Who is the Son of Man?

 Read Daniel 7.

It was Daniel's turn to have a prophetic dream from God.  In the previous chapters, he only interpreted the dreams of others.  Here, he saw four beasts rising up, one at a time, out of the Mediterranean Sea.  And, as in the past, we are not left in doubt as to what it all means.  The second half of the chapter provides the interpretation.

The meaning and message is the same as Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter two.  God revealed the succession of empires that would rule from Babylonia to Medo-Persia to Greece to Rome.  No one ever conquered the Roman Empire.  It fell from within and, according to the Bible, it has never ceased to exist.

There is coming a day when the Anti-Christ, the little horn with the big mouth (vv.8, 20), will wage war against the saints.  But greater than he will be the coming of the "son of man" (vv.13-14).  When the Messiah appears in His second coming, all the earth's kingdoms will be under His control.  "All peoples, nations and languages" will serve Him.

Why did Messiah come the first time?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)

Why did the religious leaders want to crucify Messiah?
"...Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?'  And Jesus said, 'I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'  And the high priest tore his garments and said, 'What further witnesses do we need?  You have heard his blasphemy.  What is your decision?'  And they all condemned him as deserving death." (Mark 14:61-64)

How should we respond?
"Jesus...said, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?'  He answered, 'And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?'  Jesus said to him, 'You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.'  He said, 'Lord, I believe,' and he worshiped him." (John 9:35-38)