Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 7:18

"But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." — Daniel 7:18 (ASV)

But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom — That is, they will ultimately take possession of the rule over all the world and will control it from that time onward to the end. This is the grand thing that the vision is designed to disclose, and it was evidently the intention to fix the mind on this. Everything before was preparatory and subordinate to this, and to this all things tended. The phrase translated as 'the Most High'—which is עליונין (‛elyônı̂yn), noted in the margin as “high ones, that is, things or places”—is in the plural number and literally means 'high ones.' However, there can be no doubt that it refers here to God; it is given to Him to denote majesty or honor (as the word אלהים, 'ĕlohı̂ym, is—see Genesis 1:1 and often), a use known as the plural of majesty. The word translated as 'saints' means 'the holy ones,' and the reference is undoubtedly to the people of God on the earth, meaning here that they will take possession of the kingdom, or that they will rule.

When true religion will everywhere prevail, and when all offices will be in the hands of good men—of men who fear God and keep His commandments—instead of being in the hands of bad men, as they generally have been, then this prediction will be accomplished regarding all that is fairly implied in it.

And possess the kingdom for ever, even forever and ever — This is a strong and emphatic declaration, affirming that this dominion will be perpetual. It will not pass away, like the other kingdoms, to be succeeded by another one. What is here affirmed, as remarked above, will be true if such a reign should continue on earth to the winding up of all things, and should then be succeeded by an eternal reign of holiness in the heavens. It is not necessary to interpret this as meaning that there will be literally an eternal kingdom on this earth, for it is taught everywhere in the Scriptures that the present order of things will come to a close.

But it does seem necessary to understand this as teaching that there will be a state of prevalent righteousness on the earth in the future, and that when that is introduced, it will continue to the end of time.