Belly and Thighs of Bronze: Greece (332 BC - 63 BC)

> Statue in Daniel

Historical and Biblical Background

• In 332 BC, Alexander the Great of Greece conquered the kingdom of Persia, and expanded his kingdom as far east as the Indus river.

• Alexander the Great brought with him rapid Hellenization, the spread of Greek culture, language, and religion in the entire civilized world.

• After Alexander's death in 323 BC, his generals fought over the conquered land.

• After more than 40 years of struggles and warfare (323-280 BC), four major divisions emerged: Egypt (Ptolemies), Syria (Seleucids), Macedonia (Antigonids), and Pergamum (Attalids).

• For over 150 years, the Jews were either under the control of the Ptolemies or the Seleucids.

• From 175-163 BC, the Seleucids ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanies tried to force the Jews to abandon their law and adopt Greek culture. In 167 BC, he desecrated the Jewish temple by sacrificing a pig on an altar to the Greek god Zeus.

• In response to the desecration of the temple, a Jewish priest named Judas Maccabeus led a revolt.

• Maccabeus won, and in 164 BC, the temple was cleansed and rededicated. This rededication is celebrated every year in Hanukkah.

Belly and Thighs of the Statue (Daniel 2)

• The belly and thighs made of bronze represent the kingdom of Greece. This third kingdom would extend throughout the known world.

• Bronze, which is of lesser value than silver, symbolized the inferior status of Greece to that of Persia.

• Eventually Greece would be conquered by another kingdom.

Vision of Beasts - Leopard (Daniel 7)

• Daniel's vision of the leopard with four heads and four wings may represent the kingdom of Greece.

• The four wings may illustrate the speed of Alexander the Great's conquest.

• The four heads may represent the division of Alexander's kingdom into four provinces after Alexander's death: Egypt under Ptolemies, Syria under the Seleucids, Macedonia under the Antigonids, and Pergamum under the Attalids.

Timeline

• 332 BC: Alexander the Great; conquers Egypt and Palestine. Hellenization begins.

• 323 BC: Ptolemies of Egypt; Alexandrian Empire divided; Ptolemy rules Egypt, Seleucus rules Persia and Syria, Antigonus rules Macedonia and Greece. The Attalids rule Pergamum.

• 255 BC: Septuagint (Scriptures translated into Greek in Alexandria)

• 200 BC: Seleucids of Syria

• 167 BC: Judas Maccabeus leads Jewish revolt against the Seleucids. The temple in Jerusalem is defiled.

• 165 BC: Hasmonean Dynasty

• 164 BC: Temple in Jerusalem rededicated.