Daniel 5
Notes
Transcript
The Feast that Ended Suddenly
The Feast that Ended Suddenly
Good evening friends!
I pray you all are doing well this evening!
Here we are, it is the middle of the week and time for a look at God’s word to help us, encourage us and give us strength for the rest of the week.
Remember last week we looked at Chapter 4 as the King, Nebuchadnezzar has another dream that has brought him sleepless nights and much distress.
No one could offer any interpretation to this dream, well that is until Daniel shows us that the Lord uses Daniel to tell the king about his dream.
And it was through those circumstances that Nebuchadnezzar was allowed to walk in and experience that led to him praising and confessing the one true God of Israel.
God has a way of humbling the heart of man.
Today we come to chapter 5.
This is a unique time, it is hear were Babylon comes to an end. It is time for the first Kingdom that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about, his Kingdom will end and the Medo-Persian Kingdom will come into being...
The King has passed by the time of chapter 5. his son Belshazzar is ruling Babylon now,
So lets look at chapter 5.
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
A huge feast is taking place. The King is hosting a feast for a 1000 of his nobles.
Now, large feasts were not something new, Kings did this at times of celebration, victory etc...
Alexander the Great, we know entertained 10K guests at a marriage festival.
This festival is for all of his Lords, those nobles who ruled in areas all around the kingdom. And the king and them continually drank wine, the kings actions encouraged those in attendance to enjoy themselves. It makes me think of eat, drink and be merry....for tomorrow we die… type of mentality
The Kings, his Nobles and their wives, celebrating, enjoying too much wine and this leads to poor actions, sinful actions...
Now lets read on....
Verse 2 Dan 5:2-3
2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
While the king was drinking, and drinking a lot of the wine, he does something interesting and terrible.
He makes a very unusual request. He calls for the temple items from Jerusalem, that His father Nebuchadnezzar brought home when he conquered Jerusalem be brought to the festival.
Now these temple items, were ones that had been dedicated to the Lord God of Israel, consecrated for use in the worship of God.
Nebuchadnezzar had brought them and had stored them in the temple of his God. (chap 1 v2) These items were part of the bounty of victory. These vessels were made from gold and silver, so without a doubt they had value to them.
But Belshazzar calls for them to be brought to the party, and that all of these guests at the party might drink from them and use them in this evening of debauchery.
This is an incredible act of sacrilege against the God is Israel. It was blasphemous as he will go on to toast his pagan gods with them.
So they were brought into the party and the people did indeed use them for worship
Verse 4 Dan 5:4
4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
And this is what the outcome was, they used those vessels as their cups and they praised the gods (pagan) gods of silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.
In praising these gods, what Belshazzar is saying is that their so called gods are over the dieties of the other nations, even the God of the Israelites. They felt this way since they had defeated and overtook the city. They never thought that the God is Israel allowed it to happen.
He should have remembered the past, how the God of Israel had humbled his father Nebuchadnezzar. If he had, he would not have done such a sinful thing in desecrating the temple items of God.
Now lets look at verses 5-6 Dan 5:5-6
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
Immediately, I love that, God acts quickly when such a grievously sin has been committed. So suddenly at the height of their drunken, sinful celebration the Lord God shows us and the finger of a human hand appeared and wrote on the wall.
And the King witnessed this, he saw the hand and many did I am sure as well. Now we are not told the message of the hand yet-but we are told that upon seeing it, the King’s color changed, I imagine that he became white as a sheet.
In fact he is so disturbed that he just about collapses, he is scared out of his own mind. And it even says that his knees knocked since there was so much fear involved.
Wow, this event was very moving for him, it bothered him greatly.
It would bother you to see the hand of God in your midst… He should have learned these lessons from his fathers time in leadership.
Now verse 7 Dan 5:7
7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
The king called loudly, he is yelling for those advisors of the kingdom, the magicians, the necromancers, and astrologers…
And the King tells them his desire to understand the message that the hand wrote on the wall. He tells these wise men, Whoever can read tis and tell me what it means i will place a robe on them, but not just any robe, a purple one with a gold chain as well. These would be symbols of a high rank and are associated with what the king says next… and that person will me make the 3rd ruler of the land…
Wow, the third highest ruler in the land, with purple robe and a gold chain. This is a very high honor and one that anyone of those advisors would have hoped to obtain.
Now verses 8-9 Dan 5:8-9
8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
The wise men came in but no one could read the inscription, nor understand the meaning to share it with the King.
This made the King even more worrisome, he color is changing, he is become pale perhaps worried about the meaning of all this...
Look at verses 10-11 Dan 5:10-11
The queen heard the commotion, and came to see what was happening in the party, for the tone has changed...
This queen is not the wife of Belshazzer, for the wives and the king were already present. Most likely, this was his mother we think, the queen mother who heard the commotion and came to see what was happening..
And if you look, she comes in and greets here son the king, O king live forever, seems to be a provide some advice for the young king.
Verses 10-12 Dan 5:10-12
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
The queen tells him, do not be alarmed, don’t allow fear to change your complexion,.. there is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him.
The meaning of her words about Daniel is that he has the wisdom of the gods, for their spirit is in Him. So he has godly insight and wisdom and intelligence.
The queen does on to remind him how this man, Daniel helped his father Nebuchadnezzar, and how His father had made him chief of all the wise men of the land.
Verse 12 The queen gives him the advice to call Daniel to the meeting....
Now verses 13-16 Dan 5:13-16
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Daniel is indeed called to the palace to the King presence and the presence of all those who were most likely still there at the party.
Belshazzar identifies Daniel, as one of the exiles, one of those from Judah who his father the late king, Nebuchadnezzar had brought into the land.
Belshazzar did not seem to really be acquainted with Daniel. But it is like he goes over his qualifications if you will...
In verse 14, he says I have heard the spirit of the gods are in you, you have wisdom, insight and intelligence...
He tells Daniel how he brought all his wise men before him, to read and give an interpretation of the writing that is upon the wall. But those last words of verse 15 says but they could not help me.
But I have heard you can read it and give it an interpretation, and he made the same proposal to Daniel.
If you can read and give the meaning of it to me, I will make you the third highest ruler in the kingdom and you will be clothed in a purple robe with a gold chain placed around your neck
Verse 17 Dan 5:17
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.
Daniel, upon hearing the Kings proposal, did not want the Kings gifts. This isn’t rude or prideful, but probably to cast off any ideals that God’s services could be bought or traded to anyone.
Daniel says that he will read the writing and make the meaning known to the king.
Verses 18-19 Dan 5:18-19
18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.
Daniel makes an important point to Belshazzar, it was the most high God, YHWH of Judah not of Babylon who had given his father, Nebuchadnezzar a great kingdom with power and honor among the world and its people. He blessed him and gave him wealth as well. And the world feared Nebuchadnezzar, for they were an a great power on the earth.
Yet, remember from chapter 4, His father Nebuchadnezzar had done better than his son, he submitted and praised the Lord God.
Also, this is a little jab at Belshazzar, he has acted foolishly, so he didn’t learn anything from his father.
Verse 20-21 Dan 5:20-21
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
This is a reminder that when Nebuchadnezzar got to big for his own britches, he was humbled, made to live like an animal, like a ox who eats grass and whose body is wet from the dew of the night. This was his state until he confessed the true God of heaven.
And now verses 22-24 Dan 5:22-24
22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.
Like the prophet Nathan condemning David for knowing right and doing wrong, so here Daniel tells the King, you have acted with pride, you didn’t humble your heart even through you knew all these things about God.
Essentially, He tried to act independently from God and so he is without excuse
In verse 23 Daniel tells him he has done just the opposite, he lifted himself up and over the Lord God of Israel. He acted in pride and self reliance.
You brought the simple items in from the temple, now these items are important. They had been sanctified for use in the Temple.
But it wasn't that he used these items, it was the fact that he took these items and praise the so called gods of gold, silver, wood or stone, etc…These are false gods that do not know, hear or see..
And then Daniel says but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. v 23.
Man, what a rebuke, the one God whom you knew you denied and praised false gods, what a slap in the face so to speak against the one who has given you breath… You failed to honor the One True God of Israel and the whole world.
finally, from the presence of God a hand went and wrote the words you know see...
Now verses 25-28 Dan 5:25-28
25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Pretty important The message says Numbered, Numbered, Weighed and Divided… God had judged Belshazzar and pronounced imminent judgment.
The Kingdom was given to another, it was time for the Medo-persian kingdom, Babylon was destroyed and falling.
Now the last verses 29-31 Dan 5:29-31
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
3 facts here..
Daniel is exalted and given what the King promised, he is made the 3rd highest ruler in the Kingdom.
That same night, Belshazzar is murdered, his life ended and his throne taken and given to another.
finally, Darius the Med comes to the throne at age 62...
Wow, what change...
Things to remember...
Never forget who we are in front of God and remember everything we have is borrowed from his hands.
Do not become guilty of false or idol worship, there is only one God. Worship Him and him alone.
Build your family and what ever he allows you to have upon Him and Him alone.