or does it contain in it some new law, or
may it not be the book of judgments to be yet visited upon the world ? O, could
we know! But patiently we will await and hear of this later and learn of its
contents.”
Mordecai replied: “Yes, this book
you see in the Messiah's hand is one I saw delivered to him by the Ancient of
Days some weeks ago when the Ancient of Days invested him with power. But see,
an angel arises. He appears to be troubled. He is inspecting the book! He is
examining the seals of the book. Listen, he cries with a voice that can be
heard not only throughout all the Great Palace but all over the entire City,
‘Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals?’ And now the angels
converse and finally decide that there is none among all their retinue in
heaven, nor of those who have been changed on earth, nor of those of the saints
raised from the dead that are worthy.” (Ibid., 304-5)
