Daniel 5

In previous chapters Nebuchadnezzar’s pride got the best of him, and God explained to him about pride a little more clearly, but do his children listen? Do they avail themselves of the lessons of their father? Sadly, no as this chapter repeats Nebuchadnezzar’s previous lessons — the only thing we learn from history is man learns nothing from history; people don’t avail themselves of learning from previous mistakes.

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. (Daniel 5:1 KJV)

Belshazzar is Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson (don’t confuse Belshazzar with Belteshazzar which is another name for Daniel). Nebuchadnezzar died about 562 BC and now his grandson commands Babylon. But the kingdom deteriorated after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, and right now this night the enemy is at the gate — the Persian army surrounds Babylon.

Normally, during a time of siege a commander prepares defenses and plots strategy. But not Belshazzar as he expressed confidence in Babylon and its defenses. A mistake as we shall see, but not entirely unfounded as a river ran through the city for water, and the city contained much stockpiled food (some believe as much as a 20 year supply). With these defenses and supplies, most believed the city impossible to conquer. Yet the Bible contains prophecy the city would be overthrown; Belshazzar would be wise to consider the situation instead of throwing a party. Being prepared is good, but pride isn’t.

Two common mistakes occur in these situations, and both prove fatal — not being prepared, and trusting in your preparations. Don’t believe anyone claiming you should ignore reasonable precautions as a situation develops because God will take care of it. Nowhere in the Bible do we see anyone ignore reasonable preparations when facing difficult situations. But the second problem is just as bad as the first, the error of trusting in your preparations. Both errors must be avoided.

After doing all you possibly can to prepare and handle the situation, know the ultimate protection comes from the Lord. Proverbs states the horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is from the Lord; don’t relay on yourself or your preparations, as pride causes big problems for the Christian.

Belshazzar, while 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 Jerusalem, that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them. (Daniel 5:2 KJV)

Nebuchadnezzar took the temple instruments after conquering the city, but showed respect by keeping them preserved. But his grandson shows no such respect and orders them removed to serve his guests. Why would Belshazzar do this? Drunk? Or Pride and trying to show his supremacy? Either way he’s gone too far, and God this night executes judgment on Belshazzar for his wanton disobedience.

Don’t mistake the longsuffering of God for God’s approval. You’re not getting by with your sin, and God hasn’t forgotten about you. God’s longsuffering provides opportunity for repentance, but if people remain stiff-necked and refuse to repent judgment will come.

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank from them. (Daniel 5:3 KJV)

Drunkenness allows you to do things you wouldn’t normally do, which frequently causes trouble. This does not mean if you have a glass of wine you’re domed to eternal damnation, but consuming too much alcohol never leads to anything good. For those who think Christians should never drink, remember Jesus made wine in John chapter two, and Paul advised Timothy to take some wine for his stomach ailments. It’s not the alcohol, it’s the abuse of it.

Some people say I like to get drunk, and God always wants to cramp my style and stop me from doing fun things, after all, I’m not hurting anyone. But understand God isn’t a mean God, He knows some things are not good for you. It’s not bad because it’s sin, it’s sin because it’s bad. Go back over that and think about it a little.

Look at the Jews in the Old Testament with many of the regulations regarding food and sanitary conditions; on the surface they didn’t make much sense (at least to the people of the time). Yet today we understand many of those provide basic sanitary or other benefits for them. God didn’t just make a bunch of rules to be mean, He did it for their protection.

Adultery, murder, drunkenness, pride are not sin because God wants to deprive you of fun stuff, but sin because they’re all bad — nothing good comes from them. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not, these things are universally bad.

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone. (Daniel 5:4 KJV)

Sounds like a modern Hollywood awards ceremony, doesn’t it? If you’ve seen any Hollywood shows, all they do is praise how great they are. In a recent show, winner Kathy Griffin said this after winning an Emmy for her show "My Life on the D-List".

Upon winning this past Saturday, Kathy said, “Can you believe this <explicative deleted>? I guess hell froze over ... a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. So, all I can say is, ‘suck it, Jesus.’ This award is my god now.”

Ms. Griffin’s god is a chunk of plastic and metal — nothing changed in thousands of years since man first worshiped hunks of wood. In Daniel’s times they worshiped gods of metal and wood, and today people still do (they’ve just added plastic to the metal and wood). We may not bow down to an altar in our home, but people worship them nonetheless; an idol is simply anything replacing God, exactly what Ms. Griffin states she’s done.

Babylon was polytheistic (gods for the sun, moon, wind, rain and so on), so any god would do, and if you had a god they would be happy to add it to their worship — after all, you didn’t want to anger a god in charge of something you might need later. But Isaiah states the wisdom of worshiping blocks of wood.

He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire; and the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his carved image; he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. They have not known nor understood; for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. (Isaiah 44:16-18 KJV)

It’s amazing what people worship. Man is born with an innate desire to worship and acknowledge something exists higher than him. Confusion can result about who is the true god, and some people choose the wrong god, but at least they understand something is out there — we’re not all just a cosmic accident.

But today we worship chance (evolution). From the goo to the zoo to you. Today man’s arrogance denies the existence of any god at all. Unfortunately evolution is unscientific, and atheism is illogical. To state no god exists you must posses all knowledge; if you don’t have all knowledge god can exist outside of what you know. Thus anytime someone proudly proclaims themself as an atheist they state for all the world they lack critical thinking skills and logic. Instead of proclaiming themselves as the pinnacle of insight, wisdom and knowledge, they display their failure to analyze the situation completely and fully. Not quite what they had in mind, we’re sure.

For logical and critical thinking people, it’s not the existence of God (since atheism is illogical), but how big is your God? Is it a hunk of wood? Can it hear? Can it respond? Does it need to be rescued? In the story of Laban in Genesis 31 as he’s chasing down Jacob, he states it’s bad you took my daughters, but did you have to steal my gods? Can your god be stolen? Or scratched?

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. (Daniel 5:5 KJV)

God is long suffering but you’re not getting by with it; He hasn’t forgotten and He doesn’t approve. Sin is sin. Period. What was sin thousands of years ago is still sin today. God doesn’t change — don’t believe the lie the Bible must be “re-interpreted” in light of today. Bull. It was true then, it’s true and unchanged today. Certainly an all-knowing and all-powerful God understood the differences between society thousands of years ago and today, and has the ability to communicate timeless truths.

God hasn’t changed, man has as he desires to approve previously unacceptable acts. And it’s sill sin. You’re free to reject what God says and act as you please, but you’re not free to restate what God said. Sin is sin. Yesterday and today (and tomorrow). If you only accept parts of the Bible you like, you’ve created your own designer religion. And that’s fine, just don’t be deluded into believing it’s acceptable to God.

Due to the Kings sin, he sees a hand appear and write on the wall (a phrase we still use today), and understandably is shaken. But since both Hebrew and Aramaic read right to left, how was it laid out on the wall? In a line like this:

R H P L K T N M N M

Or as most think, vertically like this?

P T M M
R K N N
S L

Or vertically backward?

S L N N
R K M M
P T

It’s unsure exactly how the letters were arranged on the wall, but we’d imagine just seeing the hand write sobered up the king rather quickly.

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. (Daniel 5:6 KJV)

That’s polite old King James English which need a little explaining — perhaps you saw Bill Cosby as he relates a story when he was a kid. His mother always told him before leaving the house to have clean underwear in case he was in an accident. But he says whether you hit the other car or not, there’s going to be an accident.

And now you better understand what the polite King James implies in verse 6. The king is shaken and calls his magicians to explain what the writing means.

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, whosoever shall read this writing, and show 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. (Daniel 5:7 KJV)

He sobered up quick. We’ve seen this story before with Nebuchadnezzar and his dream, and we already know none of these guys will be able to provide the king what he needs.

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. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed. (Daniel 5:8-9 KJV)

In Aramaic vowels are inferred, so several possibilities exist for their failure to comprehend the message. Not only could the writing been vertical, but several words can be made from the writing, with several meanings.

Even if they could decipher the words, they could just read this as 101 1/2 shekels and the meaning escapes them. So they’re puzzled and fail to provide the king the meaning; only God can provide the king what he desires.

Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house; and the queen spoke and said, O king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. (Daniel 5:10 KJV)

The Queen is likely Nebuchadnezzar’s widow, and she’s seen this act before. She recalls Daniel provided Nebuchadnezzar the understanding after the failure of the magicians in a similar situation, and she knows Daniel can do it again, so she advises the king.

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; (Daniel 5:11 KJV)

Quite a build up for Daniel from the Queen. She was familiar with Daniel and events of the past, and gives the King a summary of his skills.

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and revealing 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 show the interpretation. (Daniel 5:12 KJV)

The Queen addressed Daniel using his Hebrew name, showing considerable respect as Daniel had been a captive of Babylon for decades and been given a new name.

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke 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? 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 5:13-14 KJV)

Daniel was likely in retirement when the King summoned him (being over 80 years old). But you never retire in your service to God. Don’t ever think you’re too old to be of use to God — you’re never too old and never retire. God can use anyone anytime; Daniel hasn’t lost his edge.

Daniel’s reputation preceded him before the king, a fact which is the same for us. Your reputation always goes before you, either good or bad. If you lie and cheat, people will know. If you’re known as an honest person, people will know as well.

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 of it but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. 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. (Daniel 5:15-16 KJV)

Just as earlier with Nebuchadnezzar, the wise men of the world fail. Only the true God can get the job done. Nebuchadnezzar found out the wise men were frauds and unable to perform when it really mattered as they served gods made of metal and wood and completely unable to communicate or save. No block of wood can answer. No idol can speak.

A quick glance of the ancient gods they worshiped included Ashtoreth, Baal, Mammon, Molech and Nebo. But we don’t worship those anymore — we’ve grown beyond them right? Take a look at their gods and see if their still worshiped today.

What is your trust in? What exactly are you worshiping? The ancient gods are still around, we’re just more stealthy in their worship. When it comes down to it, who do you trust? Your money? Your knowledge? Or the true and living God?

When you call on Baal or Mammon or Nebo, nothing answers. Money, power and wisdom can’t save you. You may not be bowing down to an idol, but where is your trust? You need to know because you become like the gods you worship.

The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them (Psalm 145:15-18 KJV)

Is your god cold and unfeeling? You’ll become that way. Is your god insensitive?

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 5:17 KJV)

Look back to chapter one as Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself. That commitment still stands decades later as he’s in his eighties. A reminder to us you need to make your commitment now. When you’re under pressure it’s too late to decide which way to go.

Daniel avoids the material temptation, but before the interpretation, he first gives a public service announcement; he’s got a captive audience and it’s a good time for a lesson. The king likely didn’t want to listen, but he had no choice — Daniel was the only one who could provide him the information he needed, so Daniel avails himself of the opportunity for a teaching moment.

In a respectful way, Daniel lets the king have it. Speak the truth and don’t be a jerk, but don’t hold back either. Too many people error in one of two ways; first, the “sandwich-board” approach which screams out “the end is near” and turns people away. Second, the person who refrains from speaking the truth to avoid offending anyone. Both approaches are wrong. Speak the truth in love, but don’t be a jerk.

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor; 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. (Daniel 5:18-19 KJV)

Nebuchadnezzar was the head of Gold. His kingdom was the pinnacle of government; every kingdom after his was inferior. So the story starts out well, but notice the buts in Daniel’s message. It’s always a bad thing when a story starts well, and then the dreaded “but” comes up.

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. 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. (Daniel 5:20-21 KJV)

A brief summary of previous chapter, and history they all would know. This is a reminder of the problem of pride, something Belshazzar should have been aware of.

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; (Daniel 5:22 KJV)

Nebuchadnezzar boasted in his accomplishments which were really the result of God’s actions. He continued in his pride until God explained Himself a little more clearly. Belshazzar insults God himself by using the temple instruments and failed to learn from history. His fall will be worse than his fathers.

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 bronze, 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. (Daniel 5:23 KJV)

Belshazzar had benefit of his grandfathers experience, but didn’t learn. He made a choice to avoid the lessons from his father and do it his own way. We face the same situation; Paul reminds us the stories in the Bible aren’t random acts, they provide lessons for us; we must avail ourselves of the lessons or we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. (Daniel 5:24 KJV)

Judgment comes; at some point the Lord will always judge. He gives ample time for repentance, but you’re not getting by. Don’t confuse the longsuffering of God with forgetfulness, or worse, acceptance. Sin is sin, always has been, always will be. God doesn’t change. The Bible is not “re-interpreted” for a new age (conveniently calling many popular acts permissible).

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. (Daniel 5:25 KJV)

We’ve already noted why this might have been difficult to understand, but Daniel completes his lesson and now moves to give the King what he really wanted: the meaning.

This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. (Daniel 5:26 KJV)

Your numbers up (another phrase from Daniel still in use today). God allowed Belshazzar time to repent, and he didn’t so judgment comes. There comes a time when no more chances exist. God is longsuffering, merciful and just, but don’t assume he will not judge. A righteous God must judge or He can’t be righteous. To ignore sin is not righteous, but God always gives time for repentance before judgment.

God has a number in mind; in Proverbs 16:33 it states the lot is in lap of the Lord. It turns out randomness is hard to find anywhere in the cosmos. If you have the opportunity, take a class in mathematical chaos theory. One of the great problems in computer science is finding random numbers, which may not appear very interesting, but as you understand cryptography is based on it, the lack of randomness becomes a huge security issue.

We also have a finite number of days — what are we doing with them? Do we use them for God’s glory, or squander them? You could die today, tomorrow or 50 years from now, the point is use whatever time you have profitably (Psalm 90:12).

TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Daniel 5:27 KJV)

Judgment comes for everyone. For some at the great white throne in Revelation, but for Christians it’s a report card on how they used the resources God gave them. God gives you gifts, He expects you to use them. Recall the parable of the servants, some where given many talents, another just one. The master didn’t expect them all to perform equally, but he did expect them all to use what they had. You may have many gifts, or just one. You’re not judged by how others perform, but only how you use what God gave you.

Consider the churches in Revelation, many which didn’t measure up. The interesting part of the study is they thought they were doing different than they really were. The churches who thought things were going well really had problems, and the ones who thought they were in bad shape actually didn’t have many faults.

PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5:28 KJV)

Peres is the singular form of upharsin, and also a pun for Persia. Look back to the image Nebuchadnezzar saw — the chest was Persians. The fall of Babylon to the Persians is certain, and Daniel certainly recalled the image given to Nebuchadnezzar earlier.

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. (Daniel 5:29 KJV)

The King is relieved he knows, and gives Daniel gifts. But unknown to him, the Persian army outside the walls of the city had diverted the river and were preparing to literally walk under the walls and into the city to conquer it. Belshazzar in his pride and arrogance lost Babylon as the Persians took the city almost without a battle.

In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. (Daniel 5:30 KJV)

Don’t confuse fall of Babylon here in 539 BC with the destruction of Babylon. Even many scholars try to place the destruction of Babylon here when the Persians took over. But even a casual reading of Isaiah displays difficulties with that view.

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. (Isaiah 13:19-20 KJV)

Obviously that hasn’t happened yet. This is fall of Babylon in 539 BC to the Persians, while the destruction is still yet future. Yet Babylon appears in many places in the Bible, so don’t be confused with the prohpecies. Some are fulfilled, some not.

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. (Daniel 5:31 KJV)

The Persians take over, and according to legend, when Cyrus walked into the city, Daniel met him with a scroll of Isaiah where God Himself writes a letter to Cyrus Isaiah 45:1, detailing his exploits and conquests. Once again, Bible prophecy is accurate.

Copyright © 1999-2008 Darrin Yeager. http://www.dyeager.org

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The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)