Daniel 5

Daniel 5

Garland notes that "In the end, without God’s Holy Spirit, men become creative perverts, dangerous geniuses (Ge 11:6 - note that the context is the "birth" of the "first" Babylon [Babel - Nimrod's kingdom in Ge 10:10]), bent on creating their own hell in pursuit of what they incorrectly perceive to be wisdom and intelligence. “Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Ro 1:22-note)." It is almost as if the story of Belshazzar's experience of the Lord's wrath against the king's blasphemous sin and the decadent kingdom of Babylon was a foreshadowing of the outpouring of His righteous wrath on all the godless kingdoms of the world culminating (like Daniel 5) in the sudden, shocking, final and complete destruction of that blasphemous "prostitute" Babylon the great (Rev 14:8-note, Rev 16:19-note, Rev 17:5-note, Rev 18:2-note, Rev 18:21-note; See also Babylon of Old) As we see later in this chapter, Belshazzar knew about God and His workings in Nebuchadnezzar's life (see Da 5:18, 19, 20, 21, especially Da 5:22 - it makes the point that knowing "about" God does not equate with truly knowing Him personally!), but here we see the foolish king using God's holy vessels of God in an act of overt defiance toward Him. 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 (cp Eccl 8:11 with Nu 32:23b). But there is a time for judgment. With this sin of blasphemy against God, Belshazzar had crossed the line. Christians are not immune from "crossing the line", the apostle John teaching that… If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death (cp Ananias and Sapphira - Acts 5:1-11); I do not say that he should make request for this. (1Jn 5:16) Gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone (cp Dt 4:28; 2Ki 19:18; Ps 115:4-note; Ps 135:15-note; Is 2:8-note; Is 17:8; 37:19; 44:10-20; Jer 1:16; 10:3, 4, 5; 25:6; Acts 7:41; 19:26) - It is fascinating and surely more than just a coincidence that the descending order of the metals of these manmade idols is similar ("wood" being the "outlier") to that found in the statute in Daniel 2. Belshazzar thought his great city Babylon was impregnable. And from a humanistic viewpoint he had good reason to feel secure, for the square city was some 40 miles (or greater) in outer dimensions (some reports say it was 15 miles on each side) and enclosed by 2 sets of walls each 25 feet thick (25' thick--then a 40' space and then 25' thick) and reportedly as high as 350 feet (taller than a football field!). The walls were thick enough, that four chariots abreast could be driven around the tops of the walls. Just inside the outer walls was a moat, and inside the moat was another system of inner walls. And on top of the wall all around Babylon were towers that rose another 100 feet. The Euphrates River ran through the center of the city, from north to south, through great brass gates. In short, Babylon was one of the most imposing walled cities in the history of the world. Belshazzar was indifferent to the imminent danger because he had placed his trust in "Babylon the great" city rather than in the Most High God Who had "won" the trust of his ancestor, King Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar is a perfect picture of men and women in the last days just before God's wrath falls Paul writing "While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape." (1Th 5:3-note; see John's description above in Revelation 9) Belshazzar felt like nothing could shake his world or his kingdom. This was very much the attitude many in America held prior to September, 2001 when "9/11" Attacks occurred. It is also the way some of us feel if we have never been laid off from work or never experienced a serious illness. We can all become a bit self deceived when things are going well. Smug. Confident. Self sufficient. Self satisfied… the list goes on. For all unbelievers there is no security that is 100% for only one breath separates them from an eternal separation from their Creator. For believers our security is certain because it is not founded upon this present world which is passing away, but upon Christ Jesus our Rock and our Redeemer. And yet we all need to be careful to not fall into the "Belshazzar mindset"! Showers has an interesting analysis of Da 5:1-4 - The king was so confident of Babylon’s defenses that he decided to challenge this God. His defiling of the vessels was his way of shaking his fist at God and saying: “You have said that Babylon will fall to the Medo-Persians who are now encamped outside our gates. I am declaring to you that Babylon will not fall. Its defenses are impregnable. No one will be able to take it. My actions show you what I think of you and your prophecy.” Once again a pagan king was providing God with a splendid opportunity to demonstrate His sovereignty. (The Most High God- A Commentary on the Book of Daniel) Daniel 5:5 Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Suddenly - Da 4:31,33 Job 20:5 Ps 78:30,31 Pr 29:1 Lk 12:19,20 1Th 5:2,3 Writing - Da 5:8,15,24, 25,2 6, 27, 28 Col 2:14 Rev 20:12, 13, 14, 15 Daniel 5 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FROM REVELRY TO REVELATION TO RETRIBUTION! As Campbell phrases it "The night of revelry became a night of revelation" (and then a night of retribution!) (Borrow Daniel, decoder of dreams) Below is Rembrandt's famous painting "The Writing on the Wall"…I would title this "Woe! Woe! Woe!" Comment on Rembrandt's painting - Click the painting to see the detail better. Notice that the hand inscribing the writing on the wall is seen disappearing into a cloud on the left, indicating that the text has been written from right to left as was typical of Aramaic (and Hebrew). Moreover, the words appear in vertical columns, rather than horizontal lines. Instead of 1000 nobles, Rembrandt concentrates on a small group of figures staring at the wall and centers the attention on the profaning of the sacred gold vessels plundered from God's Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It was this act of desecration that led to his downfall but interestingly most contemporary depictions of this scene are principally concerned with the lavishness of the banquet but miss this vital theological point! Kudos to Rembrandt! Suddenly (KJV = "in the same hour") - Can you picture this scene? Talk about instant sobriety! Proverbs 29:1 A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. Comment: The classic example is the antediluvian generation that rejected 120 years of Noah's preaching. "My Spirit shall not always strive with man," God had said (Ge 6:3), and finally they were suddenly destroyed in the great Flood. Paul described another "suddenly"… For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1Th 5:2, 3-note) Compare the sudden humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar - ""While the word (of proud boasting - Da 4:30) was in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'" (Da 4:31-32-note) Hand - Babylonian hands had taken God’s vessels (mentioned twice) and now they held them in contempt to dishonor and in so doing were in essence "issuing a challenge" to the Most High God. Now in Daniel 5:5 we find the Hand that controls all men, and which none can restrain, challenged them (Da 4:35-note). God’s answer to their challenge was clear Da 5:23-28.