1-29. THE PREDICTION. (BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST.)
1-4-. Impiety.
-4. Idolatry.
5. The Hand.
6-15. Interpretation required.
16. Gifts promised.
17-23-. Impiety.
-23. Idolatry.
o 24. The Hand.
25-28. Interpretation given.
29. Gifts given.
426 B.C.
Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar
(= prince of Bel [Baal]. He was the son of Nabonidus. The inscription shows that he was co-regent while he [Nabonidus] went to meat Cyrus.)
the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords,
(The hall in which it was held has lately been excavated. It is 60 feet wide 172 feet long, the walls being beautifully decorated with painted stucco designs.. The date was 426 B.C. Daniel being 87.)
and drank wine before the thousand.
(This feast was the biggest event of the time, and everyone of any position was present. This feast was a royal orgy; a drunk fest. He was a good time Charlie, didn't have to worry about anything. Why study? Sound familiar?)
2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels
(Taken out of the Temple of God, cp. 1:2; and see 2 Kings 25:15. 2 Chron. 36:10. Jer. 52:19.)
which his father Nebuchadnezzar
(There is no word in the Hebrew of Chaldee for "grandfather". The word "father" is used for ancestor. Cp. 1 Kings 15:11-13]. in 2 Kings 2:14:3 the same is said of Amaziah; and in 2 Chron. 34:1,2, of Josiah. Cp. Rom. 9:10, where Paul speaks of "our father Isaac". But Jer. 27:7 explains the mater fully: "all nations shall serve him [i.e. Nebuchadnezzar], and his son [Nabonidus], and his son's son [Belshazzar] until the very time of his land come". See 7:1.)
had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives,
(Showing that the "queen" mentioned in v.10 must have been his mother.)
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.
(Mockery, desecration. How do you think God feels when they use these sacred vessels in a drunken brawl?)
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
(6 items, Satan's number. Toasting to Satan. Understand, this wine is drunk from the sacred vessels from the holy temple at Jerusalem. In mockery to God, they gave praise to all the heathen gods of man-made objects; made from gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and 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.
(This is the shape you can get into listening to false teachers.)
6 Then the king's countenance was changed,
(Went from flush red to white.)
and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
(The king was shaken as he watched the writing on the wall. He knew immediately he was toying with Almighty God, and he was scared. That playfulness of the party was gone, his knees began to knock, and the old king just wet his britches. He knew immediately he messed up before God.)
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers.
(He's calling in the religious community. See 2:2.)
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."
(Just like in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the first to be brought in were religious leaders. Remember in Daniel 2:2 when the astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers were called on to interpret grandpa's dream of the image? Well, here we are looking at their grandchildren, two generations later, and they are marched in. I.e. the 3rd: Nabonidus being the 1st, and Belshazzar the 2nd. Just like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar tries to bribe them.
Whenever anyone is in trouble, they always call for the religious leaders first. Belshazzar has already offended the God of gods. It's not going to help him to call on this bunch of jerks, the soothsayers, astrologers and Chaldeans. Notice Daniel has not been called. The new generation did not pay attention to what grandfather Nebuchadnezzar learned. So, what's new under the sun?)
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.
(That's what's wrong with churchmen today. How soon a generation forgets. Can't read manuscripts. Couldn't even remember 2 generations back. Do you know where your people come from? About the migrations of Judah from the Babylon captivity back to Judea. Or the 10 northern tribes of Israel of the Assyrian captivity. Who migrated over the Caucuses mountains, being named Caucasians. Traveled into Europe, and later settled in the Americas. Or are you like Esau who didn't care about his birthright?)
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
10 Now the queen
(Nitocris, the daughter in law of Nebuchadnezzar, and mother of Nabonidud.)
by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house:
(she was not present among the "wives" of v.2)
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,
(He didn't know Daniel. The truth was not passed down.)
the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
(The queen knew of Daniel and the relationship that he had with the Holy God. She didn't question it. She told her grandson how Daniel was so full of wisdom that after interpreting his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar's dream, he put Daniel over all.
The gift that God gives a gifted teacher is understanding, and it is through that teacher that understanding comes to others.)
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."
(God arranged this.)
13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, "Art thou that Daniel,
(Showing that the king had no personal knowledge of Daniel, or had disregarded him)
which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
(He's a little late getting around to it. You don't make a mockery of those things that are holy. God will not be mocked. The word "Jewry" is used four (4) times in the King James, and it is not a word in the Chaldee manuscripts. The word is Judah, which was the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem its capital. It was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and part of the tribe of Levi.
Daniel was in the group brought to captivity, and promoted following Nebuchadnezzar's dream he interpreted.)
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:
(They had a hard time knowing what they had.)
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."
(Pretty high promise. He'll do anything not to change cloths so often [see v.6]. Daniel is 87 years old and has spent his entire life in that capacity. The king just isn't too smart in understanding people. There are some people you just cannot bribe.)
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.
(Daniel knew there was going to be no kingdom following that night, and the interpretation; The "prince of Bel" or King Belshazzar, was finished.
This was a dangerous thing, to tell the king that he and his kingdom were to end that night.)
18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom,
(It was prophesied.)
and majesty, and glory, and honour:
(Those are the highest and finest credits one could get. Nebuchadnezzar knew where they came from at the end. It was God that gave it all to him.)
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.
(When God gave Nebuchadnezzar his world-wide throne of power and authority, he revered God at the end. His authority was final. Nebuchadnezzar could promote a person to a high position, or even unthrone a king under him. He ruled the world.)
20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride,
(This was Satan's down fall.)
he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
(See chapter 11. Daniel is reminding Belshazzar that when his grandfather's heart was full of pride, and then God took away all the glory he had. "They" are the "Kenites", the same ones that blended with the House of Judah in Babylon, and later called themselves "Jews".)
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.
(And so it is today with the one world order. Remember in Ezekiel 28 that it is written that the king of Babylon (Satan) in the end times will fall also, through his pride.
". . . his body was wet with the dew of heaven; . . ." tells us it was God that was in control of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar. When he finally came to recognize who rules over all kingdoms of men; he saw that it is God. Then with his mind fixed on God, he regained his wisdom and throne. Know today that God is still in control, and what is now going on is within His plan.)
22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
(But he was too busy partying. Nobody listens to a drunk. Belshazzar grew up with all the wisdom and books of his day at his finger tips. He was taught from his youth, yet he rejected it. He chose to disregard God. He knew it, but did not believe it.)
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,
(6 items, the number of Satan.)
which see not,
(cp. Pss. 115:4-8; 135:15-17. Isa. 37:19 46:6,7. Hab. 2:18,19. 1 Cor. 8:4)
nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is,
(Cp. Gen. 2:7. Job 10:12; 34:14,15. Pss. 104:19; 146:5. Isa. 42:5. Acts 17:25,28,29)
and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
(Cp. Job 31:4. Ps. 139:3. Prov. 20:24. Jer. 10:23. Heb. 4:13.
You have shamed God, Daniel says, through your worship of man made idols. You have also brought God's wrath by using vessels from His temple for your drunken orgy. You have completely disregarded the "Most High God" who rules over all men, and even gave you the breath that you breathe.
Nebuchadnezzar respected the vessels of the Living God, and even protected them. But not his grandson; not the Prince of Bel.
In this generation, Satan's kids are taking the precious things of God that our forefathers respected and worshipped, and are making a mockery of them. The things God holds dear are being handled and misrepresented right in the church houses and homes across our land.
Christians, as well as others from the president on down, are doing exactly as King Belshazzar in old Babylon did. Friend, God will not stand for it. Satan goes where the crowd goes.)
24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
(This Divine prophetic meaning could not be known or understood till interpreted by Daniel.)
25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE,
(= NUMBERED, NUMBERED)
TEKEL,
(= WEIGHED)
UPHARSIN.
(= DIVIDED)
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
(The days are counted and they are over. Just as Belshazzar's kingdom was numbered, so is Satan's Babylon kingdom numbered in these end days. The final day is coming quickly.)
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
(He came up short.)
28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
(When Satan's great city in these end times falls, they will weep for her also. This is what is spoken of here. Satan will allow his pride to blind him, and he will make an abomination that will end this entire earth age. Just as old Babylon fell, so likewise will Satan's Babylon.
Friend, it's here now, and most churches of today are preparing the table for the Antichrist's return. If you're living today in this generation, you will be present, just like the rulers in attendance at Belshazzar's drunken orgy.
Most of the signs of the end times are displayed on the evening news every night. Can't you see them, or are you waiting for the handwriting to appear.? When that appeared, it was too late. Do you think you can play church with the spiritual things of God and condone sodomy and all sorts of immorality, even right in our churches, our military, and even in our schools?
If you coddle such filth and support this immorality, and hinder and belittle those who speak out, that finger of God will point directly at you very shortly, friend.
Belshazzar's kingdom, morals, idolatry, and handling of God's holy words and teachings are the same today as they were then. Belshazzar and Satan both have the same title and meaning, "Prince of Bel".)
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.
(Even though Daniel refused it. So will Satan also keep his word to you when he promises you whatever you want to follow him. Remember though, just as Belshazzar's days were numbered, so also are Satan's.
Daniel knew whatever his king gave him was hollow, for the end was soon to come. We know length of Satan's time on earth, according to Revelations 9:5,10 will be five (5) months. How can you be so foolish as to compare five (5) months to eternity?
If I knew I was going to face this great deceiver, parading around as the Antichrist, I would certainly learn all I could possible know about him.)
30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
(Here spoken of in the national sense, not of a special class. See how fast God operates when a prophecy is given. Either by the Persians, or it may have been by assassination by one of his own followers, or accidentally in the tumult. It was a violent death. Cp. v.19. This was the 3rd of the month. on the 11th, Belshazzar's wife died, perhaps from grief)
31 And Darius the Median
(he was the father of Cyrus.)
took the kingdom,
(His general Gorbyas took the city in the name of Cyrus. See Isa. 45:1. Cp. Jer. 51:30,31.)
being about threescore and two years old.
(Born 488 B.C. Herodotus states that Cyrus was about 50 years of age at the taking of Babylon [in 426 B.C.]. At that age his father Astyages [Darius the Median"]was about 62 years old. Cyrus would therefore be just 40, having been born in 466 B.C. There is enough historical evidence in the writings of Babylon and Med-Persia that you are able to document that these writings are true. There is not another book in the O.T. that can be as well documented in history as Daniel.)