Daniel: The Writing's on the Wall

Intro

Emerging Patterns

We took a break from Daniel last week, but now we’re back into it. Do you remember where we’ve been in Daniel so far?

Quick refresher...

God’s people of Israel had been defeated and several waves of

God is faithful to provide for his people in exile.

A series of stories make up the first half of the book - Variations on a theme, but basically: Prideful actions of the king - God’s Judgment pronounced - Judgment comes to pass - God & His people honored.

Like a procedural dram on TV, once you’ve watched few episodes, you get the idea of how the stories are told, but it’s the variations from episode to episode the provide the color. The structure is helpful, even in how you diverge from the structure.

This story In Dan 5 parallels the one in Dan 4.

What’s the scene?

Well Neb. has gone. There’s a new guy on the scene called “Belshazzar”. His name is strangely similar to Daniel’s Babylonian name - “Belteshazzar”. As your’re reading you may get the impression that Belshazzar was the son of Neb.

Until recently, people thought that Belshazzar didn’t exist, because the only references to him were in this book of Daniel and Neb. son had a different name. However, his name has since been discovered on cuneiform tablets placing him in the right time period. It turns out that Belshazzar was a “co-regent”. It was quite common in larger kingdoms to have periods of overlapping kings, especially when a king wanted to legitimate his successor, and so would preemptively install his son or other to power as a kind of deputy leader.

So there was a bit of court intrigue, a few murders and whatnot, so that after Neb. his son reigned, but he was assassinated by his brother-in-law who took over. Then that guy’s son took over, and then Belshazzar’s dad Nabonidus took over from him, presumably after some assassination or something.

In the case of Belshazzar, his dad seems to have put him in charge in Babylon while Nabonidus lived elsewhere, such that Belshazzar was effectively king. It would be like if Scott Morrison appointed the Deputy PM to look after things and then went on an extended holiday. Although not technically PM, the Deputy is as good as PM with the power to discharge all the duties in the absence of the other.

As you may imagine, it has taken several decades for all this to come to pass between Neb and and Belshazzar being in power. Daniel would be a rather old man now, about 80! Fairly old by ancient standards.

So, two morals of that story, 1) Don’t assume that because archaeology can’t find something that the bible is in error. There have been plenty of occasions where things were later found to verify the authenticity of the Bible, and 2) the book of Daniel is not a record of the history of Babylon - these stories are merely highlights of God’s faithfulness in exile. It’s not trying to be a historical record, it’s trying to encourage God’s people under the thumb of foreign powers.

So lets investigate the story in 4 parts. It’s pretty dense storytelling, so lets steel ourselves for a tour through the story, picking up key themes and ideas. As usual, happy to talk further about the passage, but can’t cover it all in detail!

So, part 1...

1. Wrong answers: Worldly living & wisdom (v1-9)

Partying Drunkenness & blasphemy while under siege - “…for tomorrow we die”

Daniel 5:1–4 NIV

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

At first glance it seems that Belshazzar was just in the mood to party, however when we look at the historical context, we can see that the Medo-persian empire had been growing around the Babylonian empire over the course of many years. On top of that, Belsh was probably well aware of the fact that the Medo-persian army was on the way to Babylon, and it’s even possible that this story takes place while Babylon was under siege.

Whatever that immediate context, we’re still left with the distinct impression that Belshazzar was a weak and impotent king - drinking and partying while the kingdom was falling apart around him.

He had taken to heart that verse from Isaiah: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Is 22:13. Called together all of his nobles to throw a big party.

While under the influence, Belsh thinks it would be a good idea to flaunt the “power” of his empire by using the sacred vessels from God’s temple in Jerusalem. It was a last ditch effort to assert dominance.

These vessels weren’t magical or anything, but they were sacred because they had been consecrated, they had been set apart to be used to worship the LORD God. They had been allocated for a holy purpose, and this prideful king was trying to show off by using them as common dishware.

In ancient warfare, all warfare was spiritual warfare. The defeat of another nation in battle was understood as a sign that one god had won over another god. So Belsh. was reveling in the victory of his predecessor (not even his sown victory) by using the holy vessels for a common purpose. He was desecrating the holy vessels, and to add insult to injury - he was praising other gods while he was doing it!

Bel. had failed to take into account that the Most High God might not take kindly to the desecration of the vessels, or to using those vessels in a drunken worship service to "gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.” Da 5:4.

But! God responds to the blasphemy. He will not be idle.

Daniel 5:5–6 NIV

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

God’s revels his Words to Belsh. on the wall of the palace, right under the lamp.

The king turns to jelly. This brash guy who’s been showing off and parading around is reduced to a caricature - knocking knees and a face as white as a ghost.

So as God reveals himself to Belsh. he reveals the king’s bravery was just skin deep. There is no substance to his bravado.

Intriguingly, even though Belsh. facade has been torn back and he is an open book of fear - he cannot understand the writing on the wall.

We don’t know what is meant by this, could he see the writing and not make out the words? Or perhaps he could see the words, but just didn’t know what the interpretation was. Either way, this “king” who was trying to show off his power over gods and men, is reduced to a quivering mess who doesn’t even have to power to understand the writing on the wall!

So, he tries to regain some composure and goes looking for answers, but, finds none in the wisdom of the world...

Daniel 5:7–9 NIV

The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.

This is a familiar theme in Daniel, they have in this empire a mass of enchanters, astrologers and diviners collected from different part of the world. They’re meant to be the best and wisest with insight into all matters spiritual or otherwise. But they’re useless. They can’t help. They don’t know what to do.

Belsh. can’t find answers in the wisdom of this world.

Note: “third highest” because Belshazzar himself was second to his father Nabonidus.

This reminds us of the futility of worldly wisdom. It talks a big game, but it is ultimately unable to deliver what it promises.

What is worldly wisdom? Self help, cultural “rules”,

For sure, the world’s wisdom is of some benefit, especially if it is derived from investigating God’s creation. But when it comes to understanding spiritual things, God’s revelation, they’re useless.

I was reminded of this yesterday. I was reading a book by Jordan Peterson, and it was filled with worldly wisdom derived from years of research and experience. Intriguingly there’s lots of talk about bible passages and biblical ideas. Lots of practical wisdom - but ultimately he doesn’t understand the revelation of God, even though it is written there on the page.

There is a veil over his eyes, as there was over the eyes of Belshazzar.

Belshazzar’s behavior is a pattern we see quite often.

Many people come to understand the suffering and pain present in the world. The metaphorical “army on the horizon” is bearing down on them, they innately know that nothing they do can overcome the inevitability of death.

Some fall into existential dread and nihilism - “meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless” but some try to cover up the pain and dread and fear by self medicating.

They turn to wild living with drugs and alcohol, sexual experiences and extreme sports, they turn to increasingly arrogant and outlandish behavior to try and cover up the feelings that rise up within them.

Some people turn to the wisdom of the world - they throw themselves into massive volumes on philosophy or science to try and make sense of things. They want to know what our purpose is, and what is required of us as humans, and how can we have a “good” life.

But none of these things will truly satisfy.

Drunkenness & drugs lead to hangovers and dependency. Experiences in life are brief, and the dopamine hits have diminishing returns. Eventually we run out of arrogant and prideful envelopes to push.

The worlds wisdom is empty - it is toothless. While it may give quick answers for itchy ears, it will not satisfy in the long run. It is impotent to answer the most important questions in life.

So where can we go for answers?

2. Right Answers: God’s messengers (v10-17)

The queen, or more likely the queen mother, has insight to share. There is someone who has a track record of providing the answers!

Daniel 5:10–12 NIV

The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

Isn’t it often the case that “new and improved” is not as good as “old and proven”? Beshazzar had his own cohort of magicians and astrologers etc, and it seems as though Daniel didn’t have the prestigious place that he used to have. He’s always kept a bit of distance from the other wise men, but it’s surprising that a guy with such a good track-record is not the first port of call.

The wisdom of the aged - learn from history!

God has spoken before, through his prophets! Learn from the example of you ancestors who trusted God!

Daniel 5:17 NIV

Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

Daniel doesn’t live for worldly gain, but merely wishes to be faithful to God, speak the truth.

3. The Judgment from God (v18-28)

Daniel reveals the message, but he has to start with a history lesson. Recounting in brief the story from the previous chapter:

Daniel 5:18–21 NIV

“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.

History: Neb. was given privileged position, but when he was prideful and arrogant, he was brought low by God until he acknowledged God.

Daniel = God judges. Pronouncing God’s judgment once more, Belteshazzar “god (bel) protect his life” or “prince of god (Bel)”

Belshazzar = Bel (god) protect the king

These names will be put to the test? Will they live up to their names, or is it sad irony?

Belsh. knows the history of his forbear! He should have known better!

Daniel 5:22–24 NIV

“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

Even though you knew better, you have not honored God. Judgment is coming!

Daniel 5:25–28 NIV

“This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin “Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

These are common words but they are like puns, they have a double meaning in this revelation from God. It’s a bit of Word play: Mene, Mene, tekel, Parsin

Mene: Numbered, Numbered or Appointed Appointed - Both his days are designed by God, and that they’re limited. Repetition bringing emphasis.

Tekel: We’re probably more familiar with the Hebrew versions which means “shekel” which was a weight measurement.

4. The Response (v29-30)

Essentially an opportunity to repent - but no repentance is forthcoming.

Daniel 5:29–31 NIV

Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.

Gives recognition to God’s people, but not to The Most High God

God’s judgment comes to pass and he was

Your response?

Worldliness will get you no where.

Only God has the answers

You know better! His divine power is written into creation. You have heard the gospel, you have heard the scriptures!

Repent and believe!

Stand firm in Christ against the tyrants who rebel against God. He will bring them low, but the humble he will raise up!

God’s judgment will come to pass.