There are 3 ancient versions of Daniel - the Masoretic Text (MT), the theodotion Greek (TH), and the Old Greek (OG).
it’s interesting to note that In Daniel 7:13, in the Old Greek, it’s rendered differently that the masoretic text and theodotion text. Instead of saying “with the clouds of heaven came one like a son of man TO the ancient of days”, the OG renders it “on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man came AS the ancient of days”.
Source:
Old Greek Daniel 7:13–14 and Matthew’s Son of Man
Many interpretations of Daniel 7:13, based on the MT and TH, argue that it is about Christ going to heaven upon the ascension due to the language of “he approached” or “came to” the ancient of days. But I always struggled with this because Matthew, Mark, and Luke, associate Daniel 7:13 with the Olivet discourse. However, the OG simply states the son of man came on the clouds as the ancient of days, which fits better with the understanding of the Olivet discourse.
Any thoughts?
As I have pointed out in the past regarding this subject, it is clear from the texts involved that the coming in Daniel 7:13-14 is not the same coming in the OD. Notice the vast differences here.
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
When this is in progress----one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven---the following is not true yet---And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. IOW, He was not yet in possession of those things until after He has arrived. He certainly isn't coming/arriving, already with dominion, glory, and a kingdom.
If we compare to Luke 19, it seems pretty clear to me that Daniel 7:13 and what I just submitted via verse 14, this is meaning during what I have underlined below.
Luke 19:12 He said therefore,
A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
What I don't have underlined in this verse, and to return, this hasn't been fulfilled yet. The following per the OD is when this is fulfilled.
Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Unlike in Daniel 7:13-14, take note what He is already in possession of when He is coming---power and great glory. Where does Daniel 7:13 indicate that He is coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory? I don't see it in the text anywhere, even if we factor in the OG rendering. Verse 14--- And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him---still means He is given these things after He comes with the clouds of heaven, not before He comes with the clouds of heaven, regardless how the OG renders verse 13.
one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven---then this---And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him
Compared with.
and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory
No way can these be involving the same coming. It's impossible that they are. That is crystal clear.
Unless you flat out deny some of the following, which I don't think you do since you are not a full Preterist---Christ initially leaves heaven, thus is born on earth, lives on the earth for awhile, dies on the earth, then rises from the dead, then bodily ascends back into heaven, and will bodily return in the future. It then is perfectly reasonable based on all of that, the fact all of that obviously involves 2 bodily comings to the earth, that the coming on the clouds per Daniel 7:13 is not the same coming on the clouds per the OD.
IMO, the coming with the clouds of heaven per Daniel 7:13 and Matthew 24:30, each of these comings should be interpreted as a literal bodily return to somewhere. The former, a bodily return to heaven. The latter, a bodily return to the earth. That aligns perfectly with reality and good common sense, since you can't return to somewhere unless you were previously there to begin with. Obviously, Christ was previously in heaven before He was born on the earth. Obviously, Christ was previously on the earth before He ascended back into heaven.