A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
may have often heard her father speak of Daniel in this way and had probably witnessed firsthand the prophet’s ability to resolve this kind of problem. Daniel was summoned by Belshazzar and asked to interpret the writing that had appeared on the wall. As a reward, Daniel was offered the position of “the third ruler in the kingdom” (5:16). Belshazzar himself was only the second ruler, reigning with his father. Therefore, this offer would place Daniel next to the kings in power. Normally, Belshazzar’s reward would be an attractive offer. But in light of the contents of the handwriting, being third ruler of a kingdom God was about to judge did not have a great appeal to Daniel. Daniel offered to interpret the writing but urged the king to keep his reward. He began by reminding Belshazzar about God by using the title Most High God to describe Him (v. 18). The emphasis of this particular name of God is that of His possession of heaven and earth. The glory of Babylon had been given to Nebuchadnezzar by God and was about to be taken away by the same God. Then he addressed the matter of the inscription on the wall. MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN The message God had sent the Babylonians consisted of three Aramaic words. The word mene was repeated twice for emphasis and means “to number.” The word tekel is based on the verb tekal, meaning “to weigh.” The final word in this writing was a plural form of the verb Peres, meaning “to divide.” God’s message to Babylon was that the kingdom had been morally evaluated by God and found lacking. As a result, the kingdom would be removed from them and given to the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar was satisfied the message had been accurately interpreted and gave Daniel the reward he had promised him. A gold chain was placed around the prophet’s neck and a royal purple robe was draped over his shoulders. A proclamation was issued making Daniel the third ruler of the nation. But his term of office would be extremely short. That same evening, a sixtytwo-year-old general named Darius the Mede led his troops into the city and took control of the greatest nation on earth. Other accounts of the fall of Babylon confirm the Euphrates River had been temporarily diverted to a new channel allowing Darius and his army to enter the city underneath the wall by way of the riverbed. Because of the great size of the city, those in the outer parts were overcome before others in the center of the city even realized an invasion was taking place. According to Herodotus, the festivities continued at Belshazzar’s feast as the city was conquered. Despite the fact that Daniel had been promoted to the position of third ruler of the kingdom by the time of the fall of Babylon, Darius chose to include him in a major administrative position in his new government. The new kingdom was divided into 120 provinces with rulers responsible for the administration of each. These 120 individuals were accountable to three governors of whom Daniel was the first. “Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm” (6:3). As is often the case, Daniel’s finding favor with the new administration resulted in others becoming jealous. A group of governors and satraps conspired together in an attempt to discredit Daniel before Darius, but they were unsuccessful. His faithfulness to his superiors was beyond question. Because they could not find fault with Daniel, they chose to create a situation in which Daniel would be bound to offend his superiors. This group suggested to King Darius the writing of a special law to demonstrate the great admiration and respect they had for their ruler. The law called for a total ban on making petitions
to any god or man except the king for thirty days. It was a common practice in ancient kingdoms for people to see the head of state as a god, or at least a special messenger from the gods. When the plan was presented to the king, he liked the idea and signed it into law. The kingdom was made up of two groups of peoples, the Medes and the Persians, who didn’t trust each other. Therefore, when a law was made, it couldn’t be changed by either side. Hence, the law of the Medes and the Persians was ironclad. As had been his lifelong custom, Daniel continued praying three times daily during this period. As soon as the conspirators had their evidence, they presented it to the king. Darius tried his best to have Daniel exempted somehow from the penalty of the law, but Daniel’s enemies were quick to remind the king that a law in the society of the Medes and the Persians couldn’t be revoked. Reluctantly, Darius commanded that Daniel be placed in the lions’ den. But even as he did so, he expressed his deepest hope to Daniel. “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you” (v. 16). When Darius went to the den of lions the next morning, Daniel was there, unharmed in any way. Daniel was released and his accusers and their families took his place in the den of lions. As they were thrown into the pit, the lions caught them in the air and tore their bodies apart. PERSPECTIVE Like the first foreign ruler whom Daniel had served, Darius came to recognize the uniqueness of Daniel’s God. A decree was issued throughout the land calling on people to “tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever” (Dan. 6:26). “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (v. 28). FORTY-NINE FIVE LEADERS: Their Responsibility for the Return of the Jews (Ezra; Haggai; Zechariah) Jeremiah had warned the people God would send them into Captivity, but he had also promised them they would only be in Captivity seventy years (Jer. 25:11-12). As that seventyyear period came to a close, many of the Jews had become so comfortable in their new homeland they had no desire to return. Still, God would honor His Word. Among the leaders of the Gentiles, God raised up five servants to lead His people back to the land to rebuild the temple. The five leaders were (1) Zerubbabel, who led the captives back to the land and was appointed governor; (2) Jeshua, the high priest, who came with Zerubbabel and set up the altar and reinstituted the sacrifices; (3) Cyrus, king of Persia, who signed a decree sending the Jews to their land; (4) Haggai, the prophet whose preaching motivated the completion of the construction of the temple; and (5) Zechariah, the prophet who assisted in building the temple but also predicted the coming of the Messiah who would inhabit the land and temple.
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- Page 258 and 259: FORTY-SIX JEREMIAH: The Collapsing
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to any god or man except the king for thirty days. It was a common practice in ancient kingdoms<br />
for people to see the head of state as a god, or at least a special messenger from the gods. When<br />
the plan was presented to the king, he liked the idea and signed it into law. <strong>The</strong> kingdom was<br />
made up of two groups of peoples, the Medes and the Persians, who didn’t trust each other.<br />
<strong>The</strong>refore, when a law was made, it couldn’t be changed by either side. Hence, the law of the<br />
Medes and the Persians was ironclad.<br />
As had been his lifelong custom, Daniel continued praying three times daily during this<br />
period. As soon as the conspirators had their evidence, they presented it to the king. Darius tried<br />
his best to have Daniel exempted somehow from the penalty of the law, but Daniel’s enemies<br />
were quick to remind the king that a law in the society of the Medes and the Persians couldn’t be<br />
revoked. Reluctantly, Darius commanded that Daniel be placed in the lions’ den. But even as he<br />
did so, he expressed his deepest hope to Daniel. “Your God, whom you serve continually, He<br />
will deliver you” (v. 16).<br />
When Darius went to the den of lions the next morning, Daniel was there, unharmed in<br />
any way. Daniel was released and his accusers and their families took his place in the den of<br />
lions. As they were thrown into the pit, the lions caught them in the air and tore their bodies<br />
apart.<br />
PERSPECTIVE<br />
Like the first foreign ruler whom Daniel had served, Darius came to recognize the<br />
uniqueness of Daniel’s God. A decree was issued throughout the land calling on people to<br />
“tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever”<br />
(Dan. 6:26). “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the<br />
Persian” (v. 28).<br />
FORTY-NINE<br />
FIVE LEADERS:<br />
<strong>The</strong>ir Responsibility for the Return of the Jews<br />
(Ezra; Haggai; Zechariah)<br />
Jeremiah had warned the people God would send them into Captivity, but he had also<br />
promised them they would only be in Captivity seventy years (Jer. 25:11-12). As that seventyyear<br />
period came to a close, many of the Jews had become so comfortable in their new homeland<br />
they had no desire to return. Still, God would honor His Word. Among the leaders of the<br />
Gentiles, God raised up five servants to lead His people back to the land to rebuild the temple.<br />
<strong>The</strong> five leaders were (1) Zerubbabel, who led the captives back to the land and was<br />
appointed governor; (2) Jeshua, the high priest, who came with Zerubbabel and set up the altar<br />
and reinstituted the sacrifices; (3) Cyrus, king of Persia, who signed a decree sending the Jews to<br />
their land; (4) Haggai, the prophet whose preaching motivated the completion of the construction<br />
of the temple; and (5) Zechariah, the prophet who assisted in building the temple but also<br />
predicted the coming of the Messiah who would inhabit the land and temple.
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