THE FALL OF BABYLON IS WRITTEN ON THE WALL
Daniel 5:1-31
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. King Belshazzar, along with the Babylonian kingdom, feasts, fears, and finally fatally falters under Yahweh’s mighty hand (Daniel 5:1-12).
A. King Belshazzar, while feasting, blasphemes the God of Israel even though he should have known better (Daniel 5:1-4).
1. Belshazzar (“Bel, protect the king”) was the son of Nebonidus, (who was married to the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and who was also a General under Nebuchadnezzar), the last historically recorded King of Babylon.
a. Nebonidus ruled the Babylonian empire from 556-539 B.C.
However, due to frequent traveling and illness, he assigned his son Belshazzar as co-ruler with him and Belshazzar spent most of his time ruling from the city of Babylon itself.
b. There are two historical, legal documents recorded by Nebonidus proclaiming Belshazzar as both Co-regent and Crown Prince in the 12th and 13th year of his reign (the Nebonidus-Cyrus Chronicle discovered in Nineveh , Iraq in 1879 and presently located in the British Museum ).
c. This would also make Belshazzar Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson on his mother’s side (verses 2, 11,13 and 18 use the term “father” which can be used for father, grandfather, or ancestor).
d. Before this chronicle was discovered, many scholars did not believe that a Belshazzar who was a “son” of Nebuchadnezzar ever historically existed. However, for supernatural loving Yahweh honoring believers, the prophecy in Jeremiah 27:5-7 was perfectly accurate!
2 . The Jerusalem Temple articles were taken to Babylon in stages (605 B.C. – Daniel 1:2 and 586 B.C. – Jer. 27:19-22; Lam. 1:10 ) and probably placed in the Temple of Marduk (verse 3). So these had been sitting in the hands of unbelievers from 47 years and up to 66 years.
3. As the feasters drank from the Jerusalem Temple ’s sacred vessels, they toasted and praised their gods but not the God, Yahweh the Most High King of Heaven! The timing is right for Yahweh to once again speak clearly.
B. The perfect timing of Yahweh’s prophecy, human responsibility, and God’s sovereign rule work together for another amazing wonder – the writing on the wall! (verses 5-9).
1. Belshazzar cannot stand under the power of what he was seeing on the wall (verses 5, 6). (A large 55 foot wide, 165 feet long hall has been excavated in Babylon with white plastered walls!)
2. The third ruler would put that person next in line to the throne behind Nebonidus and Belshazzar (verses 7, 8).
C. Even though the wise men of Babylon again are useless, the Queen Mother, (Belshazzar’s mother and Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter), remembered Daniel and the events of her father’s life as already described in Daniel chapters 1-4 (verses 10-12).
Thought: Daniel 5:1-12 should encourage us as believers because it shows us
that Yahweh’s timing is perfect. He is faithful to His covenant and He is faithful
to His Word. Are we struggling today with acknowledging His perfect timing or
His ability to carry out His covenant or His Word as He has promised us?
II. Daniel gives the meaning of the writing on the wall to King Belshazzar
(Daniel 5:13-29).
A. Daniel would have been around 80 years old at this time (verses 13-16).
According to historical records, the kingdom of Babylon fell to the kingdom of Medo-Persia in October 539 B.C.
B. Daniel explains to Belshazzar that his motive for interpreting the writing was not monetary but was rather to honor the only true and Most High God (verses 17-24).
1. Daniel takes the opportunity to relay how Yahweh humbled Nebuchadnezzar (Belshazzar’s grandfather) when he was prideful (verses 18-21; Daniel 4:1-37).
2. Daniel takes the opportunity to explain to Belshazzar that this same Most High God that “holds in His hand your life” is the same one who “sent this palm hand.” (verses 22-24).
a. There is a Hebrew word-play with the word hand which brings about emphasis and interest (see how the Apostle John does this in the Greek language in John 10:27 -30).
b. There is also a word-play going on between false gods who cannot see, hear, or understand and the one true God who does all of these as well as communicate His message perfectly with a human hand (also verse 4).
III. The message on the wall was written in Aramaic as a brief three word message with the first word repeated for emphasis (Daniel 5:25 -28).
A. Mene, mene means “to number or reckon.” It is the verb form for a unit of weight (called a mina in Greek) equal to 50 shekels or 1 ¼ pounds. God has numbered and numbered again (probably the start and finish of the Babylonian kingdom).
B. Tekel means “to weigh.” God has weighed Belshazzar and the Babylonian kingdom and found them to be deficient (probably to remain as the reigning world kingdom).
C. Upharsin is the plural form of pares “to divide” so the Babylonian kingdom will be divided and given to two kingdoms. Daniel tells us that there will be the Medes and Persians.
IV. The very night of the feast that blasphemed Yahweh, Daniel was recognized, Belshazzar was slain, and the Medo-Persian army too k over Babylon
(Daniel 5:29, 30).
A. Historically, it is chronicled that Babylon was already under assault by the Medo-Persian army led by King Cyrus during the time of this feast. However, Babylon had stored up a 20 year supply of food with the Euphrates River running through it for water. It was surrounded by a high outer and inner wall with a road between them wide enough to span two chariots abreast. It had a mote surrounding the whole city. It was viewed by those in the city as impenetrable.
B. However, evidently before or during the feast, the army figured out that they could divert the water of the Euphrates north of the city by building a canal system to a nearby lake. As the level of the water receded, the Medo-Persi an army went under the sluice gate and defeated the city October 12, 539 B.C. (see Isaiah 47:1-5 and Daniel 2:32 , 39).
C. Darius the Mede was probably an official named Gubaru whom King Cyrus appointed as his vice-regent before his formal coronation two years later (see Daniel 9:1).
Thought: Can you trust Yahweh, the King of Heaven, who sets up and takes
down world kingdoms with your life situations today?
