Daniel 5: 1-12
Nebuchadnezzar died in 563, succeeded by his son Evil-Merodach who released the captive Jewish king, Jehoichin, from prison and gave him an honorable place at the court (II Kings 25: 27-30). But two years later he was assassinated, and control eventually went to Nabonidus who married a daughter of Nebuchanezzar, which gave him claim to the throne.
But Nabonidus left his son, Belshazzar, in Babylon to keep order while he was off fighting elsewhere. Meanwhile, Darius was beseiging the city, which had previously proven impregnable because of its magnificent fortifications which could not be breached.
Since they had provisions laid up for many years, they made light of his attack. Little did they know of his surprise strategem.
(1) Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.
The time had come for offering toasts and pouring out libations to the gods of Babylon, as Belshazzar was holding a state banquet for a thousand of his nobles.
(2) When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his [grand]father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
When the king had gotten good and drunk, he decided to bring out the beautiful goblets from Solomon's Temple. After all, they had been fashioned for a defeated god called Yahweh. Might as well make use of them.
(3) Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the Temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
(4) They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
He then began to regale his guests by taunting Yahweh, praising all the Babylonian gods. Once again an arrogant Babylonian monarch defied the Lord God of Israel. The stage was set for the Most High God to intervene.
(5) Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.
(6) Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.
Suddenly the whole party stopped short, watching this disembodied hand. Very scary stuff, it scared this king to jelly.
(7) The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom,"
So the king called for all the men who he thought could solve this mystery, and offered them a rich reward. But the highest appointment he could give them was as third ruler in the kingdom, because he was second under his father.
(8) Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king.
(9) Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.
None of these guys had any idea, which scared him even more.
(10) The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale.
Now comes in the Queen Mother. She had not been at the party, but her quarters were probably nearby, as she heard the goings-on. This was probably a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, who had married Belshazzar's father, Nabonidus.
(11) "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your [grand]father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your [grand]father, your [grand]father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners.
She was there when her father had known Daniel, and how Daniel had helped him. He probably didn't come in with the rest of the "wise men" because he must have been in his eighties by then, and semi-retired.
(12) "This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation."
Evidently Belshazzar's administration had set Daniel aside, though he lived in Babylon. Now his mother is urging him to call for him, because she knew that he would be able to solve this riddle.
I notice that Daniel is still going by his Hebrew name. I think this is significant. He never lost his identity in the total immersion into the sea of the world.
Daniel still kept close to the Lord God, so he was still able to do all that the queen mother told her son he did for her father. He was the only one who could.
God places us where we are when He has a purpose for us there, at that time. Daniel is now a very old man, and may not be in the best of health; yet he is still around, and available for God's use.
It doesn't matter if you are young or old, if you're here now, God has a purpose for you; He wants to use you to accomplish something for Him.
There is something that you are to do, that no one else is able to do. If you don't do it, it won't get done. God will get it accomplished in some other way, by someone else, but you will miss out on the reward.
O my Father, there is so much for us to learn, in all the parts of all the stories You have put in Your written Word. Every narrative is rich with meaning and practical applicability to our lives today. Your Word is timeless, because You do not change, and humanity is still human. We still need You, and You still seek us out.
O Father, use us to send out Your Word; to broadcast Your Good News to every nation; to tell every living person how much You love each one of us, and You want every one of us to turn to You. You are not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance and humility before You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Most High God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
