Ancient of Days by Gary Sadler and Jamie Harvill, 1992.

Blessing and honor, glory and power
be unto the Ancient of Days.
From every nation, all of creation
bow before the Ancient of Days.

Every tongue in heaven and earth
shall declare Your glory
Every knee will bow at Your throne
In worship
You will be exalted, oh God
And Your kingdom will not pass away
Oh, Ancient of Days.

Observe: It was a difficult time for God’s people. Exiled to Babylon, and trying to adapt to a foreign land and people, God must have seemed far away. God’s hand was with them at key moments, in fiery furnaces and lion’s dens but, as one tyrant replaced another, God must have seemed far away.

Fifty years into the exile, faithful Daniel was given a vision. He saw terrible beasts, unstoppable except by other violent beasts, until things reached a crescendo with a final “horn,” the biblical symbol of a fallen power, claimed ultimate authority. But God revealed to Daniel who was actually in control through what he saw next.

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.” (Daniel 7:9–12, ESV).

Sadler and Harvill’s song Ancient of Days reprises Daniel’s vision. The Ancient of Days is God the Father, who orchestrates all events in history for his glory. The lyrics celebrate the Father’s complete authority and the enthronement of his Son Jesus at the completion of his redeeming work.

… and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And 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 one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14).

What a picture of hope we have from Daniel’s vision and in this song. God’s people have always faced overwhelming odds, but we must be patient. David encourages us when he writes in Psalm 110, The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Our savior is seated at his Father’s right hand until, in God’s perfect timing, he will bring us to our true home. We have hope today because we know that God is working all things to secure and preserve his redeemed for his glory and their joyous fulfillment.

The Apostle John was privileged with a foresight of God’s victory to come. He writes, Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15).

As we wait for the final victory, we take heart by knowing that circumstances in this world can never dim the light of our true hope in Christ and his Father’s promise. “His Kingdom shall reign over all the earth…(clap, clap, clap)…Sing unto the Ancient of Days!”

Blessings, Pastor Don