The Truth About Alexander the Great in World and Bible History

“Few modern historians accept Alexander’s greatness upon his military abilities alone, and none, certainly, upon the pomp which he acquired as Lord of Lords of the Persians and as Pharaoh, the god-king of Egypt. More noteworthy to them—as it was to may of his contemporaries—is Alexander’s surprising cosmopolitanism. By his colonization, Alexander spread the Greek language, Greek social institutions, and Greek culture from Athens to India. He seems to have envisioned a new culture rooted in Hellenism but united with the ancient civilizations of the Near east and any other area which might be added to the empire of the future.”[1]

1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food (Acts 6:1).

These corresponding narratives from history, one secular, the other Bible, corroborate Alexander the Great’s critical role of preparing the world for the first coming of Christ. Alexander’s conquering of the East in the fourth century BC cultured its people with the language of the New Testament, Koine (common) Greek, so all the world could understand and translate it the three centuries following Christ.

This month as film maker Oliver Stone brings Alexander back to life, he doesn’t touch on Alexander’s divine role in history. Though his script uses the device of flashback, he doesn't revisit history to show how the Persian Empire Alexander conquered was descendant from the Persian king the Old Testament prophet Daniel served and wrote of, Darius I. Flashing back through the narrative of Alexander's General Ptolemy, this would have been easy, since he would have known the history as well as any for the telling. What little Stone strives to show audiences is the orgy palace life of King Philip and a rambling Alexander who talks too much about too little, with only one major battle scene. He has even gone beyond the pale of contemporary Hollywood smut in demoralizing his plot by portraying Alexander’s trusted kingdom confidant, Hephastion, as his homosexual lover. Despicable. So much so, that a group of Greek lawyers have threatened to sue Stone and Warner Brothers. But Alexander is in the culture, so Eschatology Today will fill in some historical blanks.

Who in western civilization that has had heard anything about the Bible, hasn’t heard about Daniel in the lion’s den? It was the new government of Darius I that threw Daniel to them. After Daniel supernaturally survived, Darius threw Daniel's accusers to the lions and restored the prophet to the place of kingdom prominence experienced under Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5).

"...for he [is] the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end."

And, it was during the reign of Darius I that Daniel received his revelation of Alexander the Great.

We Four Kings of Orient Are, Preparing the Way for the Bethlehem Star... Daniel foretold three future Persian kings who would precede Alexander in chapter 11 of his Old Testament book.

Daniel 11:1-4 1 "And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. 2 "And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece.

Cyrus was the first of the three prophesied kings, Artexerxes the second, Asahurus the third, and Xerxes the fourth.

Cyrus Darius’ son Cyrus was the great redeemer of the Hebrew captivity who released the Hebrews to return to their national home.

Ezra 1:3 3 'Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

Artexerxes Cyrus’ son Artexerxes is a key historic figure in the Old Testament Books of Nehemiah and Ezra. It was Artexerxes who allowed Ezra to rebuild the Hebrew temple and granted Nehemiah the right to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.

Nehemiah 2:6 6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.

Ahasuerus Ahasuerus’ attitude toward the rebuilding and population of Judah was swayed by political sentiment, but he was changed through his marriage to Esther. [2]

Esther 2:17 17 And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Xerxes The fourth king, Xerxes, sought to conquer Greece. His campaign against them and the defeat he encountered is famous in history. “It is he who went out was the terror of Greece in his return was the scorn of Greece.”[3]

Alexander Finally, Alexander’s coming is prophesied in verses 3 and 4, including the division of his kingdom that would expand Greek influence throughout the earth.

3 "And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

4 "But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded; for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them. Though only 20 when Alexander took the throne, he was already a proven cavalry commander. Accounts of his military genius herald his bravery and “feel for the field.” He was responsible for his father Philip’s victory that finally conquered Greece, and many other battles due to his bold tactical assaults.[4] Assaulting the gaps and flanks created by the Greek army’s infamous Phalanx (rows of infantry armed with 14 foot pikes [spears]), the hardened warrior made his name in battle by charging the lead and inspiring his men. He made his name as a world leader by colonizing his conquered territories in a cosmopolitan atmosphere, indoctrinating the world in "all things Greek." Always in front, never behind, Alexander the Great conquered the world of Darius III (indrect descendent of Darius I), like a well-played game of “Risk.”

Alexander's egalitarian will to assimilate the nations was demonstrated by taking a Persian wife, and directing his commanders to do the same. Tutored by Aristotle, his cultural influence took root in his prized Egyptian metropolis, Alexandria, where he chose to build a great city that flourished in academics and arts. But Alexander's heyday was short as he died from fever thirteen years into his reign. He was 33.

Tradition holds when asked for a successor while on his death bed, Alexander replied: "To the Strongest." So his highest-ranking generals divided the empire among themselves. Twenty years of war waged by Alexander's jealous younger commanders finally culminated in the geopolitical divisions of Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Egypt. The general Oliver Stone uses as a story teller in his film, Ptolemes, was granted rule in Egypt where he reigned as Pharaoah in Alexandria, later adding Phoenicia and Palestine to his state.

The remainder of Daniel 11 discloses prophesied kingdom developments that took place the century before Christ involving the rulers of Alexander’s segmented principalities of Syria (king of the north), and Egypt (king of the south). Because of the sudden resurrection time thrust Daniel 12:1 transitions the prophecy with, the last section of chapter 11 could pertain in double-fulfillment to the last-days antichrist. But that is for another article.

The point of this article is, that Alexander lived and fulfilled the great achievements of his day is no truer than the fact that Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezra, and Esther, all lived during the days that led up to him—to ensure the world was ready for the advent of Christ. (On a side note, the "magi philosopher/priests from the east" who followed the star to warn and finance Jesus, were also Persian [Matthew 2:1]).

Darius’ Persian empire eventually succumbed to Alexander’s, which in turn succumbed to Rome’s, which in turn was in place when the eschatological promises of the Messiah finally manifest.

Those who know their Bible understand Paul was born again in Syria, ministered predominantly in Asia Minor, and received a vision redirecting him into Macedonia. Incoporating Phoenicia, Palestine surrounded and stretched north of Galilee and Capernaum where Jesus lived and ministered. On the shore of the Mediterranean to the west was the city of Ptolemais, named after the general who sanctioned the land following Alexander's death. To the north of Capernaum was Chorizan. Northwest from there were the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, also made famous in Gospel history (Matthew 11:21; 15:21; Mark 3:8; 7:31; Luke 4:26; 16:17; 10:13).

To the Jew first, and also the Greek... Confirmed by the apostle Paul's statement in chapter one of his epistle to the Romans, the culture of Paul's day was Alexandrian, Hellenistic, Greek.

Romans 1:16 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The great apostle didn't say God's gospel of salvation was to the "Jew first and also to the Roman," because the culture of the first-century church was Alexandrian Greek. Jews were Jews, Gentiles were Greeks. (Also see 1 Corinthians 1:22-23 and 12:13; Gal 3:28-29; and Col 3:11.) The account of the New Testament’s church history book was written by a Greek to a Greek.

Acts 1:1,2 1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen…

Luke 1:1-4 3 ...it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught…

And, remember, the Greek author Luke's biblical church history book mentions a group of Hellenized Jews who were an aparrently substansive group in the life of the early church (Acts 6:5). Read the names of those selected to assist their needs and you recognize they were Hellenized Jews also, or full blooded Greeks.

There is no evidence of Alexander's conversion to Jehovah as occurred to Nebuchadnezzer (Dan 4:37), because he had no Daniel to represent God's presence and will. But when the New Testament was inspired over the next 70 years—every book in it was written in Greek for easy comprehension—and God made sure of their distribution, through Alexander the Great.

Daniel 4:32 "...the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes."

“The break up of Alexander the Great’s empire about 300 BC,” writes Edward Burns, Robert Learner, and Standish Meacham in,Western Civilizations, “inaugurated a peculiar period in the history of the ancient world. International barriers were broken down; there was an extensive migration and intermingling of peoples; and the collapse of the old social order gave rise to profound disillusionment and a vague yearning for individual salvation.”[6]

[1] “The Development of Civilization,” Volume I Revised Edition, Carrol, Embree Mellon, Shrier, and Taylor: Scott, Foresman and Co., Glenville, IL: 1969, p. 91, The Glory That Was Greece.

[4] “The Western Heritage,” Kagan, Ozment, Turner, Macmilan Publishing Company, NY, NY: 1987, p. 94,Classical and Hellenistic Greece.

[5] "Western Civilizations," Edward McNall Burns, Robert E. Lerner, Standish Meacham:W.W. Norton & Company, NY, NY: 1980, p. 61.

On another thread, there was a discussion of morals, and I was asked why I believed the Bible was the Word of God.

One of my defenses was that the Bible is filled with detailed fulfilled prophecy, something that I believe is not found in any other religious belief.

One example is in the book of Daniel from the Old Testament. While the Book of Daniel has prophecy about end times which many concentrate on when looking for the Revived Roman Empire that is predicted, or on what some characteristics of the coming Anti-Christ are, I want to focus on something so profound in it's fulfillment, that it is one of the arguments used by unbelievers to say it could not have been a prophecy, but could only have been written after these events happened!

11:1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 2 And now will I show 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.

Here Daniel speaks of four coming Kings of Persia:Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, who let the Jews free to build the Temple again in Jerusalem (529-522 BC); Pseudo-Smerdis (522-521 BC); Darius I Hystaspes (521-486 BC); and Xerxes I (486-465 BC, written about in Ezra 4:6) Note that all these Kings are future Kings, ones that Daniel would not know, they were in the future.

3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

This mighty king spoken of here, is not the Persian Kings, but Alexander the Great. Note that his kingdom is broken up into 4 kingdoms that are not his family! Alexander's family was murdered by others: Statira, the daughter of Darius, was one of Alexander's wives, was murdered by Roxana, Alexander's other wife; Alexander's brother was killed by his mother Olympias, Alexander's son through Roxana was murdered by Cassander; and Alexander's son Hercules was killed by Polysperchon.

These four kings of Alexander's Army were: Cassander, reigning in Greece and the west; Lysimichus in Thrace and the North; Ptolemy in Egypt and the south; and Seleucus in Syria and the East.

While this sounds like 4 strong kingdoms, Lysimichus conquered Thrace and annexed it, and then Seleucus then defeated Lysimichus and annexed his lands into Syria. This left Ptolemy and Seleucus as the proinant leaders in the South and North. Israel is right in the middle of this, and that is why it is important to Bible prophecy.

5 And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.

Ptolemy is the Kng of the South. He annexed Cyprus, Phoenecia, Caria, and many islands and cities according to historians like Jerome.

6 And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.

Seleucus Nicator was murdered also, and succeeded by his son Antiochus Soter, who was suceeded byu his son Antiochus Theus. In Egypt, Ptolemy Philadelphus suceeded his father, the first Ptolemy. Frequent wars happened between the new Antiochus Theus and Ptolemy Philadelphus.

A peace treaty was created between the two countries, in that Antiochus should divorce his first wife Laodice and marry the daughter of Ptolemy, named Bernice.

However, in a fit of passion, Antiochus brought back his first wife, leaving Bernice. Laodice, fearing her husbands sincerity, poisoned him and fixed her own son, Seleucus Callinicus,

to succeed Antiochus instea of Bernice's son, and then murdered Bernice, too!

7 But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:

8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.

Naturally, this would not stand with Egypt, Ptolemy Eurgetes, the successor of Ptolemy Philadelphus, came with an army, conquered Syria, and proceeded to the Euphrates,capturing spoil all the way, including many slaves!

Ptolemy was victorious, slaying Laodice in this war, but heard of a sedition back in Egypt and returned.

9 So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10 But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.

Naturally, the Syrians could not stand for this, either, and they went to war! The remaining Syrian sons, Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus Magnus, waged war against Egypt. Seleucus was not a good general, died in battle, and Antiochus waged the final battles, defeating the Egyptian general Nicolaus, and even wanted to invade Egypt itself.

Ptolemy Philopater was king of Egypt by this time, and Antiochus Magnus rose to power in Syria.

11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12 And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.

Once again, the Egyptians sought vengence, and Ptolemy Philopater fought Antiochus Magnus and defeated him, chasing him back to Syria. Ptolemy was too proud of his victory, and stopped short, and lost total victory, letting the Syrians escape back home, still losers, but while Ptolemy was able to destroy the entire country.

13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.

Not only the new king of Syria, Antiochus, but other surrounding nations wanted in on it this time, especially since the reigning king of Egypt was 4 years old, Ptolemy Epiphanes. Many Jews were slaughtered by the previous Ptolemy, and Phillip of Macedon came to join with Antiochus.

However, Scopas comes to help Ptolemy, and Antiochus army is stretched too far, and Egypt remains intact.

15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.

16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.

Antiochus almost made it into Egypt, and conqured most of Palistine (Israel) in the previous war, and began again only to have Scopas come out against him again. Scopas was defeated at the Jordan River, chased back to Sidon, where he and his men escaped with their lives, being forced to lay down their arms, and leave naked fleeing!

17 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.

Antiochus thought to invade by force to complete his war, but instead, he gave his daughter, Cleopatra, to be the wife of Ptolemy. Antiochus had hoped that his daughter Cleopatra would give him the state secrets of Egypt, only Cleopatra fell in love with Ptolemy, and favored Ptolemy instead of her father, Antiochus.

18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.

Antiochus focused on the Roman settlements, the Mediterranean Sea ports, and took many. A roman General, Acilius fought him, however, and defeated him at Straits of Thermmopylae, and even threw Antiochus out of Greece. Livius and Aemilius defeated him at sea, and Scipio beat him at Magnesia, killing 50,000 men that day!

Antiochus signed a treaty to never set foot in Europe again, to not proceed Eastward into Asia any more than Taurus, and to pay for all war damages he caused, and had to give over 20 hostages to ensure he paid in full. One of these hostages was his son, Antiochus Epiphanes.

19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

Antiochus went home to Syria, and tried to pay his debts. They proved to be too expensive, so he went on a plunder tour of his conquered lands, and looted the Temple of Jupiter in Elymais, causing much hatred against him to be raised among his own people, they fought back, killing him and his army.

20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.

Seleucus Philopater succeeded Antiochus the Great, was a wickede man, too afraid to fight the Romans himself, sent his treasurer to raid the Temple in Jerusalem. This same treasurer killed him.

21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

Antiochus Epiphanes was now returnig from Rome because Antiochus Philopater replaced his status of hostage with his own son, Epiphanes being his brother. Antiochus Epiphanes was in Athens returning, when he heard of his brother Seleucus' death by Heliodorus the treasurer. There was much talk of who should be the next king, with Cleopatra's Son, Ptolemy Philometor being the heir by immediate blood; Seleucus son, Demetrius, who was then a hostage in Rome. But, Antiochus Epiphanes obtained the Kingdom by flatteries like the Bible said, siding up with the king of Pergamus and the rest of the Syrians, telling them all of their common hatred of Rome.

Antiochus Epiphanes also tried to side with Rome, sending ambassadors with money for the tribute his father owed. Epiphanes was a strange King, he went out in town,dressed as a commoner, bathing in public, exposing himself, drinkiing with the lowest of men, dressing as a Roman and pretending to canvass the town trying to get votes on certain projects!

22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

The kings of Pergamus attacked Heliodorus, the murderer of his father, and also the Egyptian armies, and when Antiochus showed up, all feared him. Antiochus also threw out the High Priest of the Jews, and put in his own person, and created a rivalry there, with the brother of this person flattering Antiochus, too, to get himself into the high priests place!

23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

Antiochus Epiphanes entered everywhere he went...peaceably...with a small number of people who supported him directly, but won the hearts and minds and wallets of those he came in touch with, and then declared war against his enemies, with his new allies, he accomplished much. He was also giving away money to strangers in the street, great fortunes to these poor people. He did NOT however, rebuild the provinces that Egypt lost in battle, and the advisors of the young Ptolemy Philometer asked for money to help out. He refused, also renegging on the deal made when Cleopatra was given in marriage, that these lands would be given back to the Ptolemys. Here he stirred up his power and army to face Egypt again in war.

25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.

Antiochus went to Jerusalem and Phoenecia, planning his war, gathering troops and getting ready to fight. The armies of Ptolemy were too young, however, and were soundly defeated in battle by Antiochus, who took almost all of Egypt at that time. These wars are writen about, also, in the first book of Maccabees in the Apocrapha.

26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.

Ptolemy's allies abandoned him, and in the end, Ptolemy Philometer lost his kingdo to Antiochus Epiphanes.

27 And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

Antiochus promised to someday restore the throne to the young Ptolemy, all the while plotting to have the brother of Philometer, Ptolemy Macron, fight and divide the Egyptian kingdom with Ptolemy Philometer. Philometer blamed his war losses on his governor Eulaeus, pretended to plege alligence to Antiochus, (his uncle, the brother of Cleopatra, his mother), and a great civil war was almost on it's way.

Antiochus didn't succeed in this, not gaining all power over Egypt as he desired, and returned to Syria.

28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

Jason, the former High Priest, who earlier was Antiochus friend, heard a false rumor that Antiochus was dead, grabbed 1000 men, drove Menalus into hiding in the Castle in Jerusalem. Antiochus was furious, for it looked to him that the people rejoiced at his 'death'. Antiochus was furious, slaughtered 40,000 Jews inJerusalem, enslaved more than that, threw swine flesh in the Altar of the temple, and stole the Golden Vessels in the Temple which was a great amount of gold! He then appoined a Phyrigian governor of Judea, a barbarian man who ruled in great anger.[i/]

29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

Antiochus diddn't deal well with what he saw in his dealing inthe past few years. He was humiliated in Egypt by not gaining full control, he believed the people of Israel rejoiced at his death, he was an emotional mess, and decided to invade Egypt again. The Egyptians didn't oppose him, but the SHIPS OF CHITTIM, or the Coasts of the Mediterranean, Rome, Greece, Thrace, they all invaded to stop Antiochus.

Antiochus was besieging Alexandria, holding the two Ptolemys captive, when the Roman Ambassador came to him and told him in no uncertain terms to be content with his own kingdom. Antiochus asked to consult his friends, but the Roman ambassador stopped him, drew a circle around him, and said to answer right where he stood, now. Antiochus knew full well of the recent Roman victories in Macedonia, and agreed immediately.

Antiochus took it out on the Jews.His general Appolonius killed many thousands in Jerusalem. They set up a small fort, and killed all they could who came to worship in the temple, and left the bodies in the temple, defiling it.

He made treaties with unbelieving Jews, (THOSE THAT FORSAKE THE COVENANT), and the worship of Jupiter was established in the Jewish Temple.

Laws were written outlawing Jewish worship, and commanding the worship of Jupiter all through his kingdom, under penalty of death.

31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Antiochus set up a false image in the temple, on the altar, and ordered all to worship it, outlawing the rightful worship of the Jews, and instilling the worship of Jupiter.

32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.

Those that remained faithful in these days, were often slaughtered for their faith, but a remnant remained faithful in Israel.

So, you see? No other religion has prophecy like this!

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