Daniel 7:13–14…The Ascension or Second Coming?
“I was watching in the night visions. And behold, One like the Son of Man [Jesus], coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days [God], and they [the angels] brought Him near before Him. Then 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 the one which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13–14)
Many commentators say this cloud coming refers to Jesus’s ascension in AD 33. After all, Daniel describes the Son of Man coming to the Ancient of Days, which seems to match how Jesus ascended to heaven in AD 33 (Acts 1:9).
However, there are at least five problems with this view:
One, as many scholars have pointed out, Jesus quoted from Daniel 7:13–14 in the Olivet Discourse. Compare the various elements that both Daniel and Jesus mention: the Son of Man coming (Dan. 7:13, Luke 21:27), on clouds (Dan. 7:13, Luke 21:27), in glory (Dan. 7:14, Luke 21:27), with his kingdom (Dan. 7:14, Luke 21:31). Daniel and Jesus are clearly describing the same event…the same coming of the Lord. And when did Jesus say it would happen? “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation [Jesus’s generation] will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:32). In fact, Jesus specifically linked this coming to the destruction of the temple (vv. 5–6)–which historians acknowledge happened in AD 70. Therefore, this is when Daniel 7:13–14 must have happened too.
Two, a “cloud coming” refers to judgment (see Ezek. 32:7–8, 15; Isa. 13:9–13, 19:1). Yet there was no judgment at Jesus’s ascension in AD 33. The judgment did not happen until the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. For more about this topic, see my article “What is a Coming of the Lord?” or video “What is a Coming of the Lord?”
Three, the cloud coming of Daniel 7:13–14 cannot possibly refer to Jesus’s ascension in AD 33 because verses 21–22 (see also vv. 15–16) say this event would happen after the persecution of the saints. Yet the systematic persecution of Christians did not begin until Nero’s reign in the 60s. In fact, prior to this, the Romans actually restrained the Jews from persecuting Christians (Acts 23:12–22, John 18:31). Therefore, Daniel 7:13–14 cannot possibly be about the ascension.
Four, the New Testament says nothing about a third coming. Jesus was only supposed to come twice: “But now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself [first coming]…To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time [second coming], apart from sin, for salvation” (Heb. 9:26–28, italics mine). Jesus was only supposed to come twice. Therefore, if he came on clouds at the ascension in AD 33, then that would have been his second coming. And his cloud coming in AD 70 (Luke 21:27–32) would have been his third coming. And if he’s coming yet again someday–as futurists[1] claim–then this would be his fourth coming. This goes way beyond what Scripture teaches!
Five, Jesus’s cloud coming was still future when Revelation was written in AD 65: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him” (Rev. 1:7); which means Daniel 13:13–14 cannot possibly refer to the ascension in AD 33. Note: When Revelation says “every eye will see him coming, even those who pierced him,” it simply means that Jesus would come within the lifetimes of those who pierced or crucified him—just as Jesus had said so many other times throughout the New Testament (see Matt. 10:23, 16:28, 24:30–34, 26:64 and Rev. 22:6–10)! For more about Revelation 1:7, see my article “Every Eye will See Jesus Coming” or video “Every Eye Will See Him Coming.”
Conclusion: Daniel 7:13–14 is clearly describing Jesus’s second coming in AD 70—not his ascension in AD 33.
For more about the topics discussed in this article, check out my book The End Is Here: How the New Testament Prophecies Were Fulfilled…available Summer 2024!
By Alex Polyak – Director of The Bible Fulfilled – 8/18/24
[1] Futurists believe the Second Coming is a still future event. Preterists, on the other hand, believe the Second Coming happened in AD 70 based on passages such as Matthew 16:27–28, in which Jesus said: “Assuredly, I say to you [first-century disciples], there are some standing here who shall not taste death [die] till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matt. 16:28; see also Matt 10:23, 24:30–34, 26:64 and Rev. 22:6–10).
