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Does anyone know who the man in Daniel's vision was?

Verses 5-7 say. "I looked up and there before me was a man dresses in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude."

Daniel called the man, 'lord.'

Even if you're not a Bible scholar, it'd be nice to hear anyone's thoughts on these verses.

To me it seems fairly obvious the "one who looked like a man" was an angel. It plays the role of a messenger, is described similarly to other angels, and speaks of spiritual warfare between powers of the world. A difficult passage, certainly, but not in this aspect.

Yeah, it's pretty much unanimously believed that the man in that verse is an angel. I've heard that it might've been Gabriel since he usually acts as the messenger (same one who came to Mary and told her she was going to give birth to Jesus), where as Michael is the warrior, butt-kickin' guy. Also notice that Daniel uses a lower-case "lord" and doesn't make any other referrence to the man being Jesus. I think it was just a reverent title for an angel. Also, the angel is just delivering the message/prophecy than pointing to the messiah very strongly in that passage.

On a side note, I wouldn't rule out an incarnation of Jesus in the OT, and I think we do have possibly two foreshadows of Jesus in the three men that Abraham talks to and later identifies as one man - God, and also possibly in the high priest character Melchezedek. But this verse I'd say pretty definitely an angel.

Good points guys. I appreciate your help.

Yes, that 'lord' was pretty obvious, huh?

Thanks again. ^^

I heard a preacher once claim the fourth person mentioned in the fiery furnace (Daniel chapter 3) could be Jesus. He was using it as a sermon illustration, not as an authoritative interpretation of scripture, but the idea remains.

Jesus certainly did exist at the time the book of Daniel was written. The three personalities of God have always existed, so it’s certainly possible. I think the idea that it’s Jesus in the fiery furnace is popular because of the role of the fourth figure as savior to the other three.

At any rate, there is not enough evidence to say either of these cases is a true Jesus sighting, but it remains a possibility since the text does not name names.

You can’t read too much into the use of the word “lord” in the passage, either. The word “lord” has several meanings, especially reaching back into the first translations of the text into English. One of the meanings conveyed the idea “I’m pretty sure this guy could wipe the floor with me if I make him unhappy, so I will call him ‘lord’ so he won’t kill me.” I think this is the most likely usage for the passage in Daniel.

The description of the messenger, I believe, would be typical of any being who has been in the direct presence of God. Numerous times in the Bible we see physical manifestations of God’s holiness as being described as light – for example when Moses came down from Sinai (Exodus 34).

So, at least in my mind, none of that is evidence enough for me to say that the description in Daniel is that of Jesus over that of an angel, not to say that either meeting wouldn’t be less impressive/terrifying/life-altering.

Termyt, yeah I've heard that idea too (Jesus being the 4th person in the firey furnace with Daniel's buddies). The whole "like a the Son of man" thing made me think the same, but after comparing it with the NASB translation which is supposed to be the most literal it sounds more like an angel. Again, like you said, all speculation (except for the three guys that Abraham met), but definitely something interesting to ponder over.

*ponders*

*ponders*