The first reign to ever hold such great power was that of the Persians. From 539 to 333 BCE, the Persian Empire ruled civilization from Egypt to Greece, into the mid-Asian mountains, and eastward to India. Also known as the Achaemenid Empire, this period of reign is most well-known for its repercussion and amplification of stories within the Hebrew Bible. The great empire not only constituted the way of humans under their power, but also influenced the perspective of Scripture readings to mobilize mankind’s views even into modern day religion. The Deuteronomic Equation that is exemplified extensively throughout the Old Testament reveals underlying influences the Persian Empire used to heighten their power. The simple equation sets a way of…show more content… Written in the Bible, if the civilians under the empire remained loyal “The lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you” (Deuteronomy 28:7). Since many of the individuals under the Persian reign were rescued from the Egyptian Empire, there was a sense of safety between the Persian people and their King, especially under the teachings of Ezra. Towns, such as Yehud, were surrounded by the military and therefore felt their community was not in danger of any outside armies. But, the civilians so encompassed in the powerful Persian military also feared consequences if they were not loyal to their own empire. To say God will protect them from enemies was quite evident to the people, but they were also aware that if they did not follow exactly under the Persian Empire, they would be left to be destroyed by either another source of power or their own government. If remaining loyal to God and the Persian Kings kept the people safe and defeated their enemies, why would anyone dare be disloyal? To keep the civilians frightened of living under any other rule, the Persians were able to maintain clear order with obedience. The Persian lifestyle is promoted as a blessing. The Empire even advertises as the best choice of living; no one would want to pick any other because even God states any other homeland would be a curse. But, as history plays out, the Persian Empire is defeated by Greece. The loyal civilians were no longer protected by their utmost powerful ruler. Therefore, the civilian’s disloyalty to God did not influence the Persian Empire’s fall. Pure man power and the cycle of reign is truly the cause for the sudden change in authority. Then, is it truly in the hands of God to defeat armies and win wars? No, it was merely a way for the Persian Empire to fulfil the divine role of being the ultimate power to safety and survival within their reign. Therefore,