Ancient of Days
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ancient of Days is a name for God in Aramaic: Atik Yomin; in the Greek Septuagint: Palaios Hemeron; and in the Vulgate: Antiquus Dierum.
The title "Ancient of Days" has been used as a source of inspiration in art and music, denoting the creator's aspects of eternity combined with perfection. William Blake's watercolour relief etching entitled "The Ancient of Days" is one such example.
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[edit] In Religion
[edit] Judaism
- See also The names of God in Judaism
There are many sources for this term, including:
When the Blessed Holy One is aroused to delight Himself with the righteous, the Face of the Ancient of Days shines into the face of the Impatient One. Its Forehead is revealed and shines to this forehead. Then it is called "a time of favor"
Psalms 69:14
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Daniel 7:9
Whenever Judgment looms and the forehead of the Impatient One is revealed, the Forehead of the Ancient of Ancients is revealed; Judgment subsides and is not executed.
Idra Rabba, Zohar 3:136b
This term appears three times in the book of Daniel (7:9, 13, 22),[1] and is used in the sense of God being eternal.[2]
The most powerful effect of this particular Name of God stems from the Jewish mystical Kaballah, a document that stems from 13th century Spain.[citation needed] In the Kaballah there is mention of the Ancient of Ancients, also interpreted as En Sof or the unmanifested God. The Ancient of Days is the maifestation of the Ancient of Ancients in space and time. The Kaballah goes into great detail describing the White Head of God and ultimately the emanation of its personality or attributes.[3]
[edit] Christianity
In Eastern Orthodox Christian hymns and icons, the Ancient of Days is sometimes identified with God the Father, and sometimes with God the Son, or Jesus Christ. As such, an icon will sometimes portray Jesus Christ as an old man, the Ancient of Days, to show symbolically that he existed from all eternity, and sometimes as a young man to portray him as he was incarnate.[citation needed]
In the hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise", the last two lines of the first verse read:
- Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
- Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.
[edit] Mormon tradition
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the title Ancient of Days belongs to Adam, the oldest man, who is also identified with the archangel Michael.[4]
[edit] Hinduism
The Sanskrit name, Karttikeya or Skanda, means "always a youth" and is revered as one of the four (or seven) sons of Brahma.[5]
[edit] Buddhism
In Buddhism, in the Kevattha Sutta (Digha Nikaya 11), the term "ancient of days" is referred to the creator God Brahma,
"“I am the Great Brahma, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-seeing, the Ruler, the Lord of all, the Controller, the Creator, the Chief of all, appointing to each his place, the Ancient of days, the Father of all that are and are to be.” ."
In Buddhism, although Brahma or God is respected, he is not regarded as omnipotent or all knowing, but someone in samsara who is subject to ignorance, birth and death (over billions of years) and a disciple of the Buddha.
[edit] Bahá’í
In the Bahá’í Faith, 'the Ancient of Days' is one of the titles with which Bahá’u’lláh refers to Himself.[6]
[edit] Esotericism
In Esoteric tradition,[citation needed] the Ancient of Days is also known as Sanat Kumara.[citation needed]
[edit] Modern references
"The Ancient of Days", is a 1992 song composed by Gary Sadler and Jamie Harvill.
[edit] References
- ^ Daniel 7. BibleGateway.com (KJV). Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
- ^ Easton, M. G. (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary, "Ancient of Days". "In contrast with all earthly kings, his days are past reckoning."
- ^ Glossary entry for Ancient of Days at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine; Van Morrison. Retrieved 2007-01-21
- ^ Doctrine & Covenants 27:11. Lds.org. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ Dowson, John (1820-1881) (1879). A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature. London: Trübner. [Reprint, London: Routledge, 1979]. ISBN 0-415-24521-4
- ^ The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, Shoghi Effendi, US Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991 first pocket-size edition, pg. 206
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