The Son of Man Riding the Clouds

Daniel had a dream one night. A big one. The kind that stays behind your eyes after you wake.

He saw thrones being set out. Then Someone came and sat down. The Bible calls him the Ancient of Days, because he is older than old. Older than the first morning. Older than the very first star. His clothes were white as snow. His hair was white like clean wool. And his throne was made of fire, with wheels of fire, and a river of fire pouring out in front of it, bright and warm and alive.

Thousands stood near him. Then thousands more. So many you could never count them, like trying to count the raindrops in a storm.

The world in Daniel's dream was a frightening place. Great beasts had been stomping across it. Big, loud, hungry kingdoms that pushed people around and were never, ever kind. Daniel knew what hungry mouths looked like up close. One day jealous men would seal him into a den of lions, and God's angel would shut those mouths tight.

Maybe you know a little of that feeling. The feeling of wishing someone strong and good would finally come and be in charge. Someone who would never be cruel. Someone you could trust with everything.

Daniel watched, and the beasts' power was taken away. Their roaring stopped.

Then, coming on the clouds of heaven, Daniel saw one more. Not a beast this time. He looked like a person. He looked like one of us. The dream called him a son of man, which is a way of saying he was human. Gentle and real, with a face you could love.

He came riding the clouds straight up to the Ancient of Days. And the old, old King with the fiery throne gave him a gift bigger than any gift ever given.

He gave him every kingdom, every people, every language on the whole round earth. He gave him a crown, and a throne, and all the power there ever was. And he gave it to him to keep forever.

This kingdom would never crumble. It would never be stomped flat. It would never grow old, and it would never end. The good King had finally come, and he was here to stay.

Daniel woke up. And he held that dream close, because it was a promise. A promise with a name he did not know yet.

But you know it.

Many years later, on a dark and terrible night, Jesus stood in a room full of angry men who wanted him gone. They asked him who he thought he was. Jesus was not afraid. He said: you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds.

He was telling them. The dream is me. The kingdom that never ends is mine, and I am bringing it home.

It had already begun, right there in him. And the day is still coming when he rides the clouds at last, and everything cruel and frightening loses its power for good. The good King over everything. And you, safe in his arms, with the best still on its way.