Daniel's Plight
In reading Daniel chapter seven, the reader might wonder why Daniel is "greatly distressed" (v 15). The vision he has just seen portrays a startling sight:
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was lead into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." (v 13,14)
We look at this today and say to ourselves, "Wow, that's such an awesome prophesy of the revealing of Christ's divine nature." However, to the Jews at this time this was a troubling message. They were operating under the idea of the one Person - one God idea. The concept of the Trinity was beyond their thinking. (When you really think about it, the concept of the Trinity is still beyond our own comprehension, but God has revealed it to us more fully.)
The first thought that must have gone through Daniel's head was Deuteronomy 6:4.
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
To see some other being inheriting the Father's power in his inspired vision must have made Daniel extremely uneasy. I cannot imagine the confusion Daniel must have felt. This seemed to be in complete opposition to his whole world-view. I do not think that the Jews ever really understood the meaning of Daniel's vision until Christ came to the earth.
"'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied. 'But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" Matt 26:64
Can you imagine what Caiaphas must have thought about this? Here stood a man who had done amazing signs, who had preached some incredible doctrines, and now claimed to be this "Son of Man" from Daniel's vision. Jesus was claiming to be that singular, fundamental contradiction in Caiaphas' theology. How could this man, who many thought to be dangerous, and certainly was not robed in glory as the Mighty One who approached the Ancient of Days was in the prophesy be who he claimed to be? It was simply inconceivable.
Christ's final return has now been prophesied in the vision given to John in the book of Revelation:
"I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one 'like a son of man' with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand." Rev 14:14
We now understand (as Daniel and Caiaphas could not) that Daniel's vision is even further off into the future. At the end of all things worldly, we can expect to see the Son of Man coming in glory with the clouds of heaven.