Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. Under the influence of the wineThis phrase sets the stage for the unfolding events, highlighting the impaired judgment of Belshazzar. The Hebrew word for "wine" is "yayin," which often symbolizes both celebration and potential moral lapse. In the context of ancient Near Eastern banquets, excessive drinking was common, but it also served as a narrative device to illustrate the folly and hubris of leaders who disregard divine reverence. The Bible frequently warns against the dangers of drunkenness, as seen in Proverbs 20:1, emphasizing the loss of self-control and wisdom. Belshazzar
Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, is a central figure in this narrative. Historically, Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, and served as co-regent. His name means "Bel, protect the king," reflecting the Babylonian practice of invoking deities for protection. However, his actions in this chapter reveal a stark contrast between his name's meaning and his disregard for the true God. This serves as a reminder of the futility of relying on false gods and the importance of acknowledging the sovereignty of the God of Israel. gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels
The act of giving orders to bring in these sacred vessels signifies a deliberate act of sacrilege. The vessels, originally consecrated for use in the temple in Jerusalem, were symbols of God's presence and holiness. By using them for a profane purpose, Belshazzar not only disrespects the God of Israel but also demonstrates his arrogance and lack of reverence. This act foreshadows the impending judgment and serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of defiling what is holy. that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem
The reference to Nebuchadnezzar as Belshazzar's "father" is understood in the sense of a predecessor or ancestor, as Nebuchadnezzar was actually his grandfather. Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Jerusalem and the looting of the temple vessels are well-documented events, symbolizing the subjugation of Judah. However, unlike Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar eventually recognized the sovereignty of God, as seen in Daniel 4. This contrast highlights the theme of divine sovereignty and the importance of humility before God. so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them
The inclusion of nobles, wives, and concubines in this scene underscores the communal nature of the blasphemy. It was not just Belshazzar who participated in this act of defiance, but his entire court. This collective participation in sacrilege reflects the pervasive moral decay within the leadership of Babylon. The use of sacred vessels for a drunken feast symbolizes the ultimate disrespect for God and His holiness, setting the stage for the divine judgment that follows. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of honoring God in all aspects of life and the consequences of failing to do so. Persons / Places / Events 1. BelshazzarThe king of Babylon during the time of this event. He is known for his pride and sacrilegious actions, which ultimately lead to his downfall. 2. BabylonThe city where this event takes place, known for its grandeur and as a center of power and idolatry in the ancient world. 3. The Temple VesselsSacred items taken from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar's predecessor. These vessels were meant for worship in the temple and were desecrated by being used in a pagan feast. 4. NebuchadnezzarThe former king of Babylon who had conquered Jerusalem and taken the temple vessels. His actions set the stage for the events in Daniel 5. 5. The FeastA lavish banquet hosted by Belshazzar, during which he orders the use of the temple vessels, demonstrating his disregard for the God of Israel. Teaching Points Reverence for the SacredBelshazzar's actions remind us of the importance of treating what is holy with respect. In our lives, this means honoring God in our worship, our bodies, and our possessions. The Consequences of PrideBelshazzar's pride led to his downfall. We are called to humility, recognizing that all we have is from God and should be used for His glory. God’s SovereigntyDespite the apparent power of earthly kingdoms, God is sovereign and will not be mocked. This encourages us to trust in His ultimate authority and justice. The Importance of HistoryBelshazzar ignored the lessons from Nebuchadnezzar’s life. We should learn from biblical history and the experiences of others to avoid repeating their mistakes. The Call to HolinessJust as the temple vessels were set apart for God, we are called to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him, avoiding the corruption of the world. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Belshazzar’s use of the temple vessels reflect his attitude towards God, and what can we learn from this about our own attitudes towards the sacred? 2. In what ways does the account of Belshazzar parallel the warnings about pride found in other parts of the Bible, and how can we apply these lessons to our lives? 3. How does the concept of God’s sovereignty in Daniel 5 encourage us in times of uncertainty or when facing powerful earthly authorities? 4. What lessons can we learn from Belshazzar’s failure to heed the history and experiences of Nebuchadnezzar, and how can we apply these lessons to our spiritual growth? 5. How can we ensure that we are treating our bodies and lives as temples of the Holy Spirit, in light of the misuse of the temple vessels in Daniel 5? Connections to Other Scriptures The desecration of the temple vessels by Belshazzar can be connected to the broader biblical theme of the misuse of what is holy, as seen in other scriptures where God’s sacred items or places are defiled. The pride and downfall of Belshazzar echo the warnings found in Proverbs about pride leading to destruction, as well as the account of Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling in Daniel 4. The use of the temple vessels in a pagan context can be related to the New Testament teachings on the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of purity and respect for what is consecrated to God. People Babylonians, Belshazzar, Belteshazzar, Daniel, Darius, Micah, Nebuchadnezzar, PersiansPlaces Babylon, JerusalemTopics Belshazzar, Belshaz'zar, Bring, Commanded, Concubines, Consorts, Drink, Drinking, Goblets, Gold, Golden, Jerusalem, Lords, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnez'zar, Nobles, Orders, Overcome, Princes, Silver, Tasted, Tasting, Temple, Therefrom, Therein, Vessels, Whiles, Wine, Wives, WomenDictionary of Bible Themes Daniel 5:2 4363 silver
5732 polygamy Daniel 5:1-3 5723 nobles Daniel 5:1-4 4410 banquets
5850 excess Daniel 5:1-8 8709 astrology Daniel 5:2-3 5283 cup
5672 concubines Daniel 5:2-4 4333 gold Library Mene, Tekel, Peres
'Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another: yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Scales of Judgment
There has never been a deed of persecution--there has never been a drop of martyr's blood shed yet, but shall be avenged, and every land guilty of it shall yet drink the cup of the wine of the wrath of God. And especially certain is there gathering an awful storm over the head of the empire of Rome--that spiritual despotism of the firstborn of hell. All the clouds of God's vengeance are gathering into one--the firmament is big with thunder, God's right arm is lifted up even now, and ere long the …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859 "So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. "
Rom. viii. 8.--"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." It is a kind of happiness to men, to please them upon whom they depend, and upon whose favour their well-being hangs. It is the servant's happiness to please his master, the courtier's to please his prince; and so generally, whosoever they be that are joined in mutual relations, and depend one upon another; that which makes all pleasant, is this, to please one another. Now, certainly, all the dependencies of creatures one upon …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Human Government.
Human governments a part of the moral government of God. In the discussion of this subject I will,-- I. Inquire into the ultimate end of God in creation. We have seen in former lectures, that God is a moral agent, the self-existent and supreme; and is therefore himself, as ruler of all, subject to, and observant of, moral law in all his conduct. That is, his own infinite intelligence must affirm that a certain course of willing is suitable, fit, and right in him. This idea, or affirmation, is law …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology Eastern Wise-Men, or Magi, visit Jesus, the New-Born King.
(Jerusalem and Bethlehem, b.c. 4.) ^A Matt. II. 1-12. ^a 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem [It lies five miles south by west of Jerusalem, a little to the east of the road to Hebron. It occupies part of the summit and sides of a narrow limestone ridge which shoots out eastward from the central chains of the Judæan mountains, and breaks down abruptly into deep valleys on the north, south, and east. Its old name, Ephrath, meant "the fruitful." Bethlehem means "house of bread." Its modern …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Messiah Unpitied, and Without a Comforter
Reproach [Rebuke] hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. T he greatness of suffering cannot be certainly estimated by the single consideration of the immediate, apparent cause; the impression it actually makes upon the mind of the sufferer, must likewise be taken into the account. That which is a heavy trial to one person, may be much lighter to another, and, perhaps, no trial at all. And a state …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee.
Subdivision A. Reasons for Retiring to Galilee. ^A Matt. IV. 12; ^B Mark I. 14; ^C Luke III. 19, 20; ^D John IV. 1-4. ^c 19 but Herod the tetrarch [son of Herod the Great, and tetrarch, or governor, of Galilee], being reproved by him [that is, by John the Baptist] for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done [A full account of the sin of Herod and persecution of John will be found at Matt. xiv. 1-12 and Mark vi. 14-29. John had spoken the truth to Herod as fearlessly …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Eternity of God
The next attribute is, God is eternal.' Psa 90:0. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.' The schoolmen distinguish between aevun et aeternum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a threefold being. I. Such as had a beginning; and shall have an end; as all sensitive creatures, the beasts, fowls, fishes, which at death are destroyed and return to dust; their being ends with their life. 2. Such as had a beginning, but shall have no end, as angels and the souls of men, which are eternal …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian Hastened his Journey to Rome; but Titus his Son Returned to Jerusalem.
1. And now, when Vespasian had given answers to the embassages, and had disposed of the places of power justly, [25] and according to every one's deserts, he came to Antioch, and consulting which way he had best take, he preferred to go for Rome, rather than to march to Alexandria, because he saw that Alexandria was sure to him already, but that the affairs at Rome were put into disorder by Vitellius; so he sent Mucianus to Italy, and committed a considerable army both of horsemen and footmen to …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Or, a Brief Relation of the Exceeding Mercy of God in Christ, to his Poor Servant, John Bunyan
In this my relation of the merciful working of God upon my soul, it will not be amiss, if in the first place, I do in a few words give you a hint of my pedigree, and manner of bringing up; that thereby the goodness and bounty of God towards me, may be the more advanced and magnified before the sons of men. 2. For my descent then, it was, as is well known by many, of a low and inconsiderable generation; my father's house being of that rank that is meanest, and most despised of all the families in …
John Bunyan—Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners There is a Blessedness in Reversion
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Having done with the occasion, I come now to the sermon itself. Blessed are the poor in spirit'. Christ does not begin his Sermon on the Mount as the Law was delivered on the mount, with commands and threatenings, the trumpet sounding, the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the hearts of the Israelites too for fear; but our Saviour (whose lips dropped as the honeycomb') begins with promises and blessings. So sweet and ravishing was the doctrine of this …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
Presented to the World in a Familiar Dialogue Between Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Attentive. By John Bunyan ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The life of Badman is a very interesting description, a true and lively portraiture, of the demoralized classes of the trading community in the reign of King Charles II; a subject which naturally led the author to use expressions familiar among such persons, but which are now either obsolete or considered as vulgar. In fact it is the only work proceeding from the prolific …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Harbinger
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD , make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. T he general style of the prophecies is poetical. The inimitable simplicity which characterizes every …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Meditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Chorus of Angels
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour and glory, and blessing! I t was a good report which the queen of Sheba heard, in her own land, of the wisdom and glory of Solomon. It lessened her attachment to home, and prompted her to undertake a long journey to visit this greater King, of whom she had heard so much. She went, and she was not disappointed. Great as the expectations were, which she had formed from the relation made her by others, …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Daniel
Daniel is called a prophet in the New Testament (Matt. xxiv. 15). In the Hebrew Bible, however, the book called by his name appears not among the prophets, but among "the writings," between Esther and Ezra. The Greek version placed it between the major and the minor prophets, and this has determined its position in modern versions. The book is both like and unlike the prophetic books. It is like them in its passionate belief in the overruling Providence of God and in the sure consummation of His …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Daniel 5:2 NIVDaniel 5:2 NLTDaniel 5:2 ESVDaniel 5:2 NASBDaniel 5:2 KJV
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