The Need for Faithful Repentance

There are times we have to learn lessons the hard way.

Can you think of a time when someone warned you about a dangerous choice you were considering, but you did it anyway? What was the outcome?

How have moments like that shaped you for the future?

How has God grown you through instances like that?

In Daniel 5 we will see the last ruler of Babylon come face to face with God and the humbling he took in front of God. This would end Belshazzar’s earthly kingdom.

The events we are going to read about took place around 23 years after chapter 4. There were a series of weak kings who ruled Babylon during this time. Nabonidus was ruling when Belshazzar became crown prince and these events took place. It is recorded in history that Babylon fell during a great feast. Let’s get into the text.

Daniel 5:1–4 ESV

1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. 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. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

What differences do you notice between Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar (look back at Daniel 4)?

N had a respect for God and eventually came to believe in God. In Chapter 4, I think it is pretty evident N came to know who God was and began to serve Him.

B has no respect for God whatsoever. The articles the Israelites used to worship God were left in storage until he ordered them up to use to drink from during this great feast. It was a direct insult to God.

Though neither were godly rulers, how did their character and actions differ?

One at least had respect for the items of worship. You wonder if N had this for all of the different peoples he conquered during this time. B was totally against and didn’t care about anything other than himself .

Belshazzar led the people to worship false gods and material things instead of God—the creation rather than the Creator. How do you see this happening all around us today?

Where might the church be in danger of this?

Daniel 5:5–12 ESV

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. 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.” 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. 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.”

How did the king’s offer of money and status reflect the culture’s values?

Anyone who had money or was rich, held power back then. They must have been listened to greatly.

What reflects the values of our culture today?

How did Belshazzar shift from the beginning of this passage (5:1-4)?

He became scared. It makes you wonder if he went back to the times he had heard of what had happened with his grandfather, N. Even though Daniel may have been forgotten, you wonder if the events during N’s time of rule may have come back to mind.

The place where the hand was writing was also in a prominent place in the room as well. There wasn’t anyway people in the room wouldn’t have been able to see what was going on.

When was a time fear or desperation led you to seek the truth about God?

Daniel’s reputation reflected his character. How does our character influence our reputation?

How does our reputation inform our influence?

Daniel was more than likely in his 80s at this point. He was either retired or had been forgotten about. With all that had taken place in Babylon, he was a has been.

Daniel 5:13–31 ESV

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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” 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.

Do you notice the difference in Daniel’s attitude towards Belshazzar?

Why do you think Daniel recounted his experience with Nebuchadnezzar?

He was wanting to remind B of what had happened to N. B would have been alive during the end of N’s reign, so he would have known how N was humbled before God.

Why would it be significant for Belshazzar to know about this (5:22)?

If he knew of these events, then he knew what God was capable of doing, but still ignored the power of God and His power. He knew who God was and chose to refuse to recognize His power and wanted to make himself more.

Compare Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar’s responses to God’s judgment (see Dan. 4:34-37).

Let’s go back and review these verses so we can make a good comparison.

Daniel 4:34–37 ESV

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

N realized who God was and humbled himself before Him. By all indications, N worshiped God until the end of his days.

B gave the rewards he had promised to Daniel and there is no indication anything changed. He went on about His business.

What was the meaning of the writing on the wall?

Basically the days of B’s rule were numbered and the Persians would come and take over. Babylon had just suffered a minor defeat at the hand of the Persians. They had retreated into the city and the plans were to just wait out the Persians. They had 20 yrs. of supplies within the city walls, so they thought they could just wait until they got tired and went home.

How was this fulfilled at the end of chapter 5?

According to history, the Persians diverted the water source into the city that night and entered the city through this very channel. There was no battle, they just came in and took over the city and killed B.

Darius is a title which means ruler. There is some argument about who Darius the Mede actually was. Some say he was Gubaru, who was the governor of Babylon. Some say he was actually Cyrus the Great and this was just another title for him. Who this person actually was isn’t important. The fact God fulfilled His word to B is what is important.

We need to heed God’s Word and study it. We need to see the example which was set before us through the different things people experienced in the Bible and know God hasn’t changed, and He will still deal with sin the way He did then.

We also need to listen to those around us and the experiences they have been through. When God worked in their lives and helped them to grow through these experiences.

Some questions to think about this week:

Looking at both Nebuchadnezzar’s and Belshazzar’s lives and responses to God, what are some of the observations you make? Are there any tendencies you share with them? What might you need to change in response to these two examples?

How can you learn from others who have gone before you? How can you position yourself in humility to not have to learn lessons of disobedience the hard way?

What are changes you can make in an effort to take sin as seriously as God does? How might this give you the opportunity to share the gospel with others?