Daniel Chapter 5
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. "Belshazzar the king made a great
feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the
thousand."
Since there has been a jump in time from the preceding chapter, we
must deal with the question, Who is Belshazzar? For a long time,
critics said he "did not exist." These "critics", historically, if they
can’t immediately corroborate something in Scripture, are not neutral –
they ASSUME it is not true.
Subsequently to the "findings" of the critics, Raymond Dougherty
published excellent materials about an archeological discovery called
the "Nabonidus Cylinder," which identified Belshazzar. Other such clay
cylinders have been found which also gave his name. His father was
Nabonidus, who recorded a prayer to the moon god on one of the
cylinders, which included "…my son, the offspring of my heart, might
honor his godhead and not give himself to sin."
The best and simplest discussion of his immediate time is found in
the book "Daniel" by Dr. J. Vernon Mc Gee, and much of the following is
from that source: Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by his only son Evil-merodach,
in about 561 BC (2 Kings 25:27 & context). Evil (no relation to Evel
Knievel) was murdered by Nergal-sharezer, who had married one of
Nebuchadnezzar’s daughters. Nergal-sharezer was succeeded by his young
son, who reigned only a few months before he was murdered by Nabonidus
(the husband of another one of Nebuchadnezzar’s daughters). This man
took the throne and became the last true ruler of the Babylonian
empire. Nabonidus went on a lot of foreign expeditions - during those
times, Belshazzar, his son, remained in Babylon as co-regent. (Who
needs soap operas when we have history?)
Jeremiah prophesied about these days ( Jer. 27:6-7, "and now have I
given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
my servant; and the beasts of the field I have given him also to serve
him, and all the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s
son, until the very time of his land come; and then many nations and
great kings shall serve themselves of him"). The Babylonian empire
would last through the reign of a son and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar,
and then the "head of gold" would end. Belshazzar was actually that
grandson, though he was flattered by being referred to as the "son" of
Nebuchadnezzar.
Verse 2. "While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar
gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father
Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem,
that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink
from them."
Belshazzar is here registering his contempt for God, by ordering that
the vessels of the Temple might be brought out and used for common
purpose.
He is also showing contempt for Gobryas, the Median general who was
besieging the city at that moment from outside the walls. From what I
read, those walls were wide enough that somewhere between four and
twenty chariots (depending on which author you believe) could ride
side-by-side on top of the city walls. The Babylonians had supplies of
grain and water that could last for years. The city walls were at least
300 feet high and surely his loving father Nabonidus would return before
the supplies ran out? What’s to worry?
He should have worried, and he should have looked to God, instead of
throwing a party with God’s vessels from the ruins of the Temple in
Jerusalem. According to Xenophon, the Greek historian, General Gobyras
took the city that very night by diverting a canal (that brought water
under the walls into the city) back to the Euphrates river. The
General and his Mede soldiers then walked into the dry canal-bed, right
under the walls and into the city. Babylon would fall that night! How
close are we to the end? (we don’t know) and what should our attitudes
be about God? (we should receive Him) and the things of God? (We should
honor them).
Verse 3. "Then they brought the gold vessels
that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been
in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines
drank from them."
We are privileged to set-up the physical items for communion services
at our Church. Here’s what is done. We clean the trays, place the
little cups into receptacles, fill them, break the bread, etc., and
while these functions are being performed, pray for those who are going
to receive. These items of communion are "holy", aren’t they? Yes,
they are.
On the other hand, let’s face it, the utensils are metal and plastic,
the "wine" is grape juice, the "bread" matzo crackers bought at the
store, and so on. Yet, all of these things are indeed holy, and that is
because they are dedicated to God. They are His, as we who prepare are
His, and those who receive belong to Him.
The Bible is holy, even though it is leather, paper, and ink.
Churches are holy, the leader of the congregation is holy, and so were
these vessels from the Temple. The "gold" we hold so dear in life
actually has no value at all, and neither does our money, our stocks,
homes, or whatever else we count as "valuable." What matters is that
which draws us to God, and these utensils were designed by Him for
precisely that purpose.
The king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines were
supplanting the aims of God with purposes of their own. God is not
pleased when we do that.
Verse 4. "They drank wine, and praised the
gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone."
And here, in this verse, they took the whole mess one huge step
further - They went from mere childishness to blatant idolatry. Now,
when we waste our time it is unfortunate, for we were created for
specific purposes in life. When we play around all the time, instead of
achieving our purpose, we not only thwart God’s intentions but we also
damage our own lives.
That’s bad enough, but then, let’s suppose we take all this much
further. Let’s suppose that part of our foolishness is "atheism" ("A
FOOL has said in his heart there is no God – Psalm 14:1). Now, atheism
is a religion, because any time you adopt a belief structure about God,
you have created a religion, a doctrinal position about God (with the
athiest, a religion stating that He is not really there).
This is bad, but the danger is made much worse when you start sharing
your "religion" with your friends, just as the king did with his lords,
his wives, and his concubines. Infecting others with idolatry (which
always includes false ideas about God) has a penalty, and the penalty
for this king was - death.
Verse 5. "In the same hour the fingers of a
man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lamp stand on the plaster of
the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand
that wrote."
"If only I could SEE God, I would believe!" How often we hear these
words, and of course, when the world saw Jesus Christ, God the Son, He
was murdered as soon as they could get their hands on Him. People saw
Him but most did NOT believe. Here a group of people (in Babylon) saw
a portion of God (or perhaps this was God’s agent; an angelic being),
but died NOT believing. I would recommend that if you are a person who
does not yet believe, you do NOT want to see God - Yet. Not until after
you turn to Him.
If you do not believe, then you are precisely like this king, and if
you do see God’s Hand, it would probably be the hand of judgment. Now,
there ARE many instances where a vision of God has been seen by human
beings. Moses saw something of God, though he was warned that to see
more was to court disaster (God is simply too HOLY for us). John the
Apostle saw a vision of the Risen Christ. Paul saw a great light and
heard the voice of the Lord, and so on.
But these were believers. It is interesting that Paul BECAME a
Christian because of Who he saw. Again, I recommend you believe, and in
believing, you will see.
Verse 6. "Then the king’s countenance changed,
and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were
loosened and his knees knocked against each other."
Culture in those times was not precisely like it is today. Today,
critics of the Bible (critics of God, actually) have worked for hundreds
of years to discredit the work of God in the world; to deny His
reality. The time of Daniel was really only a few hundred years after
the Great Flood (if you don’t believe in the Flood, that’s YOUR
problem). Denying Him was a more difficult mental "dance" at that time.
They KNEW that a Supreme God rules us all & their very recent
ancestors had just barely survived His wrath. However, they also had
become idolatrous. That is, even though they recognized the reality of
God, they also had a "god" for just about everything – that rock over
there, the sea, the stars, everything.
That’s why Belshazzar was utterly terrified (as we should be
terrified if we do not honor God) at this time. They had carefully
substituted "gods" for God in their culture, so they wouldn’t have to
deal with Him on an on-going basis. In our culture, we have done
something else – we have deified mankind and made "humanism" our "god"
(so we won’t have to deal with Him on an on-going basis).
We might get away with this for a time, but at some point, all the
people of earth will be just as terrified as Belshazzar.
Verse 7. "The king cried aloud to bring in the
astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke,
saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and
tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a
chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the
kingdom."
Note that Belshazzar offers the position of "third" ruler in the
kingdom. Why not second ruler? Well, that is because Belshazzar
himself was number two, after his father Nabonidus, the actual king of
Babylon.
Just like his grandfather, he called for the "experts." Just like
his grandfather, he offered the sun, moon and stars to anyone who could
help him. My recommendation: We should turn to God NOW, in this time of
His mercy. Why wait for the wrath of God, before we seek to understand
Him? At this moment in time, Belshazzar still was not 100% sure WHAT
was going on (he HOPED he did not know, anyway), and he figured the
"experts" who had advised his grandfather would rescue him now.
Verse 8. "Now all the king’s wise men came,
but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its
interpretation."
This is the problem with "experts" (the accountant, the analyst you
may visit on a periodic basis, the economist you follow in relation to
your investments, your barber - and people still talk to barbers; the
bartender, beautician): when you REALLY need them, they cannot tell you
what you need to know. "Experts" are all right when everything is going
pretty well, but when your whole life is crashing down around you, such
people are gone! A shrug, raised eyebrows, and an "I don’t know," which
is not enough in the moment of crisis.
In disaster, you discover your need of a Savior. That is what I
found, during the years I was fooling around with "eastern" religions.
"Religion" is pleasant but I need a Savior. So do you. Jesus Christ
really did die on your behalf & you need Him. By the way, terms like
"saved" and "born again" are not creations of the Church - these are
God’s concepts, God’s terms, expressing YOUR need (and mine).
Verse 9. "Then King Belshazzar was greatly
troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished."
These people called "his lords" had put their trust in him. For
hundreds of years, people placed their faith in various members of
royalty. Today, for some reason, people seem to be placing trust in
movie stars, sports figures, and yes, even politicians (go figure).
Husbands put their trust in wives, and vice versa. We often do not
know how much we have placed our faith in some other person, until some
great crisis strikes our lives and that person (or those persons) cannot
help us. Our confidence goes down the drain and we become bitter.
That these "lords" were "astonished" at his change, speaks of the depth
of their reliance upon him. It is better to place our trust in God
during the good times, rather than in people, for when the bad times
come (and they do), we will be able to stand (in Him).
Look at what the people in Jordan did, during the recent illness and
death of King Hussein. The Jordanians had literally placed their trust
in that little king and they wept and mourned continually. A lot of
them wanted to give him their liver and kidneys so he might live a
little longer. Jesus did it the other way around. He gave HIS life so
YOU might live – forever! Instead of the sacrifice being yours, it was
His. He loves you and you can trust in Him.
Verse 10. "The queen, because of the words of
the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. And the queen spoke,
saying, ‘O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you,
nor let your countenance change.’"
This lady is most likely the "queen-mother," the widow of
Nebuchadnezzar. She had not been a part of these proceedings (the
party) before, either by her choice or by Belshazzar’s. Her statements
to him are comforting, the words of a person who cares for someone much
younger than themselves. It is likely Belshazzar was a mess at this
time; probably changing colors like the blinking lights on a Christmas
tree, and she would recognize all the signs, for she had known him since
he was a child.
Are you able to say soothing things to people who are in trouble?
Probably not, for, here at the time of a new millennium, most people are
so preoccupied with their own problems they don’t know what to say to
someone else. The popular advice is to "say nothing; just be there for
them." But there are those people who really do have the right words at
just the right time. Let us pray that we can be a little more like this
lady, and learn to comfort those in need.
Verse 11. "There is a man in your kingdom in
whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And 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, astrologers, Chaldeans, and
soothsayers."
Certainly Daniel had not been completely forgotten at this time, for
she remembered him. After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel had
likely been demoted into obscurity, or forced into retirement. We tend
to remember the amazing athlete, the provocative author; somebody
notable with a shady past. But the guy who brought words of God to the
world, is quickly forgotten.
Billy Sunday was the Billy Graham of just a few years ago. When his
name is mentioned, most people will reply, "Billy Who?" Daniel is
remembered to this day, because of Scripture. To his contemporaries,
however, miracles and all; he was quickly forgotten. But this lady
remembered him. Actually, it was GOD who remembered. As to the
capacities of our brains, we are not that different from a computer. My
home computer is at my disposal and it will recall that which I want it
to, at any given moment. Your memory is your own, but it is also God’s
tool, His resource, whether you choose to have faith in Him or not.
Verse 12. "Inasmuch as an excellent spirit,
knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and
explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named
Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the
interpretation."
She expresses exactly the kind of confidence that Nebuchadnezzar
learned to have in Daniel (and through him, in God). It is likely that
she, along with others, were brought to faith in the living God, through
the ministry of Daniel the Prophet. You wonder, "why do bad things
happen to good people" (like Daniel)? Actually, that is an excellent
question, and a careful study of Daniel Chapter 1, reveals that a lot of
bad things actually did happen to this man.
Because of what happened to him, he was changed. He wrote about
these things, and what he became has certainly been a blessing to me.
Perhaps he has also blessed you. The "bad" things provided a setting
that led Nebuchadnezzar to God, probably this lady (his wife) to God, an
unknown number of Babylonian contemporaries were affected by him, and
how many people through the centuries have been turned to God through
the words of Daniel?
Yes, he experienced "negative" occurrences, and maybe things aren’t
so good for you, either. But just like Daniel’s troubles produced a
good result, so can yours. Let’s start trusting God that whatever we
think is "wrong" can be made right by Him. When He (the Holy Spirit)
says "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28), He’s talking
to YOU (and to me).
Verse 13. "Then Daniel was brought in before
the king. And the king spoke, and said to Daniel, ‘Are you that Daniel
who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought
from Judah?’"
Notice "Belteshazzar," (the name given Daniel by the chief of the
eunuchs) which means something like "Bel protect his life," has been
replaced in the minds of the Babylonians, by his true name "Daniel," or
"God is my judge." The attempt to strip his personality by taking his
identity away (chapter 1), did not work. He is very much (God’s)
DANIEL, in his own mind and in the minds of the people around him.
Do you ever feel like you have lost your identity? You haven’t, for
who you are is not based in the circumstances of this life, no matter
how grim or how pleasant they may be. You see, who you are is not found
in anything of this world; who you are is based in God. He (God)
created you, from the tiniest of genetic structures in your body, to the
new LIFE that we are given in Christ.
Jesus, in using the analogy that we are like His "sheep",
said "I KNOW them." Our identity is in
HIM. He KNOWS you and me. And it is here the king identifies this man
as DANIEL, for God had protected him, and protected his true identity,
just as He protects you and me.
Verse 14. "I have heard of you, that the
Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent
wisdom are found in you."
Now, he (the king) heard this about 15-minutes before he said those
words. Daniel, who was a lot smarter than this king, would know that
and not be impressed by any words from this man, even though the king
was definitely a notable person (significant other) within his context.
We need to learn to not be swayed by flattery. "Hey, man, great
study," or "You have lovely eyes," should not be our basis for deciding
the relative worth of events occurring in relation to us. People often
say things to motivate you; to get you to do things you did not intend
to do. I really want to hear these words and these words only: "Well
done, good and faithful servant…Enter into
the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21).
The neat thing about God’s perceptions of people, is that His praise
is not based merely on our performance. I don’t know about you, but I
am sure we don’t measure up to His statement "Well
done" unless it is a reference to our being cooked in the fires
of hell. But "well done" for the Christian refers to the finished work
of Christ in us. Praise the Lord, for if you know you (like I know me),
we could not "measure up" in any other way.
Verse 15. "Now the wise men, the astrologers,
have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and
make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the
interpretation of the thing."
Hey, what a surprise! The astrologers couldn’t figure it out and
neither can the wise men of this world. Daniel was not surprised. They
ALWAYS are confused about life, which Daniel saw from the time he was a
teenager (he was now at least in his 80’s). We cannot turn to the works
of man or to the "stars," if we have questions about life. A star is
basically composed of a variety of elements kept in a gaseous state by
extreme forces. Take away the heat and it is not that different from
the composition of the earth. Why would we look to the stars for
information, any more than we would ask a pile of rocks right here on
earth?
College was disappointing: I thought, in economics there would be an
understanding of money. Anthropology contained no explanation of human
origins. In philosophy, there was not the philosophy of life I so
desperately needed. We need more than just facts or theories - we need
the Lord.
Verse 16. "And I have heard of you, that you
can give interpretations and explain enigmas. 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."
Again, he heard about Daniel from his grandmother, about 15-minutes
before that time. He probably heard about Daniel a lot in past years,
but forgot him, because he did not care about such people until right
now, when he was scared to death by the Hand that wrote on the wall. If
you’re going to look to people, look to God’s people, for they are the
only ones who have a clue about the "handwriting on the wall" of our
lives. How do you identify such people?
Why, just look in 1 Corinthians 13 and the surrounding chapters!
These are the ones who place their FAITH in God through Christ, who
truly TRUST in Him; those who understand He is our only HOPE; who are
obedient to God (& not just some theory about Him); and those who let
His LOVE radiate out of themselves into the lives of all they meet. You
need Someone who CARES about you.
Here goes the king again, offering purple clothing (the dress of
royalty), a chain of gold (symbol of authority), and the third highest
job in the country. This king did not know it, but there would not BE a
country of Babylon in the morning.
Verse 17. "Then Daniel answered, and said
before the king, ‘Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards
to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to
him the interpretation.’"
The gifts that the world would give us are essentially worthless.
Our Money is temporary and so are our lives. There’s nothing wrong with
living life to the fullest within the protective limits God has placed
around us. But we should take a hard look at our goals and aspirations
– From the perspective that the things we value may not be as important
as we think. If we, like the king, had just a few hours to live, our
attitudes about life would certainly change. Especially, what we count
as valuable would not be the same.
But as of this moment, the king still did not get the point and was
still trying to give gifts to someone who did not want them. Note, by
the way, that Daniel cared for PEOPLE - not for what he could get out of
them.
Verse 18. "O king, the Most High God gave
Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor."
It is GOD that gives authority. If "your" candidate won the
election, you probably feel good about the person in office. If the
other guy won, you might be annoyed. Either way, we should pray for
those in government, for God is the One who allows them to be where they
are. By now, the persons in office should have discovered how
inadequate they really are to do the job, and need all the help
possible.
Is there something glorious and wonderful about your life? – God made
it so. If you don’t like your circumstances, take them to Him. It’s
always the right idea to go to the Manufacturer (this One really cares
for you) when you have concerns about the product.
Verse 19. "And because of the majesty that He
gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before
him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept
alive; whomever he wished, he set up, and whomever he wished, he put
down."
It is the daydream of far too many people to be utterly sovereign; to
be able to do whatever they want, without limit. When you look at the
many complaints of people in unhappy marriages, they often simply are
disappointed that the other person has needs counter to their own.
Unfulfilled spouses have often felt restricted in the past by parents
(or a former spouse) and now want unlimited freedom (to do whatever they
want). If you try to grant sovereignty to yourself, all that will be
achieved is unhappiness for all concerned.
It is far better that we each willingly take the role of servant in
the lives of other people. In service, we can learn to love. In real
love, we will find God, the Author of love.
Nebuchadnezzar had utter power – without earthly limit. But that
power was God’s choice (Jeremiah 27:6 & context). Oftentimes WE are the
ones who decide WE should be in power. When WE decide to take over,
we’re headed for trouble, and only true remedy for our trouble is Jesus
Christ.
Verse 20. "But when his heart was lifted up,
and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly
throne, and they took his glory from him."
If you are a strong person, good-looking and capable, talented, rich,
healthy. . . If you have money and position, prestige and power – then
you have gifts that are given to you by God. You have those gifts for a
purpose. It may be you feel a subtle (or not so subtle) contempt for
those who are not as gifted as you are. If so, you are in great danger
– This pride of yours is likely to ruin your life. The gifts were given
so you might HELP those who are less fortunate. Thank God for the gifts
you have and then reach out to help those around you. Your future
certainly may depend on your decision to quit thinking about yourself
and start helping people, as God leads.
You may already be doing far more than your share for people. Praise
the Lord. Don’t get tired in well doing, and as they say, "One hand
lifted up to Jesus, and with the other – bring a friend."
Verse 21. "Then he was driven from the sons of
men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the
wild donkeys. 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 rules in the
kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses."
Again, if you don’t think what happened to King Nebbie can happen to
people today, consider the life of Howard Hughes. He ended up so much
like Nebuchadnezzar that it’s scary. If you’re younger than me and
don’t know about Howard Hughes with his long fingernails, hair, and
madness, go to the library and get a biography on his life – it’s
fascinating, especially (for this study) the way his life ended. This
rich, powerful man really did end up just like King Nebuchadnezzar, just
a few years ago, and it is a warning to us all. It is time to recognize
our total dependence on God and love Him for the blessings He has freely
given to us all.
If we lose what we have (all people do – it’s called the "aging
process") it’s going to be for our good, for God loves us. We are to be
turned from pride to faith – whatever it takes to do the job.
Verse 22. "But you his son, Belshazzar, have
not humbled your heart, although you knew all this."
Just like him, we have no excuse. If we don’t recognize that
everything we see and all we are is transitory and for a moment, it’s
kind of a "duhhh" thing – we are kidding ourselves and the stakes are
very high. Romans 1:20 and its context says that all we need to know of
God is "clearly seen" in His creation. If we have a pride like
Belshazzar, it will literally kill us.
Secretly, down inside, the atheist, the agnostic, the one who has
some "counter" religion that denies Christ, the one too busy for God –
ALL people really know deep inside that He is precisely what Daniel knew
He was. He is our Creator and Sustainer, reaching out to you right
now. The truth is, the one who denies him, simply does not WANT Him.
At the judgment, we will have no excuse.
Verse 23. "And you have lifted yourself up
against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house
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,
bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and
the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you
have not glorified."
We seem to have many adversaries in life: the person who does not
like us; the sibling who envies us; the person who wants the job we
have; the character your spouse ran off with, and so on.
But if you are filled with false pride, you have become the adversary
of God. If you take what God has allowed you and misuse it for your own
ends and purposes, then HE becomes YOUR adversary and you are in great
trouble. Like Belshazzar, there is a limit to how long God will put up
with our rebelliousness. As it says, God "holds your breath in His hand
and owns all your ways." Accept it or not, He is the Landlord of the
"house" you call your body, and you are accountable to Him.
Verse 24. "Then the fingers of the hand were
sent from Him, and this writing was written."
The time to see the handwriting on the wall – is now! There is a
time, if we persist in our pride, when the fingers of this hand will be
sent to write on the wall of our lives. If He was to write on your wall
today, what would be written? Let it be something like "Faith in
Christ, trust, love" rather than what was written for this king. No
other words can be acceptable, for there is no other way we can be made
whole except through placing our faith in Christ and receiving His love.
Father, we learned many things when Jesus Christ came to us, here on
this earth. You have given us the Son, as expressed in John 14:6
(thank You). Jesus, You are the "WAY" for
us to God the Father. You reveal the "TRUTH"
about God. And the "LIFE" we need is
expressed in You. Thank You, Father, for the Son. Thank You, Jesus, for
Your love. We receive You right now. Thank You, Spirit, You have shown
us the Way. We praise Your Holy Name, dear God, Almighty Father, Prince
of Peace, Lord of Lords. In Jesus Name. We worship You. Amen.
Verse 25. "And this is the inscription that
was written: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’"
(J. Vernon McGee told a story that someone misunderstood this verse
and thought it was written, "Minnie, Minnie, come tickle the parson.")
The word "Mene" is translated "number." "Tekel" simply means
"weight" and "Upharsin" is the word for "divisions." What they were
seeing on the wall, was a series of words that translates as "number,
number, weight, divisions." They saw the words and some of the "wise
men" probably understood what the words were by definition, but they had
no idea at all of what was meant by them. The words had to mean
SOMETHING, and they were scared to death.
God is speaking to each one of us and we often don’t know what He
means. He wants our attention, which is difficult for us – There is a
point when we WILL understand.
Verse 26. "This is the interpretation of each
word. ‘MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;’"
We have an old saying, "His number is up!" This is precisely the
meaning conveyed by the Lord through Daniel. Belshazzar might still be
walking around at that time, but even as he walked, he was a dead man.
There really is a time for each one, and we have no idea when ours will
come. We know this – underneath it all, we know this is true, and yet
all too often we live as though our life on earth has no consequences.
There is a Remedy for our impending deaths on earth, and His Name is
Jesus Christ, who said (John 10:10) "I have come
that (you) might have LIFE, and might have it abundantly." Yes,
we have sinned. Yes, we fooled ourselves and other people. And yes,
our number will be up when we least expect it to happen. But all is
not lost, for the Father has given the Son for precisely this purpose:
that in Him we may not lose our true life (which is in Him) when our
number is up on this earth. In Him we have LIFE.
Verse 27. "TEKEL: You have been weighed in the
balances, and found wanting;"
You have been weighed in the balances of God and have been found
wanting. "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23). We all were caught cheating and have flunked the course. We
all lost the race. Somebody else won the fair maiden’s heart. We’re
ruined in every way. Except for one thing (one Person, actually). "The
wages of sin (remember, we are ALL sinners) is death but the gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Yes, we failed
God, we failed others, failed ourselves, but that which we could not,
would not do, is DONE is Jesus Christ, and His work on the Cross.
Verse 28. "PERES: Your kingdom has been
divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
"Peres" is the singular form of "Upharsin" as found in verse 25, and
it means "division." It was God’s time for the head of gold (Babylon)
to be eliminated. The status of empire was now given to the Medes and
Persians (the arms of silver – Daniel, chapter 2).
All kingdoms will end (each at some point) until Christ returns to
earth and rules us forever. Why is there such impermanence in our
lives? So we will hunger for the PERMANENT and yearn to find that which
is LASTING in Christ.
The end of kingdoms can be quite merciful for some. I remember the
terror we felt as children during the Second World War. We breathed
great sighs of relief when it came to an end. This country will come to
an end just like that war, for all countries, all people; have an
appointed time.
Verse 29. "Then Belshazzar gave the command,
and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his
neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third
ruler in the kingdom."
Belshazzar went ahead anyway (even though it was inappropriate and
not wanted) and promoted Daniel to the position of third ruler.
"Third", of course, was consistent with the historical setting.
Nabonidus, son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar, was the first ruler, and this
Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, was number two.
The futility of his action (the promotion) was now clear to all – You
have to be alive in order to grant lasting favors to anyone and it was
clear to all present at the party that Belshazzar was a dead man.
Verse 30. "That very night Belshazzar, king of
the Chaldeans, was slain."
There is an appointed time for each one. Even as he continued
posturing by presenting empty gifts to Daniel, the Medes were diverting
a canal away from under the city, and the canal bed became an open
roadway under the Babylonian defenses. The highest leaders of Babylon
were inebriated to a man, and incapable of responding to any kind of
threat.
Lord, keep us sober and let us trust in You.
Verse 31. "And Darius the Mede received the
kingdom, being about sixty-two years old."
Darius would not reign very long as regent of the area of Babylon,
and his contribution as ruler would not be large. But what is small in
human understanding is often significant in the sight of God. The
fulfilling of God’s purposes are the most important events in history,
and for us, His will is the greatest that can be done with our lives.
Darius was a man who signified the end of the "head of gold" (the Empire
of Babylon) and the start of the arms of silver (the empire of the Medes
and Persians). A prophesy of God was fulfilled through the life of this
man.
In our lives, we tend to look at how long something lasts, how
profound the emotions were in relation to what happened, and whether it
brought us "lasting" happiness. Since God’s thoughts are infinitely
higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9), the significance of events seldom are
perceived by us. Darius, though inadvertently, brought about the
purposes of God in the lives of men. When we finally see that God’s
purposes must be the whole of our desire, then we have caught something
of the meaning of life on earth.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org
