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Cyrus to Alexander's Generals


 “Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others (Daniel 11:2-4)
          Yesterday, I finished listening to Daniel. I decided I need to do a little research dealing with the last few chapters. I know some of it deals with end times, but some is also historical and it just seems to me that I should get a handle on it. First, let me begin with the information that the text of Daniel, including its style and the language used sets its date as about 600-500 BC. There are some who claim it was written about 165 BC but the language changes between those times make the latter date improbable, but it is consistent with the claims of the text that it was written at the earlier date.
          So, from the time of Cyrus, the "three more kings" were (1) Cambyses (529-523). He was Cyrus's elder son and he conquered Egypt. (2) Gaumata or Bardiya (523-522) who passed himself off as Cyrus's younger son, Smerdis. (3) Darius the Persian (522-485.) The fourth king was Darius' son, Xerxes (486-465.) Both Darius and Xerxes were defeated in Greece.
         In 336 BC, Alexander the Great came to power for ten years. When he died, his kingdom was parceled out to four generals: Ptolemy, Seleucis, Antigonus (or Lysemychus - I have seen references to both), and Cassander. 
         It is because of the accuracy of this (and other) prophecies that "higher (modern) critics" insist on the later date and multiple authors. Tomorrow we'll continue looking at this time line.

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