Second Kingdom
The Bible uses the following symbols to represent the second kingdom:
1) Bear beast,
2) Chest and arms of silver,
3) Ram with two horns,
4) Chariot of black horses.
A great angel prophesied to Daniel major events during the second kingdom.
Bear Beast
Dan. 7:5 And, behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
Interpretation
Beast/Animal = King/Kingdom
Rib in Mouth = Animal Being Eaten (Kingdom Being Defeated)
The second kingdom will be like a bear, and one side of the kingdom will be more powerful than the other (raised up on one side). And it will conquer three other kingdoms (three ribs in its mouth). And it will conquer much territory (devour much flesh).
FULFILLED: 550-330 BC
Medo-Persian Empire
The prophecy of the bear beast was fulfilled by the Medo-Persian Empire.
Raised Up on One Side
The Persian side of the Medo-Persian Empire was more powerful than the Median side (raised up on one side).
Three Ribs
And the Medo-Persian Empire conquered 1) the Lydian Kingdom in 547 BC, 2) the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC, and 3) the Egyptian Empire in 525 BC (three ribs in its mouth).
Devouring Much Flesh
And it conquered much territory (devouring much flesh), becoming the largest empire in history at that time, spanning a total of 2.1 million square miles.
Maps
Medo-Persian Empire c. 600 BC before it conquered the three kingdoms:
Medo-Persian Empire c. 525 BC after it conquered the three kingdoms:
Chest and Arms of Silver
Dan. 2:32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver
Interpretation
Dan. 2:39 And after you [Nebuchadnezzar] shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee
FULFILLED: 550-330 BC
Medo-Persian Empire
The prophecy of the chest and arms of silver was fulfilled by the Medo-Persian Empire, which defeated the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC and reigned until 330 BC.
Ram With Two Horns
Dan. 8:1-4 In the 3rd year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me, Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. And I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in Shushan the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up afterward. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.
Interpretation
Beast/Animal = King/Kingdom
Horn = King/Kingdom
Dan. 8:20 The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
FULFILLED: 550-330 BC
Medo-Persian Empire
The prophecy of the ram with two horns was fulfilled by the Medo-Persian Empire.
Two Horns
The Medo-Persian Empire (ram) had kings of Media and Persia (two horns).
Higher Horn Coming Up Afterward
And the kings of Media and Persia (two horns) were powerful (were high), but the Persian king was more powerful than the other (one horn was higher than the other). And the Persian king (higher horn) came to power after the Median king (came up afterward).
In 553 BC, Cyrus the Great, who served as a vassal to Astyages the Median king, revolted against the Median king. Cyrus achieved a decisive victory in 550 BC, and Astyages the Median king was captured by his own discontented nobles, who subsequently handed him over to Cyrus, solidifying Cyrus’ position as the triumphant leader.
——Pierre Briant, From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire, Page 31, Written 2006.
West, North, and South
The Medo-Persian Empire (ram) conquered lands to the west, north, and south of it. And no other kingdoms (beasts) stood before it, nor were there any that could deliver out of its hand. But it did according to its will, and it magnified itself.
Chariot of Black Horses
Zech. 6:1-8 And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between the two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze. In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot spotted, strong horses. Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lrd of all the earth. The chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the spotted went forth toward the south country. And the strong went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. Then cried he to me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, they that go toward the north country have given rest to my spirit in the north country.
Interpretation
Chariot = Army
Four Winds/Corners = North, South, East, West
Wind = Destroying Power
Giving Rest to Spirit = Accomplishing Wrath
1) The first army (chariot of red horses) will go forth toward the west country.
2) The second army (chariot of black horses) will go forth toward the north country.
3) The third army (chariot of white horses) will go forth toward the east country.
4) The fourth army (chariot of spotted, strong horses) will go forth toward the south country.
The second army (chariot of black horses) which will go toward the north country will accomplish Gd’s wrath (gave rest to his spirit) in the north country.
FULFILLED: 539 BC
Medo-Persia Conquering the North Country Babylon
The prophecy of the second chariot of black horses was fulfilled when the Medo-Persian Army (chariot of black horses) went forth toward the north country and conquered Babylon in 539 BC.
1) The Babylonian Army (first chariot of red horses) went forth toward the west country, where it conquered Kingdom of Israel in Judah started by David (first mountain of bronze) in 586 BC.
2) The Medo-Persian Army (second chariot of black horses) went forth toward the north country Babylon, where it conquered the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC.
Medes Against Babylon
Jer. 51:11 Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: the Lrd hath stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of the Lrd, the vengeance of his temple.
Jer. 51:28-29 Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, the governors thereof, and all the deputies thereof, and all the land of their dominion. And the land trembleth and is in pain; for the purposes of the Lrd against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
Is. 13:17-19 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. And their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, shall be as when Gd overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
North Country
The Bible equates Babylon with the north country because Babylon is north of the land of Israel.
Jer. 25:9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lrd, and I will send unto Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land [against Israel], and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
Jer. 46:2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the 4th year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
Jer. 46:6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.
Jer. 46:10 For that day is a day of the Lrd, the Lrd of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lrd, the Lrd of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
Jer. 6:22-23 Thus saith the Lrd, Behold, a people [the Babylonians] cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion [against Israel].
Jer. 10:22 The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.
Jer. 23:7-8 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lrd, that they shall no more say, As the Lrd liveth, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, As the Lrd liveth, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I had driven them. And they shall dwell in their own land.
Jer. 31:8 Behold, I will bring them [Israel] from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall they return hither.
Ezek. 26:7 For thus saith the Lrd Gd: Behold, I will bring upon Tyre Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and a company, and much people.
Zeph. 2:13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.
Giving Rest to Spirit in North Country
The second army (chariot of black horses) which went toward Babylon (the north country) accomplished Gd’s wrath (gave rest to his spirit) in Babylon (the north country).
Jer. 50:11-15 Because ye are glad, because ye rejoice, O ye that plunder my heritage, because ye are wanton as a heifer that treadeth out the grain, and neigh as strong horses; your mother shall be utterly put to shame; she that bare you shall be confounded: behold, she shall be the hindermost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Because of the wrath of the Lrd she shall not be inhabited, but she shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the Lrd. Shout against her round about: she hath submitted herself; her bulwarks are fallen, her walls are thrown down; for it is the vengeance of the Lrd: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
Great Angel
Daniel saw the appearance of a great angel in 539 BC.
Dan. 10:1-9 In the 1st year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was real, even a great host. And he understood the thing, and had understanding of the appearance. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning 3 whole weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came meat nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till 3 whole weeks were fulfilled. And in the 24th day of the 1st month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel, I lifted up mine eyes, and I looked, and, behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like unto burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the appearance; for the men that were with me saw not the appearance; but a great quaking fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. So I was left alone, and I saw this great appearance, and there remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words; and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I fallen into a deep sleep on my face, with my face toward the ground.
The Angelic Commander of the Kingdom of Persia withstood the great angel for 21 days, but Michael, one of the chief angelic commanders, came to help the great angel.
The great angel came to Daniel in 539 BC to tell him what would happen to the Jewish people in the future.
Dan. 10:10-17 And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, thou man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright; for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy Gd, thy words were heard: and I am come for thy words’ sake. But the Commander of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief commanders, came to help me: and I left him there with the Commander of the king of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for the vision is yet for many days. And when he had spoken unto me according to these words, I set my face toward the ground, and was dumb. And, behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by reason of the appearance my sorrows are turned upon me, and I retain no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither was there breath left in me.
The great angel told Daniel that the:
1) Angelic Commander of Greece will come after the Angelic Commander of Persia;
2) Angelic Commander of the Jewish people is Michael.
Dan. 10:18 – 11:1 Then there touched me again one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me. And he said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he spake unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. Then said he, Do you know why I am come unto thee? and now I will return to fight with the Commander of Persia: and when I go forth, behold, the Commander of Greece shall come. But I will tell thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth: and there is none that holds strongly with me against these, except Michael, the commander of you all. And as for me, in the 1st year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
The great angel told Daniel that three Persian kings will stand up after Darius the Mede (Cyaxares II), and the fourth Persian king will be far richer than all of them and will stir up all against realm of Greece.
Dan. 11:2 And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and when he is waxed strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.
FULFILLED: 530-465 BC
Cambyses II, Bardiya, Darius the Great, Xerxes I
The prophecy given by the great angel about the four Persian kings was fulfilled by the four Persian kings who ruled after Darius the Mede (Cyaxares II):
1) Cambyses II (530-522 BC),
2) Bardiya/Smerdis (522 BC),
3) Darius the Great (522-486 BC),
4) Xerxes I (486-465 BC).
The fourth Persian king Xerxes I was far richer than the three previous Persian kings, and he stirred up many soldiers from many nations against the realm of Greece.
“Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus [Xerxes I] (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over 127 provinces), that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the 3rd year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him; when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even 180 days.”
——Book of Esther, Chapter 1, Verses 1-4, Written c. 400 BC.
Xerxes I mustered 800,000 to 4,000,000 troops from 46 nations to attempt to conquer all of Greece in the second Persian invasion of Greece from 480-479 BC.
——Herodotus, Histories, Book 7, Written c. 425 BC.
“He states that four kings shall arise in Persia after Cyrus, namely Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, and the Magus named Smerdis, who married Pantaptes, the daughter of Cambyses. Then, when he was slain by seven Magi and Darius had succeeded to his throne, the same Pantaptes married Darius, and by him gave birth to Xerxes, who became a most powerful and wealthy king, and led an innumerable host against Greece and performed those deeds which are related by the Greek historians.”
——Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, Verse 11:2, Written c. 407 AD.