Wednesday 05/09/18
Message – Son of Man
Series: By Request
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***Video is HERE***
Son of Man
The importance of this phrase is that it is used by Jesus concerning Himself throughout His earthly ministry. In fact I’ve heard from those who would know and who I trust that it was Jesus’ favorite appellation. Out of the 87 times it appears in the New Testament – 83 are coming from Jesus about Himself.
Now, this is confusing to us because the phrase sounds as if it is making an over-reference to His humanity and a playing down of His divinity almost to the point of nullifying any consideration of His true divinity.
The problem is compounded by its frequent use in the old testament for normal human being. The most problematic of them all is Numbers 23:19,
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
This is where the traditional lines of interpretation must be regarded with great care or we will miss the true meaning of this name. We must remember that WHO Jesus came to by His Own admission was the Jews.
“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
So if Jesus referred to Himself as “the Son of Man” it was to the Jewish community that He did so. So we have to hear this title with Jewish not Gentile ears.
What did the Jews hear in the words, “Son of Man”?
To find this out we need to look up references to the “son of Man” in the Old Testament and then the ways Jesus used it as recorded in the gospels.
A casual search in the scriptures will reveal approximately 191 verses containing this phrase, 107 of which are in the Old Testament and all but one refer to a normal human being. That reference being Dan. 7:13, “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.” We will spend some time with this passage in a moment.
Now, in humorous and complete stark contrast the phrase is used 87 times in the New Testament and all but ONE always refer to Jesus. That one exception is a quote from Psalm 8:4 found in Hebrews 2:6 which says, “But one testified in a certain place, saying: “WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, OR THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF HIM?”.
The greatest majority of New Testament mentions are in Matthew and in Luke. The 30 mentions of “Son of Man” that appear in Matthew we can understand, because, like all the writers he came to his gospel with a list of theological agendas which show up in the things he records as well as the WAY he records them. One of Matthews clear agendas in writing his gospel was that of reconciling his Jewish Messiah with this savior of the world. Saving the entire world from sin was NOT something the traditional Jew thought was the mission and purpose of the Messiah – conquering their enemies and establishing an eternal kingdom over which He would rule and reign was. In fact, THAT the Jewish people connected this title, “Son of Man” directly with the Messiah who would forever reign is made clear in John 12:34, “The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
Luke takes to recording this name a full 26 times which at first comes as a bit of a surprise since he was the only “non-Jewish” writer of a Gospel. Of all people this title would have meant less to him in its proper context than any writer of the New Testament – yet here we have it 26 times in all in his gospel. However, when we consider the source of material for Luke’s Gospel it makes perfect sense. You see, Luke recorded his gospel from the teachings of and conversation with Paul the Apostle who most certainly had a profound understanding of the significance of Jesus as the Son of Man.
Other than these two gospels this title is mentioned in Mark 13x, John 11x’s, Revelation 2x’s and once in Acts and in Hebrews.
So what does it mean?
Well, the passage we read earlier gives us a key – especially when connected with Daniel 7:13 which is where every Jew drew their definition of THE Son of man. So let’s first get the understanding the Jews had, and then we will look at their conversation with Jesus about the Son of Man.
Dan. 7:1-28,
“(1) In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream with visions in his mind as he was lying in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and here is the summary of his account. (2) Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea. (3) Four huge beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. (4) “The first was like a lion but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind. (5) “Suddenly, another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Gorge yourself on flesh.’ (6) “While I was watching, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads and was given authority to rule. (7) “While I was watching in the night visions, a fourth beast appeared, frightening and dreadful, and incredibly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had 10 horns. (8) “While I was considering the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. There were eyes in this horn like a man’s, and it had a mouth that spoke arrogantly. (9) “As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of His head like whitest wool. His throne was flaming fire; its wheels were blazing fire. (10) A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands served Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened. (11) “I watched, then, because of the sound of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued watching, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire. (12) As for the rest of the beasts, their authority to rule was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time. (13) I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. (14) He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. (15) “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. (16) I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: (17) ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. (18) But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’ (19) “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; (20) and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. (21) “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, (22) until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. (23) “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. (24) The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. (25) He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. (26) ‘But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. (27) Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ (28) “This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Now I’m not looking to spend long on this but it is important to understand a little of this to see all sides of this “son of man” issue – because it was through misunderstanding this passage and others like it that the Jews failed to recognize their Messiah when He came – and this passage (IF I am interpreting it correctly) was EXACTLY what they needed to clarify the issue, because once the temple was destroyed in Jerusalem under Rome in 70AD there was never again a ruler from the house of Judah which Gen. 49:10 CLEARLY prophecies that a ruler from that tribe will NOT CEASE have power until the coming of Messiah. So if Messiah did not come before 70AD…He isn’t EVER going to come because the prophecies were wrong.
Now, concerning this prophecy, I believe at least the latter part of it pretty clear from things we are familiar with in the New Testament so that I think at least the general sense of it would come to most of us if we only spent some time with it.
Who, specifically, the 3 first beasts were I do not know though I could speculate…I just don’t know. The 4th beast seemed at first glance “should” refer to satan – if it were not that the passage itself describes all of the beasts as representing earthly kingdoms led by earthly kings. So this last beast out of which came 11 kingdoms in total (10 horns plus the small one) is almost certainly the Roman empire who nicely fits the description of oppressively ruling the whole civilized world at the time for a very long time – quite possibly a whole 1000 year reign in fact.
If I am correct, then the destruction of Rome IS the destruction of this beast.
The other kingdoms (evidently 10 in number – represented by horns on the beast) at first seem to exist PRIOR to the fall of the beast (See vs. 19), but later in verse 24 is says they arise following it’s fall – which is almost certainly the case.
SIDE NOTE: Like I’ve told you before, one of the difficulties in understanding NOT just scripture but many ancient writings is that the need for a logical flow from one point in time to another chronologically was NOT seen as all that important in most cases. There are of course exceptions when the order of events is paramount to get the intended point across, but if not the order of events can be revealed in almost any sequence. SO in this case, as I said, earlier in verse 19 it mentions all the horns on the beast just to provide a kind of verbal snapshot of the whole thing and then begins a chronological track from it’s rise to its destruction when the 10 other horns are then shown to arise FROM the beast AFTER it’s fall.
I believe, you see it again in these passages in verse 13 & 14. It says that the Son of Man came to God the Father in the clouds of glory – this is how He is said to have left His disciples and was taken up into heaven…on a cloud Acts 1:9, which is when He is said to begin His unchallenged earthly reign – but you and I know that there is a LARGE gap of time called the Age of Grace or the Church Age which includes the time of the Gentiles which takes place during this time and it is alluded to later in these verses.
Again, I only go through the trouble of teaching you these literary devices so that in your personal study you can more easily get past apparent difficulties in a scripture.
So back to the ten horns. They rise from the beast and evidently continue until the small horn arises sometime in the unknown future – speaking blasphemy against God and persecuting the saints – which is almost certainly the church.
It seems inescapable that this horn represents the antiChrist and whatever kingdom he happens to comes from. He will rise up and absorb 3 of the 10 other kingdoms into his own and then he will persecute the saints for 3.5 years and will begin to prevail against them, which it says God not only allows but implies God gives them into his hand – this sounds a lot like Job. It may be a required time of testing and trial – something our former theology did not allow for, but which our current understanding almost makes necessary. Consider just one New Testament/New Covenant passage 1Peter 1:6-9,
“(6) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, (7) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (8) whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9) receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
Remember, the devil has the right to tempt and try our faith to attempt to pull you away from your confessed steadfastness – but only for a time – ONCE you are approved…it’s over…and God allows this. Also remember that what the enemy means for evil God turns to good.
During this time of oppression when it looks like the spirit of the world is winning this little horn (king) will also attempt to change times and laws – (and the use of that word softly indicates that he fails) but he tries. It sounds a LOT like what is happening today with laws changing almost daily and revisionist history cropping up all over the place…but I don’t think it means “natural man made laws” because he no ruler has to “attempt” to change those – they just change them. I think this is talking about natural laws. Like the claims they are making about homosexuality being genetic and not a choice and men trapped in female bodies and the other way about…etc. They are deliberately not only ignoring what we know of biological science – they are suppressing the dissemination of that knowledge to the public and FLOODING it with testimonies of “bought and paid for” scientists. This has been demonstrated concerning the data for the supposed global warming. Its also happened in anthropology and geology and chronological dating of earth strata…etc. It is ALL OVER THE PLACE. Which brings me to my point – I have often thought that not all of the prophecies of antiChrist are about the figurehead who will certainly come, but there is a spirit of antiChrist in the world since the birth of Christ and it is possible that some of the prophecies are as much about that as about the actual person.
Now, after 3.5 years of this “little horn – king” oppressing the saints, the Father God will take His seat of judgment and the saints will be given the Kingdom of God and Christ will begin His millennial rule – THIS is the bit the Jews missed.
The Jews saw the Roman Empire as the beast that Messiah was going to come and deliver them from after they had suffered a while.
Let’s look at that passage in John we mentioned earlier, in John 12:20-37,
“(20) Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. (21) Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (22) Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. (23) But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. (24) Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. (25) He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (26) If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. (27) “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. (28) Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” (29) Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” (30) Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. (31) Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (32) And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” (33) This He said, signifying by what death He would die. (34) The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” (35) Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. (36) While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. (37) But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,”
Notice Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man in verse 23 asking for God to glorify Him – so He had the ears of the Jewish people. Then after God spoke to Him from heaven, Jesus tells them that He (as the Son of Man) must die and that His death would be on a cross – making Him cursed of God. This baffled them! So they confronted Him with the fact that Daniel 7:13 claims the Messiah will rule forever – so how can he die? Who is the Son of Man YOU are referring to?
So who was Jesus referring to Himself as?
Well this is the crux of the rejection of the Jews of Messiah when He came. On the whole both then and now, they never saw the time of the Gentiles, the age of grace or the deity of their Messiah and so misunderstood the passages which illuminated the fact that the Messiah must suffer and die – like in Isa. 53, which is such a clear description of crucifixion that one would have to be blind to miss it which is what has happened – Rom. 11:25, “So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: a partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”
But even more ironically, the suffering and death of the Son of Man – who THEY acknowledged was the Messiah – is mentioned just 2 chapters later in the same book of Daniel.
Dan. 9:20-27,
“(20) Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, (21) yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. (22) And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. (23) At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:
(24) “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. (25) “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.
(26) “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. (27) Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
In brief and I do mean brief…
The 70 weeks where 70 sets of 7 years (this is called the weeks of years by scholars who are almost 100% united on this point – a miracle in itself).
This would not have been too hard for a Jewish mind to understand since they used weeks of years all the time with Sabbatical years in sets of seven. (Gen. 29:15-28 offers an example of weeks for years).
This time had ONLY the Jews in mind and it was a designated time until Israel’s sins and ultimate exile from God’s presence would come to an end at the birth of Messiah. This is why the prophecy from Zacharias was so telling when he prophesied concerning his unborn son John the Baptist as being the forerunner of the Lord who will, “give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins”
This prophecy is VERY specific and could NOT have been fudged.
I will use Guzik’s outline for this for simplicity and speed…
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The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks.
1. (Dan. 9:24 a) Seventy weeks are determined for the Jews and Jerusalem. Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city,
a. Seventy weeks are determined: There is almost universal agreement among Bible scholars and commentators that this refers to seventy sets of seven years, or “weeks of years.”
i. In ancient Hebrew, weeks simply refers to a unit of seven. The Hebrew word here is often used to mean a unit of seven days, but it may also be used for a unit of seven years.
ii. “The Jews had Sabbatic years, by which their years were divided into weeks of years, as in this important prophecy, each week containing seven years.” (Clarke)
iii. Gen. 29:15-28 is an example of using this ancient Hebrew word (shabuwa’) for both “seven days” and “seven years” in the same context.
b. For your people and for your holy city: The seventy weeks are focused upon Daniel’s people (the Jews) and his holy city (Jerusalem).
i. Unless the church has become Israel, it is not in view here. Talbot calls the seventy weeks “God’s calendar for Israel” in that it does not focus on the Gentiles or the church.
2. (Dan. 9:24 b) What will be accomplished in the seventy weeks. To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
a. To finish the transgression: This means that transgression itself will be finished. Taken literally this means establishing an entirely new order on earth, with an end to man’s rebellion against God.
i. “The culmination of appointed years will witness the conclusion of man’s ‘transgression’ or ‘rebellion’ against God – a development most naturally entered into with the establishment of an entirely new order on earth. This seems to require nothing less than the inauguration of the kingdom of God on earth.” (Archer)
b. To make an end of sins: Taking these words at face value, this means not only the end of the guilt of sin, but an end of sin itself. It means to “seal up” or “restrain” sins. This looks to a new, redeemed world.
c. To make reconciliation for iniquity: Man’s iniquity must be reconciled to God’s justice and holiness. This work was clearly accomplished at the cross.
d. To bring in everlasting righteousness: One might take this in an individual sense, but there have always been righteous individuals. Taking the statement at face value, this means a new order of society brought in by the Messiah.
e. To seal up vision and prophecy: This speaks of both the ending and fulfillment of prophecy, concluding the final stage of human history and culminating with the reign of the Son of God.
i. “It must include his enthronement.” (Archer)
f. To anoint the most holy: Taken at its simple, literal meaning, this refers to a place, not a person. There is a most holy place – the most holy place of the temple – that will be anointed and blessed.
g. Taken as a whole, Gabriel made a remarkable announcement to Daniel. He told him that each of these amazing things would happen within the period of seventy weeks.
i. Looking back in history, we can only say this things have each been fulfilled if we ignore their plain, literal meaning and give them a “spiritual” meaning that ignores their plain meaning. Some like to say that these promises are fulfilled generally in the spread of the gospel over the centuries, but this ignores the plain and simple meaning of these words.
3. (Dan. 9:25) The course and dividing of the seventy weeks.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.
a. From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem: Here Gabriel reveals to Daniel the starting point for the seventy-weeks prophecy. There was a command to restore and build Jerusalem in history that began this specific time period.
i. The Bible presents four possible decrees that might fulfill this description:
• Cyrus made a decree giving Ezra and the Babylonian captives the right to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple in 538 B.C. (Ezra 1:1-4 and Ezra 5:13-17)
• Darius made a decree giving Ezra the right to rebuild the temple in 517 B.C. (Ezra 6:6-12)
• Artaxerxes made a decree giving Ezra permission, safe passage, and supplies to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple in 458 B.C. (Ezra 7:11-26)
• Artaxerxes made a decree giving Nehemiah permission, safe passage and supplies to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the walls in 445 B.C. (Neh. 2:1-8)
ii. Only the last of these four decrees was a command to restore and build Jerusalem. The first three each focused on the temple, not on the street or on the wall.
b. Until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks: Gabriel’s message to Daniel is simple and striking. 483 years – that is, 69 units of seven years – would pass from the time of the command recorded in Neh. 2:1-8 until the appearance of Messiah the Prince.
i. Some say the 483 years were completed at Jesus’ birth (5 or 4 B.C.). There is little chronological support for this date.
ii. Some say the 483 years were completed at His baptism, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (if dated at 26 A.D.). This is possible if one begins with the earlier decree of Artaxerxes, and figures with our present measurement for years instead of the ancient measurement of years (360 days).
iii. Some say the 483 years were completed at the triumphal entry of Jesus (if dated at 32 A.D.). Sir Robert Anderson’s significant work The Coming Prince follows this argument in great detail.
• Anderson, using a 360-day year (which Israel used in Daniel’s day), calculates 173,880 days from the decree to the triumphal entry, fulfilling the prophecy to the day. “It is customary for the Jews to have twelve months of 360 days each and then to insert a thirteenth month occasionally when necessary to correct the calendar.” (Walvoord)
• The year 32 A.D. (based on Luk_3:1) for Jesus’ death is controversial (most chronologists favor 30 or 33 A.D.). But recent attempts have made some case for the date: “A recent article attempts to give credence to the date of A.D. 32; cf. R.E. Showers, Grace Journal, XI (Winter, 1970), pp. 30ff. The evidence presented is worthy of notice.” (Wood)
• “No one today is able dogmatically to declare that Sir Robert Anderson’s computations are impossible.” (Walvoord)
iv. Some say the 483 years were completed at the exact time of the crucifixion.
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I’ve provided a handout with more detailed info for you to follow up on later.
Something is VERY unique about the Son of Man Who IS Messiah…
- He is able to appear before God – this is something Jews did not see as humanly possible. (“No man shall see Him and live”-Exod. 33:20 which Jesus affirmed with Himself as THE exception in Matt. 11:27; Lk. 10:22 & Jn. 1:18.
- He was “cut off” but then He returns to confirm a covenant with many for one week.
The word “cut off” means two things and both are applicable here. To cut off means to cut down or bring an end to – so in context this would either mean His reign would temporarily end (which cannot be true since it is said to last forever once it begins) or it speaks metaphorically of His person – His life. It also means to cut a covenant. In Christ both were accomplished in His death. It is interesting that Isaiah uses these same word choice in describing Messiah’s death, “For He was CUT OFF from the land of the living” also that it was NOT for Himself Isaiah addressed earlier by saying, “But He was wounded for OUR transgression and bruised for OUR iniquities…etc.” I mean, how more specific can you get?!
So, the term Son of Man in Daniel has clear references to the Deity of the Messiah…which is even hinted at in the verse these Jews confronted Jesus with in Dan. 7:13&14,
(13) I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. (14) He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.”
The Jewish people rightly understood the Ancient of Days to be in reference to The Father God – Yahweh, but being monotheists through a misunderstanding of the Shema and man other scriptures, they did not see the deity of the one who was to come LIKE a Son of Man.
Philippians & Romans talks about this in almost this same wording. “Who BEING very nature God…made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” “What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours.”
While Jesus WAS fully human, he was NOT born as a son of Joseph, but a physically born son of God. The term Son of Man, quite to the contrary of speaking of His humanity was actually a prophetic neon sign to His Deity. While the term Son of God, being a reference to His natural human birth was actually a dual reference to both His humanity and that the God is Israel Fathered Him through Mary.
This is actually a VERY over simplified teaching on this subject, but it is sufficient to answer the question.
- Since “Son of Man” is a reference to the Messiah’s deity and earthly reign here are two CLEAR references to His self proclaimed Deity…
- John 8:56-58, “(56) Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.“ (57) Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” (58) Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.“
- Matt. 14:22-33, “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. (23) And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. (24) But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. (25) Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. (26) And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. (27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.“ (28) And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” (29) So He said, “Come.“ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. (30) But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” (31) And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?“ (32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (33) Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
- In the Greek the words “It is I; don’t be afraid” is literally, “Don’t fear – I AM”
Next week we will be starting our exploration of the book of Leviticus!
There is more information in the audio/video of the actual message. I hope you listen, learn and enjoy!
…Blessings!
I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Neither money nor attendance at our church will be mentioned.
If you have been spiritually fed by this ministry and wish to give, we truly appreciate that and you may do so here, but all outreaches of this ministry are FREE for you and anyone to enjoy at no cost.
Blessings!
