Medo-Persia replaced the Babylonian Empire as dominant world power in 539 B.C.E. At 62 years of age, Darius the Mede became the first ruler of the conquered city of Babylon. (Daniel 5:30, 31) For a short time, he and Cyrus the Persian reigned jointly over the Medo-Persian Empire. When Darius died, Cyrus became the sole head of the Persian Empire. For the Jews in Babylon, the reign of Cyrus meant release from captivity. In 537 B.C.E., Cyrus issued a decree that allowed Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to their homeland and rebuild Jerusalem and God's temple. The typical kingdom of God, however, was not reestablished in Judah and Jerusalem.-2 Chronicles 36:22, 23; Ezra l:l-22a.
The silver breasts and arms of the dream image pictured the line of Persian kings beginning with Cyrus the Great. That dynasty lasted for over 200 years. Cyrus is thought to have died while on a military campaign in 530 B.C.E. Of some 12 kings that succeeded him to the throne of the Persian Empire, at least 2 dealt favorably with God's chosen people. One was Darius I (Persian), and the other was Artaxerxes I (Media).
What did the silver breasts and arms of Nebuchadnezzar's dream image picture?
Darius I was third in the line of Persian kings after Cyrus the Great. The preceding two were Cambyses II and his brother Bardiya (or perhaps a Magian pretender named Gaumata). By the time Darius I, also known as Darius the Great, ascended the throne in 521 B.C.E., the work of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem was under ban. Upon uncovering the document containing Cyrus' decree in the archives at Ecbatana, Darius did more than remove the ban in 520 B.C.E. He also provided funds from the royal treasury for rebuilding the temple.-Ezra 6:1-12.
The next Persian ruler to assist in Jewish restoration efforts was Artaxerxes I, who succeeded his father Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) in 475 B.C.E. Artaxerxes was surnamed Longimanus because his right hand was longer than the left. During the 20th year of his reign, in 455 B.C.E., he commissioned his Jewish cupbearer Nehemiah to be governor of Judah and to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. This action marked the start of the 'seventy weeks of years' outlined in the 9th chapter of Daniel and set the dates for the appearance and the death of the Messiah, or Christ, Jesus of Nazareth: Daniel 9:24-27; Nehemiah 1:1; 2:1-18.
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the belly and thighs of the immense image constituted "another kingdom, a third one, of copper, that [would] rule over the whole earth." (Daniel 2:32, 39) This third kingdom would follow Babylonia and Medo-Persia. As copper is inferior to silver, this new world power would be inferior to Medo-Persia in that it would not be honored with any privilege like that of liberating God's people. However, the copperlike kingdom would "rule over the whole earth " indicating that it would be more extensive than either Babylonia or Medo-Persia. What do the facts of history bear out about this world power?
18 Shortly after inheriting the throne of Macedonia in 336 B.C.E. at 20 years of age, ambitious Alexander III embarked upon a campaign of conquest. Because of his military successes, he came to be called Alexander the Great. Gaining one victory after another, he kept moving into the Persian domain. When he defeated Darius III in battle at Gaugamela in 331 B.C.E., the Persian Empire began to collapse and Alexander established Greece as the new world power.
After the victory at Gaugamela, Alexander went on to take the Persian capitals Babylon, Susa, Persepolis, and Ecbatana. Subduing the rest of the Persian Empire, he extended his conquests into western India. Greek colonies were established in the conquered lands. Thus, Greek language and culture spread throughout the realm. The Grecian Empire, in fact, became greater than any that had preceded it. As Daniel had foretold, the copper kingdom `ruled over the whole earth.' One result of this was that Greek (Koine) became an international language. With its capacity for accurate expression, it proved highly suitable for writing the Christian Greek Scriptures and for spreading the good news of God's Kingdom.
What became of the Grecian Empire after the death of Alexander the Great?
Daniel continued his explanation of the dream image: "As for the fourth kingdom [after Babylon, MedoPersia, and Greece], it will prove to be strong like iron. Forasmuch as iron is crushing and grinding everything else, so, like iron that shatters, it will crush and shatter even all these." (Daniel 2:40) In its strength and ability to crush, this world power would be like iron-stronger than the empires represented by gold, silver, or copper. The Roman Empire was such a power.
The iron legs of Nebuchadnezzar's dream image pictured not only the Roman Empire but also its political outgrowth. Consider these words recorded at Revelation 17:10: "There are seven kings: five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while." When the apostle John penned these words, he was being held in exile by the Romans, on the isle of Patmos. The five fallen kings, or world powers, were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The sixth-the Roman Empire-was still in power. But it also was to fall, and the seventh king would arise from one of Rome's captured territories. What world power would that be?