Ancient Of Days

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Daniel 7:1

Several biblical passages are related in terms and ideas with  Daniel 7:1 (  Genesis 24:1;  Job 36:26;  Psalm 50:1-6;  Psalm 55:19;  1 Kings 22:19-20;  Isaiah 26:1-27:1;  Isaiah 44:6;  Ezekiel 1:1;  Joel 3:2 ). It is impossible to determine the origin or original meaning of this term. However, in ancient Ugaritic literature, the god El is designated as “the father of years.”

Coupled with the figures of speech in the context of  Daniel 7:1 , Ancient of days suggests age, antiquity, dignity, endurance, judgment, and wisdom. It clearly describes Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Disliking the anthropomorphic picture of God in  Daniel 7:1 , Jephet, an 11th century Qaraite Jew, identified the Ancient of days as an angel like other angels in the Book of Daniel. In fact, Ibn Ezra singled out the archangel Michael as the Ancient of days. But these interpretations do not take into account the fluidity with which the Hebrew mind shifts figures from one context to another. Only Yahweh, the God of Israel, could fulfill the figures which are combined within this passage.

J. J. Owens

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Ancient Of Days occurs 3 times in Daniel (  Daniel 7:9;   Daniel 7:13;   Daniel 7:22 ) as a title of God in His capacity as Judge of the world. In the Vision of the Great Assizes He is depicted as a very old and majestic figure, with white hair and white raimeot, seated on a fiery throne, and having the books of the records of man opened before Him. The picture is no doubt suggested by the contrast between the Eternal God (  Psalms 55:19 ) and the new-fangled deities which were from time to time introduced (  Judges 5:8 ,   Deuteronomy 32:17 ), rather than, as Hippolytus (quoted by Behrmann, Das Buch Daniel , p. 46) suggests, by the idea of God as making the ages old without turning old Himself. In the troublous times which are represented by the Book of Daniel, it was at once a comfort and a warning to remember that above the fleeting phases of life there sat One who remained eternally the same (  Psalms 90:1-3;   Psalms 102:24-27 ). At the same time it is worth remembering that the phrase in itself has no mystical significance, but, by an idiom common in Hebrew as in other languages, is merely a paraphrase for ‘an old man.’

H. C. O. Lanchester.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

Three times, in the Prophecy of Daniel, and in the same chapter, we find the Lord distinguished by this name, and in no other part of Scripture. ( Daniel 7:9; Dan 7:13; Dan 7:22) Some have thought that the person of God the Father is meant, and it should seem to be so, because it is also said, that One like the Son of man, (a well known character of the Lord Jesus Christ) came to him. See  Daniel 7:13. But others, considering the thrones spoken of in this chapter as the thrones of the house of David, and all judgment being committed to the Son, for the Father judgeth no man, (see  John 5:22) they have concluded, that it must be the Lord Jesus Christ which is spoken of under this glorious name. One thing however is certain, that this distinguishing name, and every other which marks the Godhead may be and must be equally applied to each, and to all. The holy sacred Three, who bear record in heaven are One. ( 1 John 5:7)

Morrish Bible Dictionary

A title of God used by Daniel, alluding to His eternity. It cannot be separated from Christ; for in  Daniel 7 : the Lord is called both the Ancient of Days and the Son of man, yet the Son of man came to the Ancient of Days to receive dominion, glory, and a kingdom.  Daniel 7:9,13,22 . He is both God and man: cf.  Revelation 1 and 5.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

 Daniel 7:9;  Daniel 7:13;  Daniel 7:22. The everlasting Jehovah, as contrasted with the ephemeral transitoriness of the four successive world powers, stable as they seemed for a time.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Daniel 7:9,13,22

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Chald. עִתִּיק יוֹמִין , Sept. Παλαιὸς Ἡμιρῶν , Vulg. Antiquus Dierum ) , an expression applied to Jehovah thrice in a vision of Daniel (ch. 7, 9, 13, 22), apparently much in the same sense as Eternal. (See Jehovah). The expression, viewed by itself, is somewhat peculiar; but it is doubtless employed by way of contrast to the successive monarchies which appeared one after another rising before the eye of the prophet. These all proved to be ephemeral existences, partaking of the corruption and evanescence of earth; and so, when the supreme Lord and Governor of all appeared to pronounce their doom, and set up his own everlasting kingdom, He is not unnaturally symbolized as the Ancient of Days — one who was not like those new formations, the offspring of a particular time, but who had all time, in a manner, in his possession — one whose days were past reckoning. (See Daniel (Book Of).)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(עתּיק יומין , ‛attı̄ḳ yōmı̄n , = Aramaic): On עתּיק , ‛attı̄ḳ , see Ancient (4). The expression is used in reference to God in Dan ( Job 7:9 ,  Job 7:13 , 22) and is not intended to suggest the existence of God from eternity. It was the venerable appearance of old age that was uppermost in the writer's mind. "What Daniel sees is not the eternal God Himself, but an aged man, in whose dignified and impressive form God reveals Himself (compare  Ezekiel 1:26 )" (Keil).