CHAPTER FIVE HUMAN IMPIETY JUDGED
Babylon's night of pleasure turned into fear
At the death of Nebuchadnezzar, his son Evil-Merodach succeeds to the throne. He pays special honour to King Jehoiachin after his thirty-second year of captivity, by releasing him from prison and granting him a pension (Jer. 52:31-34; 2 Kings 25:27-30). After two years, however, Neriglissar, his brother-in-law leads a revolt against Evil-Merodach, and assassinates him. Neriglisser claims a royal right to the throne having married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar. He advances his young son, Labarosoarkod, who is a mere child: but the lad wins no support, and within less than a year is put to death by those who promised to assist him. The generals and political leaders then select Nabonidus (who also married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, Nitocris, to support his claim to the throne) who has manifested considerable ability to command. From Nitocris, Nabonidus already has a son, Belshazzar. Because of his royal blood, Belshazzar, three years after the ascension of Nabonidus, is made co-regent with his father, and is given a special assignment to govern the city and province of Babylon. These facts, conforming exactly with the description of the chapter before us, have been confirmed by archaeology. The character of this young monarch is depicted as lifted up in pride, and so acting with reckless blasphemy towards Yahweh Whom his grandfather had honoured. At a time of international threat, he organises a festival to which he invites all the notables of his realm. During the drinking and feasting he seeks to elevate the gods of Babylon at the expense of Yahweh of Israel. His blasphemous actions are interrupted by a mysterious angelic hand that writes a message on the wall, and then hides it. The kings terror at this is increased by the inability of his wise men and counsellors to read it. At the instigation of the Queen-mother, however, the deposed Daniel is called in. At his request, the hand is withdrawn and the writing disclosed. He
114
CHAPTER FIVE
THECHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
reads and interprets it as pronouncing the doom of Babylon, as well as that of the King. That very night the city is taken and the King slain by the Medes and Persians. Previous to this Daniel, as promised, is elevated to the status of third ruler in the Kingdom, and with the absence of Nabonidus and the slaying of Belshazzar is in a position to assume the highest authority when the conquerors enter the fallen city. Key verses: 1,3,5,6,8,15-17,28,30.
Belshazzar's Feast —vv.1-4
Though enemy troops are menacing Babylon, Belshazzar calls the lords and ladies of the city to a great religious feast. Wine is drunk without reserve or restraint until, in drunken folly, the king adds intolerable blasphemy to his wanton stupidity, and orders the sacred vessels of Yah weh to be brought and humiliated before the assembled company.
VERSE 1
"Belshazzar the king" — One time it was very strongly denied that Belshazzar was ever king. Sayce stated: "Belshazzar never became king in his father's place"'. Driver wrote: "In point of fact, Nabonidus was the last king in Babylon; he was a usurper, not related to Nebuchadnezzar, and one Belsharuzur is mentioned as his son". The conclusion is that Daniel erred in calling Belshazzar "king" and son of Nebuchadnezzar. In dispensing with those criticisms, Babylonian inscriptions that archaeologists have since found completely confirm Daniel's description of the relationship of all the parties referred to in this chapter. They show that Nabonidus had a son identified with Belshazzar, and that when he took up residence at Teima in North Africa, he left Belshazzar in charge of the northern frontier of the Babylonian empire. Thus Belshazzar became the de facto king of Babylon as regent in the absence of his father. This clearly endorses the record of Daniel 5, for Belshazzar offered to the successful reader and interpreter of the mysterious writing on the wall the position of "third place in the kingdom" (v. 7). In several building inscriptions, Nabonidus associated Bel-shar-usur, whom he describes as his "firstborn", with himself
in such a way as to indicate that he took an active part in the government as co-regent.
But does the relationship between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar (that of father and son) as described in this chapter (see v.2) conform to fact? Or was Driver right in stating that Nabonidus, the father of Belshazzar, had no relationship with Nebuchadnezzar? Archaeology has proved that Daniel was right and Driver was wrong. First, the terms "father" and "son", as used in such a context, do not necessarily denote a blood relationship. In ancient times, a king was treated and addressed as the "father" of the nation, and the respect or honour that was paid to such was that due to a parent. But there was probably a much closer relationship.
It is pointed out by some that Neriglis-sar, the predecessor of Nabonidus, married the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar in order to lay claim to the throne, and then arranged for the assassination of the dissolute Evil-Merodach (2 Kings 25:27; Jer. 52:31), to grasp the throne for himself. In doing so, it is believed that he established a precedent that Nabonidus followed, and that he also married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar to legitimise his claim to the throne. This conforms with the requirements of Scripture. Jeremiah predicted that "all the nations shall serve him (Nebuchadnezzar) and his son, and his son's son until the very time of his land come" (Jer. 27:7). Now, in Scripture the word for "son" does duty also for "grandson" completely reconciling the prophecy of Jeremiah with the facts recorded by Daniel in this chapter. It will be noted that the margin renders "son" as "grandson".
"Made a great feast to a thousand of his lords" — Belshazzar (Bel Protect the King) evidently believed that the defences
115
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
CHAPTER FIVE
of Babylon made it impervious to attack, and that being under the special protection oi the Babylonian god Bel who, he believed, was powerful to save, he could face disaster with impunity. In those mistaken ideas, he gave himself over to pleasure and abandonment. The modern world does likewise, but as Babylon was brought to ruin, so also will it. Cyrus diverted the course of the River Euphrates, and along the dry bed of the river which flowed through the city, his warriors were led to attack and overthrow it. In Revelation 16: 15-16 these historical
details are used as the basis of the symbol-ogy of the Sixth Vial that describes the "drying up of the River Euphrates" that "the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared", through whom Babylon the Great will be judged and destroyed.
It is believed that Belshazzar's feast was an annual religious festival, a time of publicrejoicing during which the whole night was given up to hedonistic revelling. The historian Herodotus states that Cyrus knew of this, and took advantage οϊ it to attack the city. This night of feasting was predicted by" Isaiah (Ch. 21: 4-5) and
Ground plan of ancient Babylon showing how the Euphrates ran through the centre of the city.
116
CHAPTER FIVE
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
Jeremiah (Ch. 50:24; 51:39,57). Isaiah described the reaction of the king at the writing on the wall: "My heart panted, tearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath He turned into fear unto me. . ." Jeremiah prophesied: 'in their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, saith Yahweh. . ." I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men. her captains, and her rulers and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King whose name is Yahweh of hosts."
Belshazzar's feast anticipated the hedonism, the drunken and excessive revelry and blasphemy of peoples at the Time of the End. Inebriated by the wine of Babylon, they will not be able to reason clearly nor act coherently. Their madness will draw them along a course that will ultimately prove disastrous, leading to Armageddon. The feast surely anticipates the rejoicing of Rome at her seeming successful efforts to revive Papal power at the Time of the End (see Rev. 18:3,7): "She saith in her heart, I sit a queen; and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow". The manifestation of the Papacy in latter-day power was predicted by Paul who wrote of "the parousia" of the Wicked One "after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thess. 2:9). Concerning the word parousia rendered "coming", The Vocabulary Of The New Testament has this to say: "What, however, more especially concerns us in connection with the N.T. usage of parousia is the quasi-technical force of the word from Ptolemaic times onwards to denote the 'visit' of a king, emperor, or other person in authority, the official character of the 'visit' being further emphasised by the taxes or payments that were exacted to make preparations for it." Papyri are cited to show that Christians were conversant with this use of the word. On that basis, the "coming" mentioned by Paul has relation to the manifestation of the Papacy and the Pope with acknowledged power in the earth. This, as Daniel later was shown, will be with the support of Russia (Dan. 8:25).
"And drank wine before the thousand"
— Belshazzar himself led in the drinking. The royal table was probably on a raised dais at the end of the huge banquetting hall. The hall itself would be colourfully
decorated with the images of the Chaldeans, painted in vermillion. The guests would be entertained by young people of both sexes playing music, chanting hymns, or performing dances in the orgiastic abandonment of eastern custom. Intoxication through drinking of wine was common at Babylonian religious carousals; and in this the Kinti led the way (see Rev 17:2).
VERSE 2
"Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem" — The word translated "tasted" does not denote merely to sip the wine but to quaff it immoderately. As the King became heated with the fiery liqour, he became more reckless and unrestrained in conduct. His exmple was emulated by his guests who also gave themselves over to its influence until the wildest and most abandoned passions prevailed. In this drunken condition, the King devised a further act of blasphemous w iek-edness. Recalling the gold and silver vessels, taken by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple at Jerusalem nearly seventy years before, and perhaps to show his contempt for the predictions of Daniel foretelling the fall of Babylon (cp Dan 7:1), the King impiously ordered that they be brought into the banquetting Hall, that he and his guests may drink therefrom in honour of his Babylonish gods, and to the humiliation of the God of the Hebrews. Unknown to the King, however, Jeremiah had predicted the overthrow of Babylon, and his predictions had been publicly read in the public square of that city (see pp 32-34). Moreover, though Jeremiah had earlier proclaimed that Jerusalem would fall before the might of Babylon, he had also predicted that "the vengeance of the Temple" would reach out to take its toll of that God-dishonouring city, and its monarch (Jer. 50:28). Belshazzar evidently knew some of these facts, but chose to deliberately ignore them (see Dan. 5:22-23).
"That the King, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink therein" — The verse describes a descending scale of notables from the King to his concubines; the obvious intention of Belshazzar being to show his contempt for the worship of Yahweh. In view of his part-knowledge at least of Daniel's ministry, it
117
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
CHAPTER FIVE
was probably an act of defiance against the God of Israel; an act of bravado to demonstrate before all, his indifference to such prophecies of doom as Daniel had proclaimed.
VERSE 3
"Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the King and his princes, and his wives, and his concubines, drank in them." — The servants obediently brought in the sacred vessels, and with wanton impiety the sacrilege was committed. The wine of Babylon was poured therein. In like manner, the heady intoxicating teaching of Rome today is served up in vessels that claim to belong to Christ! Jeremiah had predicted: "Babylon hath been a golden cup in Yahweh's hand that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed. . ." (Jer. 51:7-8). The wine in that cup represented the power, wealth, luxury, glory, learning and heady religion of Babylon with all its emotional appeal. This had drawn the nations to drink therefrom, or to make alliances with the Empire (Jer. 25:15). This, however, was used by Yahweh as a medium of punishment and vengeance. But it also typically set forth what the future will reveal. What Belshazzar did at the feast typed what the Papacy will do shortly, (Rev. 17:4; 18:23). Babylon the Great, like its prototype, will come to its end suddenly and unexpectedly, providing a "proverb" that will be recalled in the Kingdom (Isa. 14:4).
How significant are Jeremiah's words following his statement cited above: "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed; forsake her . . ." (Jer. 51:9). Daniel and his companions had done everything possible to heal Babylon (see Dan. 4:27), but in vain. All that remained was to allow the judgments of God to fall upon the guilty city, and for those educated in the Truth who had answered the call of God, to forsake her. In like manner, the saints of God in this age have done all in their power to heal those under the religious dominance of Babylon the Great, by the proclamation of the Truth; and having done so, they must abandon her to her fate. The time is at hand when she and her adulterous progeny will likewise receive the judgments of God and
the cry will be heard: "Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues'1 (Rev. 18:4).
VERSE 4
"They drank wine" — Impervious to the enemy at the gates of the city; indifferent to their fate, the king and his guests gave themselves to the wine before them, and in their inebriated, drunken stupor committed the grossest sacrilege (See Rev. 18:3). To "drink wine out of a cup" in such a fashion is to unite in covenant fellowship with those offering it, and so to endorse their policy or purpose. At Bel-shazzar's feast it meant that all who drank endorsed the King's action. A similar drinking of wine is described in Rev. 18:3, and signifies union on the part of the rulers of the Roman earth with the plans and policies of the Papacy. Such a union will be followed by international peace, and then, as in the case of historic Babylon, with "sudden destruction" (1 Thess. 5:3).
"And praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone" — Babylon the Great also has its idols of gold, silver, and soon, to which its adherents pay reverence. The time is rapidly approaching when with the unmistakable manifestation of Divine power and majesty, men shall "cast their idols of silver and gold, which they have made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats" (Isa. 2:20). See the warning of Habakkuk against those who practice the idolatry of Rome (Hab. 2:15-18). And Zechariah's prediction against the "idol shepherd" of the Papacy (Zech. 11:17).
The Writing On The Wall — vv.5-6
The drunken revelry is at its height. The lords and ladies of Babylon (answering to the kings and harlot daughters of Rev. 17: 2,5) are heated and excited by wine. With mockery or indifference they view the desecration of Yahweh's holy vessels. But suddenly the praises of Bel die on the lips of the revellers, as they come face to face with the supernatural. A hand appears and writes on the wall: and having completed its message remains there covering the writing. Belshazzar, at his elevated table, sees the hand moving from right to left inscribing its message. Fear takes posession of him, as his staring eyes become rivetted on the mysterious hand.
118
CHAPTER FIVE
VERSE 5
"In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand" — The drunken king, leading his poeple in their blasphemous revelry, had his attention drawn to a mysterious hand that suddenly appeared writing on a section of the most prominent part of the palace wall. The hand is the organ of action. It not only writes but acts. The one seen by the King was an angelic hand, directed by the angelic Committee of heaven. It seems to be linked with the action of the Cherubim that Ezekiel, Daniel's contemporary, had seen in vision. Under their wings was hidden "the hand of a man" (Ezek. 1:8). This angelic "hand"' gave to the prophet the "little scroll'" containing the judgment ot Yahweh (Ezek 8Ϊ3). As the organ oi action it now appears in the palace ot Bel-shazzar.