Thursday, February 10, 2022

Solution to the “Darius the Median” Issue in the Book of Daniel Proposed by Brad Overton (LDS)

  

“Darius the Median”

 

In chapter nine (Daniel 9:1), we learn that Daniel received the prophecies in this chapter, during “the first year of Darius the “son of Ahasuerus.”

 

“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans” (Daniel 9:1).

 

The reference to “the son of Ahasuerus” was rather puzzling, until I realized that “Ahasuerus” was possibly a name (or title) for some ancient ancestor of “Cambyses I,” who was the father of “Cyrus the Great.” It is interesting to note that the identity of “Darius the Mede” (also “Darius the Median”), continues to puzzle many modern-day scholars, because they claim that no historical record exists, which mentions anything about “Darius the Mede.” As a result, many bible scholars have declared that because this name is wrong, provides proof that the entire “Book of Daniel” is not accurate. In other words, they choose to blame the entire “Book of Daniel” because they have failed to solve the simple puzzle, concerning “Darius the Mede.” The reason why most bible scholars fail to solve this simple puzzle, is because they continue to overlook the important clues which Daniel provided.

 

In the following scripture, we learn that “Darius, the Median” was 62 years old, when Babylon was conquered.

 

“And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old” (Daniel 5:31).

 

This scripture eliminates “Darius I” completely, because he was born in 550 B.C., which proves that he was about 12 years old, when Babylon was conquered in 538 B.C.

 

The “Book of Daniel” refers to Cyrus as the “prince of the kingdom of Persia,” when God proclaims: “But the prince of the kingdom  of Persia withstood me one and 20 days” (Daniel 10;13). When we convert these twenty-one days into years, and then subtract twenty-one years from 559 B.C. (the year when Cyrus succeeded his father), we end up with 538 B.C. Notice that this is the same year when Cyrus conquered Babylon. When we subtract 538 B.C. from 600 B.C. (when Cyrus was born), we discover that “Cyrus the Great” was 62 years old, during that time. Notice that this is the same age, as “Darius the Median,” in Daniel 5:31 above.

 

Therefore, we now have two clues, which proves that Cyrus was “Darius the Median.” The first clue was the fact that “Darius the Mede,” was “the son of Ahasuerus,” referring to an ancient ancestor of “Cambyses I.” We also learn from the second clue that Cyrus was 62 years old, when Babylon was captured, in 538 B.C. This Median title begins to make sense when you understand that the Medes were in control, when Cyrus succeeded his father, in 559 B.C. This is when Cyrus received his Median title as the “King of the Medes.” Therefore, the persons who captured Babylon, was the same individual who Daniel recognized as “Darius the Median.” This proves that “Darius” was some ancient title which Cyrus received, when he first began to rule over the Median Empire: just like the Romans used their title of “Caesar.”

 

There is one more important clue, mentioned in chapter 11, which provides proof that “Darius the Median” was Cyrus, and no one else:

 

“And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia” (Daniel 11:2)

 

In accordance with this prophecy, we are told that three more Persian kings would follow the reign of King Cyrus, and that the fourth king: “shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.” This prophecy is talking about the kings, who once ruled over the “Achaemenid Empire,” which began in 550 B.C. and ended in 330 B.C. However, at first glance, it appears that something is wrong with this prophecy. This is because the historical record proves that thirteen more kings, ruled over this empire, after the death of “Cyrus the Great.” Understand; this prophecy is only predicting that three more kings would be named “Darius,” after the rule of this “Darius the Median” (“Darius 0”), is over. These three kings were “Darius I,” “Darius II,” and “Darius III.” We also learn that the fourth king (Darius III), would fight a war against Grecia: referring to the “Macedonian-Greek Empire.” This prophecy not only proves that King Cyrus was “Darius the Median” (“Darius 0”), but it also proves that the fourth and last “Darius” was “Darius III,” who fought a war against the “Macedonian-Greek Empire,” fulfilling the prophecy: “and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia” (Daniel 11:2).

 

Notice that the “Book of Daniel” accurately predicted that three more kings would receive the “Darius” title, after the death of “Cyrus the Great” (“Darius 0”), which was several years before two of these kings were even born. This provides proof that the “Book of Daniel” is completely accurate, and true, which should also be handled like an accurate historical record that was recorded in reverse: before the predicted events occurred.

 

Because we now understand that “Darius the Median,” was Cyrus, and that Cyrus was also a Persian King, provides proof that the following verse is true:

 

“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Daniel 6:28).

 

In other words, when Cyrus conquered Babylon, he arrived on the scene as “Darius the Median.” Sometime later, after Cyrus defeated the Median Empire, is when Cyrus began to rule over his kingdom as “Cyrus the Persian.” Therefore, Daniel is simply confirming that he prospered under both titles, that “Cyrus the Great” received.

 

This also explains why Daniel made the following statement:

 

“Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him” (Daniel 11:1).

 

Understand; Daniel would not have made this statement, if “Darius the Mede,” was his enemy.

 

The fact that King Nebuchadnezzar was also a Chaldean King (Ezra 5:12), when he ruled over Babylon, explains why Cyrus became the “king over the realm of the Chaldeans,” after he defeated the “Babylonian Empire.”

 

Therefore, this proves that verse one, in chapter nine, was true:

 

“In the FIRST YEAR of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans” (Daniel 9:1).

 

Notice that this verse confirms that “Darius the son of Ahasuerus,” was Cyrus, because Cyrus the “king over the realm of the Chaldeans,” when he captured Babylon

 

Because Daniel received the prophecies, in chapter 9, during the first year that Cyrus ruled over Babylon, proves that he received these prophecies in 538 B.C.

 

This is also true concerning, chapter 11, because Daniel says:

 

“Also I in the FIRST YEAR of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him” (Daniel 11:1).

 

This proves that Daniel received the prophecies, in chapters 9 and 11, in 538 B.C.

 

However, when we study verse one, in chapter 10, we discover that Daniel did not receive the scriptures in chapter 10, until the third year that Cyrus ruled over Babylon:

 

“In the THIRD YEAR of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision” (Daniel 10:1).

 

Because the first year that Cyrus ruled over Babylon, was 538 B.C., proves that the third year was 536 B.C. Therefore, Daniel did not receive the scriptures in chapter 10, until two years after he received the scriptures in chapters 9 and 11. As a result, this proves that the verse in chapter 10, which reads: “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days” (Daniel 10:14), was not talking about any prophecies that Daniel previously received in chapter 11.

 

The fact that the “Book of Daniel” is not lined up in the proper order, is a very startling revelation, in modern times. This is because many Christian ministers have used verse 14, in chapter 10 (Daniel 10:14), to prove to their congregations that the prophecies in chatper 11, are prophecies for the future. However, it was just proven that Daniel received chapter 10, two years after he received the prophecies in chapter 11, which proves that many ministers are wrong. Even though Daniel did receive the promise: “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days” (Daniel 10:14), this scripture is talking about the “latter day” prophecies in chapter 12, and not any prophecies that Daniel previously received in chapter 11. The fact that Michael (“Michael the Archangel”) is mentioned, in the last verse of chapter 19, and in the first verse in chapter 12, proves that these two chapters are directly connected. Therefore, chapter 10 is simply the introduction for chapter 12, which contains prophecies for the “latter days.”

 

Therefore, for studying purposes, the chapters in the “Book of Daniel” should be lined up, in the following order:

 

King Nebuchadnezzar chatpers 1, 2, 3, 4

King Belshazzar chapters 8, 7, 5

King Cyrus and “Darius the Median,” chapters 6, 9, 11

“Michael the Archangel,” chapter 10

“Michael the Archangel” and the “latter days,” chapter 12 (Brad Overton, The Bible Prophecies Prove Which Church is True: How One Church Fulfilled the Latter-day Prophecies [B. Overton Ltd., 2020], 27-32, emphasis in original)