The Writing on the Wall. Daniel 5:1-31

Transcription

1 1 Commentary by Ron Thomas Questions by John C. Sewell The Writing on the Wall Daniel 5:1-31

2 2 Text: Daniel 5:1-31, The Writing on the Wall 1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6. Then the king s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8. Then came in all the king s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

3 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. 10. Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11. There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12. Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14. I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16. And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will

4 4 read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21. And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, has not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this: 23. But has lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24. Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27. TEKEL: Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

5 PERES: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. Note: Chapter 5 is another one of those chapters in Daniel that critics just can t handle as being a credible historical account. As with other chapters, scholars have argued that chapter 5 as we know it came into existence by a process of redaction during different periods (Goldingay, p. 106). Again, from Goldingay, the form of this chapter is composed of Elements of court-contest tale, legend, and midrash... all interwoven to become a prophetic legend (pp ). What a shame that so-called Bible scholars have the most difficult of times with something of the supernatural. However, there is a recognition of the historical setting: The story utilizes ultimately historical traditions about Belshazzar and his regency in Babylon and about the Persian conquest(s) of Babylon... (p. 104). I. Daniel s experience under Belshazzar. A. When Belshazzar was king. 5:1-31, Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the

6 6 house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.in the same hour came forth fingers of a man s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then came in all the king s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel,

7 7 Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts by to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, has not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this: But has lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and

8 8 gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL: Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. B. The king s party. 1. Daniel 5:1-4, Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

9 9 a. Belshazzar was son of Nabonidus (son-inlaw to Nebuchadnezzar). He was co-regent with his father. One of the cuneiform documents expressly states that Nabonidus entrusted the kingship to Belshazzar (Coffman, p. 80; cf. Goldingay, p. 106). b. He was either drunk and abused the sacred vessels of the temple or he initiated the feast in a manner unworthy of a king (still having abused the sacred vessels of the temple). 2. What the king saw. i. Proverbs 20:1, Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. a. Daniel 5:5-9, In the same hour came forth fingers of a man s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then came in all the king s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

10 10 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. b. A hand wrote on the wall of the king s palace. To the skeptics, this is an absurdity. But the noted critic, Goldingay, even said, [t]he story does imply that something actually happened (p. 109). c. The king was visibly shaken. i. Hailey says four things occurred: a) The expression of his face changed, b) His thoughts dismayed him, c) The control of his body failed to function, d) His knees shook or knocked together. ii. It won t be long before those critical of the biblical record will soon empathize with Belshazzar! d. Who can read the writing? If one could do so, that person would be rewarded with wealth and become third ruler in the kingdom (Nabonidus, his father, was king; Belshazzar was appointed by the king to rule and now Belshazzar was willing to appoint a ruler beneath him in authority).

11 11 e. No one could read it. i. The words are Aramaic and this was a well-known language at that time. ii. Perhaps there was something unique about these words; something no intelligentsia of any kingdom s court had any knowledge about; the Lord wanted it understood that only one man was going to be able to read it. 3. The queen speaks of Daniel. a. Daniel 5:10-16, Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity

12 12 of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. b. There is a man in your kingdom. i. She seemed to have spoken from experience about her knowledge of this man. ii. Some think that she was the Queen Mother, the widowed wife of Nebuchadnezzar. iii. She would have been quite the political figure in the ancient court (Goldingay, p. 109). c. The king addresses Daniel. By this time Daniel would have been into his 70 s, perhaps his 80 s. 4. Daniel tells the meaning of the writing on the wall.

13 13 a. Daniel 5:17-31, Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, has not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this: But has lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the

14 14 thing: MENE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL: Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. b. Daniel refuses the rewards. i. Daniel 5:17, Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. c. Daniel gives an historical summary of his father s experience. i. Daniel 5:18-21, O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted

15 15 up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throe, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. d. An application of Nebuchadnezzar s experience to Belshazzar (Daniel 5:22-23) which probably occurred within the last years; something he could have known by experience or have been told. i. Daniel 5:22, 23, And thou his son, O Belshazzar, has not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But has lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: e. What God has done. i. He wrote on the wall and He is against Babylon (not just the king).

16 16 ii. The difference between UPHARSIN and PERES is only the conjunction u and the ending in. iii. Same word, only a variation in spelling. f. The king s response and death. i. Though Daniel refused the gifts proffered, the king gave them anyway; something of a last ditch effort, I suppose, to save the dignity of his kingdom. ii. That evening the Babylonian kingdom gave way to the Medes and Persians. Some date this to be October 12, 539 B.C. iii. The man who received the kingdom was Darius. Some dispute as to who this was. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (N-ISSBE, volume 1, p. 867) says there are two plausible possibilities. a. First, it could have been Garbaru who governed Babylon and the Region beyond the River (thus it would not have been improper to call him a king). b. Second, it could be an alternate title for Cyrus. If so, then Daniel 6:28 would read, So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, namely the reign of Cyrus the Persian (though it

17 17 must be noted that I have not read one translation like this). g. Shortly after the events of this chapter, Cyrus issued his decree as one can read in Ezra 1:1-3, And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

18 18 Questions Daniel 5:1-31 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. Who was Belshazzar? How was he related to Nebuchadnezzar? Explain the similarity between the names Belshazzar and Belteshazzar. 2. List the sins of Belshazzar as recorded in verses What happened next? See verses 5 and Define delirium tremens.

19 Who could not read the writing on the wall? Why could they not read the writing? What did Belshazzar promise to pay those who read the writing and gave its meaning. 6. Describe Belshazzar s emotional condition when the king s wise men could not interpret the writing on the wall. 7. Summarize the Queen s recommendation of Daniel. 8. What was Daniel s response to Belshazzar s offer to reward him well for reading the writing on the wall? Why did Daniel refuse Belshazzar s rewards and why had he earlier accepted Nebuchadnezzar s rewards? See Daniel 2:46, 47.

20 What did Daniel have to say to Belshazzar about his father? 10. Why had God sent the hand to write on the wall? See verses What exactly was written on the wall? In what language were these words? 12. Give the interpretation of the writing on the wall. 13. What reward did Belshazzar give Daniel for providing the interpretation of the writing on the wall? Why did Daniel now accept the reward?

21 Daniel gave Belshazzar terrible news. Nevertheless he bestowed great honor on Daniel. What does this say about Belshazzar? What is your response to preachers who step on your toes? 15. What major historical event occurred that very night?