Outline
Ⅵ
Daniel and his companions were victorious over the ignorance concerning the result of the debauchery before God and the insult to His holiness—ch. 5:
A
Belshazzar's taking the vessels that were for God's worship in His holy temple at Jerusalem and using them in worshipping idols was an insult to God's holiness (v. 4); he should have learned the lesson from Nebuchadnezzar's experience (4:18-37); however, he did not learn the lesson and suffered as a result (5:18, 20, 24-31).
B
"An excellent spirit and knowledge and insight, and the interpretation of dreams, the declaring of riddles, and the resolving of problems [lit., knots] were found in this Daniel"—v. 12a.
C
"You…, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this; but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and of gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see nor hear nor know. But the God in whose hand is your breath and to whom all your ways belong, you have not honored"—vv. 22-23, cf. v. 20.
Morning Nourishment
Dan. 5:22-23 And you his descendant, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this; but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens;…you have praised the gods of silver and of gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone…But the God in whose hand is your breath and to whom all your ways belong, you have not honored.Belshazzar (a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar and a king of Babylon) made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and he drank wine before them (Dan. 5:1). Here we see Belshazzar’s debauchery before God. Debauchery is an overindulgence in eating and drinking for an adulterous purpose.
Belshazzar, under the influence of the wine, commanded men to bring the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his forefather had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, that he, his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them and praise the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone (vv. 2-4). They took the vessels that were for God’s worship in His holy temple at Jerusalem and used them in worshipping idols. That was an insult to God’s holiness. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 41-42)
Today’s Reading
At the very moment that they were drinking wine and praising their gods, the fingers of a man’s hand came forth and wrote opposite the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace (Dan. 5:5a). When Belshazzar saw that part of the hand that wrote, his countenance changed and his thoughts alarmed him (vv. 5b-6). The joints of his hips loosened and his knees began to knock together. He was a threatened man and had no peace to drink, no peace to continue his debauchery.Before reading the writing and interpreting it, Daniel reminded Belshazzar of the experience of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in chapter 4. Daniel regarded what happened to Nebuchadnezzar as a lesson not only for Nebuchadnezzar but also for all his descendants. For this reason Daniel referred Belshazzar to his forefather’s lesson in a rebuking tone. Nebuchadnezzar had been severely disciplined by God and, after he had learned the lesson, offered praise to God. Belshazzar should have learned something from this lesson, but he did not care about it at all…Belshazzar was not expecting such a rebuke.
There is no indication in the record that Belshazzar repented or had some kind of change. Probably there was no time for him to repent. I believe that while Belshazzar and his lords were engaging in debauchery, the Median army was approaching the city. Soon after Daniel interpreted the writing, the Median army entered the city and the palace and killed Belshazzar. Thus, 5:31 concludes, “Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty- two.” That ended the Babylonian Empire.
In the first five chapters of Daniel, there are a number of lessons for us to learn. For instance, the lesson in chapter 1 is that we should not care for the worldly choice and the worldly taste but set our heart on God and have a taste only for vegetables, that is, for simple food. We should receive only simple things. If we do this, we will be one with God and will become wise.
In chapter 5 concerning the case of Belshazzar, we see the importance of being serious with God and not disregarding any spiritual lesson. Belshazzar did not benefit from the lesson learned by his forefather…This should warn us that our achievement may make us proud, and this may usher in God’s judgment. God’s judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar reduced him to nothing… (4:35). In verse 37 concerning the Lord, Nebuchadnezzar went on to say, “He is able to abase those who walk in pride.” Belshazzar should have learned the lesson from Nebuchadnezzar’s experience; however, he did not learn the lesson and suffered as a result. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 42-46)
Further Reading: Life-study of Daniel, msg. 7