Chizuk Emunah Under the Microscope: Chapter 41

“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.

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 7:13-14)

 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)

 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. (Matthew 26:63-65)

 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.(Mark 14:61-64)

Troki disputes that the passage in Daniel is a reference to Jesus, who would later come on the clouds of heaven. He gives several references to clouds being the source for the rain on which Israel depended for its survival, but the term "clouds of heaven" was not mentioned since the expression occurs only once in the Tanakh. Instead, Troki believes that the passage is about Israel.


As Israel is called in Scripture the holy people of the Lord, so on the other hand is the Almighty represented as the Holy One of Israel. See Isaiah 12:6, "For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." Ibid, 37:23, "And thou hast lifted up thine eyes against the Holy One of Israel." Ibid. 41:14, "I have helped thee, saith the Lord, and the redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." Jeremiah 50:29, "For he rebelled against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel." 

The appellation, in Daniel, Most High, which the Christians have endeavoured to appropriate to Jesus, is attributable to Israel, as will be seen on examining, other parts of the Scriptures. See Deuteronomy 26:19, "And to make thee most high above all the nations which He hath made for His praise, for His name, and for His glory; and that thou mayest be a holy people unto the Lord thy God as He hath spoken." Ibid, 28:1, "And the Lord will make thee most high above all people of the earth." 

From all these passages, it is evident that Israel could not yield to any other nation the title given to it in holy writ, and it must be acknowledged that the saints of the Most High God can only be of that people which is declared to be most high among the nations of the earth. 

The prophecies, showing that the wicked Gentiles shall perish, and that the righteous shall unite with Israel, are sufficient evidences to prove, that also the present prophecy relates solely to the chosen people, for surely no expounder could reason away the lucid and simple announcement made by Isaiah 4:3, "And all that shall be left in Zion, and that remain in Jerusalem, shall be called holy." And again in 60:21, "And thy people, altogether righteous, shall inherit thy land for ever." 

Thus we see that Daniel had no other object in view than to represent in his prophecy the final glory of Israel.

Israel indeed enjoyed an exalted status. The term in dispute (עֶלְיֹון)(H5945) is generally translated as high, and is associated with God to mean God most high. 

The term Son of Man is also used in apocalyptic literature, and speaks of a divine judge, not really of Israel. Here are the references in 1 Enoch.

[Chapter 46]
1 And there I saw One who had a head of days, And His head was white like wool, And with Him was another being whose countenance had the appearance of a man, And his face was full of graciousness, like one of the holy angels. 2 And I asked the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things, concerning that 3 Son of Man, who he was, and whence he was, (and) why he went with the Head of Days And he answered and said unto me: This is the son of Man who hath righteousness, With whom dwelleth righteousness, And who revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden,
Because the Lord of Spirits hath chosen him, And whose lot hath the pre-eminence before the Lord of Spirits in uprightness for ever.
4 And this Son of Man whom thou hast seen Shall raise up the kings and the mighty from their seats, [And the strong from their thrones] And shall loosen the reins of the strong, And break the teeth of the sinners.
5 [And he shall put down the kings from their thrones and kingdoms] Because they do not extol and praise Him, Nor humbly acknowledge whence the kingdom was bestowed upon them. 6 And he shall put down the countenance of the strong, And shall fill them with shame.
And darkness shall be their dwelling, And worms shall be their bed, And they shall have no hope of rising from their beds, Because they do not extol the name of the Lord of Spirits.
7 And these are they who judge the stars of heaven, [And raise their hands against the Most High], And tread upon the earth and dwell upon it. And all their deeds manifest unrighteousness, And their power rests upon their riches, And their faith is in the gods which they have made with their hands, And they deny the name of the Lord of Spirits,
8 And they persecute the houses of His congregations, And the faithful who hang upon the name of the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 48]
1 And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness Which was inexhaustible: And around it were many fountains of wisdom: And all the thirsty drank of them, And were filled with wisdom, And their dwellings were with the righteous and holy and elect. 2 And at that hour that Son of Man was named In the presence of the Lord of Spirits, And his name before the Head of Days.
3 Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, Before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits.
4 He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, And he shall be the light of the Gentiles, And the hope of those who are troubled of heart.
5 All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.
6 And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, Before the creation of the world and for evermore.
7 And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous; For he hath preserved the lot of the righteous, Because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness, And have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits: For in his name they are saved, And according to his good pleasure hath it been in regard to their life.
8 In these days downcast in countenance shall the kings of the earth have become, And the strong who possess the land because of the works of their hands, For on the day of their anguish and affliction they shall not (be able to) save themselves. And I will give them over into the hands of Mine elect: As straw in the fire so shall they burn before the face of the holy: As lead in the water shall they sink before the face of the righteous, And no trace of them shall any more be found. 10 And on the day of their affliction there shall be rest on the earth, And before them they shall fall and not rise again: And there shall be no one to take them with his hands and raise them: For they have denied the Lord of Spirits and His Anointed. The name of the Lord of Spirits be blessed.

 It is also found in 4 Ezra, chapter 13.

1: After seven days I dreamed a dream in the night;
2: and behold, a wind arose from the sea and stirred up all its waves.
3: And I looked, and behold, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And I looked, and behold, that man flew with the clouds of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze trembled,
4: and whenever his voice issued from his mouth, all who heard his voice melted as wax melts when it feels the fire. 

 So the cultural background is pretty consistent that there is one like a Son of Man who comes with the clouds of heaven to judge the world. Also, the glory of the Son of Man is much higher than Israel ever would be glorified. While the nation of Israel was wonderful and glorious, it does not make sense to personify Israel as the head of a kingdom. Israel is a kingdom.

It would also be haughty for the nation of Israel to demand praise and adoration of the nations. Indeed, such would border on idolatry. However, if the figure is God in the flesh, then it would be appropriate for the Son of Man to demand that level of adoration.