Today’s Scripture Reading (April 21,
2014): Daniel 11
Xerxes I
rise to power in the Persian Empire was a little unexpected. Xerxes was crowned
the King of Kings in Persia during the month of October 486 B.C.E. The reason
that the rise to power was unexpected was that Xerxes was not the oldest son of
his father Darius, and in almost every other nation in the known world the
crown was passed down from father to the oldest son.
Xerxes older
brother (actually older half-brother) was named Artabazanes. And Artabazanes
claimed the right to the throne of Persia following the traditions of the other
nations. But Darius ruled against his oldest son. There are probably two
reasons for the decision. First, it is thought that Darius divided his life
into two sections. The first section was the part of his life that he lived as “Darius
the Subject.” It was during this part of his life that it is thought that an
imposter was ruling on the throne of the Persia. The throne belonged to
Bardiya, the youngest son of Cyrus the Great. But traditional histories hold
the Bardiya actually died during the spring of 522 B.C.E., although that fact
was hidden from the people. Instead, an imposter ruled in Bardiya’s name. And
it was this imposter that Darius had killed later that year – and the next day
Darius was crowned king, ending the life of “Darius the Subject” and beginning
the life of “Darius the King.” Artabazanes was the oldest son, but he was born
to “Darius the Subject.” Xerxes was the oldest son of “Darius the King” and as
a result it is Xerxes that ascends to the throne of Persia after his father’s
death. But the second argument for Xerxes’ rise over that of his older brother
was that Artabazanes mother was a commoner, while Xerxes mother was from the
ruling class of Persia in her own right. And so Xerxes becomes King.
This section
of Daniel is so precise that some critics have charged that it must have been
written after the events had happened. But other than the precise nature of the
prophecy, there is no reason to attribute a late date to this writing. And
there is absolutely no doubt that the fourth king that Daniel writes about is
Xerxes, the son of Darius the Great (and Darius the King). And he would be richer
than those that came before him precisely because he was the son of Darius the
Great. Darius presided over the Persian Empire at the height of the empire, and
at the time that he died he was preparing to move against Greece – stockpiling resources
and finances that would be needed. And all of these resources went to Xerxes
when he took the throne.
But even
though Xerxes had all of the advantages that the kings that went before him did
not have, and even though he was able to martial support for his move against
the Greeks, he would not be able to hold his Grecian gains. Trouble at home
would require Xerxes to send part of his army home – and the portion of the
army left in Greece would be defeated, ending the hope that would be able to
complete the military dream that had started with his father.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Daniel
12
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