Daniel 5, Royal banquet leads to royal death and division of the kingdom.
At the beginning of Daniel, 2:28, God is called ‘the Revealer of Mysteries’ and the book of Daniel is full of mysteries. It appears that this is a major aspect of God which is demonstrated throughout Daniel and he was given a special gift to interpret these mysteries. We are told that it’s God alone who reveals mysteries, so we know where to go for our answers, whether direct from God or through someone like Daniel who is gifted to interpret them. God often speaks in ways that are not totally clear and require us to seek Him further for more revelation.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
to search out a matter is the glory of kings
Treating the holy things as common, and using them to praise other gods leads to a swift and final judgement for Belshazzar.
Daniel wasn’t in the picture until the writing on the wall but he’s once again called to interpret the mystery of the message.
5:17 Daniel didn’t grasp for power even though he had a unique gift but agreed to explain the riddle.
His explanation of WHY the writing has appeared, beginning with God’s dealings with previous gentile king, Nebuchadnezzar. His authority was delegated authority 5:18,19. Delegated authority from God himself.
5:22,23 But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this, God’s disciplining of Nebuchadnezzar, instead you have set yourself up against the Lord of Heaven…. You did not honour the God holds in HIS HAND all your life and your ways
Mene, Mene(your days numbered, finished)
Tekel(weighed and found wanting)
Parsin(kingdom divided)
5:29 Daniel once more promoted to third in the land, God continued to raise him up in the alien Babylonian court system. We have a saying, ‘you can’t keep a good man/woman down’. Maybe we should say you can’t keep God’s good one down, those who know Him and His favour.
Does God want to share a mystery with you today? Does He have something unique to speak to you or show you? Daniel’s circumstances were difficult, living in exile under foreign rulers but he received things for his time and even our day.
May you be blessed and may God reveal some of His mysteries to you today.