James

Friday, May 29, 2020

The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 5: Verses 10-16)


Hello Friends!

Welcome back to our Encouraging Concepts Bible study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book of Daniel painted as a panoramic landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago…The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE!

The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 5: Verses 10-16)

10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom Daniel 5:10-16

OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The “King Belteshazzar’s” foolish spiritual FRAUDS themselves “could not read the writing” writ by the Divine “hand” of the great “God in heaven” Himself. And “nor” were they able to “make known” the accompanying “interpretation” set forth. WHY? Perhaps “they” were SUPERNATURALLY blinded to the actual words themselves. Perhaps “they” were too dreadfully DRUNK to clearly see the “writing” on the wall. For whatever reason considered, if these so-called “wise men” could NOT rightly “read” this INTENSE inscription “they” certainly could NOT at all “make known” to their confounded “king” the CORRECT insightful “interpretation” he so – DESPERATELY Desired!  

Daniel DISSOLVES Doubts!

Now” at this practical point in our spectacular “study” series, this willing woman representing the aged “queen” aptly appears on this sordid scene and calls ATTENTION to the now aged “man” of captive “Jewry” named “Daniel” of whom had ardently administered such an IMPORTANT role as presiding Prime Minister Sovereignly “set over” the encompassing ENTIRE reigning “kingdom” of golden “Babylon” during the “rule” of her late humbled host…

Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed – Daniel 5:10

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: This wonderful woman is most likely the boisterous “Belshazzar’s” mourning MOTHER as the woefully widowed dowager “queen” herself. Or perhaps she is his GRANDMOTHER and possibly named Nitocris as the distinct DAUGHTER of the “king Nebuchadnezzar” himself. Incidentally, the wonton “wives” and the charted “concubines” were ALREADY eagerly engaged in the ordered ORGY on-going within the belligerent “banquet house” of horrors. And since the aged WIFE of the then deceased Monarch would NEVER have been personally involved in such a lude LICENTIOUS lair, this particular woman would HAVE to be someone very stately of whom by virtue of dictated DIGNITY had the real RIGHT herself to “by reason of the words of the king and his lords” adequately address – Belshazzar’s BEWILDERMENT!

The “queen” proceeds to IMMEDIATELY opt for the typical “O king, live forever” fluff. And with these apt amenities now out of the way, she soundly “spake” before this CORRUPT crowd saying: “let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed” as such. WHY? Because she will now continue with her carefully CONCERNED counsel as such:

There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers – Daniel 5:11

The FALSE gaudy “gods” of pagan “Babylon” were NOT at all Holy. Rather, they were just as VILE and EVIL as these silly so-called spiritualists in kind. And here the “queen” rightly REPEATS the wise words: “thy father, the king, I say, thy father” in kind. WHY? Because she apparently wanted to EMPHASIZE the powerful point that this belittling “Belteshazzar” is indeed RELATED to the “King Nebuchadnezzar” as such. And the FACT that this postured predecessor was so IMPRESSED with this man named “Daniel” of whom represented the great “God of heaven” that he was “made” the mindful “master” over the “magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers” and set as the OVERSEER of the sordid – Scholars & Wise Men!

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Have “we” already HEARD this scenario “spoken” of in this sound “study” series? YES! And just WHO was it that had solemnly “said” this EXACT exhalation earlier? It was the “King Nebuchadnezzar” himself some 23 years borne BEFORE this trying “time” during his own rank RULE upon the earth…

But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof… This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee  Daniel 4:8-9 & 18

Or perhaps it was soundly “spoken” some 30 years later when the torrid “time” of those surreal “seven years” had powerfully PASSED as “king Nebuchadnezzar’s” insatiable INSANITY ensued…

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase – Daniel 4:37

In BOTH cases, this bumbling buffoon “Belshazzar” too would have definitely KNOWN of this magnificent man “Daniel” as well. WHY? Because his forerunning fore-father named “Nebuchadnezzar” would have ALSO no doubt – TOLD of Daniel!

God’s SERVANT Summoned!

Next the “queen” poignantly provides her slobbering SILLY son “Belshazzar” with yet MORE sage advice to heed:

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation – Daniel 5:12

In other words, she equates EVERY possible Noun and descriptive Adjective to intently INFORM the corrupt “king” that this dutiful “Daniel” is equipped with an “excellent spirit” and is thus the most intelligent, greatly gifted and constantly capable man throughout ALL of the contaminated “kingdom” realm. And along with the “interpreting of dreams” in full, “Daniel” can ALSO solve ridged riddles by the sound “shewing of hard sentences” along with direct “dissolving of doubts” in the apt answering of peculiar problems. Therefore, the “queen” dully demands that “they” go out and GET him IN here… NOW!

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee – Daniel 5:13-14

Then” finally, the diligent man “Daniel” eagerly ENTERS the solemn scene! Notice how he NEVER seems to congregate with the rest of these ridiculous rabble? Rather, he PATIENTLY awaits his “God given” long awaited mandated moment to soundly SERVE his soul’s – Sweet Savior!

Apparently after “King Nebuchadnezzar” had died, “Daniel” seems to have faded away into obscurity. WHY? Because “Belshazzar” had to actually ask “Daniel” exactly WHO he was! And although he was “given” the great ruling rank as the powerful Prime Minister presiding over “Babylon” proper, the beguiled “Belshazzar” paid absolutely NO attention to “Daniel” and thus did NOT even seem to keenly KNOW of him at all. However, NOW this deeply demeaned dutiful “Daniel” is covertly – CALLED to COUNSEL!

And now” the “king” reenacts the fickle FACT that the waning “wise men” and the absurd “astrologers” had avidly “been brought in” on the surreal scene to absolutely NO avail...

And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing – Daniel 5:15

Once AGAIN these foolish FRAUDS themselves once more collectively “could not shew the interpretation” of which was “written” by the Divine “hand” of the great “God in heaven” Himself…

Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof – Daniel 5:8

And “nor” were ANY of these so-called “wise men” actually ABLE to meaningfully “make known” the accompanying intense “interpretation of the thing” set forth before them – Go FIGURE!

But, is this “Daniel” actually ABLE to mindfully “make interpretations” and decisively “dissolve doubts” and rightly “read the writing” inscribed on this woeful “wall” of sordid SHAME summons? And IF he actually CAN really do it, he’ll then be cladly “clothed with scarlet” and adorned with the ROYAL ruse of a costly “chain of gold” set abruptly “about” his noble “neck” as the trusted “third ruler” elect:

And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom Daniel 5:16

The dignified “Daniel” is definitely NOT at all intimidated by this MANDATED meeting nor is he interested in being the torrid “third ruler in the kingdom” itself. And besides, WHO in their right mind would actually WANT to be the “third ruler” in a confounded “kingdom” that is about to be utterly DESTROYED in just a few short hours? – NO Way!

REMNANT REMINDER: Many modern scripture SCOFFERS and rigorous REJECTORS of the “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself point DIRECTLY to this particular passage to pragmatically PROVE that the Holy Writ has indeed made an egregious ERROR here in its HISTORICAL narrative regarding the “third ruler” noted here as such. WHY? Because Nabonidus was the FIRST noble in command and “Belshazzar” was the co-regent (possibly through marriage) as the SECOND in command. Therefore, in THIS case, “Daniel” would indeed become the THIRD in command even though the de facto nigh Nabonidus was actually the reigning “ruler” rooted in exile under the “Meads and Persians” in the proper – Chain of COMMAND!

PROPHETIC PROMISE: Beloved, this valiant man “Daniel” stood ALONE when he was a teenager among the “children of the captivity of Judah” and he stood ALONE as a mature man of whom was “brought out of Jewry” in kind. This looming land of “Babylon” was NOW their new homeland of which their Great “God” had righteously CHOSEN for them as PROPHECIED by the prophet “Isaiah” nearly 100 years BEFORE this fateful event had finally “taken” place – According TO God’s WORD!

Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon – Isaiah 39:5-7

And now here AGAIN all these long YEARS later, “Daniel” is as an octogenarian in his mid to late 80’s faithfully FULL of lasting “light and understanding” and elated “excellent wisdom” as he rightly “remains” standing absolutely ALONE to notedly – NEVER Compromise!

More to follow… STAY tuned!

In closing:

REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever – Daniel 2:44

And our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD some 2,600 years ago could possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><


Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

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