This is not an easy chapter to understand. The question we need to ask ourselves, as we read through it, is this: has it already been fulfilled in the past (as so many people proclaim) or does it have implications for the last days? As we have gone through Daniel, we have seen that this book has been written in such a way as to prepare people (us) for the last days.

Strong indicators from the text itself (example: use of words like ? ?? ?? or terms like “the end of God’s wrath”) should lead us to the conclusion that this prophesy prepares us for understanding events in the last days. When Yeshua spoke to His disciples about the last days He taught them that they were going to be times of great INSTABILITY. What we see in this chapter is a great instability in the world – because of wars and rumors of war, earthquakes, famines, pestilence, social instability, decline of the family etc. (Matthew 24:5-14).

Verse 1: “And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I was standing to strengthen and empower him.”

I: Daniel speaking

In the first year of Darius the Mede: God’s hand had been upon Daniel. At the beginning of the Babylonian captivity, he had been taken captive, and had been a high ranking official in the Babylonian empire. Now, 70 years later, Daniel has moved through another change of empires and in this new transitional government of the Medes and Persians he is again in a position of leadership. Even though Daniel was from the sons of the exiles, from Judea, he gave wise counsel and was a faithful servant to the leaders of these empires that he had served. In Daniel 6 we saw that Daniel was a good friend to this king. Daniel’s faith impacted Darius.

Note: In Daniel we see a transition from one empire to another. In the last days we are also going to see a transition from one form of government to another. This transition is going to be a very difficult one. It is going to come about through wars, battles, conflict, and much turmoil.

Him: Darius

Verse 2: “And now truth I will declare to you: Behold, three more kings are standing to Persia, and to the fourth one will have greater wealth than them all. And according to his strength, in his wealth, he will stir up everything – even to the kingdom of Greece.”

Now: This is a message of urgency.

You: The sages of old say that because this is written in the singular it is a personal message for each of us as individuals. Each individual is going to have to decide if they are going to be faithful to God in the midst of these things or not. He is talking to those people who are going to be alive at this time.

Three … and to the fourth: This is written in a very similar style to what we find written in Proverbs – a book of wisdom literature (Proverbs 30:15-31). Biblical literature has been given to us in order to impart wisdom. Here Daniel, inspired by the Holy Spirit, uses this same literay technique, in order to convey to us that if we understand and apply this revelation to our lives then we are going to be a people who live in a wise manner.

The Word of God and the wisdom of God have one purpose: to produce faithfulness in our lives.

The fourth one will have greater wealth…: The emphasis of this passage is on the fourth king.

Note: Who are these four kings? To answer this question, we need to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. In this verse Daniel speaks of four kings that will rise up after Darius.

1. The first king to do this was Ahasuerus – also called Xerxes (See Ezra 4:5-6). He was also the king over Esther and Mordecai (Esther 1:1-2)
2. The second king was Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7)

3. We read about the 3rd and 4th kings in Daniel 8:3. These 2 horns are those final two Persian (Iranian) leaders (Daniel 8:20). The final, and fourth, leader will be the strongest and wealthiest one.

Strength, in his wealth: His power is rooted in his great wealth.

He will stir up everything: He is going to have an impact on all the world by bringing chaos into it.

Greece: (??? ????(In those days it was a larger empire than modern day Greece of today. It can therefore be understood as Europe of today.

Verse 3: “And a mighty king will stand. He will rule a great government and will do as he wants.”

Mighty king: Possibly a reference to the antichrist.

Great: Abundant. Powerful.

Will do as he wants: He will act in pride and will have his own motivations that will be satanically
inspired.