Why was Babylon divided and given to the Medes and Persians? Canonical Reference Daniel 5:28 — “Peres: Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Immediate Historical Setting • Belshazzar, co-regent under his father Nabonidus, holds a feast (Daniel 5:1). • Temple vessels seized by Nebuchadnezzar are desecrated (5:2–4). • The supernatural handwriting appears (5:5). • Daniel interprets (5:17–28). • That very night—12 Tishri 539 BC—Belshazzar is slain and “Darius the Mede” (Cyrus’ governor, Gobryas/Gubaru) receives the city (5:30-31; cf. Nabonidus Chronicle, lines 16-19). Theological Grounds for Judgment 1. Profanation of Yahweh’s sacred vessels (Daniel 5:2, 23; cf. Exodus 30:29; 2 Chron 36:19). 2. Pride and refusal to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling (Daniel 5:18–22; Proverbs 16:18). 3. Idolatry: praising “gods of gold and silver” while omitting “the God who holds your breath” (Daniel 5:23). 4. Oppression of Israel: Babylon’s seventy-year domination was decreed to terminate (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Prophetic Foretelling • Isaiah 13:17 — “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them.” • Isaiah 21:2; 45:1 (Cyrus named 150 years in advance). • Jeremiah 27:6-7; 50-51: the fall to “nations of the north.” • Daniel 2:32, 39: the silver chest and arms of the statue represent the Medo-Persian Empire that would follow the Babylonian head of gold. Historical Fulfillment Archaeology: • Nabonidus Chronicle corroborates the city’s bloodless capture; cuneiform records call Cyrus “king of Anshan” and “king of the world,” validating Scripture’s sequence. • Cyrus Cylinder (British Museum) echoes Isaiah 44:28-45:1 by crediting “Marduk” with opening Babylon’s gates for Cyrus, inadvertently confirming Daniel’s claim of divine orchestration. Strategy: Herodotus (1.191) notes diversion of the Euphrates; Xenophon’s Cyropaedia (7.5.15-33) parallels Daniel’s record of a surprise entry. Divided and Given: What “Division” Entailed “Divided” (peres) is not a territorial partition but a transference of sovereignty: • Babylon’s administration became a satrapy under a dual monarchy—Medes (Darius the Mede, 5:31; 9:1) and Persians (Cyrus, 6:28). • Governance structure of 120 satraps (Daniel 6:1-2) reflects Persian policy documented in the Persepolis Fortification Tablets. Covenantal Purpose The handover enabled the edict for Jewish return and temple rebuilding: • 2 Chron 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4—Cyrus’ decree fulfills Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy and preserves the messianic lineage, advancing redemptive history toward the incarnation (Galatians 4:4). Moral and Philosophical Lessons 1. Sovereignty of God over nations (Daniel 2:21; 4:17). 2. Finite stability of empires; eternal dominion belongs to the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:13-14). 3. Individual accountability: Belshazzar weighed and found wanting (5:27). 4. Hope for the faithful remnant; divine judgment is inseparable from divine mercy (Isaiah 10:22-23). Concluding Synthesis Babylon was divided and handed to the Medes and Persians because Yahweh judged its blasphemy, pride, and oppression, while simultaneously fulfilling His prophetic word, liberating His covenant people, and advancing the messianic program. The convergence of linguistic nuance, prophetic precision, archaeological corroboration, and theological coherence underscores the reliability of Scripture and the sovereignty of the Creator over history. |
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