Daniel 5

Daniel 5

Maclaren - There is something blood-curdling in the visibility of but a part of the hand and its busy writing. Whose was the body, and where was it? No wonder if the riotous mirth was frozen into awe, and the wine lost flavor. (Daniel 5:17-31 Mene, Tekel, Peres) Dead idols are no match for the Living God, Who is ever able to vindicate His Holy Name, even as He did in 1Sa 5:1-5 when the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Temple of Dagon (1Sa 5:6 explains that this was due to "the hand of the LORD" which was "heavy" on these pagans! Read 1Sa 5:6-7) The psalmist writes that idols "have hands but cannot feel" (Ps 115:7). In fact "the finger of God" is all He needs to accomplish His purposes! (cp Ex 8:19, Ex 31:18, Lk 11:20 referring to the power of the Spirit Mt 12:28 - finger of God equates with Spirit of God). When I was in medical training at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas, there were a number of occasions I interviewed individuals who claimed to have seen various things on the walls of their hospital room. These patients usually received the diagnosis of "DT's" (delirium tremens)! Belshazzar was suffering from a case of "Divine DT's"! Whitcomb remarks that "Joyce Baldwin's (a famous writer on OT books! Be a Berean with her books - Acts 17:11+) attempt to eliminate the supernatural element in the handwriting on the wall (in an otherwise basically conservative commentary) is both shocking and unconvincing." (Ibid) Plaster of the wall - This was the same plaster on which the Babylonians would write about their great conquests and victories. God announces His impending judgment right at the place these pagans would otherwise look at and feel good about themselves. It is interesting that the skeptics (they simply can't leave this book alone!) write that plaster walls were unheard of in ancient Babylon. Robert Koldewey (1855-1925) was a German archeologist who been excavating at the site of Babylon in southern Iraq in 1899 and continued this work for 18 years. In addition to his discovery of a Ziggurat identified as the temple of the Babylon false god Marduk, also found a huge room (55' x 169') big enough to house Belshazzar's party and remarkably, the room had walls made with plaster. At the end of the room was a niche in the wall where he believed the king sat so he would be elevated above and visible to all the party guests. (From "The Excavations At Babylon" - Read Online - Hint: click dropdown for Page 104 and scroll back a couple of pages to read Koldeway's comments on this room including his comments on Belshazzar! - For description of plaster on the walls see Page 88-89. [London: MacMillan, 1914]). Opposite the lampstand - What's so important about this detail? This would make it very easy to see the writing hand. The point is that before God brings judgment, He always gives a clear warning. Not only that but the lampstand was quite likely the golden sacred candlestick, which was made of solid gold and place in the holy place. God's light shines on the sin of man as Jesus says… And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. (Jn 3:19, 20, 21) What light did Belshazzar possess? Daniel leaves no doubt that Belshazzar had been exposed to the light declaring… Yet you, his son (Nebuchadnezzar spoken of as his "father" - the truth in Da 5:20, 21), Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart (cp Da 4:37), even though you knew all this, 23 but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified. (Da 5:22, 23) Belshazzar knew about God but he refused to bow to Him, like everyone who refuses to believe in Jesus. Matthew