Topical Encyclopedia The imagery of the bear in biblical prophecy is most prominently associated with the Medo-Persian Empire, particularly in the Book of Daniel. This empire played a significant role in the history of Israel and the unfolding of biblical prophecy. The Medes, in alliance with the Persians, formed a powerful kingdom that succeeded the Babylonian Empire and set the stage for the return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland.Biblical References and Symbolism The bear is mentioned in the Book of Daniel as part of a vision that the prophet received. In Daniel 7:5 , the bear is described as the second beast: "And behold, another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’" This vision is part of a series of four beasts, each representing a successive kingdom that would dominate the known world. The bear, raised up on one side, symbolizes the Medo-Persian Empire, with the uneven sides representing the dual nature of the kingdom, where Persia eventually became more dominant than Media. The three ribs in the bear's mouth are often interpreted as the three major conquests of the Medo-Persian Empire: Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt. The command to "devour much flesh" signifies the expansive and conquering nature of this empire. Historical Context The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who, along with the Persians, established a significant empire in the 6th century BC. The Medo-Persian Empire is historically recognized for its vast expanse and its role in the liberation of the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity. Under the leadership of Cyrus the Great, the Medo-Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC, an event that was prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1; Jeremiah 51:11, 28). Cyrus's decree, as recorded in Ezra 1:1-4 , allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple: "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing: 'This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.'" Theological Significance The depiction of the Medo-Persian Empire as a bear in Daniel's vision underscores the sovereignty of God over the nations and the unfolding of His divine plan. The rise and fall of empires are portrayed as part of God's providential design, with each kingdom serving a purpose in the larger narrative of redemption history. The Medo-Persian Empire, through Cyrus's decree, facilitated the return of the Jewish people to their land, setting the stage for the eventual coming of the Messiah. The bear's role in biblical prophecy also serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly kingdoms and the ultimate establishment of God's eternal kingdom, as prophesied in Daniel 2:44 : "In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever." Torrey's Topical Textbook Daniel 7:5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library Concerning the Calamity that Befell Antiochus, King of Commagene. ... Then after the Lioness, the Prophet Sees a Second Beast Like a ... That the King of Babylon Repented of Making Jehoiachin King, and ... Cyrus. On the Clause, and Shall Come in Glory to Judge the Quick and the ... The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire On Daniel. Iii. Scholia on Daniel. Concerning Nebuchadnezzar and his Successors and How their ... We Arrive Now at a Branch of Our Subject Upon which the Lord's ... The Angel of the Everlasting Gospel. Resources Does the vine and branches passage in John 15 mean that salvation can be lost? | GotQuestions.orgWhat can we learn from the tribe of Issachar? | GotQuestions.org What is the “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon? | GotQuestions.org Bear: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Bear: Two Destroy the Young Men of Beth-El Who Mocked Elisha The Bear: Attacks the Flock in the Presence of the Shepherd The Bear: God in his Judgments The Bear: Miraculously Killed by David The Bear: Particularly Fierce when Deprived of Its Young The Bear: The Kingdom of Antichrist The Bear: The Kingdom of the Medes Related Terms The-not-beloved (1 Occurrence) Kir'iath-je'arim (18 Occurrences) Kirjathjearim (17 Occurrences) Vine-dressers (18 Occurrences) Kirjath-jearim (17 Occurrences) Kibroth-hattaavah (5 Occurrences) |
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