Daniel 7:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What could be more evident than this? All peoples, tribes, and languages will serve Him. Observe how the prophet includes all nations in his prophecy. Notice how the Son of Man also received the authority to judge. To clarify that this is not a temporary matter, he affirms that "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed." If you struggle to believe this, let the works speak for themselves. Can you not perceive His equality with the Father? Although He appeared after the Father, the prophet indicates that He arrives with the clouds, demonstrating His preexistence as He comes in glory. Authority was given to Him—authority He already possessed. All nations, tribes, and languages are destined to serve Him.

What is the significance of this, particularly in relation to the Old Testament? Is it not addressing the location being referred to? To presume so would be mistaken, for the Divine Nature transcends physical bounds and permeates all existence. So what does it mean when it states that He will reach unto the Old Dominion? Clearly, the Son has received the glory of the Father. Furthermore, to clarify this, He proclaimed that both honor and dominion have been bestowed upon Him. For He heard the Father declare, "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Psalms 109:1).

During the period of the Babylonian exile, the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel delivered their messages, marking the contributions of two of the prominent prophets. Among them, Daniel identified the specific timeframe within which Christ would arrive and endure suffering. While an extensive explanation through calculations would be lengthy, it has been addressed by many scholars before us. The prophet described His majesty and authority in this manner: ‘I saw in the night visions, behold, the Son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven, and He reached the Old Testament and was brought to Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, tribes, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed’ (Dan. 7:13-14).

They will serve Him. This means that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bend, whether in heaven, on earth, or beneath the earth (Philippians 2:10). His authority is eternal and will never fade, and His reign is secure. As the angel announced to Mary, "And of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:33).

And behold, coming with the clouds of heaven was the Son of Man. He is represented in Nebuchadnezzar's vision as a stone that, without human intervention, broke away and grew into a mighty mountain, shattering clay, iron, brass, silver, and gold. Now He appears in the form of the Son of Man, signifying the Son of God’s taking on human flesh, as stated in the Acts of the Apostles: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will likewise come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” He was presented before the Ancient of Days, and they bestowed upon Him dominion, glory, and a kingdom.

As He refers to Himself as the Son of Man, in keeping with the human nature He has assumed, He declares His return upon the clouds, fulfilling His promise to demonstrate authority and to receive glory, might, and sovereignty from the Ancient of Days, representative of His humanity. This is echoed by the blessed David in the second psalm, where he speaks on behalf of the Lord: “The Lord said unto me, Thou art my Son; I have begotten thee now: ask of me, and I will give the nations for an inheritance unto thee, and the borders of the earth for a possession unto thee” (Psalm 2:7-8). The blessed Daniel also affirms this, stating that all people, nations, and languages served Him. To emphasize the eternal nature of His reign, the prophet further declares, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed.” After detailing this revelation, the prophet adds:

It illustrates the power bestowed by the Father upon the Son (Matt. 28:18), who has been designated as the ruler of heaven, earth, and the realm of the dead (Phil. 2:10) and the judge of all creation. He is heavenly because the Word of the Father preexisted all things, earthly since He took on human form and renewed humanity through Himself, and found in the realm of the dead as He was deemed lifeless, proclaiming the good news to the spirits of the righteous (1 Pet. 3:19) and triumphing over death through His own death.