Jesus often called Himself the “Son of Man,” which is a title that comes from Daniel chapter 7.
After a vivid dream about four, increasingly dangerous beasts (human kings who have become utterly evil) coming up from the sea, Daniel says,
I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal – it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
Jesus often identifies Himself with Daniel’s Son-of-Man figure. Just before His crucifixion, He says,
From this moment, you will see the Son of Man sitting at God’s right hand and coming in the clouds.
Mark 14:62
This is the moment of Jesus’ death, and from one perspective the cross looks like a beastly torture device.
But Jesus viewed the cross as a throne, on which He would expose the sub-human nature of our evil by letting it do its worst and kill Him.
Of course, Jesus would overcome death through His resurrection, but His execution is what had to come first. This led to His exaltation, His coming in the clouds (ascension) to sit at the right hand of God.
So Jesus is the first human to overcome the sin that has transformed image-bearers into beasts (Dan. 7) and to partner with God to rule the world as a true image-bearer should.
Now, Jesus summons us to a new type of humanity and to enter into a new type of Kingdom that can overcome sin, which turned us into beasts, by the power of Jesus and His resurrection.
Jesus’ life and power can become our life and power as we die and rise with Him through faith. In this way, we become kings and queens over the world as we were made to be (Gen. 1:28-30).
Jesus has conquered the source of the beast within us (sin), and through His death and resurrection, calls us to rule with Him by conducting ourselves with the same life-giving service and love that He Himself perfectly demonstrated.
The power of service, humility, and self-giving love came from Jesus and is offered to all who believe in Him.
This is Jesus’ Kingdom He believed He was bringing to our world (Matt. 4:17, 23; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:43).
This was all predicted in Daniel 7:18:
The holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.