Daniel-the night when Babylon was captured
Introduction: many years ago, my uncle, who was pastor of the church we attended, preached on this text, Daniel chapter 5. He began by saying, “When a little shot gets about half-shot, he really thinks he’s a big shot!” Those words have stayed with me from that day to this. And it’s true: some people use drugs or other substances, including alcohol, to try making themselves feel brave or even invincible. It may work for a while, but it won’t last forever.
On the night Babylon was captured, the king threw a great party but committed a great sin. As a result, he paid with his life and the city of Babylon, once ruler of a great empire, fell to a group of invaders. But before this, the king saw the “writing on the wall” and called for Daniel to translate the writing into something the king could understand. Daniel survived, though the king and perhaps others did not. Even in a time of conquest, God protected Daniel.
I The king threw a party
Text, Daniel 5:1-4 (KJV):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.
Belshazzar, called the king in verse 1, wasn’t really the ruling monarch of Babylon at this time. He was the son of the real king, Nabonidus, (Jamieson, Faucett and Brown plus others), who was away from the city at this time. A further limitation on Belshazzar’s authority was that he could only promote a subject to “third” ruler (verses 7, 16, and 29) of the kingdom.
The text doesn’t specify when or why Belshazzar decided to have this feast or party or celebration, only that he did, which is fine. Being the ruler, he had the means and resources to do this at any time he pleased, and nobody would have much of a chance to speak up against him. Verde 1 also states that he made this feast for 1,000 of his “lords”, whatever their title, function, or rank happened to be. The king was throwing a big party and expected a lot of people to attend it, and at least 1,000 of them did!
So far, so good; everything seemed to be going just fine, and the king seemed to be enjoying himself along with his guests. They probably were all eating and drinking the best the king had to offer but the king made a very tragic decision.
The text does not say what kinds of utensils or vessels were being used for the food and drink during this feast or celebration. They might have been something from the royal treasury or storehouse, whatever kinds of dishes and cups might have been used in those days. But one thing was for certain: whatever they were, they were not from Jerusalem or at least not from the Temple of the God of Judah. Even though these vessels were carried away from the Temple in Jerusalem, there is no record they were ever used, especially not in a party like this one.
The tragic decision mentioned earlier was this: Belshazzar, incredibly, commanded that these vessels, made of gold and silver, be brought out to the feast and used in this celebration or whatever it was! True, his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had conquered Judah and Jerusalem, and the God of Judah had allowed that king to carry away all kinds of materials: gold, silver, bronze (see 2 Kings 25) and probably anything else the Babylonians could plunder. But now Belshazzar decided to use these vessels, once dedicated to the God of Heaven, in what he might have thought was the party to end all parties. The king, and a lot of others (verse 3), drank wine out of those vessels and praised the false gods, whose images were made of various objects, all in contempt or defiance, perhaps, of anything except the power of Babylon itself. One irony to consider is the fact that some of the idols were made of gold and silver and brass (or, bronze): the very same materials that the vessels were made of!
This decision, namely, to use holy vessels to praise pagan idols, was going to be a costly one. The True and the Living God, the Most High, had now had enough and more than enough.
And He was about to show the people of Babylon just what He thought of all this.
II The king faced panic
Text, Daniel 5:5-10 (KJV): 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. 9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Verse 5 states that in the “same hour”, most likely the hour when Belshazzar brought out the vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem, “fingers of a man’s hand” appeared and wrote something on the wall. Daniel added a detail, that the writing took place “against the candlestick (lampstand) on the plaister (sic) of the wall of the king’s palace”. This might well mean there was enough light for anybody to see this writing on the wall.
Not only did the king (and others?) see the writing, they saw part of the hand that did the actual writing. That would be something almost eerie: a hand, appearing out of nowhere, writing something in a specific place, but the hand didn’t seem to be connected to anything. Factor in the influence of the wine the king and others had consumed and this must have been scary to an unknown level.
And that still wasn’t all. Daniel records that the king’s “countenance changed”—I’m sure it did! This man had the power of all Babylon in his hand, and he could use it pretty much as he pleased, but he crossed a “red line” when he brought out the holy vessels from Jerusalem. He might have displayed any number of emotions: pride, satisfaction, smugness, the list goes on, but now-he is scared, and for a good reason as stated above.
Belshazzar didn’t just have a change in his countenance. His thoughts began to trouble him, much like what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar some years before (see Chapter 4). This king had no real reasons for his thoughts to trouble him, but assuredly his thoughts did, and he may not have known which direction to go. Charles H, Spurgeon preached a sermon based on either this text , or perhaps chapter 4, and the three points were something like this: He had no reason for his thoughts to trouble him, But his thoughts did indeed trouble him,
And might not your thoughts be troubling you? (The best guess is that this is based on an outline in Spurgeon’s book, “My Sermon Notes”). Besides all this, the king’s loins were loosed (the meaning of this phrase is uncertain but might not be pleasant to consider) and his knees “smote together” or began to knock together. In a word, the king was in a dire situation and he knew it.
Finally, perhaps in desperation, he called out to the “wise men” listed in verse 7, promising rewards to anyone who could read and interpret the writing—which was apparently still visible on the wall at this time. The results: disappointing, because just as had happened in chapters 2 and 4, the wise men could not interpret the king’s dream nor could they interpret the writing on the wall. They couldn’t even read it!
And now, not only was the king greatly troubled, the lords (all 1000?) were “astonied” or simply utterly amazed as to what was going on. Could there be anyone to read the writing and make it known to the king?
There was, and the king was about to be reminded of that very man.
III The king was urged to find the prophet
Text, Daniel 3:10-12, KJV: 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.
Imagine the scene, the king is absolutely baffled by what is still there on the wall, the wise men are not able to make any sense out of what’s there, either, and—what are the other guests doing at this time? They came to a feast, but now they’re at something very different. And the king is not able, it seems, to make any kind of decision or provide any kind of direction.
But all was not lost. Somehow word got back to the queen and she came into the banquet house. This lady needs to receive some credit: it appears she wasn’t invited to the king’s feast even though his wives and concubines (!) were (verse 2). Because she is listed separately from the king’s wives and concubines, the “queen” might well be the king’s mother or even grandmother. At the very least, she either knew or knew about Daniel and Daniel’s ability to make the meanings of dreams understood. Sadly she uttered some misinformation about Daniel, such as “the spirit of the holy gods” was in him but she was correct that Daniel could read and interprets the writing on the wall.
Would the king listen to the suggestion? Nobody else could read the writing or interpret it, except Daniel, and he wasn’t there. Yet.
IV The king revealed his problem
Text, Daniel 5:13-16, KJV: 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.
This section begins with Daniel being “brought in” before the king. Daniel might have recalled the first time, or second time, he came before the king to interpret the dream. But, then, he was a youth or at the oldest a mature adult. Now, he seems to be older than the current ruler, and Belshazzar seemed to still be feeling the effects of his party.
The king asks what might be considered a rude question, “Are you THAT Daniel (as though there was someone else!), who came from Judah?” Why the king would ask something like this is not known: surely somebody would have recognized Daniel or introduced him to the king. Even so, the king continued with his words, speaking to Daniel, “I’ve heard about you that you can ‘dissolve doubts’; so now if you can read the writing and tell me what it means, I’ll make you the third ruler in the kingdom.” Whether in disgust or in desperation, the king was in a very unpleasant situation and he knew nobody else, except Daniel, could tell him what the writing even meant.
V The king was reminded of his parentage
Text, Daniel 5:17-23, KJV: 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. 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, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast 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:
Daniel listened to the king’s speech and basically told him to keep the gifts for himself—he wasn’t really interested! Even so, he agreed to tell the king what the writing said, and what the writing meant, but first, he was going to remind the king of several things.
Then in verses 18-21, he started by reminding the king of his ancestor, Nebuchadnezzar, arguably one of the greatest of Babylon’s kings. Daniel stated the king received his power and other things with the permission of the most High (God) but he suffered because of his attitude (chapter 4 has the whole story). After this, he spoke directly to Belshazzar and declared that he knew all that had gone on with Nebuchadnezzar but either ignored it or chose not to follow his grandfather’s example deliberately.
And Daniel brought it directly home by saying Belshazzar had gone too far by using the holy vessels of the Temple in Jerusalem, home of the most High, and used them to praise idols of gold, silver, plus other things that could neither hear, see, smell, taste, or do anything else to help those who worshiped them. Isaiah 44 gave a graphic picture and satire of those who made idols, especially of those who use part of a tree to make a “god”, another part for cooking, and the rest of the timber for making heat!
Daniel seems to pause here for a moment, before delivering the final part of the message.
VI The king was given a prophecy
Text, Daniel 5:24-29, KJV: 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. 28 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.
Daniel had reminded the king of his parentage and his predicament, taking a moment before reading and interpreting the writing on the wall. Digressing for a moment, some seem to have wondered just what language the writing was in and that it was apparently none of the known languages of Babylon or any conquered territory. Otherwise, someone could have read the writing but nobody, as mentioned, could do this besides Daniel/
Now Daniel reads the writing, and it seemed to be four simple words: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. But these four simple words spelled doom for the king and the kingdom of Babylon. The king may well have watched Daniel’s face as he uttered these words, maybe not totally comprehending the message. But that was about to change.
Daniel immediately interpreted the four words as recorded in verse 26 in verses 26-28. The King James Version has a majestic tone, almost stately, in the interpretation; other translations do a creditable job also. The main thing to remember is that this was God’s (the most High to Belshazzar and other Babylonians) final message.
The last word. The last prophecy.
And, strangely enough, it seems the last two deeds of Belshazzar were to promote Daniel to third ruler, with the gold chain and whatever else went with it; and the second is not noted. Did Belshazzar ever repent of his sins? Or did he pray to the lifeless idols of Babylon? Perhaps he went back to the party and tried to encourage the other people (how many stayed?) that everything was fine. No matter what he did, the Lord did not see fit to record his last deeds.
When someone crosses one of God’s deadlines, refusing to repent, nothing is left but judgment. Belshazzar crossed that line and would soon pay the price for it.
Conclusion:
Text, Daniel 5:30-31, KJV: 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.
The story of Babylon, at least this part, ends here at the fall of the city to the Medes and Persians and takeover by Darius the Median. Belshazzar started that last night with a feast and ended that night being executed. Daniel went from being a nobody to becoming the third most powerful man in the kingdom. The one thing to take away is that Daniel saw the writing on the wall, explained it, and shared it. May we be able to explain God’s truth when it needs to be shared.
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).
