Insights to the Book of Daniel

The new covenant was ratified at the cross, but implemented at Pentecost. That event on earth marked the enthronement of Jesus Christ in heaven. Ten days prior to Pentecost, Jesus ascended to heaven in a cloud (Acts 1:9) and returned to His father (Mark 16:19) as He indicated many times (Jn. 13:1; 14:28; 16:10, 17, 28; 20:17) and as was prophesied by Daniel many years before:

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. And there was given unto 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. (Daniel 7:13-14)

That prophecy foreshadowed the inauguration of Jesus Christ after He returned to heaven in 31 AD. To be more specific, His inauguration was on the day of Pentecost. How could one be certain of that? In John 7:38-39, Jesus makes the statement: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” The Holy Ghost was not yet given because His outpouring was contingent upon Jesus’ being glorified to receive power and dominion and a kingdom. Therefore, before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded His disciples to await His inauguration in heaven as well as the subsequent manifestation of the Holy Ghost prior to going out to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. “Wait,” He said, “for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence--But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:4, 5, 8)

Since the Holy Ghost could not come until Jesus was glorified, it is evident that the Holy Ghost’s descent on the Day of Pentecost confirmed Jesus’ glorification or His being glorified in heaven at that very moment. Apparently, the latter is more accurate. Pentecost was bigger than the experience of tongues of fire and speaking in other tongues. As miraculous and spirit-filled as that was, the display was nothing compared to the grandeur of the coronation in heaven. Pentecost on earth was only the sparks from the fireworks in heaven; only an ember popping out of the fireplace above. The scenes depicted in Daniel 7:13-14, and Revelation 12:10, were being staged at that very moment. There was celestial rejoicing and power and glory at the triumph of the Messiah over sin and Satan, and the redemption of man through his new covenant arrangement. Jesus was exalted and received power and glory and a kingdom.

Peter testified of the same on the Day of Pentecost when he said, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He had shed forth this, which ye now see and hear--Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:32-33, 36)

That day was the turning point from the domination of sin to the salvation of the world. Thereafter, repentant sinners could be translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ (Col 1:13-14), for on this momentous day was ushered in that which Peter later described as:

“--the salvation, of which the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you.