Week #11 The Handwriting on the Wall Daniel Chapter 5:1-31 Presented Live March 13, 2016

Transcription

1 Week #11 The Handwriting on the Wall Daniel Chapter 5:1-31 Presented Live March 13, 2016 I. Introduction and Review. A. How many cultures have incorporated an idiom such as the title to this lesson into their language? B. Review of Chapter God will go to any lengths to drive pride out of a man that He wants. 2. God's grace will always be offered while life remains. C. No matter what is happening in the world around you, God is in control. D. Babylonian Rulers. 1. Nabopolassar a. He united the various clans (bits) of the Chaldeans b. Partnered with Cyaxeres the Mede to rebel against Assyria c. He then founded the Babylonian empire 2. Nebuchadnezzar a. Nabopolassar s son b. He reigned for 43 years c. He was arguably the greatest king of ancient times d. He built the magnificant city of Babylon 3. Amel-Marduk [Evil-Merodach] a. He was Nebuchadnezzar's son, b. He liberated Johoiachin, the former king of Judah c. He was assassinated after the first 2 years of his reign Page 1 of 8

2 4. Neriglissar a. Amel-Marduk's brother-in-law, b. Who was one of his assassins, c. Assumed the throne for four years 5. Labashi-Marduk (Laborosoarchod) a. The son of Neriglissar b. Who was assassinated after the first 9 months of his reign 6. Nabonidas a. Who was the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar b. He was a co-conspirator in Labashi-Marduk's assassination 7. Belshazzar a. He was the son of Nebonidas b. He served as co regent with Nebonidas E. There was no non-biblical record of Belshazzar's existence or reign over Babylon. 1. There were sources that indicated that Nebonidas was the last ruler of Babylon 2. Sir H. C. Rawlensen, British archeologist, found a cuneiform scroll referring to Belshazzar as the oldest son of Nabonidas and co-ruler. 3. Subsequent discoveries of clay tablets have shown that Nabonidas absented himself from the capital and spent time in or around Tema in Arabia, while Belshazzar acted as regent in the capital. 4. There are some scholars who believe that he spent time involving himself in archeological type digs 5. That is why Beltashazzar offered the correct interpreter of the writing on the wall, the position of 3rd ruler in the kingdom. (5:7,16) F. Daniel s history of the empire now takes a four decade leap 1. That is from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar 2. Why would he do that? 3. Those intervening years and the events that filled them had nothing to do with the Jews 4. And were extraneous to the comparison that Daniel was making between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar Page 2 of 8

3 II. Chapter Five. A. The State of the Empire. 1. Most of the kingdom was overrun by the Medes and the Persians. 2. Only the capital was still in Babylonian control. 3. Belshazzar believed Babylon would never fall. a. Unlimited water supply - Euphrates River ran under the walls and through the city b. The walls of the city were massive and appeared unassailable c. There was a moat around the walls. d. The food supply could last up to 20 years. e. There was tillable land within the walls to replenish food supplies B. So Belshazzar decided to throw a party (vs. 1-4) 1. "Held" and "drank" piel stem. (intensive) 2. "Wives" and "Concubines" were present 3. So you have a the king, one thousand noblemen, and all of the king s wives and concubines in the banquet hall partying, eating and drinking the king s wine 4. The purpose of the party was more than likely to show contempt for the Persian armies and complete belief in the Babylonian defenses 5. Could this party be best described as an orgy? 6. At first blush it seems that way to me 7. But a more careful examination of Belshazzar might be in order C. Belshazzar 1. He was proud, egocentric and cruel. 2. It appears unlikely that he would share his wives and concubines with his nobles 3. For example: a. On a hunting trip, one of his nobles killed his limit first; Belshazzar drew his sword and killed the offending noble on the spot. b. At a party, a courtier named Gadtes was admired by one of Belshazzar's concubines and Belshazzar had him castrated. III. Belshazzar's assault (vs. 2-4) Page 3 of 8

4 A. He called for the vessels from Yahweh s temple that Nebuchanezzar had taken from Jerusalem as spoils of war 1. This was contrary to his grandfather s edict in Chapters 3 and 4 B. The use of the temple's goblets was a show of contempt for Yahweh and in effect a direct challenge to Him. C. Remember that the prophecy that Yahweh gave to Nebuchadnezzar predicted that the Medo-Persian Empire would replace the Babylonians IV. God's response (vs. 5-6) A. God's response was quick (why with Belshazzar and not Nebuchadnezzar). B. Belshazzar's iniquity had become full. 1. Sin is never static, it always leads downward. (Rom. 1:18-32) 2. Sin makes us impervious to danger, similar to an inebriant 3. God is not static - He will deal with sin. C. For out of the sleeve of night, the hand of God appeared and with His finger, He silently wrote, in majestic characters, on a portion the wall illuminated by a great lampstand, where it could easily be seen by all four words D. Could it be that unbeknownst to Belshazzar that God had take the banquet hall and turned it into a courtroom? V. Belshazzar's reaction (vs. 6-9) A. Absolute terror 1. Vs. 6 his face grew pale or his countenance changed (piel) 2. Vs. 7 he called aloud (piel) "shrieked" B. So he called for his wise men 1. They were not at the party 2. They arrive and viewed the inscription 3. That fact indicates that this was no hallucination of a drunken king 4. In fact, I believe that this event had a very sobering effect upon the king C. But their inability to interpret these words left Belshazzar in even greater turmoil, maybe best described as panic D. It also teaches us an important lesson: Human wisdom is helpless in face of God Page 4 of 8

5 VI. The Queen (vs ) A. It may have been that some of the nobles believed this writing was part of the program, at first 1. But after seeing the king and his reaction to this disembodied hand, they most assuredly shared his sentiments 2. The consternation that arose in the banquet hall spread quickly throughout the palace 3. Such that the queen was either summoned by the king s servants or she decided on her own accord that she needed to make an appearance B. Who was this person, the queen? 1. She would not have been the wife of Belshazzar, otherwise she would have already been at the party 2. She was either Belshazzar's mother, that is the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and wife of Nabonidas or 3. She was his maternal grandmother (the wife of Nebuchadnezzar) C. Consider her description of Daniel 1. She obviously had a great knowledge of Daniel 2. Moreover she would not have told the king in his obviously crazed state, what she did if she did not have absolute certainty about who and what this man Daniel was VII. Daniel (vs ) A. This was nothing new for Daniel 1. A revelation from God 2. A fearful and frustrated ruler 3. Incompetent counselors 4. And he is the only one who could supply the answer B. Daniel knows that gifts are no better than the giver and therefore rejects them (vs. 17). 1. This pronouncement of Daniels was not a statement of ingratitude or disrespect 2. But was instead an indication that he would read the words and interpret their meaning regardless of reward 3. Was Daniel given the promised rewards in spite of what said about them? C. Daniel, confident in who he is and Who is with him, does not mince Page 5 of 8

6 words with Belshazzar, 1. But forcefully informs Belshazzar of his errors 2. Even in his old age (Daniel is in his 80s) Daniel still acts and speaks with unashamed boldness 3. Many times ancient monarchs killed or punished the bearer of bad news [e.g. Jeremiah] (vs ) 4. That did not alter Daniel s approach one iota 5. Who put Belshazzar in the position of co-regent with his father? 6. Who puts people in positions of authority today? D. The message: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 1. MENE - to number or to reckon a. It was written twice to indicate strength, importance and/or finality 2. TEKEL - to weigh 3. PERES - to break in two or divide a. UPHARSIN was the plural conjunctive form of PERES b. The consonants in this word would also be the consonants used to spell the word Persians E. Why couldn t the wise men read it or understand it 1. Reasons: a. Could it be that they were confused because it was written as an acrostic b. Others VIII. Belshazzar s fate A. Unbeknownst to Belshazzar, the Persians were secretly building a dam across the Euphrates River. 1. The site they had selected was up river from and out of sight of the towers of Babylon. 2. Some scholars believe that when the dam was made operative, it diverted the flow of the river into a nearby lake and would allow the Persian army to enter the city through the riverbed. B. The very night that Daniel read the inscription to the king, the Persians breached Babylon s defenses and conquered the city C. Herodotus the Greek historian chronicled the events this way: Hereupon the Persians who had been left for the purpose at Babylon by the river-side, entered the stream, which had now sunk [because the Page 6 of 8

7 IX. Persians had diverted it to a nearby lake] so as to reach midway up a man s thigh, and thus got into the town. Had the Babylonians been apprised (sic) of what Cyrus was about, or had they noticed their danger, they would never have allowed the Persians to enter the city, but would have destroyed them utterly; for they would made fast all the street-gates along both sides of the stream, would so have caught the enemy as it were in a trap. But, as it was, the Persians came upon them by surprise and took the city. Owing to the vast size of the place, the inhabitants of the central parts (as the residents of Babylon declare), long after the outer portions of the town were taken, knew nothing of what had [happened], but as they were engaged in a festival, continued dancing and reveling (sic) until they learnt the capture but [learnt of it] too certainly. D. Even if they could wade in the Euphrates river, and pass under the gates why did they not get trapped in the river bed between the walls? 1. The Babylonian soldiers were not manning their posts along the interior walls, and 2. The doors and gates up from the river apparently were not locked 3. Many scholars believe there was a festival going on in Babylon that night as proclaimed by their king Final considerations: A. Only a fool challenges God. 1. Bleshazzar was clearly such a fool 2. So was a German philosopher, named Friedrich Nietzsche. 3. As well as a musical group called Black Sabbath 4. Psalm 10:4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, There is no God. 5. Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. 6. Psalm 53:1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good. B. Even thought Belshazzar was an unbeliever, we, as believers, should be careful how we use what belongs to God. C. God doesn t just weigh nonbelievers Page 7 of 8

8 1. His people are also are weighed and if hollow, are found wanting 2. Consider Nebuchadnezzar Dream once again: Daniel 4:17 This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men. D. Now consider this: 1. The book of Isaiah was written circa B.C. 2. The Medo Persian Empire came into existence circa 550 B.C. 3. This event occurred approximately 539 B.C. 4. Isaiah 44:28-45:4 "It is I who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.'" 45:1 Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right hand, To subdue nations before him And to loose the loins of kings; To open 2 doors before him so that gates will not be shut: "I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. 3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. 4 "For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me. and Believers Bible Class, & Douglas W. Brady Page 8 of 8