The book of Daniel
Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of
his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to
bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken
out of the temple which was in
We must note that there has been a change of rulership
in
1. Disregard
In Belshazzar we
find a handsome, haughty and high-spirited young man. He was living a sinful
lifestyle in the king’s palace of pleasure. This young man gave a party
reaching sinful revelry in the mile long banquet room of the palace. Belshazzar even commanded that the vessels taken from God’s
temple in Jerusalem be brought to the party so all the attendees might drink
from them and show their gods superior to the God of all creation and glory.
Remember, even though Belshazzar is in charge at this
moment, he is the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
Please read Prov 20:1 and Prov
23:29-33
5
In
the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the
candlestick upon
the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
2. Dilemma
As the party continues and the wine flows
into and from the vessels of the Lord’s House, suddenly the fingers of a man’s
hand appears and writes upon the wall of the kings palace. Immediately the
king’s drunken countenance clears up and his knees smote together. I believe
this hand appeared to declare the Judgment of God. This hand appeared publicly.
Everyone at the event probably saw what happened and the entire crowd was
astonished. This hand appeared silently. In the middle of revelry and
resound came this hand and the noise of the party was completely silenced and
hushed. This hand appeared mysteriously. Out of nowhere, it seemed, came
the fingers of nothing more than a mans hand. No body or outline of a being,
only fingers writing upon a wall!! What a mystery.
I can remember as a child, there came a tragic phone call to our home.
It was reported a flood had occurred and washed the trailer my cousins and
friends were in completely away. No sign of them had been found. It was
discovered, many hours into the next day that my two infant cousins (one of
three years age and one of six months of age) were found drowned. Their daddy,
an avid swimmer and a strong man, was also found drowned, along with another
friend of the family found drowned. The wives of these men were both
miraculously rescued from the flood- waters. The mother would later report that
just before the flood, the three year old was put to bed only to have him
return to the living room and report “Momma I saw a hand reach down from heaven
towards me”. I wonder if this was not a sign that God had given to indicate
what was going to happen in just a little while. Friend, God has done right. It
was a tragedy for our family, but I believe all of the drowned were saved
individuals and they are in heaven today. You may ask why do bad things happen
to good people? I say Romans 8:28, I believe. Even when it’s hard to
understand, but we’ll know all about it farther along.
Back to our story, Belshazzar is troubled by
the hand and writing that he saw. I wonder if his conscience awoke. Maybe
terror and guilt filled his mind. He calls for his astrologers to read the writing
and interpret, but they cannot. We should not be surprised because we are
taught in I Cor 2:14, the natural man cannot
understand the spiritual things of God. Belshazzar is in a real dilemma.
10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the
king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts
trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods;
and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the
wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father,
the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and
knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing
of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel,
whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be
called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art
of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out
of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of
the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is
found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have
been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known
unto me the interpretation thereof: but
they could not shew the interpretation of the
thing: 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst
make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing,
and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt
be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
3. Desperation
The queen enters the banquet house and
notices the king’s troubled countenance. I think from her words, the queen may
have been the wife of Nebuchadnezzar. Remember Nebuchadnezzar was Belshazzars grandfather, so this queen may have been Belshazzars grandmother. She advises Belshazzar
of the man named Daniel. She knew how Daniel was blessed of God and many times
gave Nebuchadnezzar interpretations of hard things. Now the king listens to
grandma and calls for Daniel. The king promises many rewards and gifts for
Daniel, if he can interpret this mysterious writing on the wall. One of those
promises is to be the third ruler of the land. You see my friend, Belshazzar was second in command, his daddy, Nabondias is first in command but Nabondias
is off on business and now Belshazzar is in charge
and can only give third ruler in the kingdom. The king certainly is in a
desperate situation.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the
king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will
read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O
thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and
majesty, and glory, and honour: 19 And
for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled
and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive;
and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20 But
when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed
from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21 And
he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and
his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and
his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God
ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth
over it whomsoever he will. 22 And thou his
son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest
all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord
of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and
thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them;
and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and
stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath
is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was
written.
4. Discourse
Daniel walks in and sees the mess and chaos
of a wild party, which has previously taken place. Daniel notices the silence
and countenance of the king and his court. Daniel views the words written high
upon the wall. Daniel listens to promises, gifts and rewards from the king and
responds “Let thy gifts be to thyself”. Daniel is not interested in the rewards
of this world. He just wants to be obedient to serve God.
Daniel begins to give a history lesson to Belshazzar.
Daniel recounts Belshazzars grandfather, Nebuchadnezzars experience with God. Obviously, Belshazzar knew of the events in his grandfather’s life,
but ignored the things of God.
Belshazzar was lifted up in pride and power. Belshazzar had mocked God openly. Daniel tells the king
“because of your sin” this hand and writing was sent from God. Remember my
friend the word of God says “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
- Galations 6:7
25 And
this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy
kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and
art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to
the Medes and Persians. 29 Then commanded Belshazzar,
and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck,
and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in
the kingdom. 30 In that night was Belshazzar
the king of the Chaldeans slain. 22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar,
hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
23 But hast lifted up thyself
against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house
before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk
wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass,
iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose
hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was
written. 25 And this is the writing that was written,
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing:
MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed
Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a
proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the
kingdom. 30 In that night was Belshazzar
the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being
about threescore and two years old.
5. Destruction
The astrologers cannot read this writing but
Daniel recognizes this writing as his Fathers writing. Daniel interprets and
foretells the ruin of the Babylonian kingdom. “MENE- God has numbered the
kingdom” I believe there is a number of allotted days to every man. I also
believe “that whosoever will may come” God knows what your decision about His
Son will be, but He gives you the free will to decide for yourself. Certainly
you can shorten your days by the deeds you do. Belshazzars
days are up!! “TEKEL- Weighed in the balances” God has considered your ways and
you have been judged by Him and found lacking. My Bible says that if we would
judge ourselves we would not be judged. Belshazzar
did not judge himself nor his ways and has been found destitute of Gods truth.
I wonder friend, how do you and I measure up? We had better consider our ways,
God surely can judge us anytime He wants to. “PERES- Your kingdom is divided” Belshazzars kingdom is about to be given to the Medes and
the Persians. Belshazzar has been judged and the
wages of sin is death.
The response of the king was not one of repentance, but he began to
reward Daniel as he had promised. Giving Daniel things Daniel did not want.
Daniel is promoted to third ruler in the kingdom, a kingdom which is come to an
end. Belshazzar is still only concerned about earthly
things and now his life and kingdom is coming to a close.
The ruling of God was that the Medes and Persians would now take over
supremacy of the earths kingdoms.
Remember earlier in the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon was
the head of gold, and then the arms and chest of silver which is now
representing the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians.
History will tell us of the plan the Medes and Persians had to invade
Babylon. Babylon was a mighty city with a double wall and many great gates.
Through the city ran the Euphrates River. Around the city was a great moat.
While Belshazzar was drinking and carrying on, he was
trusting the gods of wood, silver and gold to protect him from an enemy just
outside the gate. This enemy dug mighty trenches and diverted the Euphrates
River and the enemy marched under the wall, right down the riverbed, into the
midst of Babylon. While all the officials and king of Babylon were drinking and
carrying on, the enemy came in like a flood. Friend, let us not be distracted
with the allurements of this world. The devil wants to come in like a flood and
invade your life and bring you to ruins. He wants to give you and your family
alcohol and divert your life away from God, Gods Word and His House. Let us not
be ignorant of the devils devices.