Instruction of St. Jerome: The apocalyptic vision of Daniel

While I still watched, there were judgement-thrones a-setting; and one took his seat there crowned with age. White as snow his garments were, his hair could match unsullied wool for whiteness; his throne all of flame, the wheels under it glancing fire; and ever from his presence a stream of fire came rushing onward. We find in the Apocalypse a somewhat similar vision. The venerable old man is the same as the one in the Apocalypse who is portrayed alone, sitting on a throne. The Son of man who comes up to the old man, is he whom St. John calls the Lion that comes from the tribe of Juda, from the stock of David.

God is shown to us sitting, under the form of an old man, for he is the eternal judge. His hair white as pure wool shows the purity and uprightness of his judgement, for he is no acceptor of persons. The judge is depicted with the features of an old man to show that he says nothing lightly. His throne all of flame; sinners then should be in awe of the greatness of his punishments; as for the just, they will be saved, though only as men are saved by passing through fire. The wheels under it glancing fire: in God all is fire, as it is written: The Lord thy God is a fire that burns all before it. We read also in one of the Psalms: A fire goes before him, and consumes the whole ring of his foes.

A thousand thousand they were that waited on his bidding, and for every one of these, a thousand others were standing there before him. These words do not tell the exact number of the ministers of God, but show us that any human numbers could not express an infinite multitude. These are the thousands and thousands of angels of whom we read in a Psalm: thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them. And in another Psalm again: Who makest thy angels spirits: and thy ministers a burning fire.

Then I saw in my dream, how one came riding on the clouds of heaven, that was yet a son of man; came to where the Judge sat, crowned with age, and was ushered into his presence. With that, power was given him, and glory, and sovereignty; obey him all must, men of every race and tribe and tongue; such a reign as his lasts forever, such power as his the ages cannot diminish. All that is said of this presentation to the Almighty and of this investiture by which a son of man received domination, glory and sovereignty, should be interpreted in the light of the words of the Apostle: His nature is, from the first, divine, and yet he did not see, in the rank of Godhead, a prize to be coveted; he dispossessed himself, and took the nature of a slave, fashioned in the likeness of man, and presenting himself to us in human form; and then he lowered his own dignity, accepted an obedience which brought him to death, death on the cross.