DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 5.13

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Five

The Feast of Belshazzar

The Fall of Babylon

 

 

Introduction

The events of Chapter 5 came to pass in 539 B.C., many years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar (563 B.C.). King Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar’s grandfather, had been gracious to Daniel (cf. 2:48). But at this juncture, Daniel was most likely forgotten at court.

 

Nevertheless, after spending considerable years in retirement, the Queen Mother had brought to mind the gifted attributes of Daniel to Belshazzar. She was confident Daniel was the man who would decipher the mysterious writing on the wall at Belshazzar’s Ball.

 

 

(Verse 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?

 

The Fame of Daniel

At long last, following the counsel of the Queen, the King summoned Daniel. An aged man in his eighties entered the banquet hall. After stepping over the debris and empty wine bottles, Daniel came face to face with Belshazzar.

 

In a sober attempt, the king spoke first and asked him, “Art thou Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah?” Notice, Belshazzar addressed Daniel by his Hebrew name instead of Belteshazzar. Perhaps the King tried to avoid using a name similar to his own. Not only that but by calling him Daniel, the King emphasized the fact that he was one of the Hebrew captives.

 

Furthermore, Belshazzar may have been aware of Daniel’s reputation, a remote conjecture at best. Ironically, however, Daniel was a worshipper, not of Bel, but of the God, Belshazzar had been dishonoring.

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

Daniel’s Notoriety

It seems obvious; Belshazzar repeated what he heard about Daniel from the Queen Mother. The monarch highlighted four features of his reputation:

1. Daniel possessed the spirit of the gods

2. Daniel possessed deep insight

3. Daniel possessed discernment

4. Daniel possessed surpassing wisdom

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

Unwise Men

Subsequently, Belshazzar reviewed the circumstances and the failures of the wise men of Babylon. They were unable to make known the interpretation of the inscription the mysterious fingers wrote on the plastered wall.

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

The Reward

Moreover, the King mentioned specific attributes for which Daniel was renowned, i.e., his ability to interpret and solve difficult problems. Recall, the Queen disclosed these things to the King in Verse 12.

 

So, Belshazzar made an offer Daniel could not refuse. What the King bargained with the Chaldeans earlier, he now proposed to give Daniel the interpretation of the handwriting:

1. The acquisition of royal garments

2. The asset of a golden chain

3. The advancement to the third ruler of the Kingdom

 

Now consider the implications of his offer:

1. The position of royalty

2. The prosperity of royalty

3. The power of royalty

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

Daniel and the King

After listening to the King, Daniel abruptly declined his generous offer. Presumably, he considered them temporal, empty, and meaningless. It is conceivable Daniel supposed:

1. At his age, he was too old to return to the government

2. At this stage,  Babylon was about to fall to the Persians

Correspondingly, did not Daniel receive gifts, power, and position from Nebuchadnezzar on like occasion (cf. 2:48)?

 

At that moment Daniel responded with two suggestions:

1. The gifts be kept by the King

2. The gifts be given to someone else

In like manner, Daniel agreed to tell the interpretation of the handwriting on the wall. But first, he would recite highlights of Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion.

 

 

(Verse 18)

 

O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy [grand] father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour.

 

Daniel’s Sermon

Daniel commenced by conveying to Belshazzar a synopsis of how the Most High God of Israel dealt with his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar. First, he reminded the Monarch of God’s sovereignty:

1. The Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom

2. The Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar majesty

3. The Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar glory

4. The Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar  honour

Recall, it was the Most High God who placed Nebuchadnezzar on the throne (cf. 1:1-2).

 

 

(Verse 19)

And for the majesty (greatness) that He gave him (bestowed upon 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.

 

Secondly, Daniel gave Belshazzar a review of how God granted Nebuchadnezzar greatness and power over all the people, nations, and languages. Additionally, he had bestowed immense fear upon his subjects. And, by his sovereign monarchal authority, Nebuchadnezzar was able to sanction several things:

1. Whom he would, he slew

Nebuchadnezzar acted as an arbiter of execution

 

2. Whom he would, he kept alive

Nebuchadnezzar had absolute power over life and death

 

3. Whom he would, he set up

Nebuchadnezzar promoted people in places of trust

 

4. Whom he would, he put down

Nebuchadnezzar humbled and abased those at his command

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

Contrariwise, Daniel reminded Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar’s Tree Dream, and how he boasted and esteemed himself over the Most High God (cf. 4:30; see Daniel Simplified study 4.27). Next, he proceeded to identify the King’s features leading up to his downfall:

1. His heart was lifted up with pride

a.  He was arrogant and puffed up in his heart

b.  (cf. Proverbs 11:2a; 16:5; Ezekiel 28:17)                         

 

2. His mind was hardened with pride

a.  He stubbornly adhered to his opinion

 

Assuredly, pride caused Nebuchadnezzar’s debasement:

1. He was deposed from his royal throne

2. He was dispossessed of his glory, i.e., honour and dignity

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

In Retrospect

Subsequently, Daniel recapitulated the divine judgment placed upon Nebuchadnezzar as a result of his pride and rejection:

1. He was driven from mankind

2. His heart was made like wild beasts

3. His habitation was with donkeys

4. His diet was grass, like cattle

5. His body was drenched with heaven’s dew

 

 

(Verse 22)

 

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.

 

Regardless of whether Belshazzar heard how God dealt with Nebuchadnezzar from Daniel or the Queen, he did not heed Nebuchadnezzar's example. He refused to humble himself and accept Daniel’s God. Thus, Belshazzar had fallen into the same prideful heart that caused his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar to insanity.

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

The Indictment against Belshazzar

Despite the knowledge of his grandfather's recorded past, Belshazzar deliberately defiled the God of Heaven. Daniel explained:

1. Belshazzar had open contempt and blasphemed the God of Heaven (cf. 5:23a).

 

2. Belshazzar had profaned the Temple’s vessels by drinking wine from them along with his lords, wives, and concubines (cf. 5:2-3).

 

3. Belshazzar had openly mocked God by worshipping pagan deities made of silver, gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone. They were idols incapable of seeing or hearing (cf. 5:4). This act was forbidden by God, a condition of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. 4:28; see also Psalm 115:4-7; 135:15-17).

 

4. Belshazzar had not glorified the true God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways. Human lives are in His hands. Mankind has total accountability to the Creator God.

 

Man’s ways are contrary to God’s ways. Even though man is created in His image, the nature of God transcends that of man, and surpasses man’s understanding:

Isaiah 55:8-9 – For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

 

Closing Thought

It is quite plausible those in attendance at Belshazzar’s Ball overheard and listened attentively to Daniel’s sermon to the King. But, it is certain from the text, Belshazzar gave no response to Daniel in his partially drunken-sober state. And, in all probability, his heart felt great heaviness, and at the same time, fear.

 

In the following episode, Daniel will reveal the meaning of the unknown handwriting to Belshazzar. From this, the King’s demise will be manifested.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. How did Belshazzar address Daniel?

2. What did Belshazzar hear and know about Daniel?

3. What was Belshazzar’s reward for the interpretation?

4. Why did Daniel refuse the gifts offered by the King?

5. What information did Daniel first give Belshazzar?

6. Why did Daniel review Nebuchadnezzar’s past to the King?

7. What was the main point of Daniel’s sermon to the King?

 

 

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