Name of God - Atik Yomin: Ancient of Days
Atik Yomin: Ancient of Days
Daily Verse: “As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of His head like whitest wool. His throne was flaming fire; its wheels were blazing fire.”
☆ Daniel 7:9 HCSB
Let's Talk About It: While most of the Old Testament is written in Hebrew, there are portions of both the Old Testament and New Testament that are written in Aramaic. It is like Hebrew as it is a semitic language and is believed to be the language Jesus spoke in predominately Jewish settings, like one-on-one with the disciples. Jesus also spoke Greek, usually to the crowds, as that was the common language used in the first century due to Hellenism (the spread of Greek culture throughout the known world – Europe through Asia Minor and North Africa).
This name of God is Atik (At-teek) Yomin (Yoh-meen). Atik is an Aramaic term meaning ancient. Yomin is derived from the Aramaic yom however this variation (yomin) is used when it is denoting a proper name (for instance, the name of God). Yomin is translated as day, as in a period of time. It is interesting to note that Daniel is the only person in the Bible to refer to God by this name and does so three times in his respective Book. I believe Daniel uses this name to compare God to an earthly king. While kings rule currently, God has always ruled and will always rule. His rule is both finished (in a sense that no one else can or will ever compare) and ongoing (He will reign forever).
The reason I believe this is because much of the book of Daniel focuses on kingdoms. In the beginning of the Book, we see the Babylonian kingdom and the fact that Nebuchadnezzar was considered to be the ruler of the world. He expected everyone to bow to him and erected a giant golden statue. However, there are visions given to Daniel, by God, showcasing different kingdoms as well.
Interestingly, it is also believed Daniel used this name to make others question the Canaanite gods. See, in Canaanite mythology “el” was the name of the god of their pantheon (like Zeus in Greek mythology) and they also had a god named ancient of years. In fact, it was not uncommon for many biblical writers to denote qualities of God that would put Him in direct contrast to a pagan god of another culture. It is unsure whether the biblical writers did this purposefully due to having the knowledge or if it is completely divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit.
We will not be participating in theological debates, but do find it interesting to see that for many pagan gods, God has a name or personality that contrasts. It’s almost as if God was saying, “I know you think you offer sacrifices to the ancient of years, but I am the Ancient of Days, and you should be making your sacrifices unto Me.” As we walk with Him, study His word, and get to know His character, we understand it could completely be true.
Afterall, God provoked the pharaoh of Egypt by allowing people to see all that the pharaoh had zero control over. All the plagues showcased the power of God and how little power and control the pharaoh had. This was important as pharaohs were believed to be gods and were treated as such. God doesn’t play when it comes to His power, strength, and supremacy. If anyone begins to exalt themselves above Him, He has a unique and powerful way of bringing a greater level of understanding that they have no power whatsoever.
I would go so far as to say that was why we all walked through a global pandemic. We cannot place ourselves on the throne only God sits on and think there will be no consequences. As a culture, we, oftentimes, place more importance on ourselves than on God. One look at most social media feeds shows how, when given a platform, many choose to utilize it. Most don’t give God glory but glorify themselves and their own efforts.
Only God could cause everything to stop. For all intents and purposes, in March 2020, it was as if the world stopped spinning on its axis. All trade stopped. All movie production stopped. All sports stopped. All entertainment stopped. Much work stopped. People weren’t even allowed to leave their homes. He is truly the Ancient of Days. Before creation was, He is. He has always been, and He will always be. It doesn’t matter what culture is controlling the populace, if He wants to speak and be heard, He has His ways of causing everything and everyone to stop and take notice! – Crystal