Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, June 8th, 2025
Pentacost
Pentacost
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Whole Bible (49)Old Testament (1)Individual Books (6)
Verse 1
Dan 5:1. Between the close of the preceding chapter and the beginning of this is an interval of 25 years. We are down at the last year of the Babylonian Empire and Belshazzar is on the throne in the capital city. The Biblical account overlooks a few comparatively unimportant rulers between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. This man is called the king in this verse, but that title must be understood as meaning he was only "acting king," because his father Nabonadius was the actual king, but had left his son on the throne in Babylon while he was conducting a war in another part of the country. This fact accounts for other statements occurring in the record, and it is of such great importance that I sit all quote a paragraph from ancient history, “But out of ail this confusion and uncertainty a very small and simple discovery made a few years since has educed order and harmony in a very remarkable way. It is found that Nabonadius. the last king of the Canon [royal blood line], associated with him on the throne during the later years of his reign his son, Bilsharuzar [Belshazzar], and allowed him the royal title. There can be little doubt that it was this prince who conducted the defense of Babylon, and was slain in the massacre which followed the capture; while his father, who was at the time in Borsippa, surrendered, and experienced the clemency which was generally shown to fallen kings by the Persians. . . . My attention has been further drawn to a very remarkable illustration which the discovery of Belshazzar’s position as joint ruier with his father furnishes to an expression twice repeated in Daniel, fifth chapter. The promise made and performed to Daniel is, that he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Formerly it was impossible to explain this, or to understand why he was not the second ruler, as he seems to have been under Nebuchadnezzar, and as Joseph in Egypt, and Mordecai in Persia. It now appears that, as there were two kings at the same time, Belshazzar, a subject, could only make him the third personage in the Empire."- Rawlinson, Historical Evidences, pages 139, 412. This information will be referred to again and I urge the reader to make eareful note of its location. The simple word /east means a good meal of food for the fleshly body, but the context shows this was a banquet for they drank wine in connection with it. Moreover, it was a royal or state affair for it was attended by a thousand of his lords, which is defined "a magnate" in Strong’s lexicon. These men were princes or outstanding persons In the Babylonian Empire and hence were special guests at this great feast. The king participated in the drinking and did so in a cooperative attitude, for it says he drank wine before the thousand, That was unusual for the rule was that kings indulged themselves with wine and royal gratifications in their own private apartments.Verse 2
Dan 5:2. Whiles he tasted the trine. Belshazzar was an idolater in genera! life, but nothing indicates that this feast was at first intended to be anything but a royal banquet. But intoxication will cause a man to do things he would not do when sober. This drunken king commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels that had been taken from the temple at Jerusalem. We have no account of their having been used before this after being brought to Babylon. The text says the vessels had been taken by his father Nebuchadnezzar, because that word is used very generally in the Bible and other literature. It sometimes means any forefather; in this case it means his grandfather. Perhaps it will be well to verify the last statement by a quotation from ancient history. "LINE OF KINGS-(of Babylon) Nabapolas sar, Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodaeh, Nerigiissar, Laborosoarchod or Labos soracus, and Nabonadius the last king. He, not being of royal birth, married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar (probably Neriglissar's widow), and as soon as his son by this marriage, Belshazzar (Betsharuzur), is of sufficient age, associated him on the throne.”- Rawlinson, Ancient History, page 49. For the difference between wives and concubines see the comments on Gen 22:21, Volume 1.Verse 3
Dan 5:3. The order of Belshazzar was obeyed and the king and his company drank wine from the sacred vessels that had been taken front the Lord's service at Jerusalem.Verse 4
Dan 5:4. The writer must have been greatly affected by the conduct of the king and his party. In one unbroken statement he says they