Wednesday Bible Study Fellowship, April 30, 2008
The Writing Is On The Wall
Daniel 5
Introduction: Chronologically, Daniel 5 would come after Daniel 7 (“In the first year of Belshazzar” [7:1]) and Daniel 8 (“In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign…” [8:1]). Nebuchadnezzar has died. He died in 562 B.C. Babylon fell in 539 B.C. So about 66 years have elapsed between chapter 1 and chapter 5. About 23 years elapsed between chapter 4 and 5 (Walvoord, pg.116).
I. King Belshazzar (5:1)
A. Nebuchadnezzar ruled about 43 years (Walvoord, pg.113).
B. Nebuchadnezzar’s successors were:
1. Evil-merodach, a son (2 Kings 25-27). He died in 560 B.C., being murdered by his brother-in-law:
2. Nergal-sharezer, who had married one of Nebuchadnezzar’s daughters. He died of natural causes (556 B.C.).
3. Labashi-Marduk, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, became king. He was assassinated in 556 B.C.
4. Nabonidus became king in 556 B.C. - 6 years after Nebuchadnezzar died. He too married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar (McGee, pg.83). He ruled until 539 B.C. when Babylon fell.
5. Belshazzar was Nabonidus’ son and the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Why is this significant? Read Jeremiah 27:6.
C. King Nabonidus had left Babylon to fight the Medes and the Persians. While he was away he left his son Belshazzar in charge!
II. King Belshazzar’s pride (1-4)
A. Gobryas was a Median general besieging Babylon.
B. The walls of Babylon were 17 miles in circumference.
C. The walls were said to be 300’ high (McGee, 84) and wide enough for 4 chariots to ride side by side.
D. Belshazzar felt the city was impregnable. So he had a party!
1. With at least 1,000 guests
2. They drank from gold & silver goblets King Nebuchadnezzar brought from Jerusalem.
3. They toasted Babylonian gods.
E. “However, Belshazzar is defying God by this act. And men today are defying God by their actions” (McGee, pg.85).
III. Call for Daniel (5-12)
A. During the party fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall. Archeologists have discovered among the ruins of Nebuchadnezzar’s palace a throne room 56’ wide and 173’ long. Halfway down the room there is an entrance. On the opposite side of the entrance there was a niche where the king may have sat. “Interestingly, the wall behind the niche was covered with white plaster as described by Daniel…” (Walvoord, pg.120)
B. The proud king isn’t so confident now! (Note: Psalm 2:1-4)
1. His face turned pale!
2. His knees knocked together!
3. His legs gave way!
C. The king called for someone to explain this phenomenon. They can’t (7-9). He became more terrified and more pale!
D. The Queen Mother heard the commotion and had an idea (10-12)
1. This queen would be the wife of Nebuchadnezzar or Nabonidus. She wasn’t at the party. She was probably quite old.
2. She told her grandson about Daniel.
a. Compare her words: “There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him…” (11)
b. With the words of Nebuchadnezzar 4:8, 9, 18.
c. Note: there is no word in Hebrew or Chaldean for grandfather. A grandfather is always called ‘father’. (Walvoord, pg.118)
E. Babylon fell in 539 B.C. If Daniel was born around 620 B.C. he would have been 81 years old. He had probably retired!
IV. Daniel was brought (13-23)
A. Daniel was promised he would be third in the kingdom! Big deal- he was second under Nebuchadnezzar.
B. Daniel wasn’t impressed. Sometimes it takes age to make us as unimpressed with people:
1. “Keep your gifts and reward” (17). Daniel wouldn’t be bought!
2. Daniel preached a sermon
a. Nebuchadnezzar ruled the earth! (Belshazzar only had Babylon. Daniel wasn’t impressed.)
b. Nebuchadnezzar was sovereign (18)
c. Nebuchadnezzar was proud (20)
d. Nebuchadnezzar was humbled (21)
e. Belshazzar, you are proud (22-23)
C. “Here was a man who did not fear man and feared only God” (Walvoord, pg.127)
V. Daniel interpreted (24-28)
A. The writing on the wall may have been written without vowels. If so it would have appeared:
P T M M
R Q N N
S L ’ ’
B. The interpretation was given by Daniel:
1. Mene = numbered
2. Mene = numbered
3. Teqel = weighed
4. Peres = divided (Parsin, in verse 25, is plural of Peres)
C. While Daniel was interpreting, the Medes and Persians poured into the city through the Euphrates River which had been diverted!
VI. Babylon captured! [Date: October 11/12, 539 B.C.] (29-31)
A. Belshazzar honored Daniel
B. Belshazzar was slain
C. Darius at age 62 assumed control of the kingdom.
D. “Yet this empire was to have as its last official act the honoring of one of these captives who by divine revelation predicted not only the downfall of Babylon but the course of the times of the Gentiles until the Son of Man should come from heaven. Man may have the first word, but God will have the last word” (Walvoord, pg.129).