The prophet has a vision of a ram with two horns (signifying Medo-Persia) attacked by a swiftly moving goat with a single large horn. who will rule with great power and do as he pleases” (Daniel 11:2-3).ĭaniel 8 is even more specific. Alexander, though not named, is called “a mighty king. Daniel 11 refers specifically to the kingdom of Greece. Daniel 2 tells of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar II’s dream, which foretold the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. The Greek kingdom was prophesied by Daniel in chapters 2, 8, and 11 of his book. In only 13 years, Alexander defeated Syria and Egypt, brought down the Medo-Persian Empire, and went as far east as India. Immortalized as Alexander the Great, he was second to none in the speed with which he conquered new lands.
In 336 B.C., a time when Greece consisted of city-states and their surrounding provinces, Alexander succeeded his father, Phillip, as king of Macedonia. Another source of information concerning Greek influence on the history of the Jews is the Apocrypha, specifically 1 and 2 Maccabees. While none of the history of the Greek Empire is recorded in the Bible, we do have relevant prophecy. Jewish history is indelibly marked by Alexander the Great’s short rule over the Greek Empire.
