THE GREEK EMPIRE 1: ALEXANDER'S CONQUEST
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Greek Empire
a) Jewish history is indelibly marked by Alexander the Great’s short rule over the Greek Empire. While none of the history of the Greek Empire is recorded in the Bible, we do have relevant prophecy. Another source of information concerning Greek influence on the history of the Jews is the Apocrypha, specifically 1 and 2 Maccabees.
2. Alexander’s Conquests
i) In 336 B.C., a time when Greece consisted of city-states and their surrounding provinces, Alexander succeeded his father, Phillip, as king of Macedonia. Immortalized as Alexander the Great, he was second to none in the speed with which he conquered new lands. In only 13 years, Alexander defeated Syria and Egypt, brought down the Medo-Persian Empire, and went as far east as India.
ii) The Greek kingdom was prophesied by Daniel in chapters 2, 8, and 11 of his book. Daniel 2 tells of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar II’s dream, which foretold the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. Daniel 11 refers specifically to the kingdom of Greece. Alexander, though not named, is called “a mighty king . . . who will rule with great power and do as he pleases” (Daniel 11:2-3).
iii) Daniel 8 is even more specific. The prophet has a vision of a ram with two horns (signifying Medo-Persia) attacked by a swiftly moving goat with a single large horn. After the goat kills the ram, its horn is broken “at the height of his power,” and four other horns grow up in its place (Daniel 8:1-8).
iv) The angel Gabriel explains the vision: the goat signifies Greece, and the prominent horn is “the first king” (Alexander). The breaking of the horn signifies the untimely death of the king, and the four smaller horns represent a divided kingdom. The prophecy, which Daniel recorded 200 years in advance, came true in every detail: Alexander died in Babylon in 323 B.C. at the age of 33. His kingdom was then divided among his four generals, Ptolemy, Seleucas, Lysimachus, and Cassander.
The End ...
1. The Greek Empirea) Jewish history is indelibly marked by Alexander the Great’s short rule over the Greek Empire. While none of the history of the Greek Empire is recorded in the Bible, we do have relevant prophecy. Another source of information concerning Greek influence on the history of the Jews is the Apocrypha, specifically 1 and 2 Maccabees.
2. Alexander’s Conquests
i) In 336 B.C., a time when Greece consisted of city-states and their surrounding provinces, Alexander succeeded his father, Phillip, as king of Macedonia. Immortalized as Alexander the Great, he was second to none in the speed with which he conquered new lands. In only 13 years, Alexander defeated Syria and Egypt, brought down the Medo-Persian Empire, and went as far east as India.
ii) The Greek kingdom was prophesied by Daniel in chapters 2, 8, and 11 of his book. Daniel 2 tells of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar II’s dream, which foretold the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. Daniel 11 refers specifically to the kingdom of Greece. Alexander, though not named, is called “a mighty king . . . who will rule with great power and do as he pleases” (Daniel 11:2-3).
iii) Daniel 8 is even more specific. The prophet has a vision of a ram with two horns (signifying Medo-Persia) attacked by a swiftly moving goat with a single large horn. After the goat kills the ram, its horn is broken “at the height of his power,” and four other horns grow up in its place (Daniel 8:1-8).
iv) The angel Gabriel explains the vision: the goat signifies Greece, and the prominent horn is “the first king” (Alexander). The breaking of the horn signifies the untimely death of the king, and the four smaller horns represent a divided kingdom. The prophecy, which Daniel recorded 200 years in advance, came true in every detail: Alexander died in Babylon in 323 B.C. at the age of 33. His kingdom was then divided among his four generals, Ptolemy, Seleucas, Lysimachus, and Cassander.
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