At his death in 562 BC, after a 43-year reign, Nebuchadnezzar II bequeathed his successors an empire stretching across Mesopotamia and the Eastern Mediterranean. He apparently had five sons and his succession led to several years of instability. It was Evil-Merodach (2 Kings 25:27-30 and Jeremiah 52:31-34) who succeeded his father, but he was assassinated by Nergilissar, his brother-in-law. The latter’s short reign is known only for a campaign in Cilicia; on his death in 556 BC, his son infant Labashi-Marduk acceded to the throne only to fall three months later in another palace plot that brought to power Nabonidus, a worshiper of the moon god sin. Soon after his ascension to the throne, Nabonidus led the army to Palestine and Northern Arabia, leaving his son Belshazzar as co-regent in Babylon. Even priests of Marduk, the national deity of Babylon, became alienated with him.
During the summer of 539 BC, the Babylonians expected a major Persian offensive - Nabonidus had the statues of the kingdom's main gods sent to the capital to protect them from potential capture. The Babylonian armies were crushed at Opis, not far from today’s Baghdad. Cyrus and his great Median and Persian army had been besieging the city of Babylon for months, and some say, for two and a half years. But the walls are so great surrounded by a great moat, fed by the waters of the Euphrates River that there was no way in, until the Persian general hit up an idea - divert the river! When the Persian army entered Babylon on October 12th, the history of ancient Babylonia as an independent political entity came to an end.
(1) A *number of years later, King Belshazzar gave a great **feast for a ***thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.
- Daniel 5:30-31 identifies Belshazzar as the last king of Babylon.
Skeptics and liberal critics prior to 1853 used the reference to this
king in Daniel 5 as evidence that the entire book was a fraud. They
reasoned that the historical record clearly demonstrated that a man
named Nabonidus was the last king of Babylon. They were convinced they
had discovered another "error" in Daniel. That is, they were
"convinced" until 1853 when archaeologists discovered a clay cylinder
at Ur in Mesopotamia inscribed with the following prayer... As for
me, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, save me from sinning against
your great godhead and grant me as a present a life long of days, and as
for Belshazzar, the eldest son -my offspring- instill reverence for
your great godhead in his heart and may he not commit any cultic
mistake, may he be sated with a life of plenitude. (Wikipedia)
Above is the Nabonidus Cylinder from Wikipedia. - The feast (a drunken orgy) occurred in the great banquet hall, 56 x 173 feet (which was reconstructed by Saddam Hussein).
- **feast:
- A similar drunken party is mentioned in Esther 1: Esther 1:1-11: This happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. At that time he ruled his empire from his throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and officials. He invited all the military officers of Media and Persia, as well as the noblemen and provincial officials. The celebration lasted six months -- a tremendous display of the opulent wealth and glory of his empire. When it was all over, the king gave a special banquet for all the palace servants and officials -- from the greatest to the least. It lasted for seven days and was held at Susa in the courtyard of the palace garden. The courtyard was decorated with beautifully woven white and blue linen hangings, fastened by purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones. Drinks were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there was an abundance of royal wine, just as the king had commanded. The only restriction on the drinking was that no one should be compelled to take more than he wanted. But those who wished could have as much as they pleased, for the king had instructed his staff to let everyone decide this matter for himself. Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women of the palace at the same time. On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was half drunk with wine, he told Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted all the men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman.
- ***One thousand nobles—the cream of Babylonian society—were invited, along with their wives and concubines. Counting waiters, guards, and various onlookers, the total crowd could number well over 8000. The party was the king’s way of diverting attention from the events outside the walls. It was a massive morale-booster, meant to lift the spirits of the entire city. The king knew that to have a good party you needed three things—food, wine, and available women. And preferably all three in large quantities. Such a party would have started early in the day and lasted until after midnight. Course after course would be served, wine would flow freely, entertainment would accompany the food and wine. And sexual pleasure was there for the taking.
- Belshazzar's confidence in the security of his capital is evident in his banqueting and getting drunk while his enemy was at his door. His name, which means "Bel [also known as Marduk] has protected the king," may have increased his sense of invulnerability.
(2) While Belshazzar was drinking, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem, so that he and his nobles, his *wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
- By bringing the Jewish temple items out into public, Belshazzar is mocking the proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 4 and Daniel's prophecy.
- Ezra specifically mentions 5,400 different vessels that were taken back to Jerusalem from Babylon.
- *wives, and his concubines: The presence of wives and concubines was generally not practiced at such banquets or held their on as in Esther. The fact that Belshazzar in his drunken state sent for the women to b brought in leaves he reader to fill in the rest.
(3) So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
(4) They drank toasts from them to honor their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
- Drunkenness and idolatry go hand in hand. There are more gods in Japan than there are Japanese to worship them. There are at least 300 million gods in India. Man is a worshipper. Man is religious and must worship God or gods.
- Proverbs 20:1: Wine produces mockers; liquor leads to brawls. Whoever is led astray by drink cannot be wise.
- Proverbs 31:4-5: And it is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave liquor. For if they drink, they may forget their duties and be unable to give justice to those who are oppressed.
- Ephesians 5:18: Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
- God does not condemn having a good time, but can He be glorified in it? Can God be invited to your party?
- Drunken parties such as this one, the one in Esther, King Herod's in Matthew 1 and modern ones all lead to foolish decisions often leading to disaster.
- There is no need for us to go into a description of the ambiance of a party of drunken people. We may assume that, as the king lifted up the cup filled with wine, which had been part of the temple ritual, he made irreverent references to the Almighty whose temple had been destroyed in Jerusalem
(5) At that very moment they saw the *fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king's palace, near **the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,
- Is it possible that the hand was Christ's as it reached through another dimension to where the party was being held? God was watching the goings on and condemned them and the use of the holy objects.
- *fingers: The same divine hand which had previously written the two tablets of the law for God’s people, the same divine hand which later wrote on the ground in defense of a poor fallen, but penitent woman, now writes the death knell of Belshazzar and proclaims his doom.
- Exodus 31:18: Then as the LORD finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, written by the finger of God.
- *the lampstand: Is this the lampstand from the Temple? How ironic it would be, then, that the Temple lampstand would illuminate the handwriting on the wall!
(6) and his face turned pale with fear. Such terror gripped him that his knees knocked together and his *legs gave way beneath him.
- *legs gave way: A euphemism for he collapsed to the floor and ----- in his pants.
- In one brief hour the boastful, powerful, profane king becomes a shivering, shaking, helpless and hopeless mortal.
- Suddenly, the room goes quiet. The atmosphere changing from drunken party mood to horror and terror.
(7) The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will wear a gold chain around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!"
- They could read it but could not tell what the writing meant.
(8) But when all the king's wise men came in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant.
- Unable to decipher their meaning, the wise men come and go. The king’s fear and distress intensifies while the others remain terror stricken.
(9) So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned ashen white. His nobles, too, were shaken.
(10) But when the *queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, "Long live the king! Don't be so pale and afraid about this.
- *queen mother: Probably Nitocris, Nebuchadnezzar's wife, Belshazzar's grandmother. The Adam Clarke’s Commentary believes that this queen was the widow of Nebuchadnezzar, which would make her “Amiyt, daughter of Astyages, sister of Darius the Mede, and aunt of Cyrus.”
- This was a banquet for the nobles and their wives, it seems unlikely that the wife of Belshazzar would have been absent from the banquet.
- The queen mother’s confidence in Daniel does not seem to have been related to any personal faith in his God. She refers to Daniel and his great wisdom in pagan terms and makes no reference to Daniel’s God as the God of the Jews. She simply refers to his wisdom as having its source in “the gods.” She viewed his wisdom as extraordinary, but not the wisdom of a sovereign God. Her knowledge of Daniel and his God is superior to that of Belshazzar, but inferior to that of Nebuchadnezzar’s final assessment (see Daniel 4:2-3, 34-37).
(11) There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar's reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom as though he himself were a god. Your *predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon.
- *predecessor: father in the original - can also mean grandfather.
(12) This man *Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has a sharp mind and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means."
- *Daniel: She uses Daniel’s Hebrew name.
- During the regime and reign of Belshazzar, Daniel had evidently been forgotten and was retired. He was probably set aside by the pleasure-loving, lustful king.
- When the party started, Daniel was nowhere to be found. No doubt he was in his room resting and praying. And why would they want Daniel in the first place? The world never invites the people of God to an orgy. After all, if you invite one of those narrow-minded, legalistic fundamentalists, sooner or later they are going to be offended and probably make a big scene. Better to leave them off the guest list altogether. But as we shall see, Daniel soon becomes the life of the party.
(13) So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, "Are you Daniel, who was exiled from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar?
- What a striking figure the venerable old gentleman as he stood before that drunken crowd! Courage and confidence were shining forth from his godly face.
(14) I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom.
(15) My wise men and enchanters have tried to read this writing on the wall, but they cannot.
(16) I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will wear a gold chain around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."
- Conservative scholars generally agree that Belshazzar shared a co-regency with Nabonidus, especially in Nabonidus’ absence from Babylon. This could explain how Belshazzar offered the man who could interpret the writing on the wall the position of third ruler of the kingdom.
(17) Daniel answered the king, "Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.
- Why would he decline Belshazzar’s offer? Daniel knows that the king’s gifts are virtually useless. What good would it do Daniel to be given the third highest office in the administration of Belshazzar when his reign would end that very night? Daniel was not “for hire.” As God’s prophet, Daniel spoke to men for God. He was not like Balaam, whose ministry could be bought, and not like so many TV preachers today.
- When he entered the banquet hall and realized the kind of carousing that had been going on and seeing the holy objects from the temple in Jerusalem, Daniel must have been deeply shocked. Even a polished and polite person like Daniel found it difficult to show courtesy to someone who had so blatantly insulted the God he worshipped. To accept gifts and honors from this king would have meant condoning the sacrilege. Daniel knew the city of Babylon was under siege and could fall to the Persians at any moment. He had no guarantee that his own life would be spared by the enemy. People who face death can allow themselves to be brutally honest.
(18) Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.
(19) He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace.
(20) But when his heart and mind were hardened with pride, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
(21) He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of an animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.
(22) "You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.
- He knew about the pride of his grandfather, he knew how God had humiliated him and degraded him by depriving him of human reason and conscience, he knew that God had restored the mad monarch and had given back to him his dominion, power and glory, he knew Nebuchadnezzar's proclamation of Daniel's God being the one and only true God, he knew all this and hence sinned against light and knowledge. He loved sin rather than holiness and died without hope.
(23) For you have defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone -- gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!
- It's interesting to note that Belshazzar didn't call Daniel a liar or deny the accusations, nor kill him as would be normal.
(24) So God has sent this hand to write a message.
(25) "This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
- The words would have been written in consonants only or even, as the rabbis say, not horizontally, but vertically. It is obvious that Daniel was needed to interpret the words.
(26) This is what these words mean: Mene means 'numbered' -- God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.
(27) Tekel means 'weighed' -- you have been weighed on the balances and have failed the test.
(28) Parsin means 'divided' -- your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."
- Pares means divided; paras means Persia. As in Hebrew, there were no vowels in Aramaic.
- God had written a riddle on the wall of Belshazzar’s palace and Daniel solved the puzzle for the king. Daniel would have been familiar with Jeremiah’s prophecy about Babylon, which made the explanation of the riddle relatively simple to him. Jeremiah had foretold that attackers from the north would invade Babylon. He had stated that the city would be well stocked with provisions and protected by walls, fortifications and gates. The city would be taken by trickery and the capture would involve the drying up of certain channels of water. Finally, the city would be taken while a feast was going on in which the leading people of the nation would participate. This knowledge made the interpretation of riddle rather simple for Daniel:
- Jeremiah 50:3: For a nation will attack her from the north and bring such destruction that no one will live in her again. Everything will be gone; both people and animals will flee.
- Jeremiah 50:9: For look, I am raising up an army of great nations from the north. I will bring them against Babylon to attack her, and she will be captured. The enemies' arrows will go straight to the mark; they will not miss!
- Jeremiah 50:24: Listen, Babylon, for I have set a trap for you. You are caught, for you have fought against the LORD.
- Jeremiah 50:41: "Look! A great army is marching from the north! A great nation and many kings are rising against you from far-off lands.
- Jeremiah 51:36: The LORD says to Jerusalem, "I will be your lawyer to plead your case, and I will avenge you. I will dry up her river, her water supply,
- Jeremiah 51:39: And while they lie inflamed with all their wine, I will prepare a different kind of feast for them. I will make them drink until they fall asleep, never again to waken," says the LORD.
- Jeremiah 51:53: Though Babylon reaches as high as the heavens, and though she increases her strength immeasurably, I will send enemies to plunder her," says the LORD.
- Jeremiah 51:57: "I will make drunk her officials, wise men, rulers, captains, and warriors," says the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty. "They will fall asleep and never wake up again!"
- Jeremiah 51:58: This is what the LORD Almighty says: "The wide walls of Babylon will be leveled to the ground, and her high gates will be burned. The builders from many lands have worked in vain, for their work will be destroyed by fire!"
(29) Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
- Either Belshazzar knew that Daniel was right, and bravely tried to do the best under the inevitable circumstances or he disbelieved the whole thing and promoted Daniel in a display of big-hearted fun.
- Daniel held this post for only a few hours. This shows how temporary the awards and accolades of this world are. In the kingdom that succeeded Belshazzar, Daniel was also promoted, but that was due to God, not to Belshazzar.
(30) That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.
- The death of Belshazzar at the hand of Darius is a partial fulfillment of the prophecy revealed to king Nebuchadnezzar by his dream in chapter 2. The kingdom of silver is introduced in Daniel 5, when Darius captures Babylon, and Belshazzar is put to death. The Medo-Persian kingdom is born, fulfilling the first part of the prophecy revealed through Daniel.
- Jeremiah 27:6-7: Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control. All the nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until his time is up. But then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon.
- On October 12, 539 B.C., Cyrus’ general captured Babylon without a battle. Herodotus: "Hereupon the Persians who had been left for the purpose at Babylon by the river-side, entered the stream, which had now sunk so as to reach about midway up a man's thigh, and thus got into the town. Had the Babylonians been appraised of what Cyrus was about, or had they noticed their danger, they would never have allowed the Persians to enter the city, but would have destroyed them utterly; for they would have made fast all the street-gates which gave upon the river, and mounting upon the walls along both sides of the stream, would so have caught the enemy as it were in a trap. But, as it was, the Persians came upon them by surprise and took the city. Owing to the vast size of the place, the inhabitants of the central parts (as the residents at Babylon declare), long after the outer portions of the town were taken, knew nothing of what had chanced, but as they were engaged in a festival, continued dancing and reveling until they learnt the capture but too certainly."
- This lowered the level of the river so his troops marched through the water and under the river-gates. They still would not have been able to enter had not the bronze gates of the inner walls been left inexplicably unlocked, possibly by traitors. This was exactly what God predicted in Isaiah 44:28-45:7 and Jeremiah 51:57-58. God opened the gates of the city of Babylon for Cyrus, and put it in writing 200 years before it happened!
- Nebuchadnezzar had made Babylon into the world's mightiest fortress. The outer wall was so thick that no battering rams or instruments of warfare were able to knock it down. The presence of a second inner wall made any attempts to scale the walls suicidal. As a result, Babylon appeared impregnable. The walls of Babylon had been built over the Euphrates river. Thus, that river flowed through the city at all times, providing a constant source of fresh water. In anticipation of a blockade by Medo-Persia, the Babylonians supplied the city with enough food to maintain its population for more than twenty years. Ancient historians indicate that, in light of these great preparations, the people of Babylon laughed at the siege of their city by Medo-Persia.
Above map from www.bible-history.com/- The prophecy concerning the fall of Babylon in Isaiah, chapters 13 and 14, has never been fulfilled, but awaits its fulfillment in the Day of Jehovah, the Great Tribulation. The prophecies seen in Jeremiah, chapters 50 and 51, have been only partially fulfilled, but certain portions of them await fulfillment in the Tribulation. These prophecies of Jeremiah constitute an example of the Law of Double Reference. The prophecies concerning the overthrow of Babylon, of Revelation, chapter 18, most definitely await fulfillment in the Great Tribulation.
- The doom of Babylon here foreshadows the doom of Babylon the Great in Revelation 17:5: A mysterious name was written on her forehead: "Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World."
- In that same city and in that same palace, two hundred years later, Alexander the Great who had been undefeated by the armies of the world, fell and lost his life in a drunken debauchery in that same place.
- When Cyrus made his grand entrance, Daniel presented him
with an ancient scroll of Isaiah, which contained a personal letter
addressing him by name [Josephus, Antiquities, XI, I, 2]. Isaiah
had died 150 years before Cyrus was born!
- Isaiah 44:27-28: When I speak to the rivers and say, 'Be dry!' they will be dry. When I say of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd,' he will certainly do as I say. He will command that Jerusalem be rebuilt and that the Temple be restored."
- Isaiah 45:1-5: This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never again to shut against him. This is what the LORD says: "I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness -- secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. "And why have I called you for this work? It is for the sake of Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. I called you by name when you did not know me. I am the LORD; there is no other God. I have prepared you, even though you do not know me,
- Cyrus was duly impressed. He freed the captives and returned
the vessels that had been plundered from the Temple 70 years earlier.
He even gave them incentives to return to their homeland and rebuild
their temple (2 Chronicles 36:22; Ezra 1:1-4). [Only about 50,000 Jews
responded to this royal proclamation and returned to Jerusalem under
the leadership of Zerubbabel
- 2 Chronicles 36:22-23: In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecy by stirring the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation into writing and to send it throughout his kingdom: "This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem in the land of Judah. All of you who are the LORD's people may return to Israel for this task. May the LORD your God be with you!"
- Ezra 1:2-3: "This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem in the land of Judah. All of you who are his people may return to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!
(31) And *Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
- *Darius the Mede is only named in the Book of Daniel. He is not to be confused with Darius I in Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah or Darius II (the Persian) in Nehemiah.
- The Nabonidus Chronicle mentions two Medo-Persian military leaders active in the fall of the city of Babylon - Ugbaru and Gubaru. Ugbaru was a military leader of Cyrus' forces who captured the city of Babylon, but in the campaign he was wounded and died several weeks later. Another person with a similar name, Gubaru, was also a military leader. He was appointed by Cyrus as governor of the city or province of Babylon, an office he held for many years (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 2, p. 17 and R. K Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, pp. 341-347).
- In 1971, Iran celebrated the 2500th anniversary of the monarchy of Cyrus the Great who founded an empire (Agean Sea to the Indus River).
- Cyrus succeeded in welding the Medes and Persians into a unified nation that continued for two centuries, until the time of Alexander the Great (331 B.C.).
- Among other things, Daniel 5 is a picture of the coming judgment of God upon sinful men and nations. In the Book of Daniel, chapter 5 demonstrates that while God raises up heathen nations and uses them to accomplish His plans and purposes for Israel, He will also judge them for their sins.
- What do we see in Daniel chapter 5? A pagan nation at the height of its power, and corruption. A pagan government and high society drunk with power and consumed with seeking pleasure of all kinds….worshipping the gods of gold and silver and all things material….what do we see in the king’s court? Sexual immorality. Drunkenness. Greed and materialism. Idolatry. Blasphemy. No care or concern for their history of sin and God’s judgment. No remembrance of God’s grace and mercy for those who repent. How does America and Europe fit this description?.
Above map showing the extent of the Persian empire is from www.crystalinks.com/persia.html
PERSONAL APPLICATION
- God has a limit to how far He will allow men to go in their sin. In His longsuffering and mercy, God may allow men to continue in their sin for a time. But there is a time for judgment. The king and his Babylonian dinner guests crossed the line that fateful night in the banquet hall of Babylon. Judgment day had come, and the writing on the wall announced its arrival.
- Daniel hadn’t been invited to the party, he wasn’t part of their culture, he wasn’t part of their religion, he wasn’t a member of the “in crowd” and that was the point - in their fear and trembling, they were looking for someone completely different, someone who might be able to help them. Daniel makes clear that he’s not interested in money, power or prestige - he’s not trying to be in their club - .he certainly doesn’t want to be part of their pagan culture or corruption. He is God’s ambassador, so he agrees to explain the hand of God to the king and his court. Giving all glory and honor to the Lord, Daniel fearlessly makes known the word of the Lord, even at great risk to his own life. Are you God's ambassador to a fallen world. Are you fearlessly able to tell the truth and call a spade a spade? Are we in the party or outside of it?
- Are you willing to be a Daniel? Consider the high price of his service to the Lord: He was taken captive from his homeland. Forcibly given a new home, new name, new diet, new education, new job in a brutal pagan empire. Arrested, convicted, imprisoned, sentenced to death. Yet he never faltered….he never wavered….he clung to the Lord….he knew His God….he listened to His God….he was a man of prayer….he understand the Word….he studied God’s Word diligently and carefully (chapter 9 he’s studying Jeremiah!)…..and when God told him to speak, he spoke boldly and without reservation…..he didn’t pull any punches….he did so at great risk, but with great faith and courage. In Matthew 24:15, Jesus calls Daniel “the prophet”….for that is what he was.
- Is America in a “Nebuchadnezzar moment” (where we still have an opportunity to repent and be restored), or a “Belshazzar moment” (where God removes His favor from us and turns out the lights)?
- The world is fearful and confused. Millions across the globe can see the handwriting on the wall. They know something is terribly wrong. They sense something terrible is coming. But they cannot read the handwriting or understand what it means. That’s your job.
- Regarding Belshazzar's drunken party, God does not condemn having a good time, but can He be glorified in it? Can God be invited to your party? A man of God doesn't belong at a drunken party - and should be surprised if he's invited to one!
- Like the cups from the Temple, our bodies are holy to God, and
are to be used to the glory of God, not sin and not drunkenness:
- 2 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV): But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.
- Romans 6:12-13: Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.
- A century ago, Joseph Parker, the famous London preacher made a relevant point. When the world throws an orgy, the children of God are not invited. We don’t fit in and our values would just be a nuisance when the world wants to party. But let a marriage break up, or let cancer hit, or let the children get in trouble, or the career hit the rocks, and whom do they call? They call the faithful men and women who know the Lord. Daniel wasn’t invited to the party, but when God intervened and no one had the answer, suddenly Daniel was the one man the king wanted to hear from. You may not be invited to every party, but you will get the call when trouble comes. When it happens, be bold to speak the truth in love.
NOTES:
- Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
- Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://studyingdaniel.blogspot.com/2013/08/references-for-book-of-daniel.html
- Index to all our studies are at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/
