The Daniel Solution
A Dividing Line
Daniel 2 and 7 speak of four kingdoms (the first being Babylon) that will reign throughout history until the (second) coming of Christ. But as we saw in the last post, there are in fact five kingdoms that follow Babylon, not three.
So, to which four kingdoms do Daniel 2 and 7 refer?
I would argue they are Babylon, Rome, Islam, and Radical Islam.
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon - Lion (Daniel’s 1st Beast)
Medo-Persia
Greece
Rome - Bear (Daniel’s 2nd Beast)
Islam - Leopard (Daniel’s 3rd Beast)
Radical Islam - Leopard + (Daniel’s 4th Beast)
That being said, Medo-Persia and Greece are not simply skipped over or forgotten in this scenario. In fact, these two kingdoms are the key players in the second half of Daniel.
The Theory
What I propose is that the Book of Daniel consists of two separate (albeit connected) prophecies. In other words, Daniel 2-7 (Babylon, Rome, Islam, Radical Islam) is one prophecy, and Daniel 8-12 (Medo-Persia, Greece) is another.
What Daniel 2-7 shows us is the long game: four kingdoms that stretch to the end of time.
What Daniel 8-12 shows us is a close-up of how the final kingdom will come to power.
The Evidence
Consider this.
In Daniel 2-7, only Babylon is named. What follows Babylon are three nameless kingdoms.
In Daniel 8-12, Medo-Persia and Greece (or the representatives thereof) are explicitly identified as the kingdoms in question.
Furthermore, the kingdoms in Daniel 7 and 8 are represented by two entirely different sets of animals.
In Daniel 7 we have a Lion, Bear, Leopard, and a 10-Horned Beast (Leopard +).
In Daniel 8 we have a Ram and a Goat.
Standard teachings would have us believe the Ram is the same as the Bear (Medo-Persia) and the Goat is the same as the Leopard (Greece).
Not only is this logically unsound (the 4th kingdom is in view here, not the 3rd), but why not just use the same animals that have already been established? Why does Daniel 8 introduce a Ram and a Goat into the mix?
I submit this is because the Bear and the Leopard do not represent Medo-Persia and Greece, but the Ram and the Goat do.
Finally, the structure of Daniel itself creates a dividing line between the text.
As it is written in both Hebrew and Aramaic, this change in language effectively splits the book into two main sections, with chapters 2-7* being written in Aramaic, and chapters 1, 8-12 in Hebrew.
The image this produces is that of an introduction followed by two distinct segments (which happen to perfectly align with each individual prophecy). 1: 2-7, 8-12.
The reason why Medo-Persia and Greece are featured separately will be explained a little further down the line.
But first, I would like to explore how the kingdoms in this theory match up to the kingdoms described in Daniel 2 and 7 (i.e., the statue and the beasts).
I think you will find they are much better suited than the ones we have traditionally been taught.
Stay tuned.
*Note: Chapters are not an original feature of the Bible but were added later. The first three verses of Daniel chapter 2 are also in Hebrew.
