What does Daniel 7 mean?

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

Luke 22:69 For it was on the authority of the prophecy of Daniel that He intimated to them that He was the Son of man, Daniel 7:13 and of David's Psalm, that He would sit at the right hand of God.

Lactantius, The Epitome of the Divine Institutes Direct teaching

The prophet Daniel Daniel 7:13 had long before shown this, saying, I saw in the night vision, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

Then, too, is this same individual beheld as the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, and drawing near to the Ancient of Days, and receiving from Him all power and glory, and a kingdom.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

Daniel also foretold similar things: Daniel 7:13-14 I saw, he said, in a vision of the night, and, behold, one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven, and He came even to the Ancient of days.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

and He came to the Ancient of days, and stood before Him.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

Daniel 7:13 What I have advanced might have been sufficient concerning the designation in prophecy of the Son of man.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

...ny that the Virgin was human, which even Valentinus did not do. What now, if Christ is described in Daniel by this very title of Son of man? Is not this enough to prove that He is the Christ of prophecy? For if He gives Himself that title which was provided in the prophecy for the Christ of the Creator, He plainly offers Himself to be understood as the One to whom the prophet assigned it. But perhaps it can be regarded as a simple identity of names. Yet we have maintained that neither Christ nor Jesus ought to have been called by these names if they had any condition of diversity. But as regards the title Son of man, to the extent that it occurs by accident, to that same extent there is a difficulty in its occurring along with a casual identity of names. For it is pure accident, especially when the same cause does not appear by which the identity may be occasioned. Therefore, if Marcion's Christ is also said to be born of man, then he too would receive an identical title, and there would be two Sons of man, as also two Christs and two Jesuses. Therefore, since the title is the sole right of Him in whom it has a fitting reason, if it is claimed for another in whom there is an ide

Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Supporting witness

In such wise, therefore, did Daniel predict concerning Him, as to show both when and in what time He was to set the nations free;

Daniel 7:13 Direct teaching

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

Daniel 7:14 Direct teaching

And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:3 Direct teaching

And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Daniel 7:17 Direct teaching

These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

3. And four great beasts. As various beasts then were shown to the blessed Daniel, and these different from each other, we should understand that the truth of the narrative deals not with certain beasts, but, under the type and image of different beasts, exhibits the kingdoms that have risen in this world in power over the race of man.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

...t. For as the prophet saw a great sea, so the king saw a great image. And again, as the prophet saw four beasts, which he interpreted as four kingdoms, so the king was made to understand four kingdoms under the gold, and silver, and brass, and iron. And again, as the prophet saw the division of the ten horns of the last beast, and three horns broken by one, so the king likewise saw at the extremities of the image one part iron and another clay. And besides this, as the prophet, after the vision of the four kingdoms, saw the Son of man receive dominion, and power, and a kingdom, so also the king thought he saw a stone strike the whole image, and become a great mountain, and fill the sea. “And rightly so. For it was quite fitting that the king, whose view of the spectacle of life was so false, and who admired, so to speak, the beauty of mere visible colors in the image set up for display, should compare the life of all men to a great image. But it belonged to the prophet to compare the great and mighty tumult of life to a mighty sea. And it was fitting that the king, who valued the substances counted precious among men, gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, should compare to thes

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

And the time came, and the saints of the Most High possessed the kingdom.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

for [one] like the Son of man is led to the Ancient of days, and every kingdom is given to Him for ever and ever.

Daniel 7:27 Direct teaching

And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Daniel 7:22 Direct teaching

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.

Daniel 7:18 Direct teaching

But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

And after these things the shall remove us men far away (longe nos faciet Deus homines), and those who shall remain shall multiply upon the earth.” Then Daniel also says this very thing: “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of those under the heaven, is given to the saints of the Most High God, whose kingdom is everlasting, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” And lest the promise named should be understood as referring to this time, it was declared to the prophet: “And come thou, and stand in thy lot at the consummation of the days.”

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

...ns. I was watching, and this horn made war against the saints and prevailed against them, until the Ancient of Days came and granted judgment to the saints of the most high God, and the time came, and the saints took possession of the kingdom." Then, further on, in the interpretation of the vision, it was said to him: "The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on earth, which will exceed all other kingdoms, and devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it into pieces. And its ten horns are ten kings who will arise; and after them, another will arise who will surpass all before him in evil deeds, and will overthrow three kings; and he will speak words against the most high God, and wear out the saints of the most high God, and intend to change times and laws; and everything will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time," that is for three years and six months, during which time he will rule over the earth. The Apostle Paul also speaks of him, in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, declaring the reason for his coming, and says: "And then the wicked one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and destroy by t

Polycarp, Connection to Daniel 7:22 Supporting witness

Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world?

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

Antichrist, indeed, enters even into part of the fifty days, but the saints shall inherit the kingdom along with Christ.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Next in the prayer comes, "Your kingdom come." We ask that the kingdom of God may come to us, just as we also ask that His name may be sanctified in us. For when does God not reign? Or when does that begin in Him which has always existed and never stops existing? We pray that our kingdom may come, the kingdom promised to us by God, which was obtained by the blood and suffering of Christ. Then we who are first His subjects in the world may afterward reign with Christ when He reigns, as He Himself promises and says, "Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). However, dearest brothers, Christ Himself may also be understood as the kingdom of God. We desire Him to come day by day, and we long for His coming to be quickly shown to us. For since He Himself is the Resurrection, and since in Him we rise again, so also the kingdom of God may be understood to be Himself, since in Him we shall reign. But we do well in seeking the kingdom of God, that is, the heavenly kingdom, because there is also an earthly kingdom. But the one who has already renounced the world is also greater than its honors and its kingdom. And

Daniel 7:9 Direct teaching

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and 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.

Daniel 7:10 Direct teaching

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.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

13 And came to the Ancient of days. By the Ancient of days he means none other than the Lord and God and Ruler of all, and even of Christ Himself, who makes the days old, and yet becomes not old Himself by times and days.

Anonymous, Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian Supporting witness

17. Like things to these also says Daniel: I beheld a throne placed, and the Ancient of days sat upon it, and His clothing was as it were snow, and the hairs of His head as it were white wool: His throne was a flame of fire, its wheels were burning fire.

Clement of Rome, Connection to Daniel 7:10 Supporting witness

For the Scripture says, Ten thousand times ten thousand stood around Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, Daniel 7:10 and cried, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord of Sabaoth;

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Daniel 7:9 The Apocalypse says also that the Lord Himself appeared wearing such a robe.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

He called the Most High God the Ancient of days, whose age and origin cannot be comprehended;

Lactantius, The Epitome of the Divine Institutes Supporting witness

and they who stood beside Him brought Him near before Him.

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

...e book of the living.” But for those who are to undergo judgment, there are books in the plural, as Daniel says in Daniel 7:10, “The judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Moses also bears witness to the unity of the sacred book when he says in Exodus 32:32, “If You forgive the people their sins, forgive; but if not, then wipe me out of the book which You have written.” I read the passage in Isaiah the same way. It is not something peculiar to his prophecy that the words of the book should be sealed, and that they should be unreadable both to the man who does not know letters, because he is ignorant of letters, and to the learned man, because the book is sealed. This is true of every writing, for every written work needs the Word (Logos), who closed it, to open it. “He shall shut, and none shall open,” as Isaiah 22:22 says. And when He opens, no one can cast doubt on the interpretation He gives. Therefore it is said that He shall open and no man shall shut. I draw a similar lesson from the book spoken of in Ezekiel, in which was written lamentation, and a song, and woe. For the whole book is full of the woe of the lost, and the song of the saved, and the lamentation of th

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

3. Daniel too, looking forward to the end of the last kingdom, i.e., the ten last kings, amongst whom the kingdom of those men shall be partitioned, and upon whom the son of perdition shall come, declares that ten horns shall spring from the beast, and that another little horn shall arise in the midst of them, and that three of the former shall be rooted up before his face.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

I was looking, and this horn made war against the saints, and prevailed against them, until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of the most high God, and the time came, and the saints obtained the kingdom.” Then, further on, in the interpretation of the vision, there was said to him: “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall excel all other kingdoms, and devour the whole earth, and tread it down, and cut it in pieces.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

Any one, moreover, who likes may find the prophecy in Daniel respecting antichrist.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

...overthrown, and this was also shown by the bronze in the image. And when he says that the beast had four wings of a bird and four heads, he showed very clearly how the kingdom of Alexander was divided into four parts. For when he spoke of four heads, he meant the four kings that arose out of it. For when Alexander was dying, he divided his kingdom into four parts. Then he says, "The fourth beast was dreadful and terrible: it had iron teeth, and claws of bronze." Who, then, is meant by this except the Romans, whose kingdom, the kingdom that still stands, is represented by the iron? For, he says, its legs are of iron.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Daniel 7:13-14 Then indeed He shall have both a glorious form, and an unsullied beauty above the sons of men.

Barnabas, The Epistle of Barnabas Supporting witness

... a little king shall rise up after them, who shall subdue three of the kings under one.” Similarly, Daniel speaks of this, “And I saw the fourth beast, wicked and powerful, and more savage than all earthly beasts, and how ten horns sprang from it, and from them a small budding horn that subdued three of the great horns under one.” You ought to understand this. I further ask of you, as one of you and loving you more than my own soul, to take heed now to yourselves, and not be like some, adding greatly to your sins and saying, “The covenant is theirs and ours.” But they ultimately lost it, even after Moses had received it. For the Scripture says, “And Moses was fasting on the mountain forty days and forty nights, and received the covenant from the Lord, stone tablets written with the finger of the Lord;” but by turning to idols, they lost it. For the Lord said to Moses: “Moses, go down quickly; for the people you brought out of Egypt have transgressed.” And Moses understood, and threw the two tablets from his hands; and their covenant was broken, so that the covenant of the beloved Jesus might be sealed upon our hearts, in the hope that comes from believing in Him. Now, wishing to