21. "Darius the Mede" ruler of Babylon

21. Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 1.

"Darius the Mede", Ruler of Babylon.

BC 621 - 535? 

Let us begin reader in chapter 11 of the book of Daniel at the first words of verse 1, which establishes for us to whom Daniel spoke in his "visions", when seeing through the long centuries of history ahead of him. The visions Daniel saw was ahead even into our day towards the year 2,000 AD and beyond! Daniel's words are so accurate that the smallest word is of paramount importance. So, we must use the "yardstick" set by our Lord Jesus, that every jot and tittle of the Law is taken notice of! Then reader, when one opens up every tiny particle of these "visions", one can watch our Heavenly Father's mighty work speak of His "Glory", as it opens up into a flower of stunning awe and beauty! When then the Lord God's "marvellous word" in secular and biblical history is performed through the eyes of man. Be prepared reader for many surprises as we embark on this factual, exacting, journey, seen through the "inner" eyes of a man of God, -Daniel-. Who, we today would call perhaps a clairvoyant, which biblical history would call a "seer" or prophet.

Verse1:- "ALSO I (Daniel) IN THE FIRST YEAR OF DARIUS THE MEDE, EVEN I, STOOD TO CONFIRM AND STRENGTHEN HIM".

Let us also "confirm" who these 2 men are of whom we speak in verse 1.

Daniel, known in Babylon as Belteshazzar, meaning:- "May Bel protect his life".

The Hebrew name Daniel means:- "God is my judge". Daniel was born at the time of King Josiah's (of the House of Judah) reformation of that nation, 621 BC. He was taken hostage as a youth by Nebuchadnezzar 605 BC during the third year of Jehoiakim.

(Daniel 1:1-3) During Daniel's long life he saw many kings come and go.

In 552 King Nabonidus of Babylon retired and his grandson Belshazzar came to the throne (Daniel 8:1). In 550 BC, Cyrus II of Persia amalgamated the Median and Persian states. In 539 BC saw Cyrus II, General named Darius, (who scholars say was called Gobryas) take Babylon from Belshazzar and was made King by Cyrus (Daniel 9-1). In the 3rd year of Cyrus 536 BC, Daniel had his "long" great vision of his last chapters of world history (Daniel 10-1). Daniel was in his mid-80's approx; when he died. (Born approx. 621 BC -died approx. 535 BC).

Now we come to Darius the Mede, who at the age of 62 years old took Babylon for Cyrus II (Daniel's 5-31). Scholars have questioned and conjectured about Darius the Mede for many a year. What one gleans from secular history of that time, however, is sufficient for us to get quite a good picture of the ebb and flow of peoples and kingdoms in this area of the world, which governing power shifted between Assyria, Chaldea, Persia, Elam and Media. It seems that the Median Kingdom was founded mainly by the Aryan race of peoples during the 7th and 8th centuries BC; though of course there is a difference of opinion on this through scholars and ancient records. However, Persia had twin lineages, one called Ariaramnes (late 7th century BC) and the other Achaemenes (Hakhamanish) from whom the Persian rulers were called Achaemenids. Again, some scholars say they were a people from among the Aryan invaders of Northwestern Iran, who settled in Parsumash (in Persia). These twin lineages came from "Teispes" King of Anshan- (678-639 BC) whose sons ruled Parsa (640-615 BC) and Elam and Parsumah, (639 BC) at the same time. The latter son's name was Cyrus I, who became King of Anshan (Elam) and Parsumah (in Persia) whose son became Cambyses I and grandson Cyrus II "The Great", of whom we speak in Daniel's book.

Now "Anshan," the city and territory of this ancient part of the world, (present-day Southwestern Iran) periodically raided Babylonian cities. About 675 BC however, Elam came under the control of the Achaemenid Persians (Cyrus I), who bore the titles of "Kings of Anshan" down to and crossing over to the second lineage of Persians, (Ariaramnes) and Darius I (522 BC). The Medes then ruled by Cyaxares II (625-585 BC) broke the power of Ariaramnes and he and his son Arsames, who succeeded him as King of Parsa (548 BC) became vassals of Media. Arsames was the Great Grandfather of Darius I. The Median Empire was founded by Cyaxares II (625-585 BC) who warred with the Assyrians, his father Phraortes was slain in battle.

The Scythians, during this period had ruled Media (653-625 BC) and their chiefs in turn were slain by Cyaxares. By 614 BC the Medes took Ashur (Assyria), in 612 BC they occupied and sacked Nineveh, conquered the kingdom of Mannai in Iran and subjected Urartu in Armenia. They also took part in the final defeat of the Assyrians in Mesopotamia in (612-609) the territory divided between Babylon and Media. Media taking Assyria, proper, Northern Mesopotamia with Haian. There was also a 5-year war between Media and Lydia in Asia-Minor (590-585), the war ended when the boundary for Media was fixed at Haley's River. Cyaxares II died shortly afterwards.

Nabonidus King of Babylon and Cyrus II- the vassal King- of Persia, allied themselves together and attacked the Median overlord Astyages in 550 BC overthrowing him and from then on, the Persian ruling dynasty began to become dominant. Astyages of Media was Cyrus II (The Great) maternal grandfather.

Cyrus II now combined the 2 kingdoms of Medes and Persians, making and using both Medes and Persians as officials, hence we have Darius the Mede in the pages of Daniel's book.

In Daniel 9:1 we also see a Darius called, "THE SON OF AHASUERAS, OF THE SEED OF THE MEDES, WHICH WAS MADE KING OVER THE REALM OF THE CHALDEANS".

This is the same Darius who is in Daniel 5:31 and Daniel 11:1. Secular scholars say "Ahasueras" is a title equivalent to modern "majesty" and is a Persian and not a Median title. Darius the Mede called "Ahasueras," was a son or grandson, which proves only that his bloodline perhaps was through his mother, a seed royal of Media and also Persia. It was Cyrus II "The Great" who was supreme ruler in all the Persian Empire at that time. The Median power at this time of, Darius the Mede and Cyrus II, is seen as the lesser of the 2 horns of Medo-Persia power in Daniel 8,verses 3-4. Cyrus II had well and truly plundered the Median capital Ecbatana and built his own capital at Pasargadae in Persia.

It was also the same Darius the Mede, King of Babylon (Ahasueras), that wrote a "decree" to all nations and languages. Daniel 6:25-28.

Verse 25:- "THEN KING DARIUS WROTE UNTO ALL PEOPLE, NATIONS, AND LANGUAGES, THAT DWELL IN ALL THE EARTH; PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU".
Verse 26:- "I MAKE A DECREE, THAT IN EVERY DOMINION OF MY KINGDOM MEN TREMBLE AND FEAR BEFORE THE GOD OF DANIEL: FOR HE IS THE LIVING GOD, AND STEADFAST FOR EVER, AND HIS KINGDOM THAT WHICH SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED, AND HIS DOMINION SHALL BE EVEN UNTO THE END".
Verse 27:- "HE DELIVERETH AND RESCUETH, AND HE WORKETH SIGNS AND WONDERS IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH, WHO HATH DELIVERED DANIEL FROM THE POWER OF THE LIONS".
Verse 28:- "SO THIS DANIEL PROSPERED IN THE REIGN OF DARIUS, AND IN THE REIGN OF CYRUS THE PERSIAN".

So, Daniel died when Cyrus II the Great and perhaps King Darius the Mede were still on the throne, approx; 535 BC? Because Cyrus II continued to rule the Medes and Persians for another 6 years afterwards.

Daniel 11:1 ends with 2 important words. "EVEN I, (Daniel) STOOD TO CONFIRM AND TO STRENGTHEN HIM. (Darius)". Those 2 words are "confirm" and "strengthen". Daniel in his role as the "Great Seer" in the courts of Babylon, now had to "confirm" -or- to ratify and establish, to settle and make past doubts disappear for Darius and Cyrus II. It is to make Darius certain of his position and that of Persia, with additional evidence. To "strengthen" is to make stronger and cause to increase the power in intensity. These things Daniel did to allay the fears that Darius may have held within his own heart.

To clarify here, -as a foot note-, the various words one reads which all seem to imply the word Persia. Scholars say, Parsa is an ancient city of Persia. The Greeks called it Persis. Then there was an Iranian tribe of Parsua, or Parsuash, Parsumash, (Persians). The leading Persian tribes called Pasargadae by Herodotus, to whom the "Achaemenians," the royal family of Persia, belonged. It was out of these people that Cyrus II the Great assembled and approved his revolt against "Astyages" his Median overlord, about 550 BC.