Daniel Lesson #7

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January 5, 2010

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January 5, 2010

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
DANIEL 5
LESSON #07
PROPER RESPECT FOR THE THINGS OF GOD

• MEMORY VERSE: COL 2:14

• READ DANIEL 5:1-16 BELSHAZZAR
• ABOUT 30 YEARS PASSED SINCE CHAPTER 4. THE DATE IS 538 BC. DANIEL IS 85-90 YEARS OLD.
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
• NEBUCHADNEZZAR DIED IN 561 BC AFTER A REIGN OF 44 YEARS. HIS SON, EVIL-MERODACH, SUCCEEDED HIM (2KIN 35:27-30, JER 52:31-35). AFTER TWO YEARS, HE WAS ASSASSINATED BY HIS SON-IN-LAW NERIGLISSAR, WHO TOOK THE THRONE IN 559 BC REIGNING BUT A SHORT TIME. LABASHI MARDUK, HIS SON, REIGNED NINE MONTHS WHEN HE WAS KILLED BY NABONIDUS, ANOTHER OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S SON-IN-LAWS. NABONIDUS TOOK THE THRONE IN 555 BC AND WAS THE RULER IN 538 BC WHEN THE MEDES AND PERSIANS UNDER CYRUS TOOK BABYLON. BELSHAZZAR, SON OF NABONIDUS, WAS CO-REGENT WITH HIS FATHER NABONIDUS, AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK IN 538 BC.
• VERSE 2 SAYS BELSHAZZAR’S FATHER WAS NEBUCHADNEZZAR. THIS WAS NOT UNCOMMON TO USE A GENERAL STATEMENT TO INDICATE LINEAGE WHEN IN SPECIFIC FACT HE WAS A GRANDSON OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S THROUGH HIS MOTHER.
• IN THE NEW TESTAMENT DAVID IS CALLED THE FATHER OF JESUS, WHEN IN FACT WE KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS THE FATHER OF JESUS AND JOSEPH WAS HIS ADOPTED FATHER.
• A DEFINITIVE FEAST
• THERE ARE MOMENTS IN LIFE AND MOMENTS IN HISTORY THAT ARE PIVOTAL EXPERIENCES THAT DETERMINE DESTINY. THIS EVENT IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL IS ONE OF THEM.
• GREAT BANQUETS WERE AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF DEMONSTRATING THE GLORY OF A KING. THEY WERE PUBLIC EVENTS. WHAT WE CALL TODAY P.R. (PUBLIC RELATIONS) EVENTS OR PHOTO OPS (PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES).
• ASHURNASIRPAL II HAD A FEAST IN 879 BC WITH 69,574 GUESTS. PERSIAN MONARCHS HAD AS MANY AS 15,000 GUESTS (SEE ESTHER). THERE WERE 10,000 GUESTS AT THE MARRIAGE FEAST OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
• THIS FEAST IN DANIEL HAD 1000 IN ATTENDANCE AND WAS PROBABLY A SENSUAL ORGY. THE PRESENCE OF WOMEN OF HIGH CLASS AT THESE EVENTS WAS UNUSUAL IN ANCIENT TIMES.
• THE PRESENCE OF THE TEMPLE OBJECTS:
• WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE CANDLESTICK (LAMPSTAND)?
• READ JOH 8:1-12
• THE CONTEXT OF THIS PASSAGE IN THE BOOK OF JOHN TELLS US THAT JESUS WAS IN THE TREASURY PART OF THE TEMPLE (JOH 8:20) WHERE A HUGE LAMPSTAND OR CANDLESTICK WAS LOCATED. THIS LAMPSTAND WAS LIT DURING THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE LAMPSTAND IS OUT BECAUSE THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES HAS JUST ENDED IN JOHN 7.
• IN JOH 8:12 JESUS SAYS HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. IT IS THE LIGHT OF GOD THAT REVEALS MAN’S SIN BOTH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• THE LAMPSTAND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TABERNACLE WAS A SYMBOL OF JESUS CHRIST.
• NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD CAPTURED THE HOLY OBJECTS FROM THE TEMPLE WHEN HE INVADED JERUSALEM AND DESTROYED IT AND THE TEMPLE. HE TOOK THESE GOLDEN OBJECTS TO BABYLON. (586 BC)
• AT LEAST NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD RESPECT FOR THESE HOLY OBJECTS FROM THE TEMPLE, BECAUSE HE PLACED THEM IN THE TEMPLE OF MARDUK. HOWEVER, BELSHAZZAR HAD NO RESPECT AT ALL FOR THE THINGS OF ANY GOD.
• VERSE 22 OF DAN 5 IMPLIES THAT BELSHAZZAR KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING AND INTENDED THE INSULT TO GOD.
• THE PLASTER WALL (5)
• ARCHAEOLOGY HAS UNCOVERED RUINS OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PALACE. HIS THRONE ROOM WAS 56 FT. WIDE AND 173 FT. LONG WHERE THIS BANQUET WAS PROBABLY HELD. MIDWAY IN THE WALL OPPOSITE THE ENTRANCE WAS A NICHE IN FRONT OF WHICH THE KING WOULD HAVE SAT. THE WALL BEHIND THE NICHE, THE WALL WAS COVERED WITH WHITE PLASTER. A PERFECT PLACE FOR GOD TO WRITE A MESSAGE.
• THE QUEEN (10)
• IT IS UNCLEAR WHO THIS QUEEN IS. SHE MAY HAVE BEEN THE WIFE OF NABONIDUS, A DAUGHTER OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR, OR PERHAPS NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S AGED WIDOW, AMYTIS, FOR WHOM HE BUILT THE HANGING GARDENS.
• BELSHAZZAR HAD NOT BEEN LONG IN BABYLON AND DID NOT KNOW DANIEL, THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S 7 YEAR PERIOD OF INSANITY AND HIS FINAL DECLARATION OF FAITH IN GOD.
• DANIEL WAS PROBABLY IN RETIREMENT AFTER NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DEATH. HE IS OFFERED A NEW POSITION…THIRD IN COMMAND AFTER NABONIDUS AND BELSHAZZAR. (7, 29)
• READ DANIEL 5:17-31 THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
• VERSES 18-21 ARE A REVIEW OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S REIGN.
• THE STATE OF BELSHAZZAR’S HEART:
• THERE IS NO ONE-YEAR REPRIEVE FOR BELSHAZZAR AS GOD HAD GIVEN TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR. EVIDENTLY BELSHAZZAR’S HEART WAS HOPELESSLY HARDENED AGAINST GOD.
• THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL (25-28)
• EACH OF THE 3 ARAMAIC WORDS HAS A DOUBLE MEANING:

• Mene

= ARAMAIC MEANING “TO NUMBER”. IT MEANS NOT ONLY TO

COUNT BUT ALSO TO FIX THE LIMIT OF. IT APPEARS TWICE FOR EMPHASIS.

• Tekel

= ARAMAIC MEANING “TO WEIGH”. ACCORDING TO 1SAM 2:3 JOB 31:6 PSA 62:9 PRO 16:2, MEN ARE WEIGHED BY GOD TO DETERMINE DEGREES OF REWARD OR PUNISHMENT.

• BELSHAZZAR’S KINGDOM WAS MORALLY WEIGHED, BUT IT WAS ALSO FOUND LACKING.
• Peres

= THIS IS THE ARAMAIC WORD THAT ACTUALLY APPEARED ON

THE WALL. IT MEANS “TO DIVIDE”. THE WORD “PERSIANS” IS “Paras“. NO VOWELS APPEARED IN THE INSCRIPTION, SO WHAT APPEARED COULD BE READ EITHER “PERSIANS” OR “DIVIDE”.

• THE TRANSLATION “Upharsin” IS PLURAL FOR “Peres“.

• THE ACTUAL INSCRIPTION WOULD HAVE APPEARED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER EXCEPT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT TO LEFT AS IN HEBREW: MN’MN’TKLPRS
• SCHOLARS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ THE WORDS BUT NOT INTERPRET THE DOUBLE MEANING AS IT PERTAINED TO THE KINGDOM.

• THE FALL OF BABYLON PREDICTED:
• THE FALL OF BABYLON WAS PREDICTED BY SEVERAL PROPHETS, NOT JUST DANIEL. (ISA 13, 14, 21:1-10 JER 50, 51)
• READ ISA 13:17; 14:4-6; 21:1-9
• THERE WAS GREAT UNREST IN THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE SINCE THE DEATH OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR ESPECIALLY AMONG THE MARDUK PRIESTS BECAUSE NABONIDUS SUPPORTED THE MOON GODDESS, CALLED “SIN”, OVER THE WORSHIP OF THE GOD, MARDUK. NABONIDUS WAS ELSEWHERE IN THE KINGDOM BATTLING A REVOLT AND NEGLECTED THE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS IMPORTANT TO THE MARDUK PRIESTS. BELSHAZZAR WAS LEFT TO RULE IN NABONIDUS’ ABSENCE. SMALL SKIRMISHES OCCURRED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BABYLON DAYS BEFORE, BUT BELSHAZZAR IGNORED THEM THINKING NABONIDUS WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE AFFAIRS OF STATE THAT FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS OF BUREAUCRACY.
• THE TAKING OF BABYLON WAS RELATIVELY QUICK AND SOMEWHAT PEACEFUL. THE EUPHRATES RIVER FLOWED RIGHT THROUGH THE CITY. HISTORIANS SAY CYRUS KNEW OF THIS GREAT FEAST AND DEVISED A WAY TO DIVERT THE RIVER CAUSING IT TO DRY UP WHERE IT FLOWED INTO THE CITY UNDER THE CITY WALLS. HIS ARMY MARCHED INTO THE CITY ON THE DRY RIVER BED RIGHT UNDER THE CITY WALL. THE MARDUK PRIESTS GREETED THE MEDES AND PERSIANS WITH GLEE.
• THE FALL OF BABYLON IS A TYPE OR PREFIGURE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF MYSTERY BABYLON IN THE END TIME IN REV 17-18.
• MYSTERY BABYLON IS THE COALITION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS UNDER THE ANTI-CHRIST DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF 7 YEARS.
• DARIUS, THE MEDE (31)
• WHO WAS DARIUS, THE MEDE?
• THE NAME “DARIUS” IS USED MORE LIKE A TITLE THAN A NAME. THAT IS THE SOURCE OF MUCH CONFUSION REGARDING HIS IDENTITY.
• DARIUS THE MEDE WAS CYRUS’ UNCLE. HIS NAME WAS CYARAXES II.
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
• IN 559 BC CYRUS BECAME KING OVER PART OF PERSIA. IN 550 BC, ASTYAGES, KING OF MEDIA, WHO WAS ALSO CYRUS’ GRANDFATHER, MARCHED AGAINST CYRUS. HOWEVER, HIS OWN ARMY HANDED KING ASTYAGES OVER TO CYRUS FORGING THE DUAL KINGDOM CALLED THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE.
• THE MEDES WERE THE WARRIORS AND THE PERSIANS WERE THE INTELLECTUALS.

• APPLICATION:
• HOW CAN WE APPLY DANIEL 5 TO OUR OWN PERSONAL LIVES?
• WE NEVER KNOW WHEN WE ARE EXPERIENCING A TURNING POINT IN OUR LIVES. THESE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THE PRINCIPLE TO KEEP IN MIND IS TO HAVE AN ON-GOING, CONTINUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. KEEP THE COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN SO HE CAN DIRECT YOU. HOW DO WE DO THAT?
• WE MUST BE IN THE WORD, READING AND STUDYING DAILY.
• WE MUST BE IN PRAYER, LISTENING.
• WE MUST BE LIVING IN OBEDIENCE, KEEPING THE THINGS OF GOD HOLY AND RESPECTED IN OUR LIVES. THIS WAS BELSHAZZAR’S FAILURE.
• FOR EXAMPLE:
• WE MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR GOD’S WORD.
• WE MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST.
• WE MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE OF GOD.
• THE TEMPLE OBJECTS WERE SANCTIFIED, SET APART AS HOLY, BY GOD. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE, GOD’S PEOPLE, ARE SANCTIFIED, SET APART AS HOLY.
• READ ROM 12:1-2.

HOMEWORK
DANIEL 6
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF DANIEL 5
• MEDITATE ON ROMANS 12:1-2
• ARE YOU PROPERLY USING YOUR BODY, YOUR LIFE, YOUR TIME, AND YOUR TALENTS IN A SANCTIFIED MANNER?

• IS THERE SOME HANDWRITING ON THE WALL OF YOUR LIFE THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DEAL WITH?

• IN PRAYER, CONFESS YOUR SHORTCOMINGS AND FAILURES TO GOD AND RECEIVE HIS FORGIVENESS. (1 JOHN 1:8-10)

• WHAT CHANGES WILL YOU NOW MAKE IN YOUR LIFE?

• PREPARATION FOR DANIEL 6
• READ DANIEL 6:1-28
• WHERE DID DANIEL’S ENEMIES FIRST LOOK FOR ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM?

• WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ABOUT PRAYER?

• MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 2:5