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NOVEMBER 28
Daniel
5
One of the reasons that God
has put the stories of so many people in the Bible is for us to learn from
them. In a way that only God would dare, He shows us their faith and their
failures. At times, like with David, He shows us things in great detail. God
does this expecting us to learn from them. Put another way, God really, really
expects us to learn and be warned by what He shows us from those who lived
before us.
Nebuchadnezzar’s life became
an open book to the world, that Yahweh and His people were to be respected.
It’s time to see who learned and who didn’t.
After Neb, the Babylonian
Empire declined through murders and weak rulers. Finally, Nabonidus became king
and reigned for the last 17 years of the empire. He actually left the city of
Babylon to rule from another city further north. He appointed his son,
Belshazzar, to rule in Babylon as a co-regent. So Babylon had two rulers.
We will see from the coming
chapters, that Daniel lost his position in the palace when Nebuchadnezzar died.
Two of the later chapters mention Daniel during the years of Belshazzar, and in
one of those chapters, Daniel seems to be in the Persian capital of Susa,
apparently working as a diplomat. If that was the case, God perfectly designed
this “demotion” of Daniel. As a result, Daniel most likely knew both Cyrus and
Darius, the coming rulers of the Persian Empire.
As Babylon was falling apart,
the Persian Empire was going through its own growing pains. The young Cyrus
wanted to expand Persia, but was held back by his grandfather who ruled in
Assyria. A member of the royal family of the Medes, a general named Darius,
sided with Cyrus and together they launched a civil war. Darius was an older
man and was apparently highly respected. It seems that Cyrus and Darius agreed
to co-rule Persia. Well, the civil war went so well that they decided to go
against Babylon. Nabonidus was an absentee ruler and Belshazzar was really not
a ruler at all. Persia began devouring Babylon. All of the diplomatic ties were
cut and the city of Babylon began to become a small, lonely island.
The night of this chapter is
the last night of the Babylonian Empire. Darius was working to take the city,
having already captured Nabonidus. Belshazzar didn’t know that yet. The city
had massive walls and enough supplies to endure a 20-year siege. Now we’ll look
at what Belshazzar, this military genius and leader of the people, decided to
do to stop the Persian attack on the city of Babylon.
Vs. 1-4 Belshazzar drank wine in front of them and tasted the wine. In other words, he got
roaring drunk. At some point, probably recounting the victories of Babylon, he
ordered those cups and vessels to be brought out that Nebuchadnezzar had taken
from the temple in Jerusalem. We read
about Neb taking these in chapter 1. Then they praised the gods represented by
the precious metals.
Vs. 5-6 This was a visible
hand and finger, and the writing was inscribed into the plaster of the wall.
The king’s reaction might hint that he knew what he had done and that it wasn't
smart.
Vs. 7-9 Now we see another
crisis and another failed attempt by the
wise men of Babylon. The king’s offer of being the third ruler in the kingdom was right, except that he didn’t
know that Nabonidus had already been dethroned and captured.
Vs. 10-12 The actual
genealogy of Belshazzar is hard to understand. It appears that he might not
have had a clear blood tie to Nebuchadnezzar, but Neb is referred to as his
father meaning he was his successor. I’ve read elsewhere that Belshazzar was a
grandson and that the queen mother was one of Nebuchadnezzar’s wives, probably
his queen. If this woman was Neb's queen, she was Persian. We just don’t have
enough records to know. But this woman knew about Daniel. According to her,
Daniel had to have been indwelt by the
spirit of the holy gods. How else could he know what he knew? The excellent spirit describes Daniel’s
attitude and heart. Not everyone who is an exile and a slave and demoted, etc.,
has an excellent spirit as a result of the Spirit. Daniel was a disciple.
Vs. 13-16 Notice that Daniel
is still referred to as a Jewish exile. Since you know that the exile of the
Jews lasted 70 years, and now with the Persians coming, you can imagine that
Cyrus will soon be sending the Jews back to Jerusalem as God foretold, you can
add up some years. If Daniel was taken when he was 16, that would make him
about 86 now. Sometimes when you wake up old people they get grumpy. As Daniel
walked in, having served all the years of Nebuchadnezzar, I’m sure he was
disgusted to see what was happening. The empire had crumbled and this night was
the cherry on top. Also, Daniel recognized the vessels of gold from the temple
in Jerusalem.
Vs. 17-23 This is a very
strong section of Scripture. Notice that while Daniel is respectful in turning
down the riches and the offer to rule, there is a tone of acknowledging the
foolishness of this evening.
What do you think is the key
verse in this section? God expected Belshazzar to have learned from all
He had done to Nebuchadnezzar. I would choose v. 22.
Vs. 24-28 Measured, measured,
weighed and wanting, your kingdom is
divided among the Medes and the
Persians. Notice the writing was
inscribed. It was not invisible/disappearing ink. It was written into the
ballroom wall. That little observation might have a big impact.
V. 29 This is a very
interesting and sad verse. In every chapter since chapter 2, we have had a
pagan king worshiping God. I know this isn’t worship, but it sure feels like
Belshazzar is saying that Daniel and God are right, and that he was a fool.
Ordering Daniel to be given these things was his humble admission of guilt.
Belshazzar was tested on what God had done with Nebuchadnezzar, and got an
“F-.” He was measured and found wanting.
Understand what has just
happened here: Daniel, the 86-year-old Jewish exile, has been made a ruler of
the Babylonian Empire. A proclamation was made in the still uncaptured city.
V. 30 Later that evening,
Darius entered the city practically without resistance. He captured and killed
Belshazzar. At that moment, Daniel was the sole ruler of the Babylonian Empire.
In a moment of time, God took Daniel from a place of forgotten obscurity, to
being the wisest and sole ruler of the Babylonian Empire. It might look like
this is dubbing someone the captain of a sinking ship, but God was on the move
at the right time, to rescue His people and to show them grace. God was still
bending the nations to His will. In Daniel’s years of obscurity after the death
of Nebuchadnezzar, God was strategically positioning Daniel to save His people
and begin their journey back to Jerusalem. What an amazing God and Savior.
Here are some thoughts for
tomorrow. Why is it important that Darius was 62 years old. So what? Why didn’t
Darius kill Daniel? You always killed the top rulers of a nation when you took
it over. Do you think Darius was told what had happened that night? Was there
any proof other than Daniel's new clothes and royal necklace? Keep all of this
in mind when you begin reading chapter 6. There are reasons why the following
events and a new crisis situation will develop.
2
Peter 2
Vs. 1-3 Peter and the Spirit
are not holding back talking about the false
teachers that are rising up in the church. Harry Ironside is credited with
the saying, “Where there’s light, there’s bugs.” It sounds funny, but when it
comes to teachers who create dissension in the church, there is nothing funny.
It is terrible to see very good and godly people get drawn into bitterness or
into something false. This is why elders have to know the Lord, know the Word
and be committed disciple makers, passing on a passion for the Word. If you
understand Ephesians 4:12-16, you see that disciple-making not only brings
maturity in Christ, but is a protection against false teachers and deception.
Peter mentions four things in
this section that result in the rise of false teachers. Take a minute to
identify these. The bottom line is that the work of a church in the harvest is
lost and Jesus is held up to ridicule.
Vs. 4-10 To get what Peter is
saying here, notice the “if – then” structure. There are lots of “ifs,” but the
“then” doesn’t come until v. 9. Highlight if,
and when you get to the then, notice
that it has two parts, a positive and a negative.
V. 4 This is the first if, and a very interesting verse. If you
look at Genesis 6:1-5, you will find that
the sons of God saw the daughters of
man and mated with them. These sons of God are fallen angels. I don’t
understand it, but it wasn’t good. That we know of, no other demons are bound.
These are a special group. It would be nice if they all were bound, but this
particular group violated something that God had forbidden. I’m not sure how it
worked, but it increased evil in the world and it deepened the rebellion
against God, and God stopped it. If you think of what demons said to Jesus, you
can see that they were still afraid of being judged as God had judged those
angels back in Genesis 6.
Notice that all of these
“ifs” are chronological. So what you see in Genesis 6 is correct. This action
by these angels preceded the flood.
Vs. 10-16 Peter and the
Spirit are on a roll.
It is hard to boil down all
of these descriptions, but look to see what themes you find in this section. A
couple of things stand out to me.
First, these teachers have no
real spiritual understanding, but play with spiritual things, like a drunk
juggling knives. They get hurt and don’t really understand the powers they are
dealing with. Remember that Jesus said it would be possible to use His name and
to perform signs and still to be lost. Not
everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but
the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will
say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons
in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare
to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matt.
7:21-23) Never means never. Jesus never knew them. They didn't lose their
salvation. They never had it from the beginning.
Second, they are in the
company of believers. They are at the feasts. They are accursed children. Worst
of all, they are like Balaam, who for the sake of money gave spiritual insight
to the enemy, to the king of Moab, showing him how to bring God’s wrath on
Israel. Paul told Timothy (2 Tim. 3:5) and the Romans (Rom. 16:17) to avoid
these kind of people. They were to be disciplined and put out of the
fellowship, but not to be argued with.
Vs. 17-22 These people
promise freedom, but are themselves slaves. Worse than that, it appears that
some of them might be saved; but they have twisted the truth so much, that
they’ve shipwrecked their faith and warped their understanding. They will be
permanently damaged on earth, only to be saved as through fire.
And in the meantime, they
cause unbelievers to scoff and they deceive
the hearts of the simple-minded (Rom. 16:18 RSV).
Romans 16:17-18, - I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for
those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that
you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord
Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive
the hearts of the naive.
Again, this is why you are in
the Word, so that as you follow the Lord in the harvest, those you bring to
Christ, and those who become disciples, will be firmly rooted in the Word and
in following Christ in the harvest.
Psalm
119:113-128
As you see how David depended
on the Word, find in each verse a concern on David’s mind. For example, in v.
113 David was concerned with those who were shaky in their loyalties, or in
their promise to help him. But rather than worry about them, he found the
faithfulness and firmness he needed in God and His law. That’s a good lesson
for all of us. David was a very distressed individual. What would he have done
without God and His Word?
Vs. 113-120 The double-minded are the problem here.
This is very interesting since we are reading something like this in 2 Peter
regarding the false teachers. They were kind of following God, but not
following God. Notice v. 115. That sounds a lot like Matthew 7:23. The judgment
that David feared in v. 120 would be that same judgment of fire and the
revealing of the heart. This judgment would reveal those who truly loved God
and His Word and those who were merely there to enjoy the benefits, using
godliness as a means of gain.
Vs. 121-128 The first two
verses define David's concern in this section. He had powerful, hypocritical,
religious-sounding enemies. Yet David was true to God, following the Word. To
honor God and honor the Word, David had spared Saul's life twice. Still, David
had moments he feared for his life, or feared that he himself would be put to
shame for having such trust in God and His Word.
David longed for everything
he had read about in God's Word. God's promises cannot fail and His steadfast
love never ends. You might want to listen to “Your Love Never Fails,” by Chris Quilala / Jesus
Culture.
Proverbs
28:19-20
V. 19 It is interesting to read this. I like the “p’s” at the end and
the play on the word plenty. Actually,
I was just reading the parable of the man who built the barns in Luke 12:21.
God says it is worthless to lay up treasure for yourself and not be rich toward
Him.
V. 20 Why the punishment? But
those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many
senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction (1
Tim. 6:9). They punish themselves.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a supplement,
a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we will keep
following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who
make disciples. Being in the Word every
day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the essential
essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C. Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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