The nature of the "Holy Ones" under attack as envisioned in Daniel 7-12

Abstract

The problem to be solved in this dissertation is whether the "holy ones" under attack, as envisioned in Dan 7-12, are earthly or heavenly beings. In comparison with other beings, the "holy ones" under attack and the thousands of anqels are not identical, since those angels are attendants and not the object of the judgment in Dan 7. However, the "saints of the Most High" are not attendants but are the object of such judgment, and they received the everlasting kingdom while the attendant thousands of angels did not.

The "saints" are distinct and separate individuals from the "one like a Son of man " who as a divine being, is worthy of worship. The "saints of the Most High" are not worthy of worship. The "one like a Son of man" is not a "mere" collective symbol of the "saints of the Most High." Rather, as a "federal head," he represents the "saints of the Most High" in receiving the everlasting kingdom.

Identifying qaddise ("saints," Dan 7:25) as a genitive of genus, specifies the "saints of the Most High" as "people" ('am), "people-saints of the Most High." The "people-saints" can be destroyed through persecution by the assailant in his earthly expansion attack. The "people who know their God," especially, the "wise," shall undergo a persecution by "sword," "flame," "captivily," and "plunder." The end-time "people" will be oppressed at the "time of trouble," but Michael will deliver those whose names are written in the book of "mankind" (the living).

This study concludes that the "holy ones" under attack are envisioned in Dan 7-12 as earthly human beings because: (a) the "holy ones" under attack are not identical to the heavenly beings, the thousands of angels, or the divine "one like a Son of man," and (b) the "saints of the Most High" are speclfied as "people" who are destructible, and whose names are written in the book of "mankind." The "holy ones" are the eschatological "people" of Daniel, the "spiritual Israel" composed of Jews and Gentiles who are "in Christ."