"But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
With these words, Jesus calls us to read His impending crucifixion in light of Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man.
Significantly, Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man is preceded by a vision of the four beasts that rise up from the sea (7:1-8). Whatever else these creatures represent, they at least picture the human world in rebellion against YHWH.
These four are overthrown in v.11-12, and immediately following this, the Son of Man approaches the throne and receives the dominion, power, and kingdom that have just been stripped from the bestial powers.
Fallen humanity has lost its form. In its lust for power and control, it has become bestial, chaotic, and bereft of the Logos. Over and against these animalistic powers, the Son of Man pictures the true image of God, the true human being, the truly ordered and harmonious reign of mankind as intended by God from the Garden.
Indeed, the enthronement of the Son of Man over the bestial world powers may rightly be understood as a cosmic return to Eden, with the animals brought into right submission to Adam. Here is the fulfillment of the will of God in the creation of the Human Being (Gen.1:26)—that they should have dominion over the beasts.
And this is what Jesus says is being fulfilled as He goes to the cross.
