What lessons can we learn from the rise and fall of earthly powers? Daniel 11:2 in Focus “Now then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise for Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power he gains through his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.” What We See in a Single Verse • God names the number of future Persian rulers before they appear. • He highlights one king’s extraordinary wealth and the wars it funds. • The text moves history forward to the next empire (Greece) centuries ahead of time. God Directs History, Not Chance • Daniel 2:21 – “He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them.” • Proverbs 21:1 – “A king’s heart is like a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He directs it wherever He pleases.” • Isaiah 46:9-10 – God declares “the end from the beginning,” proving every dynasty fits His plan. Prosperity Cannot Guarantee Permanence • The fourth Persian king (historically Xerxes I) possessed staggering riches, yet Persia still fell. • 1 Timothy 6:17 – riches are “uncertain.” Xerxes illustrates that truth on an imperial scale. • Daniel 5:30-31 – Babylon’s wealth could not save it in a single night; neither could Persia’s over decades. Pride Fuels Conflict and Collapse • Xerxes’ self-confidence “stirred up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.” Pride turns resources into aggression. • Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction.” • Daniel 4:37 – Nebuchadnezzar confesses that God is able to humble those who walk in pride. Earthly Power Is Always Limited and Temporary • Daniel 2:44 – every human kingdom is replaced, but God’s kingdom “will never be destroyed.” • Psalm 75:6-7 – promotion “does not come from the east, west, or desert, but God is the Judge; He brings down one and exalts another.” • Revelation 11:15 – one day, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” Lessons for Believers Today • Trust God’s sovereignty when nations rise or decline; He wrote history in advance. • Measure success by faithfulness, not by wealth or power that evaporate. • Resist pride personally and nationally; humility invites God’s favor. • Pray for leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), yet anchor hope in Christ’s unshakable kingdom, not in any earthly regime. |
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