Daniel Chapters 1-6
Introduction
GOD’S MAN FOR THE CRISIS
IN EVERY AGE GOD’S PLAN for humanity includes certain ordinary people who do the extraordinary: They impact history and glorify God by using divine solutions to overcome adversity. What enables these remarkable believers to exhibit virtue and courage in a crisis? They trust in the Lord and fortify their souls with Bible doctrine.
Daniel was such a man. Under the intense pressure of catastrophe Daniel’s faithfulness and dependence on the Lord distinguished him as a man with a noble purpose in life. God uses prepared believers, and this Jewish aristocrat was spiritually prepared to transform the Chaldean and Persian Empires into citadels of stability and honor in the ancient world.
With supreme confidence in the Lord and a mental attitude of tranquil composure Daniel triumphed over enormous pressures. As a teenager he resisted the brainwashing influence of pagan religion (Dan. 1), disregarded the threat of torture and death to reveal the divine outline of gentile history from Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of the great image (Dan. 2), and witnessed his friends’ deliverance from the fiery furnace (Dan. 3).
Later in life Daniel faced new peril with poise. Risking the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar, he revealed God’s judgment on the world’s most powerful monarch (Dan. 4). Again under precarious circumstances Daniel announced to Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar, the divine destruction of the degenerate Chaldean Empire (Dan. 5). In a final drama Daniel was positioned by God to administer the transition from Chaldean decline to Persian ascendancy while enduring a Persian conspiracy to eliminate him in a den of lions (Dan. 6).
Devoted
service and promotion to high office in both Chaldea and Persia placed Daniel
in the unique position to further advance the plan of God for Israel. Daniel
was truly a man for the crisis. Throughout monumental adversity he never once
wavered from divine viewpoint. His life exemplifies that any believer armed
with Bible doctrine in the soul can do the extraordinary in the midst of human
disaster.
Daniel 1
“ICE” MADE CRYSTAL CLEAR
TRULY THE WORD OF GOD is “alive and powerful,” but
our English translations, regardless of which version we use, are not always
clear. Remember: The Bible is inspired only in the original languages of Hebrew and Aramaic in the Old Testament and
Greek in the New Testament—not in English. Translations may not always
articulate the true meaning of the original text. In addition, historical
settings of the Bible include a variety of cultures, all very different from
that of our own, which affect word meanings.
Several methods of inquiry
must be used when a study is made of any portion of the Word of God. First, the
student must orient to the historical time period in which the passage was
written. Next, he must discern the categories of Bible doctrine covered and
study the passages from this viewpoint. Finally, but of equal importance, is
the analysis of the original language of the passage to accurately translate
the text. Grammar, syntax, etymology, anachronisms, idiomatic phrases are
critical to the analysis before a passage of Scripture can be interpreted. I
call this threefold biblical hermeneutic “ICE”:
Isagogics—The interpretation
of Scripture within the framework of its historical setting or prophetical
environment.
Categories—The hermeneutical
principle of comparing Scripture with Scripture to determine the classification
of doctrine.
Exegesis—A word-by-word,
verse-by-verse, grammatical, syntactical, etymological, and contextual
analysis of Scripture from the original languages of the Bible.
As we launch into a study of
the Book of Daniel, the ICE approach is essential. A great deal of historical
information must be covered in order that you might understand this profound
prophetical book of the Bible. As we have seen in previous studies, the Bible
is neither a textbook on science[1]
nor a textbook on history. However, when an historical person or fact is
mentioned, God’s Word is always absolutely accurate. Much of the historical
background of the Book of Daniel will be useful to you in orienting to several
books in the Old Testament, as well as to events in the New Testament. Daniel
and other Old Testament believers faced many extreme tests. In order to learn
the lessons from Daniel which are so apropos to our own time, we will follow
Isaiah’s exhortation:
“For He says, ‘Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on
line, a little here, a little there.”’ (Isa. 28:10)[2]
Our first point of
introduction concerns the five cycles of discipline mentioned in the Bible.[3]
Just as God disciplines His children on an individual basis when they
step out of line (Heb. 12:6), so God disciplines a nation. Leviticus 26:14—17
describes the first cycle of discipline; verses 18—20, the second cycle; and
verses 21—22, the third; the discipline meted out by God is intensified in each
successive cycle. We are particularly interested in the fourth cycle, verses
23—26, and the fifth cycle, verses 27—39, since these two are covered in some
detail throughout Scripture.
As the Book of Daniel opens, the Northern Kingdom of Israel (referred to in the Scriptures as both Israel and Samaria) was already under the fifth cycle of discipline. They had been destroyed as a nation in 722 B.C. by the Assyrian Empire. Simultaneously the Southern Kingdom of Israel (Judah) went under the fourth cycle.
The
fourth cycle of discipline is characterized by extreme economic adversities and
occupation by a foreign power. While some vestige of national sovereignty
remains to the vassal state, they are intimidated by the constant threat of
military intervention. The ever-widening influence of the controlling power is
felt in all areas of life. For many years, the little kingdom of Judah was
controlled first by the Assyrians, then for a short time by the Egyptians. and
finally by the Chaldeans.
Those people of a national
entity who fail to heed God’s warnings and continue to walk contrary to Him
(Lev. 26:2 1, 23, 27, 40), inevitably face complete and total destruction of
their nation under the fifth cycle of discipline. While the precept of
Leviticus 26 was given by God specifically to the nation Israel, the principles
apply to our country today. No nation in history has survived a continuous
rejection of the laws of divine establishment.[4]
In modern history it is quite easy to trace the decline of a nation as it
marches to its own destruction.
Three main points should be
remembered throughout the study of Daniel.
1. God blesses in adversity. Throughout the periods of intense
suffering which resulted from national discipline, God’s care and faithfulness
to the regenerate Jew is revealed.
2. God rewards spiritual
faithfulness. Between 516 B.C. and 323 B.C., Israel reached her Golden Age,
a period built upon Bible doctrine unparalleled in the history of any nation.
3. God disciplines nations. The
discipline of Assyria took place shortly before Daniel’s captivity. The
eventual discipline of Chaldea, Persia, and Greece (under Alexander the Great)
followed.
Pay close attention to the
Book of Daniel! The instructions apply should the United States ever be invaded
by a foreign power. Daniel will show you how to handle adversity and make your
life count for the Lord. Daniel teaches another great lesson: If you have
doctrine in your frontal lobe, even though you may be taken captive, you can never be conquered!
“And do not fear those who
kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able
to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28)
In 625 B.C., Nabopolassar,
an interloper, not of royal blood, suddenly appeared out of nowhere.[5]
He organized his scattered forces and took over Babylonia, which was then
under Assyrian rule. From that time on, Babylonia was called Chaldea. While
these two terms are used interchangeably, the Chaldeans were not Babylonians;
and the Babylonians were no more Chaldeans than the Scots are English.
When Nabopolassar and his
clans, called “bits,” marched on Babylon, the Assyrians declared war on him.
With the help of the Medes and the Scythians, Assyria was finally conquered in
612 B.C.
“The disappearance of the Assyrian people will always remain an unique
and striking phenomenon in ancient history. Other, similar, kingdoms and
empires have indeed passed away, but the people have lived on. . . . A nation
which had existed two thousand years and had ruled a wide area, lost its
independent character. . . . No other land seems to have been sacked and
pillaged so completely as was Assyria; no
other people, unless it be Israel, was ever so completely enslaved.”[6]
Several years later, Egypt,
as the hopeful heir to the Assyrian Empire, challenged Chaldea. At the Battle
of Carchemish on the that Euphrates River, the Egyptians were thoroughly and
decisively defeated by Nebuchadnezzar,[7]
son of Nabopolassar.
To avoid historical
confusion, one must be aware of the fact that there were three invasions of
Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. In 605 B.C., th after Nebuchadnezzar’s stunning
victory over Egypt, he besieged
Jerusalem for the first time; on this occasion, Daniel was taken into
captivity. The city was not demolished; Jehoiakim,[8]
the king, was left on the throne, but part of the wealth was confiscated.
Also, as was the custom, a number of boys from the royal line were taken as
hostages to be trained in the ways of the Chaldeans. This is the background for
our study of the Book of Daniel.
In 598 B.C., there was a
second invasion and siege of Jerusalem. At that time, the Prophet Ezekiel and
Jehoiachin (Coniah)[9] the
king were numbered among the
captives taken to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem a third time. After a siege of eighteen months, the city was
completely devastated in 586 B.C., and the third deportation took place. That was the beginning of the fifth cycle of discipline to Judah—a discipline that lasted seventy years.
DO YOU LEAVE A HERITAGE?
One principle must always be
remembered: God deals with His children in grace. Nebuchadnezzar had already
invaded Jerusalem once, looted and taken captive those whom he chose. This should
have served as a warning to Judah, but they continued to follow after the
“idols in their hearts” (Ezek. 14:3). So God provided a young prophet to warn
the leadership of certain impending discipline should the Jews continue their
apostasy. Judah was disintegrating under the fourth cycle of discipline; but,
even though it was on its way down, it was still intact as a nation.
Perhaps it is too early to predict—though all signs point in that direction—but apparently the United States is either approaching or is already in the second or third cycle of discipline. This does not mean that there is no solution. Under God’s economy, through the use of Bible doctrine, it is just as easy to return to prosperity and blessing as it is to go under the fourth cycle, then the fifth cycle and final destruction. There is an erroneous idea that each generation leaves a heritage for the generation which follows. Wrong! While one generation may establish a course of action, any succeeding generation is free to change its destiny. The future of every generation is determined by the decisions of its believers. The generation that respects authority and the laws of the land is preparing for a bright, wonderful future.
Just prior to World War II, most
teenagers in this country had respect for authority in all areas. Out of the
youth of the 1940’s came one of the premiere military organizations that has
ever existed. The adaptability of the young men and their response to
discipline, both as individuals and as a team, were exemplary. I wonder if the
youth of today could shape up to defend our country if it were invaded. Is
there still enough respect for authority and self-discipline, or would they
succumb to the enemy without a struggle? Just as today’s generation will
determine the future of our country, so Daniel and his companions influenced
the future of Judah. You will be able to make the analogy between Judah and the
United States as we take a brief look at Ezekiel 14.
Ezekiel, a contemporary of
Daniel, was a young man at this time. Daniel had already been taken hostage in
605 B.C., but Ezekiel was still in Jerusalem. As he faithfully taught a Bible
class, certain leaders, elders of Israel, came “and sat down before” him (Ezek.
14:1).
And the Lord spoke to
Ezekiel saying, in effect, “Teaching prophet, these men have set up their idols
in their hearts. They practice mental idolatry that translates to wicked overt
activities. They are destroying the initiative of the people by giving money to
the poor instead of encouraging them to work. They proclaim that everyone is
equal—a concept that will never be true. Their nation is stumbling even as they
seek pleasure and stimulation. The leaders are applying false doctrine to the situation.
Why should they inquire of Me? They are estranged from Me through their idols.
They must change their attitudes and turn away from their idols and
abominations (Prov. 6:16—19). Because they have gone so far astray, they shall
bear the punishment of their iniquity. The punishment of the false prophet and
those who follow him will be equal because of the influence on the leadership
of the land” (interpretive summary of Ezek. 14:2—10).
Because the corruption of
Judah was so pervasive, the Lord knew the fifth cycle of discipline would be
the only way to preserve a remnant of strong believers and purge Israel of
apostasy. Israel had been chosen by God to disseminate the Gospel.[10]
Yet they failed in their commission and would be temporarily set aside through
the Babylonian captivity. In this dispersion a remnant of Bible-oriented
believers would be spared and protected by the grace of God and would rise to
evangelize their oppressors and return to the land.[11]
Ezekiel, a prophet during the reign of Zedekiah (597—586 B.C.), understood that discipline was descending on Judah. So when the leadership came to sit in his class, God gave them a message through Ezekiel.
“Son of man, if a country
sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against
it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it
both man and beast.” (Ezek. 14:13)
The remnant would be survivors of this catastrophic
disaster. To survive the destruction of a national entity, one must have a bomb
shelter on the inside-Bible doctrine, the backbone of the soul.[12]
As believers understand and accept by faith principles and categories of
doctrine, this information is utilized by the right lobe of the soul. When a
believer becomes grace-oriented, he soon develops a relaxed mental attitude. As
details of life are mastered, the believer has greater capacity for life in all
areas. As spiritual strength is built in the soul through doctrine, the
happiness that God intended for him to enjoy is attained. This allows all
prosperity and adversity in a Christian's life to be handled by utilizing
divine viewpoint. This is the life of “the abundance of grace”[13]
(Rom. 5:17) that God desires for all His children. This is the life Daniel had
attained whereby God's glory was reflected. This spiritual strength in the soul
not only enables the individual to survive in disaster, but also fulfills the
preservation principle of the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13).[14]
The majority of the Jews would be destroyed; only believers with
doctrine in the soul would survive as the remnant according to the election of
grace (Rom. 11:5). God shows us this concept through one survivor-Daniel.
Although he and Ezekiel were peers, Ezekiel talked about Daniel as if he were a
giant on a pedestal, a man of supreme integrity.
“Even though these
three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were
in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only
deliver themselves,” declares the Lord God. (Ezek. 14:14) Phi
What do these three men have in common? They were
all believers; they all placed the plan of God above their own life. Noah kept
right bm on building the ark in spite of intense ridicule. Although he was in
the minority, Noah allowed nothing to come between him and his daily to Ii
fellowship with the Lord. Job, too, survived under tremendous pressure when all
the odds were against him. In Daniel we see another
hero who remains faithful to God’s plan for his
life. Divine norms and standards were so firmly fixed in his mind that even in
captivity he would not compromise.
What was the purpose of the
Holy Spirit in linking together the names of three of the great believers of
all time as though they were contemporaries? The Holy Spirit placed Daniel on center
stage of history because the omniscient Godhead knew that he was to become one
of the most unusual men in the history of Israel. Often men of genius do not
receive public recognition until several generations elapse, but the people of
Daniel’s day already recognized his many virtues. Four mighty races of people
considered Daniel an outstanding hero while he was still alive—the Jews, the
Chaldeans, the Medes, and the Persians. He was a believer and unlike the
majority of national leaders, both then and now, he did not compromise his
integrity. That is why Daniel had a long life and a fantastic ministry. Daniel
was great before God, and thousands of people received blessing by association
from his devotion to biblical principles.
THE FIRST
DEPORTATION
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. (Dan. 1:1)
After the Battle of
Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar was pursuing Pharaoh Necho who was speeding in
headlong retreat toward Egypt. The pharaoh passed Jerusalem so quickly that the
city was only a blur. However, when Nebuchadnezzar saw the gleaming city on the
hill, he brought his troops to a halt.[15]
His army surrounded Jerusalem and Nebuchadnezzar demanded its surrender. When
the gates were closed to him, a fight ensued.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar [Babylonia], to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. (Dan. 1:2)
While consolidating his rule
over Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar received word that his father, Nabopolassar, had
died. He returned to Babylon immediately. Since he had not completed setting up
his administration in Jerusalem, he needed a puppet king. Nebuchadnezzar
admired Jehoiakim for his loyalty to the Pharaoh of Egypt, so he decided to
leave him on the throne of Judah. However, Nebuchadnezzar wisely took measures
to guarantee Jehoiakim’ s loyalty to the Chaldean Empire. To make sure that
during his absence the Jews would not revolt against him, Nebuchadnezzar gave
orders to bring hostages of the royal family back to Babylon. In this way,
Nebuchadnezzar had a lever to use against Jehoiakim should the need arise.
Then the king ordered
Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials [a eunuch],[16]
to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal
family and of the nobles. (Dan. 1:3)
The word “chief’ is literally
“prince.” Ashpenaz was the minister of the royal palace, a lofty position in
the Chaldean Empire. His was an influential commission, since Ashpenaz would be
entirely responsible for the selection and training of the captives. Many of
these young boys belonged to the family of David or to other families of
nobility in the tribe of Judah. History indicates that fifty to seventy young
men were taken on this first deportation.
The objective was to train
these Jewish captives to think, speak, and act as Chaldeans for the purpose of
transforming them into qualified administrators for the Chaldean government.
Whenever a people are conquered, the best and brightest are assimilated into
the hierarchy of the overlords.
The taking and training of
hostages is customary among conquering nations throughout history. We know from
Plato that the Persians began the education of royal hostages at the age of
fourteen. The Persians probably adopted this practice from the Chaldeans.
Xenophon, the Greek historian, tells us that hostages were trained up to the
age of seventeen. The captivity of “some of the sons of Israel” is also a
fulfillment of Isaiah 39:5—7.
Youths in whom was no
defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with
understanding, and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the
king’s court; and he ordered him to
teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. (Dan. 1:4)
This verse itemizes the
qualifications that Ashpenaz looked for when selecting the king’s hostages. “No
defect” is a Hebrew idiom for outward perfection. “Good-looking” means
physically handsome. “Showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom” connotes
a superior IQ with the ability to learn and to categorize information. “Discerning
knowledge” is literally “endowed with knowledge.” The Chaldeans had developed a
skill in the sciences, including mechanics and astronomy. These boys must have
an aptitude for these disciplines. “Ability for serving in the king’s court”
indicated the necessity for poise so they might be integrated into the
administration of the Chaldean Empire. These young people were to be
brainwashed; they were to learn the Chaldean language and culture. Above all,
they had to learn to think like a Chaldean.
And the king appointed for
them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he
drank, and appointed that they should
be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s
personal service. (Dan. 1:5)
Nebuchadnezzar placed
special importance on these teenagers. They were no ordinary prisoners. Their
daily provisions were the royal food of the king, and they were given the best
wine in the palace. This program of indoctrination was to last three years, at
the end of which time final examinations would be personally conducted by
Nebuchadnezzar. While all of the chosen boys received the same treatment, our
study of the Book of Daniel concerns only the four young men who are now
introduced.
Now among them from the sons
of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. (Dan. 1:6)
Then the commander of the
officials assigned new names to them;
and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar,
to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego. (Dan. 1:7)
We tend to think of
brainwashing as a twentieth-century innovation. However, there is really
“nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). God the Holy Spirit recorded for our
benefit the brainwashing technique used to obscure doctrine. Since Hebrew names
had doctrinal significance, these Jewish boys must be given Chaldean surnames.
“Daniel” means “God is
Judge,” or “God the Judge,” emphasizing the work of Jesus Christ. First, this is
a reference to the cross, where Jesus Christ was judged for our sins (2 Cor.
5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). Second, this indicates that final judgment for those who
reject the cross is in the hands of Jesus Christ (John 5:22). “Daniel,”
therefore, stands for the entire doctrine of judgment, which begins at the
cross and ends with the Great White Throne and the lake of fire (Rev.
20:12—15).
Of all the hostages taken in
605 B.C., Daniel was by far the most remarkable. In appearance, he was
aristocratic and handsome. He was also highly intelligent; in fact, Ezekiel has
already implied (Ezek. 14) that Daniel was a genius. Since he was the most
distinguished of all, he received the most eminent of all the Chaldean
names—Belteshazzar.
“Belteshazzar” means “Bet’s
prince.” Bel was the Akkadian god, Bellu, the ruling god of the Chaldean
pantheon, equivalent to the Greek Zeus or the Roman Jupiter. Daniel was so
attractive and brilliant as a teenager that he must have looked to the
Chaldeans as though he came right from the hand of Bellu. Therefore, Daniel was
identified by his name with the chief god of the Chaldeans. This was the
beginning of the brainwashing system, but it did not work. They could change
Daniel’s name to Belteshazzar; they could change the outer man and create a
heathen facade by submerging him in Chaldean culture; but they could not change
the inner man—his soul. He may have looked like someone who had come directly
from the gods, but in this young man’s soul was Bible doctrine. This truth
could never be obscured by a pagan exterior, although the Chaldeans did not
understand this at the time.
“Hananiah” means “the Lord
is gracious.” While the name “Daniel” emphasized only the work of Jesus Christ,
“Hananiah” emphasized the persons of the Trinity[17]—God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—all of whom are gracious. This
meaningful Hebrew name was changed to “Shadrach” which means “illumined by the
sun god.” From his new name, we learn something about Hananiah: His appearance
was glamorous and he looked as though he had been animated by the sun god,
another famous deity in the Chaldean pantheon. Again we have the attempt to
obscure doctrine: blot out the graciousness of the members of the Godhead by a
new name.
“Mishael” means “who and
what is the Lord?” Grace depends on who and what God is; grace depends on His
character, not upon ours.[18]
The true meaning of grace is that none of us ever earn or deserve
anything from God. It is obvious that the parents of Mishael were oriented to
the principle of the grace of God. They realized that nothing depended upon
them, that they could not earn or deserve the approbation of God. Their son’s
name was an open testimony that they understood this important facet of Bible
doctrine. They called him “who and what is the Lord?” But when Mishael was
taken into captivity, his Hebrew name was changed to “Meshach,” “who and what
is Ishtar (Venus)?”
Certain Greek poets,
borrowing from mythology, ascribed the origin of the goddess of love,
Aphrodite, to the foam of the sea. Her name is believed to be derived from the
Greek word a)froj (aphros), “foam.” She is the irresistible force impelling procreation
and reproduction, who “strikes fond love into the hearts of all, and makes them
in hot desire to renew the stock of their races.”[19]
The Latin name for Aphrodite is Venus, and the Chaldeans called their
goddess of love “Ishtar.” The objective of changing the Hebrew name “who and
what is God?” to “who and what is the goddess of love?” was to obscure the
person and essence of God, to encourage Mishael to forget God and to live
licentiously.
“Azariah,” or “the Lord is my help,” refers to the provision of grace. Azariah’s parents no doubt recognized that God could provide for every need their son would ever have. In a sense they dedicated their child to the Lord at the time of his birth by saying, “We are his parents; we will do what we can, but the rest is up to the Lord.” They put their child in the Lord’s hands and then taught him doctrine up to the time they lost him. “Azariah” was changed to “Abed-nego,” meaning “the servant or slave of Nego.” Nego is a corruption from Nebo, which is the Akkadian name Nabu, the god of wisdom and education.
The Chaldeans revealed their
plan when they renamed Azariah. “We will train the best of these boys, and when
they have graduated from our school they will be indistinguishable from
Chaldeans.” How will this be accomplished? Nabu—the god of wisdom and
education! The idea was that through education all barriers could be broken
down, whether they be racial, cultural, political, or religious.
I want to make one thing
clear: I am not disparaging education. From experience I know that education
has many wonderful advantages to offer, and to enter a profession academic
training is essential. But education is not the solution to man’s problems.
Educated people can be just as miserable as uneducated people. Scholarly
studies have yet to provide inner peace, happiness, or spiritual blessing for
anyone. The inculcation of false ideas and concepts can destroy a soul not
steeped in Bible doctrine. Through indoctrination the Chaldeans were attempting
to change Bible-believing nobility into pagan aristocracy.
But Daniel made up his mind that
he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which
he drank; so he sought permission from
the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. (Dan. 1:8)
The key phrase in this verse
is “Daniel made up his mind.” It means that he made a decision that he would
not violate the mandates of God. How amazing that Daniel was not coerced by the
Chaldean pressures and temptations, since teenagers are usually so impressionable.
Daniel was a healthy, hungry teenager and the king’s food was probably very
tempting; but Daniel remembered the laws of his God. His parents had trained
him from infancy, and apparently he had accepted Christ as his Savior at an
early age.[20] Part
of his training had been a thorough exposure to the dietary section of the
Mosaic Law.[21] Not only
had he learned these laws, but apparently his parents had practiced strict
adherence to this code. Therefore, Daniel’s spiritual maturity was far advanced
of his physical maturity. Daniel knew that some of the meat served might be
forbidden under Jewish dietary laws. More important than that, however, was the
possibility that he would be served meat that had been offered to idols (Deut.
32:38; cf., 1 Cor. 10:18-21).[22]
Daniel looked at the king’s food from God’s viewpoint and refused to eat.
We make hundreds of
decisions daily from either a position of strength or a position of weakness.
When we fail to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to apply Bible doctrine
consistently, we can easily succumb to life’s pressures. Only a soul fortified
with doctrine can withstand the onslaught of human viewpoint and be ready to
make decisions from a position of strength within God’s plan. Teenagers in
particular face the test of peer pressure which they can meet only with doctrine. Rare indeed is the
young person who possesses the courage and true independence to resist
succumbing to the folly an rebelliousness of his contemporaries.
Yet in Daniel 1, we find not just one but four
teenagers who dare to be different. It all began in verse 8 with a decision
made by Daniel. Suddenly he had been transplanted from his Jewish environment
into the Chaldean Empire. This was quite a transition for a young lad, to b
removed from the roots of his own home life and source of spirit training. No
longer were parents, priests, and prophets available him for guidance; now the
sagacity of Daniel’s decisions would depend entirely on the doctrine resident
in the right lobe of his own soul.
The diagram below will help to clarify how we can
make wise decisions like Daniel. God’s total provision for believers in Jesus
Christ includes a grace apparatus for perception.[23]
This apparatus, called Operation Z, makes discernment of spiritual
phenomena feasible.
Human mentality in the soul consists of a left lobe and a right
lobe. When the human spirit assimilates
spiritual phenomena in the form of Bible doctrine, this academic knowledge
automatically transfers to the left lobe of the soul. Then the academic
knowledge, termed gnwsij (gnosis) in the Greek (Eph. 3:19), converts by faith to e)pignwsij (epignosis),
true knowledge or understanding in the right lobe of the soul (Eph. 4:13; 2
Pet. 1:8).
Not only does the Holy
Spirit guarantee the accuracy of the Scripture in the original languages (2
Sam. 23:2; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21), but He also teaches the human spirit
of the believer (John
14:26; 15:26; 1
Cor. 2:10-16). What the human spirit receives the Holy Spirit transfers as gnosis to the left lobe. The filling of
the Holy Spirit and our faith decision to accept the absolute truth of gnosis converts gnosis in the left lobe of the soul into epignosis in the right lobe of the soul. Epignosis becomes the basis for all spiritual reality. Epignosis equips the believer with a
thorough, practical understanding of God’s truth. Application of doctrine to
the circumstances of life comes only from “understanding” in the right lobe.
Under Judaism all children
were taught the Mosaic Law (Lev. 10:11; Deut. 6:7-9). Where a believer is
concerned, obedience to the Word of God is his first responsibility. Daniel had
doctrine in his right lobe, and applied this doctrine to his situation. Every
day that Daniel and his companions took in doctrine prepared them for the
crisis they were now facing. God only uses prepared believers. The Word of God
reveals that only Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego took a stand. The
rest of the hostages just became “good Chaldeans”; as far as we know they went
into obscurity.
Now God granted Daniel favor
and compassion [rachamim] in the sight of the commander of the
officials. (Dan. 1:9)
Once Daniel had made up his
mind to take a stand, he approached Ashpenaz. The Hebrew word rachamim, translated “compassion,”
connotes pure emotions. Ashpenaz, an unbeliever, was capable of appreciating
Daniel only from an emotional compassion, but was incapable of understanding
the source of his character. At this point, Ashpenaz recognized that Daniel was
truly extraordinary.
And the commander of the
officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed
your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard
than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to
the king.” (Dan. 1:10)
Even though Ashpenaz admired
Daniel and had compassion for him in his limited way, he could not acquiesce to
this request. Power and authority do not guarantee security and peace of mind.
Ashpenaz occupied a position of tremendous authority and power in the Chaldean
Empire, but he was a frightened person. Sometimes you may wonder why the
leadership of a nation makes rash and unwise decisions; they often do the
expedient thing simply because they are frightened. Ashpenaz knew that if his
prize hostages appeared less healthy than the other Jewish boys, he would lose
his head. So, he told Daniel, “If the rest of the boys look robust and you
fellows look sickly, I will be executed!”
While Ashpenaz was running
scared, Daniel was remembering God’s Word:
“Do not fear, for I am with
you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
(Isa. 41:10)
Daniel’s courageous stand on the dietary matter may seem
trivial to you, but as a captive his destiny was uncertain. Refusal of the
king’s food could easily have meant his death; nevertheless, Daniel pursued his
request. He knew he was right and refused to accept defeat. This brings out the
point that believers with doctrine in their right lobe are not easily
discouraged.
But Daniel said to the
overseer [hammeltzar] whom the commander of the officials had
appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, (Dan. 1:11)
“Please test your servants
for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.
(Dan. 1:12)
‘Then let our appearance be
observed in your presence, and the appearance of the youths who are eating the
king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
(Dan. 1:13)
So he listened to them in
this matter and tested them for ten days. (Dan. 1:14)
The Hebrew word hammeltzar, translated “overseer,” is
the palace officer responsible for their daily provisions. Since Ashpenaz had
refused his request, Daniel next sought help from his steward. “Why not try an
experiment with us? Serve us vegetables and water for ten days, and then
compare our faces with those of the children who eat from the king’s table.”
This was a drastic departure from the diet the king had ordered for them. The
overseer realized that not too much damage could be done in a ten-day period,
so he agreed to Daniel’s request. From the human viewpoint, this was a sporting
proposition; from the divine viewpoint, the challenge reveals the faith of
Daniel.
And at the end of ten days
their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had
been eating the king’s choice food. (Dan. 1:15)
So the overseer continued to
withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving
them vegetables. (Dan. 1:16)
“Better” means healthier.
Their coloring and overall physical condition were much improved. “Fatter”
does not mean fat flesh, but refers to the texture of their skin. The nature of
their diet not only gave them better skin texture, but the word actually means
firmer flesh.
Once again we see how God
honors His Word when believers with doctrine take a biblical stand—you can
never lose when you do things God’s way. By following the Mosaic Law, they were
not only pleasing God, they were eating foods that were healthful, and it
showed in their faces. Their victory was so complete that they never again
faced the problem of being given food and drink offered to idols.
And as for these four
youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. (Dan. 1:17)
Please notice that it was
God who did the giving. God gave them knowledge and intelligence; He provided
doctrine which they in turn applied to their experience. As a result of Bible
doctrine in their right lobes, these four youths went through the next three
years of Chaldean training without compromise and graduated at the top of their
class. Here is the principle: There is a relationship between learning Bible
doctrine categorically and succeeding academically, as the discipline required
for categorical study prepares a person for academic success.
There are two ways you can
proceed in academic life. You can study every day, or you can cram for
examinations. Unfortunately, most Christians are not studying daily—they cram.
Every time they experience pressure, they face a final exam. “What is that
doctrine I need? Where is that verse? What is that faith-rest business?[24]
Maybe I should see the pastor!” If you start to cram when you face
disaster, forget it! It is too late! On the other hand, if you learn a little
doctrine every day, when you confront pressure situations, final exams, you
will pass with flying colors and you will glorify the Lord.
Note again that it was God
who gave the knowledge. While we do not know the mechanics of how God continued
to provide doctrine at this time, we do know that learning the Word was the
impetus for doing their best in every endeavor. As a result, all four boys
possessed skills in academic perception. They all had wisdom—the application of
what they had learned. But Daniel was given a special endowment: God the Holy
Spirit bestowed on Daniel the gift of prophecy, although not the office of
prophet.
Then at the end of the days
which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the
officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. (Dan. 1:18)
Three years elapsed between verses
17 and 18. During this time, the hostages learned the language and various
sciences of the Chaldeans. They were now thoroughly prepared to assume their
exalted positions within the administration of the Chaldean Empire. The time
for final examinations had arrived, and Ashpenaz took them before the king.
And the king talked [davar] with them, and out of them all
not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered
the king’s personal service. (Dan. 1:19)
The word “talked” is the
Hebrew verb davar in the piel
imperfect, indicating an intensive examination. Daniel’s section passed with
highest honors. “So they entered the king’s personal service” means they
received positions in the Chaldean ‘State Department.’
And as for every matter of
wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten
times better than all the magicians and conjurers
who were in all his realm. (Dan.
1:20)
And Daniel continued until
the first year of Cyrus the king. (Dan. 1:21)
In verse 20 we see further
examples of God’s faithfulness. The “magicians” or scribes and “conjurers” were
men of great human wisdom, and were consulted by the king in matters of utmost importance.
Yet at exam time, the four young men were found to be ten times more proficient
than all the rest. God rewards spiritual faithfulness; He uses people who have
Bible doctrine in their souls, and fills their cup to overflowing (Ps. 23:5).
Not only did Daniel occupy a
position of authority under Nebuchadnezzar, but his influence continued through
the reign of Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 B.C.
LESSONS FROM DANIEL 1
1. God
disciplines both individuals and nations for rejecting God’s truth.
2. Religion seeks to obscure the truth of Bible
doctrine through various devices such as exchanging the Hebrew names of Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah for pagan Chaldean names.
3. Application of divine viewpoint results in right
decisions and righteous living.
4. Perception of doctrine
makes academic perception easier.
5. God honors those who put His Word first and blesses
believers with doctrine resident in the right lobe of the soul.
6. God uses
prepared believers.
7. God honors faithfulness.
8. God never leaves Himself
without a witness.
9. Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul is the
spiritual strength for resistance to human viewpoint and brainwashing.
10. No man is an island unto himself.
Since life is inseparably linked to other people, the innocent suffer with the
guilty. When this happens, God will turn cursing into blessing when faith is
exercised.
11.
A
premium must not be placed on personality and outward appearance but on character
and integrity.
Daniel 2
A RESTESS RULER
THE LIFE OF DANIEL is a marvelous tribute to the
grace of God. Daniel reveals future
historical events and demonstrates God’s faithfulness in advancing prepared
believers. Here we find the account of four young men who were truly oriented
to Bible doctrine. Thus stabilized, they were able to survive separation from
parents, their country of Judah and still maintain perfect inner happiness
through tremendous pressures and persecutions.
Daniel
and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were oyal hostages taken
to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar king of the Chaldean Empire besieged Jerusalem
in 605 B.C. Daniel’s thorough
indoctrination in the Scriptures from early youth had strengthened his resolution
to resist all brainwashing attempts. All four youths stood firmly on the Word
of God. As a result they prospered even in captivity. Upon graduation with
highest honors from the Chaldean training program they were placed in
Nebuchadnezzar’s State Department just in time to encounter a royal crisis.
Now in the second year of
the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was
troubled [pa’am] and his sleep left him. (Dan. 2:1)
Everything God wants to
communicate to Church Age[25]
believers is revealed in the Bible, the completed canon of Scripture.[26]
However, in Old Testament times God revealed His will to man by various
means:
1. Through
the written Word as it then existed (Dan. 9:2);
2. Through
the spoken Word (Isa. 6:8—10);
3. Through
dreams (Gen. 20:3—7; 3 1:10—13, 24; Num. 12:6; Dan. 2:1);
4. Through
visions (1 Kings 22:19; Isa. 1:1; 6:1; Dan. 7:7; 8:1);
5. Through angelic teaching (Deut. 33:2; Ps.
68:17; Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19).
Divine revelation came to Nebuchadnezzar
through a dream. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed (qal perfect of chalam) many dreams, and because of
their content he was so disturbed that he became an insomniac. Here was a man
who had everything. Nebuchadnezzar, fresh from military conquest, possessed
untold wealth, power, and a magnificent palace, yet he was pacing the floor
with worry and anxiety. The Hebrew says “his spirit was troubled [pa‘am].” The hithpael stem (reflexive)
connotes that the king was troubling himself Apparently the mental attitude sin
of fear had frightened him into a neurotic state. Note the principle of this
verse: Neither a position of preeminence nor personal ability can provide
mental stability, peace, and security.
True peace of mind is the
monopoly of a believer with knowledge of doctrine that he applies to every
situation. Lacking this stability, even a person as successful and powerful as
Nebuchadnezzar can become disturbed and frightened.
Then the king gave orders to
call in the magicians [chartummim], the conjurers
[’ashaphim], the
sorcerers [mekashephim] and the Chaldeans [kasdim], to tell the king
his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. (Dan. 2:2)
What a strange collection of State Department officials. As we study these categories of court bureaucrats, you will realize that human nature has changed very little through the centuries.
Magicians, chartummim, meaning “those who wrote with
a pen,” were the scribes who wrote in cuneiform. They did not pull rabbits out of a hat, but if you have ever tried to
decipher cuneiform, you would understand why they were called magicians. These
men recorded and filed all the secrets of the Chaldean religion, as well as
legal documents, contracts, etc. Brilliant in administration, the magicians
were consulted because the king hoped they could find some precedent on which
to base the interpretation of his dreams.
Conjurers, ‘ashaphim, from a verb meaning “to
whisper, to breathe, to blow,” actually refers to the practice of
incantation—the mumbo-jumbo people. And what State Department would be complete
without front men? These men were highly trained in science, mathematics, and
astrology. Their skills were used as a cover for predicting the actions of
other nations; actually they engaged in espionage and functioned as an
intelligence agency.
Sorcerers, mekashephim, were those who were
influential in handling people. Today we would call them public relations men.
One of their duties was to entertain distinguished visitors from other
countries. They also practiced the occult including necromancy and witchcraft
under the powers of demonism.[27]
Chaldeans, kasdim, the priestly caste, were a
holdover from the conquered Babylonians. Through witchcraft and idolatry they
kept the Babylonians and other conquered peoples under control and were
exceedingly powerful within the governmental hierarchy.[28]
Diviners, (gazrin), a fifth category of officials mentioned in Daniel 2:27, were the
pagan counterpart of the biblical prophets and were influenced by demons. They
possibly held the highest position of all, as they determined the future course
of action for the empire.
And the king said to them,
“I had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.” (Dan. 2:3)
Nebuchadnezzar was
thoroughly perplexed by his dream, yet he refused to reveal his dream to anyone
as he knew his staff would not hesitate to fabricate an interpretation.
However, if they could tell Nebuchadnezzar the content of the dream, he could
then rely on the accuracy of their interpretation.
Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” (Dan. 2:4)
The Chaldean language is
Eastern Aramaic. Because this portion of Scripture deals primarily with gentile
nations, a gentile language is used from Daniel 2:4 through Daniel 7, at which
point the Hebrew language is resumed.
“O king, live forever!” was the standard greeting to royalty. The rest of the verse proves how well Nebuchadnezzar knew these men. His advisers were clever and brilliant, but Nebuchadnezzar was wiser than all of them. He had outmaneuvered them; they were in a quandary; they could not interpret what they did not know, and apparently no one had the courage to venture a guess.
The king answered and said
to the Chaldeans, “The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the
dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses
will be made a rubbish heap.” (Dan. 2:5)
“The command from me is
firm” was an ultimatum: Literally translated it reads, “I have issued a
decree.” This edict was official and left no doubt as to what would happen if
the desired information was not forthcoming. Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity was
actually hanging in the balance as a result of his dreams, since he had an
ominous foreboding regarding his own destiny. The decree illustrates how
ruthless a powerful man can become when he is plagued with mental attitude sins
of fear and worry.
Not only did Nebuchadnezzar
refuse to make his dream known, but he demanded that both the dream and the
interpretation be given. Failing this, they would be subjected to typical
Chaldean execution—”torn limb from limb.” In a frantic attempt to force
results, the terrified monarch even extended the sentence to their households:
wives, children, and servants. To heap insult on injury, their houses would be
razed, their hacked-up bodies dumped on the site without burial, and the entire
area would become a “refuse heap [dunghill].”[29]
At the same time,
Nebuchadnezzar offered an alternative:
“But if you declare the
dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and
great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” (Dan.
2:6)
“Gifts” is the Aramaic word
for money; “reward” promises such things as chariots, armor, and perhaps new palaces;
“great honor” refers to promotion in rank.
They answered a second time
and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the
interpretation.” (Dan. 2:7)
The State Department officials evasively repeated their request that Nebuchadnezzar tell them what he had dreamed. They knew this was their only hope. However, the king was no one’s fool and he refused to be hoodwinked. His discernment is shown in verses 8 and 9.
The king answered and said,
“I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen
that the command from me is firm, (Dan. 2:8)
That if you do not make the
dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed
together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is
changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to
me its interpretation.” (Dan. 2:9)
It is obvious from verse 8
that Nebuchadnezzar knew exactly what was happening. “Bargaining for time” is
simply another way of saying “you are stalling,” and “the command from me is
firm” simply restated is “I have issued a decree.” He wanted them to get down
to business and give him the answers he desired. It is interesting to note that
we started out with one frightened person—the king. He now has company—a
frightened cabinet. “For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt
words before me until the situation is changed” means that until the king
either drops the matter or by some gimmick they can persuade him to reveal the
dream, their double-talk will continue.
Nebuchadnezzar obviously
realized that some of the past pronouncements made by his staff lacked an
essence of truth. In minor matters intrigues could be tolerated; however,
frightening and troublesome dreams that foretold doom for the king were
entirely another matter. Nebuchadnezzar made it clear that a guess was
tantamount to execution. Desperately he insisted that they relate both the
content of his dream and the interpretation. Nothing less would suffice.
The Chaldeans answered the
king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the
matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any
magician, conjurer or Chaldean. (Dan. 2:10)
“Moreover, the thing which
the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to
the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.” (Dan. 2:11)
Up to this time, these men
had been operating on human wisdom. Their vast knowledge of mathematics,
chemistry, and other scientific subjects made them appear to be wizards. They
could perform impressive feats which were the result of a keen observation of
nature and its reactions. They were as overwhelmed with their own brilliance as
was everyone else. God used this dilemma to demonstrate the fallacy of human
reason. As long as a believer depends upon his own reasoning power to solve his
own problems apart from the Lord, he will continue to bump his head against a
stone wall. The tremendous number of lumps the average believer suffers in the
course of a lifetime is appalling. Since unbelievers have no divine resources
to rely on in time of pressure, they are always looking for a way out. We now see
the three-gimmick defense used by these “wise men” in hopes of extricating
themselves from a shaky situation.
First they try the “there is
not a man on earth” gimmick: No one could possibly provide the information that
Nebuchadnezzar requires. Second, we see the ‘precedent’ gimmick: “‘No great
king or ruler’ has ever asked such a thing of a State Department before!”
Finally, they use the ‘pantheon’ gimmick, passing the buck to the Chaldean
gods: “The thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else
who could declare it to the king except gods!” Human wisdom had prevailed—or so
they thought—for surely the king would rescind his sentence and recognize that
the matter was out of their hands. Their reasoning served only to further
enrage the frightened king.
Because of this the king
became indignant and very furious, and gave orders to destroy all the wise men
of Babylon. (Dan. 2:12)
So the decree went forth
that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends
to kill them. (Dan. 2:13)
Nebuchadnezzar’s flaming
anger finally exploded. Not only would he rid himself of the heads of state but
“all the wise men of Babylon,” the
entire State Department. Notice that verse 13 includes “Daniel and his
friends.” This is a perfect example of the innocent suffering with the guilty.[30]
While Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had only recently entered the
Chaldean diplomatic service, they, too, would be executed because of
Nebuchadnezzar’s towering rage toward his advisers.
Once again Daniel was facing
a crisis. The vegetable and water incident in Daniel 1:12—16 was merely a
prelude to this current test. Would Daniel fall apart, or would he bring honor
to the Lord? Since early childhood Daniel had been a believer; he knew and consistently
applied the Word of God to his circumstances. The doctrine he had absorbed
every day had strengthened his soul and provided the stability of mind
necessary to become God’s man for the crisis. Suffering and pressure had
equipped Daniel so he could face any adversity in a calm, cool, and collected
manner.
Then Daniel replied with
discretion [advice based on doctrine] and discernment [application of doctrine
to experience] to Arioch, the
captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of
Babylon; (Dan. 2:14)
He answered and said to
Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel
about the matter. (Dan. 2:15)
“Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment”
is the turning point in chapter 2. Arioch, “the captain of the king’s
bodyguard,” was the head of the police in the empire, the man in charge of
palace security.
Daniel did not panic. His
life was as much in jeopardy as were the lives of the king’s chief advisers
since all faced the death sentence of being drawn and quartered. Instead,
Daniel depended on God to provide for his safety. He knew that as long as God
had a purpose for his life, no one could take it from him. On the other hand,
if Daniel’s work was finished, nothing could keep him on this earth. Either
way, he was safe in the hands of the Lord.[31]
Furthermore, he understood God’s omniscience,[32]
knew their predicament, and the king’s dilemma. God would provide a
solution, so Daniel remained relaxed under pressure.
A cool head is essential in
a crisis. An hysterical person cannot think clearly. Daniel was extremely
lucid. From the doctrinal frame of reference in his soul he was thinking divine
viewpoint; so he questioned the validity of the king’s hasty procedure. There
had not even been a hearing or a trial! Why such haste? He knew that God had an
answer to every problem in life. Daniel now needed to know what had led to this
approaching disaster and Arioch explained the situation.
So Daniel went in and
requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might
declare the interpretation to the king. (Dan. 2:16)
Notice Daniel’s mental
attitude of faith: Not for a moment did he doubt God’s ability to provide the
answer to the dream. Such confidence comes from a soul saturated with Bible
doctrine. Daniel took in the Word daily, believed it, and in turn applied it to
every situation in life. Remember that Daniel did not know the answer when he
made his request, but he knew the One who had the answer. Therefore, through
proper channels, he sent word to the king that if given time for preparation,
he could comply with his majesty’s command.
Then Daniel went to his
house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the
matter, (Dan. 2:17)
Daniel returned to his home
and faced the crisis with doctrine and prayer.34 Is this what you
would have done? Or would you have entered ‘panic palace’? Ask yourself another
question: With how many friends can you enter into mutual encouragement of
doctrine in time of pressure? Daniel’s companions were no ordinary friends but
young men who knew Bible doctrine and had the divine viewpoint of life. They
knew that God’s “compassion” is grace in action, and prayer transforms the
grace of God to positive action. Together they prayed that God would deliver
them by revealing the dream and its interpretation.
In order that they might request compassion from the
God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends might not
be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. (Dan. 2:18)
Daniel returned to his home
and faced the crisis with doctrine and prayer.[33]
Is this what you would have done? Or would you have entered ‘panic palace’? Ask
yourself another question: With how many friends can you enter into mutual
encouragement of doctrine in time of pressure?
Daniel’s companions were no ordinary friends but young men who knew
Bible doctrine and had the divine viewpoint of life. They knew that God’s
“compassion” is grace in action, and prayer transforms the grace of God to
positive action. Together they prayed that God would deliver them by revealing
the dream and its interpretation.
Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. (Dan. 2:19)
Based on the principles of Psalm 50:15, “And call upon Me in the day of
trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me,” Daniel and his friends
expected an answer to their prayer. God honored their faith and revealed both
the dream and its exact meaning to Daniel, who had the gift of prophecy (Dan.
1:17). The history of the world unfolded to Daniel from the time of
Nebuchadnezzar down through the Second Advent and millennial reign of Jesus
Christ. The communication of this doctrine to the king would result not only in
the preservation and promotion of Daniel and his companions, but would have
tremendous impact for Christ. Daniel’s worship of the Source of grace was one
of praise and thanksgiving.
Daniel answered and said,
“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong
to Him.” (Dan. 2:20)
The principle of who gets the credit is found in
verses 20 through 30. At no time was Daniel carried away with his own
importance, but gave God the glory when he said, “Let the name of God be
blessed.” Pride can never control the life when one understands that he neither
earns nor deserves anything from God. Like every member of the human race,
Daniel had a sin nature,[34]
complete with its approbation and power lust trends. We will see how
others tried to take undue credit to themselves, but through the power of the
Holy Spirit and the application of doctrine, Daniel did not succumb to this
temptation. He fully recognized that “wisdom and power” were in the hands of
God. As a result of this modus operandi, he experienced great inner happiness
and was totally oriented to the plan of God.[35]
“And it is He who changes
the times [‘idanayya] and the epochs
[zimnayyal; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise
men, and knowledge to men of understanding.” (Dan. 2:21)
The Aramaic for the word
“times,” ‘idanayya’, or xronoj (chronos) in the Greek
(the word from which we get our English word chronology), refers to a
succession of events, one following the other. The word “epochs,” Aramaic zimnayya’, Greek xairoj (kairos), means time
divided into eras; in other words, the background for dispensations, God’s
timetable of history.[36]
Daniel understood “the times” from his study of Leviticus 26 and portions
of Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11—12). He knew that all five cycles of discipline had
already occurred for the Northern Kingdom, and the fourth cycle was in progress
for Judah. He was also cognizant of “the epochs” and knew that the Jews still
had a future.
As Daniel continued his
praise (Dan. 2:21—23). he recognized that Jesus Christ controls history and
uses history to fulfill the Father’s plan for the human race. Every believer
should understand this principle: Jesus Christ both raises up rulers and
removes them. In this continuous cycle, no matter what the historical trends,
the believer simply carries on, knowing he does not represent himself but is
Christ’s ambassador (2 Cor. 5:20).
“He gives wisdom to wise men.” Who are the wise men, and what is wisdom? We find the word “wise” used in Scripture for both believers and unbelievers; however, context reveals here that only a person who has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is truly wise.
And that from childhood you
have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that
leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:15)
“Wisdom” is the application
of Bible doctrine to the believer’s experience. This can only be accomplished
by the consistent perception of doctrine under the principle of Operation Z.
The Holy Spirit provides the spiritual IQ necessary for our finite minds to
understand the revelation of the infinite wisdom of God.[37]
Spiritual
truth taught by
the Holy Spirit to the human spirit in the first two stages of Operation Z
becomes spiritual phenomena. Spiritual phenomena in the second stage is
automatically transferred from the human spirit to the left lobe of the soul,
the third stage. Bible doctrine residing in the left lobe of the soul as gnosis, or academic knowledge, is now
ready to be transferred by faith to the right lobe, in the fourth stage, to
become epignosis doctrine. The Holy
Spirit circulates this practical understanding of God’s truth into the
conscience, vocabulary, norms and standards, and viewpoint of the soul.
Regardless of human IQ, God’s grace apparatus for perception[38]
has been provided for every believer,
and can be utilized through the filling of the Holy Spirit. Daniel possessed epignosis in his right lobe for
application to the circumstances of his life.
Not only does God give
“wisdom to wise men,” but “knowledge to men of understanding” (Dan. 2:21). In
other words, you must know some basic doctrine in order to understand more
advanced doctrine. The point is clear: God gives wisdom to the wise.
“It is He who reveals the
profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light
dwells with Him. (Dan. 2:22)
“To Thee, O God of my
fathers, I give thanks and praise, for Thou hast given me wisdom and power;
even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee, for Thou hast
made known to us the king’s matter.” (Dan. 2:23)
The “profound and hidden
things” are literally the things God hides from those who are ignorant of
doctrine—in this context, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. “Darkness” refers to the
minds of unbelievers. Nebuchadnezzar knew his own dream, but interpretation was
reserved for a man with doctrine in his right lobe. In eternity past, God knew
every detail regarding each person who would ever live—Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel,
you, and me. There never was a time that God did not know every decision that
every person would ever make. Therefore, because God is omniscient (Ps. 139:4b),
He could reveal everything Daniel needed to know.
In verse 18 we saw Daniel
and his three friends in prayer. While the vision was given to Daniel only,
verse 23 makes it clear that all four of these young men understood the dream.
This is an illustration of God’s faithfulness to those who are steadfast in His
Word. Their minds were filled with answers to Nebuchadnezzar’s questions, and
Daniel was ready to go before the king.
Therefore, Daniel went in to
Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went
and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me
into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”
(Dan. 2:24)
Then Arioch hurriedly
brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have
found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known
to the king!” (Dan. 2:25)
The emphasis in verse 25 is
on the word “I.” We now see a powerful man turned into a glory-grabber. Arioch
was probably number three man in the Chaldean Empire; he had authority over
millions of people, yet he was miserable. How do we know? Because, in spite of
his high office, he attempted to gain more power and prestige. His status of
success was like a drug, feeding his approbation lust so that he constantly
sought more prominence. Arioch was attempting to take credit for finding
Daniel. He tried to capitalize on this windfall to win favor and thereby
advance himself. So he said, “Look at me, O king, I have found a man!”
How about you? Are you a
glory-grabber? Does the praise of others stimulate you, or do you apply divine
principles, have a relaxed mental attitude, and know that your promotion is up
to the Lord?
“For not from the east, nor
from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation;
but God is the Judge; He puts down one, and exalts another.” (Ps. 75:6-7)
An amazing thing happens in
verse 26. Nebuchadnezzar attempts to give Daniel the glory. First Arioch was
out of line; now the king misunderstands the source of Daniel’s insight.
The king answered and said
to Daniel, whose [Chaldean] name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to
me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” (Dan. 2:26)
Daniel now had an opportunity to take credit and to
win the approbation of the king; but again he shows his grace orientation.
God’s glory is never up for grabs. The king cannot bestow the glory and Daniel
cannot accept it.
Daniel answered before the
king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither
wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners
are able to declare it to the king.”
(Dan. 2:27)
Daniel appeared startlingly
brash to state that his superiors were incompetent. Actually, Daniel was wisely
protecting himself, as it would have been easy for these men to try to take
credit, also.
Daniel and his friends were
newcomers to the State Department. If Daniel had answered the king with a
simple, “Yes, I am able to give you the information,” all of the department
heads would have been able to claim the credit. How glibly they could have
said, “Well look, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel got that information from us. This was
a coordinated project between the departments, and that young official has
stolen the report from our files and presented it as his own work. We had made
a staff study and we had all this material ready for you.”
With the denouncement of the
wise men’s ability, Nebuchadnezzar may have thought Daniel would claim renown
for himself. Instead, Daniel gives credit where credit is due.
“However, there is a God in
heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what
will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your
mind while on your bed. (Dan. 2:28)
“As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned
to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known
to you what will take place.” (Dan. 2:29)
Daniel now states that God
is the one “who reveals mysteries [hidden things]” (cf., Dan. 2:22).
Consequently, glory must be given to God alone. No believer who is spiritually
mature would ever consider claiming any glory or credit to himself, and Daniel
was a mature believer.
The purpose of the dream was
twofold: First, to present a picture of future events; and, second, to
introduce the person of Christ to a great gentile ruler.
“But as for me, this mystery
has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in
any other living man, but for the purpose of
making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the
thoughts of your mind.” (Dan. 2:30)
One of the paramount
problems with believers today is that they do not have a relaxed mental
attitude. Once again Daniel demonstrated that he was resting in the Lord by
declaring that his wisdom was from God. This young man was the epitome of grace
orientation: He had no illusions about himself, no facade of
self-righteousness, no phony front. Daniel stood with perfect poise and moral
courage in the presence of the mightiest king in all the world. In effect,
Daniel said, “This wisdom does not belong to me. I am merely being used to
relay God’s information to you.” Daniel made it very clear that he was not a
special person—God receives the glory.
If the king had any doubts about
Daniel and his prophetical abilities, they were short-lived. Immediately,
Daniel described the image which had terrified Nebuchadnezzar night after
night.
This particular vision was
designed to give cohesiveness to history and to allow all mankind to realize
that every historical event is a link within the plan of God. An image was used
to depict the panorama of empires. During the administration of the fourth and
fifth cycles of discipline to the Jews, when Israel would be neutralized in its
effectiveness as a nation, we have the rise and fall of mighty gentile empires.
This is delineated for us in the passage which follows and explains much of the
Book of Daniel, as well as a large portion of the Book of Revelation. There
have always been people who have tried to rationalize Jews right out of the
picture. Do not ever be guilty of this type of thinking! Just remember that all history is connected with Israel in some
manner.[39]
As we read the description
of the image, notice that it is fashioned in the shape of a man. The human form
reflects man’s domination over man in the devil’s world. Every part of the
image has historical significance and is a reminder to us that man’s glory is a
transient thing. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and
forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).
Since
Nebuchadnezzar’s glory was not a passport to heaven, this was a challenge for
him to face the facts about eternity. A man may display tremendous authority
and gain control of vast areas of the world through intelligence and daring,
but all of his glamour, power, and success cannot give him eternal life. As in
the case of all unbelievers, Nebuchadnezzar had to realize that man and God are
separated by an impassable barrier[40]
which could be removed only by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. There is
no avenue to God except through Christ:
“He who believes in the Son
has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
“I am the door; if anyone
enters through Me, he shall be saved.” (John 10:9a)
“And I give eternal life to
them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My
hand.” (John 10:28)
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name
under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” (Acts
4:12)
The sole issue the king had to resolve was, “What do you think about
the Christ?” (Matt. 22:42a).
“You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single
great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was
standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.” (Dan. 2:31)
With only two phrases,
Daniel gave a global description of the image: “Large” means its appearance was
overwhelming and “of extraordinary splendor” is the glamour of the empires
represented by the various metals of the image. The word “awesome” alludes to
the strength and power of the enormous figure, and by interpretation symbolized
the strength and power of empires as they developed.
“The head of that statue was made of fine gold [Chaldean Empire],
its breast and its arms of silver [Medes and Persians], its belly
[Graeco-Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great] and its thighs of bronze
[Hellenistic monarchies], (Dan. 2:32)
“Its legs of iron [Roman
Empire], its feet partly of iron [Revived Roman Empire of the Tribulation][41]
and partly of clay [undetermined nations]. (Dan. 2:33)
“You continued looking until
a stone [eben—a stone so large it has
never been reduced in size, i.e., Jesus Christ] was cut out without hands, and
it struck the statue [Second Advent (Rev. 19:11-21)] on its feet of iron and
clay, and crushed them [Armageddon]. (Dan. 2:34)
‘Then [at the Second Advent]
the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the
same time, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors [baptism of
fire for the unbelievers at the end of the Tribulation]; and the wind
[judgment of the Second Advent] carried them away so that not a trace of them
was found [they were not allowed to enter the millennial reign of Christ]. But
the stone [Jesus Christ] that struck the statue became a great mountain
[personal reign of Jesus Christ during the Millennium], and filled the whole earth.
(Dan. 2:35)
“This was the dream; now we shall tell its interpretation before the
king.” (Dan. 2:36)
An important lesson is to be
learned from the very construction of this image. From the head to the toes, the
materials used decrease in intrinsic value. This decline is analogous to the
increasing decadence of the nations represented. It is interesting to note that
proponents of the theory of evolution contend that mankind is in a continual
state of improvement. This is not only antithetical to what the Bible teaches,
but history proves this theory to be false. Mankind is still mired in war,
crime, pestilence, famine, hate, prejudices, moral and immoral degeneracy.
“You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory; (Dan. 2:37)
“And wherever the sons of
men dwell, or the beasts of the
field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You
are the head of gold.” (Dan. 2:38)
“You, O king [of the
Chaldean Empire] ... are the head of gold.” The emergence of this dynamic
people began in the mountainous plateau of the southern part of what is now Iran
and extended down toward the Persian Gulf. Through the years they migrated from
the highlands to the swamps where they became well organized, moving out at
various times to conquer other peoples. On their forays to the north they eyed
the lush Tigris-Euphrates Valley, the Fertile Crescent, and at different
periods in history actually ruled as kings of Babylon (e.g., Merodach-baladan;
Isa. 39:1).
Nabopolassar, the father of
Nebuchadnezzar, was hired by the Assyrians to defend Chaldea against an
invasion of the Phoenicians. While historians call this a curious turn of
fortune’s wheel, we recognize from verse 21 that God “removes kings and
establishes kings.” In verse 37, Daniel makes the application to Nebuchadnezzar
personally by saying “the God of heaven has given the kingdom.” After
Nabopolassar raised his army of Chaldeans, he marched into the capital city of
Babylon in the name of the king of Assyria. He seized this opportunity to
revolt against his royal master; and from that time on, Babylon was the head of
the new Chaldean Empire. Finally, with Ihe help of the Medes and Scythians, the
Assyrian military machine was completely destroyed and, at last, Chaldea
dominated the coveted area. Nebuchadnezzar succeeded his father as king, and
under his leadership the empire reached its zenith—”the head of gold!”
Nebuchadnezzar was a great
king; but as so often happens, he had a son who was as irresponsible as his
father was reliable. He is known in history as Evil-Merodach (Amel-Marduk). His
reign of two years was terminated when his brother-in-law, Neriglissar, a royal
prince called Nergal-sar-ezer (Jer. 39:3), led a revolution and killed EvilMerodach.
Neriglissar then took the throne, but after only four years he died. He was
succeeded by his son Labashi-Marduk, who was assassinated several months later
during another revolution.
Nabonidus, though not of the
royal family, was elected ruler in 556 B.C. Historical records indicate
that he was probably sixty years old when he came to the throne; therefore, it
is not strange that his son, Belshazzar, was
made coregent early in his reign. While Nabonidus was considered brilliant, his
first love seemed to have been archaeology.[42]
Kingship was not Nabonidus’ forte, and during his reign the Chaldean
Empire fell from the glory attained under Nebuchadnezzar.
“And after you there will
arise another kingdom inferior to you.” (Dan. 2:39a)
During the rise and decline
of the Chaldeans, two main forces were constantly striving for ascendancy—the
Medes and the Persians—the breast and the arms of the image. The leaders[43]
were cousins who were sometimes hostile to each other but almost always hostile
toward outsiders. About the same time Belshazzar was made coregent in Chaldea
with his father, Nabonidus, Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the Medes,
overlords of the Iranian plateau. In 546 B.C., Cyrus seized Sardis, the capital city of the fabulously wealthy king
Croesus of Lydia. In 539 B.C.,
he swept into the Fertile Crescent and took Babylonia, the richest and most
advanced area of western Asia. Its capital surrendered with scarcely a struggle
(Daniel 5), and the head of gold
toppled! The great and powerful Persian Empire was consolidated—the breast and
arms of silver.
Many Babylonians welcomed the
Persians as Cyrus spread smooth words concerning his own goodness, compassion,
and holiness. Based on Scripture, the Jews also welcomed him.
Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the
right hand, to subdue nations before him, . . . .
“I will go before you and
make the rough places smooth.” (Isa. 45:1—2a)
Again we see the principle that God puts down one
king and raises up another.
We have every reason to
believe that Cyrus accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. It is evident that he
was an integral part of God’s plan (2 Chron. 36:22—23; Ezra 1:1-2, 7-8; 3:7;
4:3, 5; 5:13-14, 17; Isa. 44:28; Dan. 1:21; 6:28; 10:1). Daniel had personal
contact with Cyrus, and through him eventually became the chief administrator
of the Persian Empire. Cyrus faithfully carried out the commands of the Lord in
making it possible for the Jews to return to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the
temple. Just as God used the Chaldeans to punish His people in the fifth cycle
of discipline, so the Persian Empire was used to return His people to their
homeland. Not only did the Jews in Babylon receive fair treatment, but Jews
were protected throughout the Persian sphere of influence. Many nations were
evangelized and people of the ancient world were saved and are in heaven today
as a result of the Persian policy toward the Jewish people.
Following
the reign of Cyrus and that of his son, there was another king of genius,
Darius I, also known as Darius Hystaspes and Darius the Great. The books of
Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah all mention Darius; and it seems
likely that he, too, was a believer. During his reign the Babylonian captivity
(586—539 B.C.) ended and by 516 B.C. the Golden Age of the Jews
had begun.
We
discover from the Word of God that the Persians were an illustrious people.
Unfortunately, most ancient history courses imply that the Persians were
barbarians. Quite the contrary, they were an enlightened people, excellent
administrators, and the outstanding scientists of their time. They actually
laid the foundation for modern medicine and had extensive knowledge of
mathematics; some of this knowledge is still used today. In addition, the
morality of their people was certainly on a much higher plane than the Greek
civilization which followed. To show how unusual they were, “This empire was
maintained by the same family that created it, for two centuries undivided and
unbroken.”[44]
“Then another third kingdom
of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.” (Dan. 2:39b)
As the Persian Empire
gradually declined, the peoples to the west were gaining strength. The belly
and thighs of bronze of verse 32 introduce us to the Graeco-Macedonian Empire.
Since the time of Homer, the
Greeks were famous for fighting among themselves. In fact, they liked nothing
better than the challenge of individual combat or small group fighting. They
had a penchant for warfare and could possibly have dominated their world, but
there was no motivation to do so.
All of this changed when
Philip II of Macedon, brother of the king, returned from Thebes where he had
been held as a hostage. In Thebes he observed new military ideas of
organization and tactics. When called to the throne, he had already organized a
military force in accordance with these new ideas. Philip also seemed to
possess good business sense, and his judicious management of the gold mines of
Macedonia insured ample funds for expeditions of conquest.
Alexander was born to Philip
and the beautiful redhead, Olympias of Epirus. Philip insured that Alexander
received the finest training available. Despite having Aristotle as a teacher,
Alexander was a poor student and it was assumed that he would never amount to
very much.
Philip had outmaneuvered and
overpowered his opponents until a treaty was signed making him ruler of Greece.
When Philip was assassinated, Alexander took the throne at age twenty.
Alexander was to prove that his poor grades did not reflect his genius. He had
been preoccupied with things other than his studies.
Alexander put together a
magnificent army but immediately encountered a language barrier. The various
Greek recruits spoke different dialects. Under Alexander’s brilliant
administration the Hellenestic Greek was developed into a language for
communication between the troops. From this military necessity, the Hellenistic
language evolved into an international lingua franca and would be used by the
writers of the New Testament. This language was called koinh (koine), the common
language.
In 334 B.C. Alexander began his conquest
with a vengeful attack against the Persians. As his army deployed, it was
accompanied by geographers, botanists, and professional ‘steppers’ to measure
distances.[45] Alexander
went forth, not only to conquer, but to study and understand the new world he
was entering. His campaigns were successful in Asia Minor, Palestine, and then
Egypt; also he conquered part of North Africa. Finally, the old Persian Empire
was completely overrun; and with the death of Darius III, the breast and arms
of silver were succeeded on the scene of history by the belly and thighs of
bronze. Alexander the Great had reached the apex of his career.
Alexander was physically
tough, brave in battle, and outstanding as a personal fighter. Even though he
had a volatile nature, his mind was practical, and he was meticulous in
preparation. During his short life, he continued his conquests and extended his
sway from Greece and Libya to India—lands which span a distance wider than the
United States. He ventured further and won more territory than any previous
conqueror. He cast a long shadow on history and legend.[46]
Prepared for conquest by his father, Philip II, schooled in logic by
Aristotle, inclined toward recklessness by his violent and passionate mother
Olympias, Alexander was thoroughly prepared, as perhaps no other man has ever
been, to dominate the world. Like a meteor blazing across three continents, he
changed history’s course in his brief life of only thirty-two years.
The sprawling empire
Alexander had forged survived him by only a few years while his successors
fought each other for control. Ultimately, the dominant spheres of influence
were headed by four generals of Alexander’s armies—Seleucus, Ptolemy,
Cassander, and Lysimachus. This divided empire is represented by the image’s
thighs of bronze, known to historians as the Hellenistic monarchies.
“Then there will be a fourth
kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things,
so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in
pieces.” (Dan. 2:40)
The peasant shepherds living
in hovels on the banks of the Tiber eventually moved to the safety of one of
seven hills; they multiplied, spread out, and founded a city. As time passed, Rome
reached out to conquer parts of northern and southern Italy. She took her place
with Carthage in the west, while Syria, Egypt, and Macedonia were powers in the
east. This was the division represented by the legs of iron in verse 33. The
belly and thighs of bronze had been supplanted.
The struggle for supremacy
began. Countering Carthaginian aggression, Rome seized Sicily and Spain in the
Punic Wars. Next came Macedonia, and as war followed war, the empire took
shape. This inexorable expansion included Syria, North Africa, Asia Minor,
Gaul, and Egypt. The Mediterranean became a Roman lake.
Rome was mistress of the
world through military might, but she lacked the ability to administer her
possessions. Magistrates sent out as governors often looted their provinces and
returned with fortunes, leaving hatred and rebellion in their wake. The
Republic reeled from civil wars and decadence of her people, and she might have
suffered total collapse had Julius Caesar not grasped power.
Although a dictator, Gaius
Julius Caesar was a benefactor during his rulership, and the virtue of his
regime was due to his personal genius. Caesar is regarded by historians as both
remarkable and enigmatic. Though scholars have labeled him a crook, as well as
the complete and perfect man, they all agree that he towered over the world
like a colossus. In less than fifteen years he not only set Rome on the path to
a grandiose empire, but shaped the future of Western Europe, if not the world.
His brilliance on the battlefield ranged from the Black Sea to the Atlantic,
and at his death he was decreed a god by the Roman Senate. Without realizing
it, this man of fantastic achievements set the stage for the ministry of
Christ. God raised up Caesar at just the right time; there is no doubt that he
was the man for the crisis.
After the assassination of
Caesar in 44 B.C., there was chaos again, and civil wars ensued. When Caesar’s
grandnephew Octavian became the emperor Augustus, the Roman Empire was born.
Augustus did not seek new conquests, but carried forward the projects started
by Julius Caesar. Under his able administration the vast realm became an empire
of splendor. Augustus implemented the administrative policy his uncle had
initiated. This system carried SPQR, Senatus
Populesque Romanus, The Senate and the People of Rome, for about five
hundred years. For the first time the Roman world knew great peace, pax Romana, that resulted from her
overwhelming military might. During this period of stability, recognition of authority,
objectivity, and law and order Jesus Christ came into the world (Luke 2:7; Gal.
4:4), lived, and died on the cross.
There is no indication that
any of the Julio-Claudian caesars were believers, yet under SPQR the concept of
the dignity of man was upheld. People had freedom to pursue their own
businesses, and their privacy was protected. With the guarantee of personal
liberties, travel was unrestricted resulting in the maximum dissemination of
the ‘good news.’ A new generation of believers arose throughout the Roman
Empire.
But, as invariably happens in prosperity, the Roman people became self-indulgent. The self-discipline which had maintained this vigorous race was replaced by a frantic search for happiness. The loss of their perspective led to cruelty—a thirst for blood. The world has scarcely seen such depravity and decadence.
Meanwhile, the spiritual
condition of the Jews had changed. Forgotten were the lessons taught them by
the Babylonian captivity. They turned away from God and once again were under
the cycles of discipline, which culminated in A.D. 70. Jerusalem was besieged
and destroyed by the legions of Titus. By contrast, despite persecution and
discipline in the first century, the Church grew and solidified, and the canon
of Scripture was completed.
In A.D. 96, about the same
time the Apostle John died, the reign of the Flavian caesars ended. For the
next one hundred years, under the Antonine caesars, history records the Golden
Age of Rome, the Imperial Peace. The noted eighteenth century historian, Edward
Gibbon, in The History of the Decline and
Fall of the Roman Empire, said it was “the period in the history of the
world during which the condition of the human race was most happy and
prosperous.”
Once more there was peace
throughout the Empire; it was safe to travel the great roads which had been
built, and there was maximum evangelism.[47]
The Adriatic divided the Roman Empire both culturally and linguistically.
The koine Greek was the language of
those countries east of the Adriatic and, in addition to Latin, it was spoken
by every educated person in the western portion of the Empire. These two
languages were equivalent, and this has been invaluable to scholars in
reconstructing the language of the New Testament. Because of the widespread use
of the koine Greek, there was a
phenomenal response to the Word of God, and the
growth of Christianity stabilized the realm.
Over many generations, believers lost interest in Bible doctrine. Discipline from God followed in the form of barbarian uprisings. Finally in A.D. 476, the German chieftain Odovacar conquered the last of the Roman emperors and the legs of iron disintegrated. Out of the rubble of the great Roman Empire eventually emerged modern Europe.
Old Testament Scriptures
record many details concerning the empires depicted in the statue. However,
some of the passages about the empires seem confusing, even contradictory,
since they cannot be tied to any known historical event. But God is not a God of
confusion (I Cor. 14:33). There must be a connection. These events are in the
future and the key to understanding them is dispensations.
The Old Testament contains
prophecy with regard to the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus
Christ, the Messiah. Psalm 110:1 records His session at the right hand of God
the Father; but what occurs after His session is not recorded in the Old
Testament. There is silence, a parenthesis of time.
No passage in the Old
Testament reveals the Church Age. When Old Testament prophecy speaks of coming
events chronologically, any mention of the Church Age is omitted. Then the
prophecy resumes with information concerning events in future dispensations of
the Tribulation and Millennium. Between verses 40 and 41 we have such a
parenthesis. The Church Age was scheduled as part of the plan of God, but
remained a mystery to the Old Testament saints. Other examples of this are
found in Psalm 22:22-23; Daniel 7:23-24; 9:26; 11:35-36; and Isaiah 61:1-2.
The Age of Israel was dramatically
interrupted and the Mystery or Church Age began on the day of Pentecost.[48]
Since A.D. 70, with the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jews have been
under the fifth cycle of discipline. They are scattered throughout the earth
for the duration of the Church Age. Believing Jews become members of the
Church. Israel’s mission of evangelism was transferred to Church Age believers.
This will be the status quo until the body of Christ, the Church (1 Cor. 12:27;
Col. 1:18), is removed from the earth by resurrection[49]
(1 Thess. 4:16-17) and the Age of Israel is resumed (Dan. 9:26-27).
“And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of
potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will
have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with
common clay.” (Dan. 2:41)
From our viewpoint the description of the image is
historical; but from verses 41 through 44 we are dealing with future events.
During the entire Church Age there have been and will continue to be power d
struggles among the nations of Western Europe. Near the end of the present
dispensation the old Roman Empire will be drawn together again as a ten-nation
power bloc emerges. When the Rapture of the Church takes place and the Tribulation
begins, the “feet partly of iron and partly of clay” (verse 33) consolidate
into the Revived Roman Empire, which shall exist during the seven years of
Tribulation, the culmination of the Age of Israel.
The question always arises: Where does the United States
of America fit into this picture? The answer is not in prophecy; but I believe
that if this country remains a national entity, it may be reduced to the status of “clay” and as such will be
subordinate to the “iron” rule of the Revived Roman Empire. Clay is malleable
and cannot stand firm against the unbending qualities of iron.
Today the United States of America is a
client nation to God, a center of Bible teaching, evangelism, and missionary
activity.[50] We will
not, however, be a client
nation
in the Tribulation. Any nation, including the United States, without a
foundation of Bible doctrine is easily influenced by the whims of evil. When a
nation begins to
decline
the collapse from within is the catalyst which eventuates in the destruction of
the nation. As such we may be incorporated as one of the toes of clay in the
Revived
Roman Empire.
“And as the toes of the feet were partly
of iron and partly of pottery, so some
of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. (Dan. 2:42)
“And in that you saw the
iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of
men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine
with pottery.” (Dan. 2:43)
Verses 42 and 43 make
reference to the ten-nation confederation. The “iron” of the toes, kingdoms of
the old Roman Empire, will dominate the weaker “clay” of the toes. The “seed of
men” refers to the religious aspect of the Revived Roman Empire. At present,
the Revived Roman Empire exists in mystery form—ecumenical religion.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work;
only He who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. (2
Thess. 2:7)
The “mystery of lawlessness”
refers to apostate religious influences during the Church Age, all of which are
under the indirect or direct rule of Satan. Satan’s religious sponsorship masks
evil in a facade of good. Yet we know that faith in Christ and Bible doctrine
are the only means of uplifting mankind. “He who now restrains” is the Holy
Spirit who hinders or restrains evil in the world. Once the Church is resurrected,
the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit is terminated and the restraint is
off. The mystery of lawlessness becomes a revelation.
When religion becomes an
integral part of the ten-nation alliance, then the Revived Roman Empire is
complete. To “combine with one another in the seed of men” depicts the fusion
of religious and political entities. Revelation 17 amplifies this affiliation:
And one of the seven angels who
had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I shall show
you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters.” (Rev. 17:1)
“The great harlot”
represents satanic-sponsored religion, which is in mystery form today. With all
restraint removed after the Rapture of the Church, “the great harlot” presides
over a house of ten nations—the Revived Roman Empire. “Many waters” is a
reference to subjugated gentile nations.
“With whom the kings of the
earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the
earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.” (Rev. 17:2)
The Tribulation will be the time of the most intense concentration of religion the world has ever known. Ecumenical religion will accelerate its thrust under Satan’s powerful influence (cf., Rev. 17-18). Rome will be the headquarters for worldwide “immorality,” worldwide religious activity.
“And in the days of those
kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed,
and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put
an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. (Dan. 2:44)
“Inasmuch as you saw that a
stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron,
the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to
the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true, and its
interpretation is trustworthy.” (Dan. 2:45)
At the end of the
Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the “stone” that was “cut
out of the mountain without hands.” This is a parallel phrase to Daniel 2:34. A
better translation of “stone” would be “a gigantic rock.”
There are many passages of
Scripture which refer to Jesus Christ as “the Rock.” He (the Lord) is “the
Rock” in Deuteronomy 32:4 and “the Rock of his salvation” in Deuteronomy 32:15
(cf., Ex. 17:1-7; 1 Cor. 3:11). He is the “cornerstone for the foundation” for Israel (Isa. 28:16); the “stone which the
builders rejected” (Ps. 118:22; Mark 12:10); and “to both the houses of Israel,
a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over” (Isa. 8:14). “Everlasting Rock”
in Isaiah 26:4 is literally “the Rock of Ages.” Christ is the stone with “seven
eyes”—the perfect Rock, therefore, God (Zech. 3:9), and a destroying stone at
the Second Advent (Dan. 2:35, 45). In
Matthew 16:18, Christ is the
foundation of the Church.
“And I also say to you that
you are Peter [petroj, petros—a little rock or
chip], and [literally “but”] upon this rock [petra, petra—a gigantic rock, Jesus Christ] I will build My church; and
the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.” (Matt. 16:18; cf., Eph. 2:20-22)
At the Second Advent, Jesus
Christ will personally shatter and destroy the Revived Roman Empire just as He “will
crush and put an end to” previous empires pictured by the image. The removal
and judgment of all unbelievers from the earth by the baptism of fire (Matt.
3:11; 24:36—44; Luke 3:16) set the scene for the Millennium, which will begin
with believers only (Dan. 2:35). This
new kingdom will stand forever under the reign of Jesus Christ, King of kings
and Lord of lords.[51]
As part of the fulfillment of the four Unconditional Covenants,[52]
Israel will be restored as a nation. This, then, was the interpretation of
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar
fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an
offering and fragrant incense. (Dan. 2:46)
The king answered Daniel and
said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of
mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” (Dan. 2:47)
Then the king promoted
Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. (Dan.
2:48)
The Scripture is silent on
Daniel’s response to the king’s effusive reaction and opulent rewards. However,
from our study of verse 30 we know that Daniel took no credit to himself. What
wisdom he had was purely God’s grace provision. It is safe to assume that he
exploited this opportunity to further proclaim the power and might of Jesus
Christ.
While Nebuchadnezzar
recognized the existence and superiority of Daniel’s God, he did not go so far
as to accept Christ as Savior. Instead, the realization that he was the
fabulous head of gold gave him a bad case of arrogance. Nebuchadnezzar was so
impressed with his own position that he bypassed the importance of Christ, and
for a time made pride his god.
Meanwhile, Daniel was
appointed to an influential post. By contrast, he did not allow success to go
to his head. What was the difference between Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel? As an
unbeliever, the king’s sin nature was filled with approbation lust, power lust,
and ego lust. Daniel, on the other hand, had Bible doctrine in his soul; and
because he did, the sin nature was neutralized and he could enjoy his success.
As Daniel had previously passed the tests of adversity, he now passed the test
of prosperity.
How easy it is to trust the
Lord in hopeless situations when there is no other recourse. But true
occupation with Christ[53]
is most evident when the proper perspective is maintained in the midst of
prosperity. Since Daniel was grace-oriented, he immediately thought of his
faithful friends, and spoke to the king on their behalf.
And Daniel made request of
the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the
administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court. (Dan. 2:49)
So the king appointed
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to high positions in the land while Daniel was
“at the king’s court,” an office equivalent to that of Chief Justice of our
Supreme Court. In addition to his other appointments, he was actually the head
of the judicial court system of the land. God’s grace had brought Daniel and
his friends to a point of success in the Chaldean Empire—positions which would
afford them even greater opportunities to reveal the faithfulness of God.
1. Man’s
extremity is God’s opportunity: Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was the means of
introducing God to Nebuchadnezzar’s realm. God could use Daniel to accomplish
this because he was a prepared believer.
2. Human
wisdom is futile: All the wise men could not help the king; divine viewpoint
from Bible doctrine overcomes the futility of human viewpoint.
3. God
always has a man for the crisis: Daniel was ready because his soul was
saturated with Bible doctrine.
4. Great
men are often miserable or frightened. Since true happiness is the exclusive
possession of mature believers, materialistic possessions or positions do not
assure peace of mind.
5. A national crisis provides maximum
opportunities for witnessing. A believer’s demonstration of stability under
pressure causes the unbeliever to take notice.
6. Being
in fellowship is imperative for service. In fellowship Daniel answered Arioch
with “wisdom” from doctrine in the right lobe of the soul instead of hysteria
and panic.
7. Knowledge
of doctrine strengthens faith and provides confidence. Not once did Daniel
waver or falter. He knew God had the answers and trusted Him to provide the
solutions needed.
8. Fellowship
with other growing believers is beneficial. The influence of people who are
indifferent or hostile to Bible doctrine can hinder a believer’s advance to
spiritual maturity.
9. Prayer
is the believer’s ‘hot line’ to God. God has provided this grace means of
communication. The dynamics of prayer are limitless.
10. Bible doctrine provides orientation to
suffering, as well as to success. This stability originates from a consistent
intake of doctrine.
11. Adherence to Bible doctrine restores the
prosperity of a nation. Rejection of Bible doctrine results in the destruction of
a nation.
12. Doctrine is built upon
doctrine. Doctrine orients an individual to his circumstances, his life, and
his nation. Daniel is a perfect example of a believer who knows and applies
doctrine under stress or success.
Daniel 3
DANIEL 3 IS A PORTRAIT of God’s loving care and
provision for members of His family in all circumstances of life. We shall see
how God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in extreme adversity, which
proves once again that “nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
After Daniel interpreted a
dream for King Nebuchadnezzar (chapter 2), the king promoted Daniel and his
three friends to influential positions in the Chaldean Empire. This dream
depicted Nebuchadnezzar as the golden head of the awesome image, triggering his
power lust and his arrogant self-absorption. But it was God who had given
Nebuchadnezzar a great empire and permitted him to rule. Nebuchadnezzar had
recognized the omnipotence of God when Daniel presented divine revelation
concerning the king’s place in world history, but he failed to recognize the
grace of God.[54] He
abused his authority by worshiping power rather than the source of the power.
Nebuchadnezzar would seek to
consolidate his empire through religious tyranny so his own egocentric image
would continue throughout history. Since this system was fostered by Satan
himself, it was an abomination to the Lord.[55]
To understand this chapter
in the Book of Daniel and make application to your own life, you must be
cognizant of the devil’s counterfeit of Christianity—religion. Religion seeks
to win the approbation of God (or gods) through good works, while Christianity
is a personal relationship with God through faith alone in Christ alone:
“For
you are all Sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26). The Word of
God lists the devil’s ingenious imitations in the field
of
religion:
1. Counterfeit
gospel—2 Cor. 11:3-4;
2. Counterfeit
ministers—2 Cor. 11:13-15;
3. Counterfeit
doctrine—1 Tim. 4:1;
4. Counterfeit
communion table—1 Cor. 10:20-21;
5. Counterfeit righteousness—Matt. 19:16-28;
6. Counterfeit
spirituality—Gal. 3:2—3;
7. Counterfeit
modus operandi—Matt. 23;
8. Counterfeit
power—2 Thess. 2:8-10;
9. Counterfeit
gods—2 Thess. 2:3-4.
Because of pride,
Nebuchadnezzar, who was normally an exceptionally wise and prudent king, could
not handle the prosperity of prominence; he became power mad. Not content with
ruling the most extensive empire of the day, he attempted to force religion on
all his subjects. Through idol worship he apparently hoped to perpetuate the
majesty of his empire.
Nebuchadnezzar the king made
an image of gold, the height of which was
sixty cubits and its width six
cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. (Dan.
3:1)
The cubit was reckoned as
the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, roughly eighteen
inches. Using this calculation the image was nine feet wide and ninety feet
high, made of pure gold. Since the Bible calls this an “image,” it was
presumably made in the shape of a man, either Nebuchadnezzar or one of the
Babylonian gods. Let us assume for a moment that the image was half as thick as
it was wide, or four-and-a-half feet. Using these three dimensions, we find the
volume to be 3,645 cubic feet or 4,400,000 pounds. At today’s gold prices this
spectacular statue would cost over 27 billion dollars. Not only does this give
us an idea of the fantastic wealth of Nebuchadnezzar’s empire, but it reveals
the extent of his egomania.
The golden monument was set
up on the “plain of Dura.” A circular plain, Dura was probably a large open
area where athletic games were held or troops were reviewed.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king
sent word to assemble the satraps,
the prefects [ signayya] and the governors [pachawata], the
counselors [‘adargazrayya’], the treasurers [gedavrayya’], the judges
[detavrayya’], the magistrates [tiphtaye’] and all the rulers [shiltone]
of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the
king had set up. (Dan. 3:2)
Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (Dan. 3:3)
Approbation lust requires
constant stimulation, and Nebuchadnezzar was no exception. His insatiable
arrogance demanded admirers for his newest display of wealth and power.
Therefore, he called together the officials of his empire to participate in a
presentation and public dedication of the image. Let me make one point very
clear: There is nothing wrong with having materialistic possessions. Sin
results when there is a false motivation of inordinate acquisition or pride of
possession.
“Satraps” refer to political
rulers. These were executive officers, men who governed the various provinces
in the Empire. “Prefects” were the corps area commanders. The Aramaic word signayya' simply means military
commanders. Nebuchadnezzar was astute. The power in every province was divided
between the political and the military
If necessary, the king could play one against the other to maintain a balance of power and insure his control. Each province also had its own governmental organization.
“Governors,” pachawata', means the division commanders; in other words, the equivalent of two-star generals.
“Counselors,” 'adargazrayya', refers to the Chief Justices.
“Treasurers,” gedavrayya', is Persian in origin and indicated the secretary of the treasury of each Babylonian province.
“Judges,” detavrayya', an old Persian word meaning “guardian of the law,” would be the prosecuting or district attorneys.
“Magistrate,” tiphtaye', means “to give a sentence.” This office was equivalent to that of a district court judge.
“All the rulers,” shiltone, should be translated “all the subordinate rulers or officers.”
“Were assembled” refers to the convocation of all these officers and bureaucrats from each province who had gathered for the dedication ceremony. “Had set up” means that Nebuchadnezzar was responsible for the construction of the image. Although representatives of every category of leadership had been brought to the festivities, Daniel was not present. Presumably, he was on a special mission for the king. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were alone to face the crisis. Just as Daniel in chapter 2 proved his confidence in God, now was the time for his three friends to show their trust in the Lord.
Then
the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations
and men of every language. (Dan. 3:4)
Imagine thousands of people assembled
on a great plain, every eye turned toward the brilliant, golden image gleaming
in the sun. Remember, this extravagant display of precious metal was ninety
feet tall, so it was possible for everyone to see. No doubt a great babble of
voices arose as the observers exclaimed in wonder at the dazzling sight. To
regain their attention, a “herald loudly proclaimed” that the ceremony was
about to begin.
It was imperative that every
person present hear the instructions given. Note that the Chaldean Empire was
composed of “peoples,” racial divisions, “nations,” geographical entities, and
“language,” linguistic separations. So the herald moved among this diverse
throng of people to make his announcement.
This was a splendid day for
Nebuchadnezzar. Heads of state and other notables had come to admire his latest
symbol of success. Surely there had never been a potentate of such prodigious
wealth and power. To complement the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony, the
royal Babylonian band was on hand with a variety of instruments.
That at the moment you hear
the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of
music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king has set up. (Dan. 3:5)
“The horn” represented the
brass section. The “flute” represented the woodwinds or reed instruments which
today would include the flute, clarinet, piccolo, saxophone, fife, and oboe.
The string section was
comprised of the “lyre,” the ancient kithara, and the “trigon,” a high-pitched
instrument that stirred the listeners’ emotions. The “psaltery,” a ten-stringed
instrument, the great-grandfather of the piano, included all the advantages of
the guitar, banjo, and ukulele.
The “bagpipe” probably would
not appeal to you unless there is some Gaelic blood coursing through your
veins. A bagpipe simply is not everyone’s ‘bag.’ Finally, “all kinds of music”
included the various types of percussion instruments: the drum, cymbals, etc.
This was no small combo of
two or three musicians. Remember that the purpose of this music was to signal
worship of the image. The aroused emotions would obscure the reason,
conscience, and conviction of those listening. Since music is an international
language, it sets aside any natural barriers between people of different
linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Rhythm tends to mesmerize the
listener so his responses become mechanical.
Music is
often designed as a prelude—in this case, a prelude to worship. I do not know
what tune
the band played as a signal
for the people to fall down and worship the golden image, but there was no
doubt about the alternative.
“But whoever does not fall down and
worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace
of blazing fire.” (Dan. 3:6)
We know now that the plain of Dura was
used for still another purpose: This was the arena where criminals and
political offenders were put to death. Jeremiah 29:22 documents that the fiery
furnace was typical Babylonian punishment. Usually a certain amount of
festivities accompanied these executions and large crowds came to witness the
spectacle. Therefore, when the command was given to worship the image, the
horrors of the alternative were vivid in the minds of almost everyone. Probably
the flames belching from the furnace were visible to all the people assembled
there, and even believers were prone to rationalize that the Lord would
understand if they fell down before the image. Perhaps they thought, “Surely
God does not want me to die, and it will not hurt anything for me to kneel. If
I obey the king, I can retain my place in the community and continue to witness
to others. I can still have a good testimony. But if I die..
This is the same type of sloppy
thinking we encounter among many Christians today. How many times have you
heard a believer say that he was remaining in an apostate church because it
gave him an opportunity to teach the truth or because he enjoyed the social
life? If you are in a position where biblical principles are compromised on any
level, your only course of action is to leave without fanfare. Sooner or later every believer faces a situation in
which he must make a choice. The choice is between obeying God’s direct will or
heeding that which is non-biblical. Remember: God never honors compromise of His Word.
Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard
the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of
music, all the peoples, nations and men
of every language fell down and worshiped
[segid] the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. (Dan.
3:7)
“Worshiped” is the peal
participle of segid, and means “to
fall down in adoration.” Here is an example of physical obeisance without
mental consent. Religion stresses the external superficialities of conformity
and ritual, while Christianity emphasizes the internal attitude.[56]
God has given a free will to every member of the human race and He does
not tamper with volition in spiritual matters. People should always be able to
make a choice—even the wrong one. The basis of liberty is the right to choose
for yourself; Nebuchadnezzar deprived his subjects of this basic principle by
demanding that the people obey his mandate. They no longer had volition in the
matter. This represented the low point of the Chaldean Empire.
For this reason at that time
certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges [akalu qartzeyhon] against
the Jews. (Dan. 3:8)
They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar
the king: “O king, live forever! (Dan. 3:9)
“You yourself, O king, have
made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre,
trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, is to fall down and
worship the golden image. (Dan. 3:10)
“But whoever does not fall
down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
(Dan. 3:11)
“There are certain Jews whom
you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship
the golden image which you have set up.” (Dan. 3:12)
“Certain Chaldeans” were those
of the priestly caste who served as An advisers to the king. These men resented
the fact that four of the ma highest offices in the land had been given to Jews
who had been the hostages of the captivity. They demonstrated their pettiness
and jealousy by seeking to rid the empire of these brilliant men.
Jealousy[57]
is one of the most vicious manifestations of the sin nature. When someone
is successful, there are always people who are jealous. If the Lord is using
and blessing a believer, then he can expect to become the object of ‘sour
grapes.’ Never be foolish enough to retaliate against jealous people; the Lord
will handle them; do not get in His way. “The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam.
17:47b).
Vengeance is Mine, I will
repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). The the Chaldeans were consumed with
jealousy, so they “brought charges against the Jews.”
The term “brought charges
against,” ‘akalu qartzeyhon, literally
means “to eat the flesh.” This was a common Aramaic idiom for malicious
accusation. The Chaldean priests were not merely attempting to accuse them;
they wanted to see these Jews condemned to death. So they catered to the king,
flattering him with the customary homage, “O king, live forever!” Yet their
mental attitude said, “O king, let these men die!”
The Chaldeans used the subtle
approach in verse 12. Instead of naming the offenders immediately, they spoke
of “certain Jews” of implying that these men were of
an inferior race. This is a facet of anti-Semitism,[58]
the diabolical scheme of Satan to eradicate the Jews. Finally, the
subtleties were dropped and the Jews were
identified as those whom the king had “appointed over the
administration of the province of Babylon.” The innuendo implied that the named
Jews were unworthy of
their high positions and perhaps Nebuchadnezzar had made a mistake.
This also implied that the accused were ungrateful for the appointment the king
had conferred
upon them and that they had proven this by their disobedience to royal
command.
I do not want you to miss
the principle: A malicious and implacable mental attitude always motivates
people to judge and accuse others. Have you ever been falsely accused? What is
your reaction? Anger?
Antagonism? Worry? Fear? But you do not have to
react. You can maintain stability. Bible doctrine mastered and properly applied
makes the difference. Therefore, you cannot afford to spend your life worrying
about what people think. You must live
your life as unto the Lord (Col. 3:16—17).
The ingratitude gimmick was
used by “certain Chaldeans” at exactly the right moment. Nebuchadnezzar’s sin
nature was working overtime. The insinuations against Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego served the Chaldeans’ purpose.
Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage
[regaz] and anger [chema’] gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. (Dan. 3:13)
Notice that Nebuchadnezzar
never once questioned the accuracy of the accusation. He judged the three Jews
as guilty without first establishing the facts. No leader, no ruler can make a
correct estimate of a situation while under the influence of a towering rage.
Decision-making requires a cool head and tight reins on a hot temper.
Objectivity must characterize the judgment of a person who is in authority, or
else that judgment will be unfair and unjust.
Normally Nebuchadnezzar was
a very fair-minded man, but now his ego had been affronted and he was consumed
with “rage and anger.” “Rage,” regaz,
is the mental attitude sin of anger. “Anger,” chema’, literally means “furious” and is the expression of rage.
The king was not only angry, he was consumed with malevolence.
Nebuchadnezzar responded and
said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not
serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? (Dan. 3:14)
“Now if you are ready, at
the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and
bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have
made, very well. But if you will not
worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing
fire; and what god is there who can deliver [sheziv] you out of my
hands?” (Dan. 3:15)
As far as the king was
concerned, the matter boiled down to question of unpardonable disobedience by
malice or pardonable disobedience by ignorance. Hence, he asked, “Is it true?”
This i incorrectly translated and should read, “Is it on purpose?’
Nebuchadnezzar had no doubt as to their guilt, but he wanted to know if they
had disobeyed his decree deliberately. In spite of the king’ hostility, he was
no man’s fool. The three Jews were outstanding administrators and useful to the
Empire; therefore, the king gave the an opportunity to save themselves.
In a hopeless situation the
issue is always whether man will try extricate himself or whether he will
depend on God. How easily Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego could have
acquiesced for self preservation. It is part of the devil’s strategy to make it
simple for the believer to compromise. The three Jews could have appeased the
kin by making excuses as to why they could not kneel. Or they might hay said,
“O king, these men are liars; they say these things because the are jealous of
us.” However, they did not resort to self-vindication. God’s law (Deut. 5:9—10)
took precedence over the king’s decree They chose instead to rely on the
deliverance of God, regardless of the deadly consequences.
In verse 15, we have the king’s statement, “the
image that I hay made.” Nebuchadnezzar conceived the idea of the colossal image
designed it, and when it was completed the image actually became an extension
of his ego. To worship the image was to worship Nebuchad nezzar. The three
believers had to take a stand. Because the Lord w more real to them than the king
or any crisis, Shadrach, Meshach, an Abed-nego could not and would not succumb
to this pressure.
Have you arrived at the
place where you realize that your life belongs to the Lord as do your problems?
When the Lord’s way is followed, you will have happiness and a relaxed mental
attitude in spite of the circumstances.
Nebuchadnezzar had
everything except a relaxed mental attitude. I fact, he was self-absorbed and
required absolute obeisance to placate his exaggerated ego. In reality,
Nebuchadnezzar was challenging God. Forgotten was the king’s peace of mind
derived from God’s mercies through Daniel; forgotten was his acknowledgment
that “your God is a God of gods” (Dan. 2:47); forgotten was the fact that all
he possessed came from God (Dan. 2:37); and little did he realize that just as
the Lord gave, the Lord could take away (Job 1:21). In his egocentricity,
Nebuchadnezzar thought that no power in the universe could nullify his decree
or deliver those whom he condemned. When asked, “What god is there who can deliver
you out of my hands?,” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego recognized that this
constituted a blasphemous challenge to God’s essence.
“Who can deliver you” is the
shaphel imperfect from sheziv and
means “to rescue.” Nebuchadnezzar’s mention of “my hands” referred to his human
authority. Here was a case of power lust perverting the ego to the point of
disorientation to the grace of God (1 Cor. 4:7). If Nebuchadnezzar ever really
understood the message of the panorama of empires as interpreted by Daniel, he
had dismissed it from his mind.
The brief trial was almost
over. Nebuchadnezzar had asked a direct question, and he received a direct
answer.
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need [chashach] to give you an answer concerning this matter.” (Dan. 3:16)
The word “need” is the peal
participle of the Aramaic word chashach, and
with the negative means “it is not necessary” or “we are not frightened.” They
did not need to be afraid because divine viewpoint permeated their minds with
the very “peace of God” that is beyond human comprehension. What you really are
is what you think—’For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Prov. 23:7a). These men were not reckless; they
were fully cognizant of the fact that the king could snuff out their lives by
one command. Yet they were not afraid! The Bible teaches that “You shall have
no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3) and “You shall worship the Lord your God,
and serve Him only” (Matt. 4:10b). The Scriptures settled the issue for
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Unlike the Chaldeans, they did not flatter
the king or appeal to him for mercy; they simply stated the facts.
“If it be so, our
God whom we serve is able [yekil] to
deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your
hand, O king.” (Dan. 3:17)
“If it be so” expressed the fact that these three
believers recognized that their deliverance rested with the sovereignty of God.
Whether or not they died in the furnace was a divine option. God had the power
and ability to either deliver them or take them to be with Himself. When a
believer knows this principle of doctrine, then with Job he can say, “Though He
slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15a). Because these men were thoroughly
grounded in the Word of God from earl youth, they knew that they must never
make obeisance to the golden statue. When they stated, “Our God [Jesus Christ]
whom we serve, they publicly acknowledged their relationship with God. They ha
proper doctrinal orientation: While they served the Chaldean Empire in an
official capacity, they did their jobs as unto the Lord and were in His
service.
Their testimony, “He will deliver us,” refers to
God’s omnipotence “Able” is a peal participle of yekil and “deliver” is the shaphel infinitive of sheziv. We have an expression of utmost
confidence: “H is infinitely able to rescue us.” This statement revealed the
utilization of faith-rest by mature believers. Deliverance from the most
powerful monarch of that time presented no problem to God. They had His
promise:
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10)
These men recognized duly established authority in
the human realm. Therefore, at the end of verse 17 we find the words, “O king.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego knew the principles of the four divine
institution, government in the national entity,[59]
and acted in respectful manner to their national leader. However, as
believers who knew and obeyed the Word of God, they would not allow the State
to dictate their spiritual life. The State does not have the right to force
religion on its citizens, just as the citizens have no right to force religion
on the State (Matt. 22:21). Hence, these believers took a correct stand by
separating their duties to the State from their allegiance to God.[60]
“But even if He does not, let it
be known to you, 0 king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship
the golden image that you have set up.” (Dan. 3:18)
While Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego had the privilege of individual freedom of choice, they fully
understood God’s will in the matter. “But even if He does not” deliver them,
they have placed themselves under the sovereignty of God and expressed their
confidence in His decision. They had enough Bible doctrine in their right lobes
to be perfectly poised, confident, and calm in the face of impending doom. They
did not seek to earn or deserve deliverance, nor did they attempt to coerce or
bribe God; they were content for Him to determine their fate (1 Pet. 4:19).
These Jewish believers were fantastic. Few believers facing death consider the
fact that God alone determines life and death (Ps. 31:15a).
If Nebuchadnezzar had any
hope that these Jews would recant, it soon vanished. Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego did not even try to save themselves. There was no mincing of words;
there was no double-talk or attempt to placate the furious king. Without a
moment’s hesitation they said, “We are not going to serve your gods or worship
the golden image.”
While idolatry had led Judah
into captivity under the fifth cycle of discipline (Jer. 17:1—4), idolatry
afforded these three believing Jews the opportunity to take a positive stand
for God.[61] Like
Daniel these men consistently served the Lord and had the moral courage to
refuse the king’s order. This was only possible because of Bible doctrine in
their souls. The alternative was to display cowardice and rationalize outward
obeisance to save their lives.
Many years later Paul would
express this same attitude in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ,
and to die is gain.” For even though Paul had little in the way of material
assets, he had everything by way of spiritual assets on earth and in heaven.
What about the person who
has everything money can buy and yet has no spiritual assets? A look at
Nebuchadnezzar gives the answer and furnishes a pattern of misery—a pattern to
be avoided. This truly great man ruled an empire covering several million
square miles. His genius was evidenced by engineering feats, military
conquests, and brilliant administration. He was wealthy beyond calculation; he
had everything—that is, everything but happiness.
Nebuchadnezzar’s unhappiness
may have begun when nightmares robbed him of his sleep (Dan. 2). As soon as his
nightmares were resolved, he developed an arrogance problem. He bungled the
opportunity to have genuine happiness by rejecting the Gospel Daniel presented
to him. He had seen the power of God but ego blinded him to his need of
salvation. As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego stood before Nebuchadnezzar,
they saw a miserable man—angry, hostile, implacable, filled with mental
attitude sins. His fury at their pronouncement may have been heightened by the
obvious fact that they possessed happiness.
Doctrine in the soul is the difference
between misery and happiness. Three believers with maximum doctrine were
content in the face of death. One king, without the Lord, without doctrine and
orientation to grace, was miserable.
Let us assume that Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego had compromised their standards. What could have
happened? They would have been delivered from punishment, gone back to their
province, and lived a long and prosperous life. But, compromisers do not have inner happiness. One little
mental attitude sin produces misery. These three believers took a stand based
on principle and integrity. The doctrine in their souls made them happy even
though they had seemingly sealed their doom. Confronted with such fearless
resistance, the king became even more irrational in his rage.
Then Nebuchadnezzar was
filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven
times more than it was usually heated. (Dan. 3:19)
So furious was Nebuchadnezzar
that even his facial expression was contorted. In a matter of minutes his
mental attitude became so violent that his features were distorted and he lost
mental stability. Nebuchadnezzar, who had conquered the world and ruled a great
empire, could not rule his emotions (Prov. 25:28). Crazed with rage, he ordered the fire in the furnace to be stoked.
At this point his lack of control bordered on madness. Not once did it occur to
him that his order endangered the lives of his loyal subjects. Ironically
increasing the heat would not add one degree of discomfort to Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego.
And he commanded certain
valiant warriors who were in his army
to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.
(Dan. 3:20)
The Aramaic word for
“valiant warriors” means heroes, or men proven in combat, the best soldiers in
Nebuchadnezzar’s army. The lives of these brave, faithful men would be
sacrificed because their king had lost his mind. Remember, anger and loss of
stability preclude clear thinking, and when national leaders are sloppy
thinkers, there is potential for needless slaughter.
The peacetime army of the
United States was doomed at the outset of World War II. Why? Lack of clear
thinking, foresight, and courage on the part of our national leaders. The
country was not prepared for war, and when war came those men were sacrificed.
Will we ever learn?
Then these men were tied up
in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of
blazing fire. (Dan. 3:2 1)
“Then these men” refers to
the three believers who were bound in preparation for their execution. Their clothing
is listed: “Their trousers” were not pants but a tunic; “their coats” were the
fine outer garments over their dress uniforms; “their caps” denoted their ran
and “their other clothes” referred to the sash and accouterments signifying the
high office to which they had been appointed (Dan 2:49). Their clothing was
specifically mentioned because in deliverance these garments would neither be
scorched nor have the smell of fire on them.
The king’s command was
obeyed, and Shadrach, Meshach, an Abed-nego were cast into the furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar had directed that the furnace be heated to seven times its
normal temperature an now his flurry of anger reaped its reward.
For this reason, because the
king’s command was urgent and the
furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who
carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. (Dan. 3:22)
From this verse we learn a
principle: Judgment should never b made in the heat of anger. Time must elapse
for the decision to b objective and compatible with laws and principles of
divine institution number four. A good example is reactive legislation that
attempts restrict gun ownership of law-abiding citizens. Clear thinking is no
possible when individuals are controlled or influenced by emotional ism, an
undue indulgence in emotions.
Note that the circle of
consequences resulting from mental attitude sins was ever-widening. The brave
and loyal soldiers who took the three prisoners to the furnace were dead. What
a tremendous blow this must have been to the morale of the military. Their
commander-in chief had caused the sacrifice of brave men because of a rash
decision made in anger.
But these three men,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing
fire still tied up. (Dan. 3:23)
Amazingly enough, while the
men who were ordered to cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego into the furnace
were slain when they approached the tremendous heat, the prisoners themselves
were not harmed. They were thrown into the red-hot furnace, their hands and
feet securely tied.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king
was astounded, and stood up in haste; he responded and said to his high
officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They
answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O king.” (Dan. 3:24)
Nebuchadnezzar had a front
row seat for the execution. The band was silent, presumably so the screams of
the condemned could be heard. Strangely enough, there were no screams. The king
peered into the opening of the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar was shocked at what he
saw: Men simply cannot live in such temperatures. The condemned men were hale
and hearty, unharmed by the flames. The king faced another bewildering
situation. What had gone wrong? In sheer amazement, he turned to his
counselors:
He answered and said, “Look!
I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without
harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods [bar elahin]!” (Dan. 3:25)
“Four men loosed”—Shadrach,
Meshach, Abed-nego, and the Lord Jesus Christ! Three had gone into the furnace
tied with ropes or chains. Their bonds had burned away, and Nebuchadnezzar
could see the four “walking about in the midst of the fire.” The only things
the flames had consumed were their shackles, the very things which kept them
from moving. God often uses adversity to release us from the shackles of sin
which immobilize us as we walk through this life. When the shackles are broken,
we are free to walk by means of the Holy Spirit, a walk by faith.
This
historical event illustrates a tremendous principle in the doctrine of
suffering. God has designed human suffering for the blessing of the believer. Blessing
is only possible when there is a consistent daily intake of Bible doctrine,
which leads to spiritual maturity[62]
and occupation with Christ. The pattern of 1 Peter 1:7-8 then results,
and the blessing for the believer is fantastic.[63]
Remember the principle: If you are ever in the furnace of adversity,
there is only one way to cope with the situation—by faith. God will be with you
in the midst of the fiery furnace, and God will deliver you, not necessarily
from suffering, but out of the midst
of suffering (1 Cor. 10:13). In other words, He may permit the suffering to
continue, but you can ride it out in perfect peace and happiness by means of
His provisions.
These three men had reached
their finest hour—in the midst of maximum pressure, Jesus Christ walked with
them. A fire that was meant to destroy them became the wall of fire used by God
to protect them. There is never a moment of doubt for a Christian in the fires
of adversity when the Lord is present in the furnace.
If, as in the case of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, the suffering is caused by human
implacability, then the executioners become the victims, and the believer is
delivered. Also, in principle, the flame of suffering burns away the ropes that
bind and frees us for fellowship with Christ (cf., Isa. 43:2b).
Nebuchadnezzar noted and exclaimed that they were “without harm.” This
demonstrated that because of these believers’ relationships with Jesus Christ,
any place was a safe place.
The Aramaic bar elahin (Hebrew: ben elohim) literally means “a son of the gods.” Remember that
Nebuchadnezzar was an unbeliever and familiar only with the Babylonian
pantheon. Therefore, he expressed himself in terms of polytheism, ascribing the
fourth figure as belonging to a god of the pantheon.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came
near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said,
“Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God,
and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the midst of
the fire. (Dan. 3:26)
The furnace had cooled
sufficiently to allow Nebuchadnezzar to approach the door without experiencing
bodily harm. Therefore, we know several hours had passed. As the king waited to
approach he pondered the miracle he had witnessed and even recognized that no
Babylonian god could preserve life in such an inferno. When Nebuchadnezzar
called to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, he acknowledged their relationship
to the God of Israel by saying “you servants of the Most High God.” This
statement, however, did not go beyond heathen thinking; he merely considered
the God of the Jews to be a greater god than the gods of the pantheon. Although
Nebuchadnezzar had reached God-consciousness[64]
he definitely had not reached the point of salvation.
Up to this time
Nebuchadnezzar had little regard for the God of Israel who seemed to have
failed to deliver the Jews from his hand. He never suspected that he was being
used by God to discipline the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar was being afforded the
opportunity to view firsthand the power of the true God. He could accept or
reject Him.
Before the furnace incident,
Nebuchadnezzar’s only contact with the God of Israel had come from the testimonies
of Jeremiah (Jer. 39:11-12) and Daniel (Dan. 2:46-47). As mature believers,
they would not have attempted to explain the fourth and fifth cycles of
discipline to an unbeliever, since this would have only obscured the issue of
salvation. All believers should remember this principle:
Discernment of spiritual phenomena is the monopoly
of a believer who functions under Operation Z.[65]
The deliverance from the
fiery furnace would serve to open the mind of Nebuchadnezzar toward Christ.
Soul-winning is often teamwork and may involve the testimony, prayers,
consistency, and stability of many believers.
And the satraps, the
prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the
fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head
singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. (Dan. 3:27)
Nebuchadnezzar responded and
said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His
angel and delivered His servants who put their trust, [echatz] in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their
bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.” (Dan. 3:28)
Imagine the excitement of
the dignitaries who were “gathered around” near the furnace to see what was happening.
God created a fantastic witness when the officials “saw in regard to these men
that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men” (cf., Heb. 11:34). The
Lord’s deliverance was so complete the men were untouched by the fire. What an
opportunity for the officials to change their eternal future by one decision.
The Empire could easily have been evangelized by this group of prominent
leaders,[66] but
God has not seen fit to reveal how many of these men actually found Christ as
Savior.
Again, Nebuchadnezzar
verbally acknowledged “the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,” this time
as the One who “sent His angel[67]
and delivered [shaphel perfect of sheziv—”completely
rescued”] His servants who put their trust in Him.” “Trust” is the hithpeel
perfect of rechatz and means “to
trust under great pressure” or “to trust in a person.” There can be little
doubt that the king was impressed with the ability of a God who could
accomplish such a spectacular feat; but again, he was impressed with the manifestation of the power rather than
the Source of the power. The king’s
false values prompted him to reverse his former edict and formulate another
monstrous law which resulted again in the same interference with human
volition.
“Therefore, I make a decree
that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the
God of Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish
heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.”
(Dan. 3:29)
Unfortunately, King
Nebuchadnezzar had missed the entire point: He saw the miracle, but he did not
believe the message. While he was awed by the majesty and power of God, he
rejected the grace of God in salvation.
In the new decree,
Nebuchadnezzar reversed his position, clearly revealing his confusion. He had
been wrong to force his subjects to worship a golden image; yet he was just as
wrong to demand that they worship the true and living God. People must come to
Christ of their own free will; only then do they have the right or reason to
worship Him. True worship reflects adoration. Without a relationship of
adoration the genuflection is hypocrisy. Ritual without reality is meaningless.
Another point of doctrine:
Confusion and instability are not the monopoly of unbelievers. A believer out
of fellowship can commit any sin—mental, verbal, or overt—and can become
irrational. Had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego been out of fellowship, they
would have lacked the stability to faith-rest their life-or-death test.
Always remember that
State-sponsored religion is antibiblical. Believers in mistaken zeal should
never promote or uphold legislation whereby the State supports Christianity, as
this is not a function of the government. Freedom of religion is a matter of
individual volition expressing its options. Freedom demands that practicing
religion be a matter of individual options rather than be mandated by the State
as in the case of the Nebuchadnezzar decree.
When Nebuchadnezzar said, “I
make a decree,” he abandoned his attempt to force idol worship on his Empire;
however, the principle of coercion remained the same. Although he was impressed
with the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, he overlooked the fact that
God never needs the sponsorship of any king or state. Where there is law and
order in a strong national entity evangelism can be conducted under ideal
conditions. Fusion of religion and State or coercion invariably cloud the issue
of the Gospel.
Nebuchadnezzar habitually
used a system of intimidation to maintain control within his kingdom. In Daniel
2:5 the king made the same threat to
the members of his cabinet. To have them “torn limb from limb and their houses
reduced to a rubbish heap” was apparently used frequently to obtain obedience,
whether the king dealt with noblemen or commoners. Rich or poor, great or
small, all stood to lose their dearest possession—life itself. This order also
attempted to neutralize the volition of everyone but the king.
Then the king caused
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon. (Dan.
3:30)
King Nebuchadnezzar rewarded
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, although they had rendered no service to the
king by surviving the punishment of the fiery furnace. Actually, his radical
actions had given them a unique time of fellowship with their marvelous Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. No doubt in years to come they would relive
those hours within the furnace many times and regard the experience as the
highlight of their lives. God turned cursing into blessing by bestowing both
spiritual and materialistic rewards to these faithful servants who refused to
compromise.
When a man’s ways are
pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Prov.
16:7)
Psalm 37:1—10 not only
promises rewards to the believer who loves the Lord, but also, in contrast,
shows us how thoroughly God handles the discipline of those who are evil in His
sight.
Do not fret because of
evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. (Ps. 37:1)
For they will wither quickly
like the grass, and fade like the green herb. (Ps. 37:2)
Trust in the Lord, and do
good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. (Ps. 37:3)
Delight yourself in the
Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Ps. 37:4)
Commit your way to the Lord,
trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Ps. 37:5)
And He will bring forth your
righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. (Ps. 37:6)
Rest in the Lord and wait
patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because
of the man who carries out wicked schemes. (Ps. 37:7)
Cease from anger, and
forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only
to evil doing. (Ps. 37:8)
For evildoers will be cut
off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. (Ps. 37:9)
Yet a little while and the
wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place, and he
will not be there. (Ps. 37:10)
Promotion comes to those who are prepared through Bible doctrine resident in their souls, but woe to them who seek self-aggrandizement. While Nebuchadnezzar reveled in his own glory, he gave no thought to the prophecy that this power would be taken from him. Already his decline had begun because of mental attitude sins and their overt results. In Daniel 4 he would be reduced to nothing.
Daniel 4
TREES PLAY A PROMINENT ROLE throughout Scripture—the
most important tree being the tree upon which Jesus Christ died. Man’s Fall was
associated with a tree, and his salvation depends on one. The Bible states that
the one who hangs on a tree is cursed (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13). Jesus Christ
came under the curse of sin to free us from that slavery forever. For our sake
He
. . . endured the cross,
despising the shame . . . and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the
cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds
you were healed. (Heb. 12:2b; 1 Pet. 2:24)
The divinely inspired writers
of Scripture have compared man to a tree. The “blessed man” of Psalm 1:1-3, one
possessing happiness, is a mature believer. He is described as a productive
tree.
And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in
whatever he does, he prospers. (Ps. 1:3)
A believer who witnesses is likened to “a tree of
life” in Proverbs 11:30. In Isaiah 65:22, the millennial believer’s longevity
is expressed in terms of “the lifetime of a tree.” Jeremiah 17:7b-8a
pictures “the man who trusts in the Lord . . . like a tree planted by the
water,” one who is in a place of maximum blessing because he loves the Lord
with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might (Deut. 6:5).
Daniel 4 centers around images of a strong tree which was cut down at the peak of its glory. This tree represents the cursed man of Jeremiah 17:5 who “makes flesh his strength”—a perfect picture of King Nebuchadnezzar who presumed he could change the divine design of history by his own ability. Daniel 4 deals with God’s judgment and discipline of this imperious ruler consumed with arrogance.
At the end of Daniel 2 and
3, Nebuchadnezzar observed the power of the God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, and passed the point of God-consciousness (cf., Dan. 2:47; 3:28-29).
Although the king had heard the message of salvation, he rejected the gift of
eternal life. Nebuchadnezzar was without excuse.
For since the creation of
the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have
been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they
[unbelieversl are without excuse. (Rom. 1:20)
After the point of
God-consciousness, every individual has an opportunity to become a child of God
through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:26; 4:4-5).[68]
Some make the transition easily; others must be brought low before they look
beyond themselves. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case he received salvation only after the
loss of his sanity and his kingdom. Daniel 4 is actually an account written by
this king upon his restoration, describing the depths to which he sank before
he accepted Christ as his Savior.
Nebuchadnezzar the king to
all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the
earth: “May your peace [shelam] abound [sega’]!” (Dan. 4:1)
“The king” is the regenerate
ruler of the Chaldean Empire. Since this report was written after he was saved,
the narrative is retrospective exposition. Nebuchadnezzar wanted the world to
know about his salvation, so he addressed the message “to all the peoples,
nations, and men of every language” in his far-flung empire.
When a person believes in
Christ as Savior and has the assurance of eternal security, he wants to share
this information, to pass it on to others. When you tell someone about Christ,
think of salvation as your most valuable possession in the world. Not only does
this provide you with tremendous enthusiasm, but further, you will be able to
communicate the Gospel ignoring ridicule, sarcasm, or any other obstacle you
may encounter when witnessing. Every born-again believer should desire to
emulate Nebuchadnezzar by sharing the Gospel.[69]
The salutation ends with
“May your peace abound!” “Peace” (shelam) was the standard greeting of the
Ancient Near East, but this phrase is much stronger than a simple “Hello.”
“Abound” is the peal imperfect of sega’, which
indicates a tranquil, stabilized condition under all circumstances, and
concludes that a relaxed mental attitude is necessary in meeting every problem
in life. After Nebuchadnezzar was saved, he understood the only way blessing
could abound in the human race was to adhere to the plan of God.
“It has seemed good to me to
declare the signs [‘athayya‘] and
wonders [timhayya’] which the Most High God has done for
me.” (Dan. 4:2)
Verse 2 states the purpose
of the account. Nebuchadnezzar’s soul reflected divine viewpoint as a result of
his conversion. As an unbeliever, the king was capable only of human viewpoint
and demanded that his subjects participate in idolatry. But his attitude toward
God changed dramatically.
Nebuchadnezzar remembered his
own misery before becoming a believer. Although he had every material
possession a man could desire, still he was unhappy,
always seeking stimulation to compensate for the void in his life. In
contrast, he had observed three Jewish men who sought nothing more than to
worship their God;
they were supremely happy, even while facing death by fire. Because of
these amazing events, it literally “seemed good” to Nebuchadnezzar to ill
publish the manner of
his miraculous conversion.
“The signs” (‘hayya’) refer to all the accompanying
circumstances, especially the dream which led Nebuchadnezzar to accept the
truth of the Gospel. “The wonders” (timhayya’) indicate the interpretation of the
dream and its fulfillment. In other words, Nebuchadnezzar was saying, “It is
time I reveal to you all the wonderful
knowledge that has come to me concerning what ‘the Most High God has
done for me.’”
Nebuchadnezzar no longer
took the credit to himself, but attributed these “signs and wonders” to “the
Most High God.” He recognized the grace of God and wished everyone who read his
account to know he had crossed over the line and believed in the God of Israel
for his personal salvation.
Under the policy of grace,
God does all the work. Since grace is comprised solely of the work of God, the
One who does the work gets the credit. God’s total plan for mankind has three
phases:
Phase One: Salvation—Christ
did the work through His substitutionary death on the cross, and Christ
receives the glory.
Phase Two: Regenerate man in
time—Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit we fulfill God’s plan and glorify
Christ.
Phase Three: Eternity—God
the Father implements the eternal state and is glorified forever.
In phase two a believer’s
reliance on the Lord demonstrates the principle of the faith-rest technique.[70]
The believer who is growing through the daily intake of Bible doctrine
simply commits his problems, difficulties, trials, pressures, and heartaches to
the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7). He casts his
burden on the Father, who sustains him (Ps. 55:22). Remember, “The battle is
the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47).
“Do not fear! Stand by and
see the salvation of the Lord . . . the Lord will fight for you.” (Ex. 14:13a, 14a)
A spiritual life class in
which I was once enrolled at Dallas Theological Seminary under Dr. Lewis S.
Chafer provides a fantastic illustration of grace. Dr. Chafer was a superb
teacher and his examinations were thorough and tough. When one of my friends
saw the final exam, he just wrote his name on the blue book and turned it in,
despite the fact he had been cramming for days. I wrote and wrote and
wrote—four blue books full! When I turned in my exam, Dr. Chafer asked if I
wished to see my grade. I was pleased when he wrote “100”; but as he laid my
books on his desk, I saw the blank blue
book of my friend. On it, posted in red, was “100!”
I pointed out this apparent
error to Dr. Chafer, who, with a twinkle in his eye, said to me, “Look, what
you write is your business. What I do about it is mine. You see, your grade
does not depend on you, it depends on me!” From this I learned more about grace
than I ever had before. God’s grace depends on who and what He is—never on us.
He disciplines when we are out of line, but He never gives us what we deserve.
If He did, none of us would be alive; everything depends on God.
After his conversion,
Nebuchadnezzar’s life reflected a tremendous and wonderful change. How
important it was that he understood the principle of grace before he started
writing about his metamorphosis.
“How great are His signs,
and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His
dominion is from generation to generation.” (Dan. 4:3)
“How great are His signs” is
another reference to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream which was an integral part of
divine revelation. “How mighty are His wonders” entails both the interpretation
of the dream and the conversion of the king. “His kingdom” draws attention to
the future kingdom of Messiah.
Nebuchadnezzar received
knowledge through Daniel concerning his own empire and the rise and fall of
other great powers. However, in his account he spoke not of earthly
kingdoms but of an “everlasting-kingdom,” greater than any empire to be ruled
by mortal man. In effect, Nebuchadnezzar stated because of his relationship
with the Lord he was a part of that “everlasting kingdom.” Thus, the king
repudiated both the image of gold which he had built and the kingdom he had
attempted to perpetuate (Dan. 3).
“His dominion” refers to the
rule of the Lord Jesus Christ over born-again believers. While this is the
devil’s world with Satan as its ruler (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2), God never loses
control; there are always believers on the earth “from generation to
generation.” God is fair. He never leaves Himself without a representative,
even in times of maximum apostasy. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall; but
regardless of the instability of nations or the pressures individuals face in
life, God’s Word continues forever (Matt. 24:35). The Word of God—Bible doctrine—in the soul of Nebuchadnezzar or
any positive believer is the means of acquiring inner peace, happiness, and
blessing.
THE INSECURITY OF PROSPERITY
“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at
ease in my house and flourishing [ra’anan] in my palace.” (Dan. 4:4)
Verse 4 summarizes Nebuchadnezzar’s
temporal security before h believed in Christ. The king was not taking a nap or
reclining. “Was a ease” means “to be prosperous,” and makes reference to human
security. Simply stated, the king placed his hope in his position wealth, and power.
Nebuchadnezzar was not only a military genius who had conquered a vast portion
of the world, but he was also a excellent administrator. The Empire had been
consolidated, and at this point no hostile nation threatened the peace. He
could relax and flour ish having wisely delegated authority in all echelons of
his kingdom.
The Aramaic word ra ‘anan, translated “flourishing,”
actually mean to “grow green” or “to be covered with leaves” and is idiomatic
for prosperity—analogous to the vigorous growth of a tree. Although
Nebuchadnezzar, humanly speaking, had everything to make hi happy, his
possessions could not protect him from fear.
“I saw a dream and it made
me fearful [dechal]; and these
fantasies [harhorin] as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept
alarming me.” (Dan. 4:5)
As yet the king did not realize this dream was also
divine revelation from God, as was the dream of the great statue of chapter 2.
Nebuchadnezzar admits what he saw made him “fearful” (pael imperfect of dechal—’ ‘to fear, to be afraid,
terrified”).
As Nebuchadnezzar rests on
his bed, the “fantasies” (harhorin) refer
to mental images; in this case, the image of a tree. Faced with divine
revelation he could not grasp, the king became restless and troubled by the
visions in his mind. This, indeed, was the intent of the dream-vision. The
alarm was designed for a definite purpose—Nebuchadnezzar’s eventual salvation.
The power of God’s Word
often frightens the unbeliever or the believer without doctrine. Since there is
no true or permanent security or peace apart from regeneration,[71]
the king derived little comfort from his exalted position.
“For what does it profit a
man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36-37)
Many years were to pass
before Nebuchadnezzar would learn the great lesson of Ecclesiastes: There is no
substitute for fellowship with God. In the meantime, the old adage “misery
loves company” describes the powerful monarch who, immobilized by fear, called
on his State Department for help.
“So I gave orders to bring
into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me
the interpretation of the dream. (Dan. 4:6)
“Then the magicians, the
conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I related the dream to
them; but they could not make its interpretation known to me.” (Dan. 4:7)
In view of the events of
Daniel 2, why did Nebuchadnezzar not call for Daniel immediately? Still resisting
the grace of God, he deliberately bypassed Daniel and explored human viewpoint
solutions.
The magicians, conjurers,
Chaldeans, and diviners were the State Department officials Nebuchadnezzar
relied upon to interpret his dream (Dan. 2:2). Since understanding this dream
was beyond the scope of human wisdom, it is not surprising to read in the
king’s report, “They could not make its interpretation known to me.”
“But finally Daniel came in
before me, whose [Chaldean] name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my
god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, (Dan. 4:8)
‘O Belteshazzar, chief of
the magicians, since I know that a spirit [ruach] of the holy gods is in you and no
mystery baffles you, tell me the
visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.’ (Dan.
4:9)
Daniel
was the last to come before Nebuchadnezzar. There is an obvious lesson here
which applies to us. Many times when dealing with negative volition we must
leave the unbeliever alone to pursue a course of disaster. This requires great
wisdom and patience on the part of the believer. Daniel, being spiritually
mature, waited while the wise men floundered and failed. At God’s appointed
time, he made his appearance before the king. Daniel was not presumptuous; he
tried neither to advance himself nor to preempt the Lord. He knew if the Lord
does not provide opportunity for service or give authority, we are to maintain
the status quo quietly, patiently, and faithfully (Ps. 27:14; Prov. 20:22; Lam.
3:25-26).
The Bible reveals many great
believers who waited on the Lord. Among them was Joshua, who served under Moses
for forty years before the Lord promoted him (Josh. 1:5-9; cf., Josh. 3:7;
6:27). Another was David, a patient believer, who tended his father’s sheep
until the Lord opened the door of his destiny. David’s opportunity came after
forty days of crisis and failure of the Jewish army to annihilate Goliath and
the Philistine army (1 Sam. 17).
If you understand the
principle of waiting on the Lord, you will never be concerned about advancing
yourself (Ps. 75:6-7). When you are
controlled by the Spirit and learning doctrine, eventually God will use you—in
His own way and in His own time.
Daniel was ready to be used
by God. The formal address “chief of the magicians” reminds the reader that the
king bestowed on Daniel the highest ranking office in the Chaldean State
Department (Dan. 2:48). Nebuchadnezzar, even as an unbeliever, recognized that
Daniel’s power came from the supernatural source—God the Holy Spirit—and he
added confidently “no mystery baffles you.” Daniel’s relaxed mental attitude
was evident to the king.[72]
Nebuchadnezzar mentioned
that Daniel had been named after Be!, the Chaldean god (Dan. 1:7). Then he
attests Daniel was endued by the spirit (ruach)
of the holy gods (Elohim).[73] This should be translated
“the Spirit of God.”
‘Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. (Dan. 4:10)
‘The tree grew large and
became strong, and its height reached to the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. (Dan. 4:11)
‘Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,
and in it was food for all. The
beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its
branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it. (Dan. 4:12)
‘I was looking in the
visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. (Dan. 4:13)
‘He shouted out and spoke as
follows: “Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage
and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from
its branches. (Dan. 4:14)
“Yet leave the stump with
its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the
dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
(Dan.
4:15)
“Let his mind be changed
from that of a man, and let a beast’s mind be given
to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. (Dan. 4:16)
‘This sentence is by the
decree of the angelic watchers, and the decision is a command
of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler
over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets over it
the lowliest of men.” (Dan. 4:17)
‘This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me
its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able
to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the
holy gods [Spirit of God] is in you.’ (Dan. 4:18)
The vision of the “tree” is
a symbolic representation much like the parables of the New Testament. The
basic narrative can be understood by anyone, but only a believer mature in the
Word can make the spiritual application. The image of the tree itself presented
no problem to Nebuchadnezzar; but when that image was turned into a man, he
failed to see the significance. Flustered and fearful, he suspected this tree
applied to himself.
Since every soul has
capacity to develop a frame of reference, all that we learn forms a foundation
for advanced knowledge.[74]
This not only applies in the human realm, but also in the spiritual
realm. Both the conscious and the subconscious areas of the mind use
information stored in the frame of reference. Nebuchadnezzar remembered a
previous vision prophesied his zenith as well as his downfall; perhaps he had
correlated that information with the new vision. Sensing there were divine
implications and having exhausted all human resources, the king once again
sought the interpretation through Daniel.
“Then Daniel, whose name is
Belteshazzar, was appalled [shemam] for a while as his thoughts alarmed [behal] him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream
or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who
hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries!”’ (Dan. 4:19)
“Was appalled” is the
ithpoel perfect of shemam. Daniel was
literalIy shocked into silence “for a while” by his thoughts which “alarmed”
him (pael imperfect of behal). Bearing
bad news is always unpleasant, but the concern and compassion of Daniel for
Nebuchadnezzar made his task an especially arduous one. When the king observed
Daniel’s hesitation, he in effect urged him, “Don’t hold back on my account.
Let the chips fall where they may!” At this point Daniel was painfully aware of
Nebuchadnezzar’s fate—a disaster which, when revealed, would be welcome news to
all his enemies.
‘The tree that you saw,
which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was
visible to all the earth, (Dan. 4:20)
‘and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,
and in which was food for all, under
which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky
lodged—(Dan. 4:21)
‘it is you, O king; for you
have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and
reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth.’ (Dan.
4:22)
The tree depicted
Nebuchadnezzar. But the height and strength that “reached to the sky”
represented the pinnacle of the Chaldean Empire, which began under Nabopolassar
and continued under his son, Nebuchadnezzar. This already vigorous tree
“visible to all the earth” grew spectacularly and stabilized after
Nebuchadnezzar’s stunning victory at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. With
his defeat of the Egyptians, vast lands and peoples came under Chaldean
control, and Nebuchadnezzar became the preeminent ruler of his time. His brilliance
as a military commander, statesman, and architect is recorded historically in
biblical and extrabiblical sources.
Verse 21 documents the ascendancy
of Nebuchadnezzar’s empire. His military conquests brought great kingdoms under
his aegis. The genius of his effective governance cast a protective shadow in
which even “the beasts of the field” and “birds of the sky” were protected.
Great prosperity was established in a free enterprise agricultural economy.
There was “food for all” and other material blessings for his subjects. Yet
there was more—glamour! The beautiful “foliage” and abundant “fruit” of the
great tree reflect the grandeur and splendor of the king’s court.
‘And in that the king saw an
angelic watcher, a holy one,
descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet
leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and
bronze around it in the new grass of
the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share
with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him.”’ (Dan.
4:23)
In Daniel 4, verses 13 and
23, both words “watcher” and “a holy one” refer to reconnaissance angels who
report their observations of earthly events to other angelic hosts. Likewise,
Jeremiah 4:16—17 contains an additional description of watcher angels. Watcher
angels “lift their voice against the cities of Judah . . . ‘because she [Judah]
has rebelled against Me,’ declares the Lord.” These angels were utilized by the
Lord in announcing Israel’s fifth cycle of discipline. They are further
described in Psalm 103:20—21.
Just as angels censured
Judah, they also condemned Nebuchadnezzar. Their “decree. . . and . . .
command” (Dan. 4:17) were that he be placed under judgment. The purpose was:
“In order that the living [Homo sapiens] may know [peal imperfect of yeda’] that the Most High [God the Father] is
ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it [rulership] on whom He wishes.”
(Dan. 4: 17b)
In other words, Nebuchadnezzar, to whom the Lord had
given tremendous leadership responsibility, had abused his authority. He
manifested supreme arrogance.
After the angels evaluated
Nebuchadnezzar, the tree, the sentence was pronounced to “chop [him] down . . .
and destroy [him].” Chopping or cutting designates judgment. In Matthew 3:10,
referring to the baptism of fire, unproductive trees must be chopped down.[75]
Luke 13:7 has a similar passage which demands that the fig tree without
fruit be “cut down.” Both “tree” references describe unregenerate man. However,
God always extends grace before judgment. Like those trees or unbelievers in
the New Testament that had been given the Gospel message, Nebuchadnezzar would
have an opportunity to understand salvation through faith in the coming
Messiah.
The flourishing tree visible
“to all the earth” (verses 11 and 20) would soon be gone. Only the “stump”
would be left—Nebuchadnezzar would lose his power and glory, but his life
would be preserved. Even though the king could not interpret the dream, he obviously
related the disaster to himself. Yet, he must have been puzzled about that
“stump.”
In His omniscience God knew Nebuchadnezzar
had positive volition at the point of God-consciousness. God also knew that the
king’s inordinate pride kept him from responding to the Gospel message. When
the mind is captured by self-importance, open-minded response is not possible;
egotism conquers and enslaves. A person no longer operates objectively, but
arrogantly concentrates only on himself. This principle applies not only to
unbelievers, but to believers who succumb to the arrogance complex.[76]
They become indifferent to doctrine because doctrine does not stimulate
their inflated self-image. To enforce humility in the arrogant person, God uses
divine discipline.
“God is opposed to [makes
war on] the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6b)
Nebuchadnezzar’s own
pre-salvation vision pronounced his judgment. But the grace of God kept the
king alive while his pride was being neutralized. When this was accomplished,
Nebuchadnezzar would look beyond himself and believe in the living God.
The command to “leave the
stump with its roots in the ground” illustrates a principle you should never
forget: As long as you are alive, God still has a purpose for your life. In the
ancient world “a band of iron and bronze” was used to keep the stump of a
felled tree from splitting, making it possible for the tree to grow again. This
band was God’s grace provision for Nebuchadnezzar’s recovery during his period
of judgment, thereby providing even greater opportunities for the king in the
future. Before this could occur Nebuchadnezzar would find himself sharing food
“with the beasts of the field” (Dan. 4:32). Verse 16 describes the nature of
Nebuchadnezzar’s judgment: “Let his mind be changed [shena’] from that of a
man, and let a beast’s mind be given [yehav] to him; and let seven periods of time pass
over him.” Nebuchadnezzar acquired a mental illness known as zoanthropy, a
monomania in which a person believes himself changed into an animal and acts
like one.
The pad imperfect of shena’ tells us Nebuchadnezzar’s mind
(literally, the mentality of his soul) would be changed—completely altered.
This condition did not occur instantaneously. “Be given to him” is the hithpeel
imperfect of yehav and indicates
Nebuchadnezzar brought this divine judgment on himself. The progress of
Nebuchadnezzar’s mental degeneracy is easy to follow. Throughout the first few
chapters of the Book of Daniel, the advance of mental attitude sins in the king
is readily apparent: approbation lust, power lust, pride, implacability. His
mind became distorted, and without norms and standards Nebuchadnezzar began to
think and act like an animal. Principle: Through mental attitude sins we
produce our own misery.
Unchecked over long periods
of time, mental attitude sins can inevitably lead to neurosis or psychosis.
These sins always involve others in our periphery. Therefore, the Word of God
commands that we confess our sins promptly to the Lord (1 John 1:9).[77]
Just as Nebuchadnezzar induced his own mental illness and temporarily lost his
kingdom, likewise today we find people suffering from mental breakdowns
produced by every category of sin. Mental attitude sins are also the underlying
cause of drug addiction and alcoholism.
Further, in Daniel 4:16 we
read “and let seven periods of time pass over him”—peal imperfect of (chalaph) meaning “to pass by.”[78]
His psychotic condition would last for seven years. Not until then would the
king respond to the Gospel.
After Daniel completed the
interpretation, he continued to explain God’s decree and all that concerned the
king regarding the stump which remained.
‘This is the interpretation,
O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord
the king:
(Dan. 4:24)
‘that you be driven away from
mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be
given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and
seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most
High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.
(Dan. 4:25)
‘And in that it was
commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be
assured to you after you recognize that it
is Heaven that rules. (Dan. 4:26)
‘Therefore, O king, may my
advice be pleasing [shephar] to you: break away [peraq] now from your sins by doing righteousness,
and from your iniquities by showing mercy [chanan] to the
poor [‘anayin], in case there may be a prolonging of
your prosperity.’ (Dan. 4:27)
When Daniel proposed to give
pleasing “advice” to the king, he was offering Nebuchadnezzar divine
viewpoint—the easy and only way out of impending disaster. “Be pleasing” is the
peal imperfect of shephar, meaning
literally “let my doctrine be pleasure to you.” Because God is gracious, He
never judges without first giving warning and the opportunity of repentance
(change of mind). In this case, repentance refers to receiving Christ as
Savior.
Was it audacity on Daniel’s
part to tell his liege lord to stop sinning? No! The dream was divine
revelation, and doctrine in Daniel’s soul motivated concern for his sovereign.
Also a relaxed mental attitude precluded fear of the consequences. Daniel knew
his own destiny was firmly in God’s hands.
The peal imperative of peraq means “to shatter in pieces.”
Daniel’s advice to “break away from your sins” refers to a shattering of
Nebuchadnezzar’s mental attitude sins of pride and egotism. This shattering
would be accomplished “by righteousness”—the imputed righteousness every
born-again person receives at the moment of salvation (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 3:22;
4:1-7). Daniel’s “advice” was an urgent appeal for Nebuchadnezzar to accept
salvation by faith in Christ. Standing before the mighty potentate of Chaldea,
Daniel represented the claims of the Sovereign of the universe.
No one questions
Nebuchadnezzar’s magnificence, part of which can be attributed to his personal
character and ability. Even as an unbeliever, his norms and standards were
excellent. But arrogance bloated his ego. His stability faltered. He became
less than benevolent and loyal to his subjects. His moral decline was the
natural result of coming face-to-face with the power of God and rejecting His
grace. By the time of the “fiery furnace” in Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar’s clear
thinking had been obliterated by rage, jealousy, and other mental attitude
sins. He even sacrificed top military personnel to appease his power lust. This
degeneracy affected all of Nebuchadnezzar’s subjects. He ignored their rights
and individual dignity, resulting in poverty and deprivation. Daniel’s appeal
to show “mercy” is the peal infinitive of chanan,
meaning “to be gracious,” and had reference “to the poor” (‘anayin, literally “the ones being
oppressed”).
This would not be the last
time history would record incidents of oppression and exploitation: The Jews
under Egyptian tyranny, the yeoman class of the Roman Republic, the peasants
under the French Revolution. Today and until the end of human history, the
world remains filled with people oppressed by self-serving, evil tyrants.
Daniel closed his appeal by
reminding the king that tranquility and peace of mind come from obedience to
God. Like many unbelievers who refuse God’s gift of salvation, Nebuchadnezzar
chose the hard way by continuing his narcissistic trend. Every lesson in life
is learned either ‘the easy way’ or ‘the hard way.’ Each person chooses his own
course.
God does not preempt human
volition but is faithful in keeping His Word. He promises when anyone reaches
God-consciousness and responds positively, He will provide information whereby
that person can be saved.[79]
In Nebuchadnezzar’s case, receptiveness to the Gospel was impossible
because of his excessive pride that completely obscured his need for a Savior.
But God knew exactly what was necessary to deflate this man’s exaggerated ego.
The Word of God does not tell us if the king was troubled by Daniel’s
disclosure. We are told he was given a full year (Dan. 4:29) to make a decision
and be spared the judgment delineated for him by Daniel.
“All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. (Dan. 4:28)
“Twelve months later he was
walking on the roof of the royal
palace of Babylon. (Dan. 4:29)
‘The king reflected and said,
‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence
by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ (Dan. 4:30)
“While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came
from heaven saying, ‘King
Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from
you.”’ (Dan. 4:3 1)
Perhaps it was to deny the
memory of Daniel’s words that Nebuchadnezzar immersed himself in building
projects. As “he was walking on the roof of the palace” he spoke of the glories
of Babylon, without a doubt the most magnificent city of the ancient world. His
egomania was expressed in his boasting: “Is this not Babylon the great, which I
myself have built.., by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Pride was the downfall of Satan; and pride, coupled with approbation lust, was
Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall.
The Cambridge Ancient History describes Nebuchadnezzar, the master builder, as
The “little boy” whose father
had encouraged him to carry a labourer’s basket at the rebuilding of
E-temen-ana-ki was in time to create the pinnacles of the great temples, the
Ishtar Gates with their wonderful gryphons and bulls, the towering zigurrats,
which will remain his monument as long as the world cares for Assyriology . . .
. His peaceful energies were devoted to building magnificent palaces and
temples, and herein he excelled. The fame of his city Babylon which he made
peculiarly his own spread far and wide; Josephus records how he adorned the
Temple of Belus with spoil and rebuilt the old city, making the Hanging Gardens
to please his queen, who was from Media. As it is today, partly uncovered of
the dust of centuries, the ponderous buildings of brickwork, cream, yellow,
red, still stand in towering rampart and bastion, solid wall and foundation,
pavement and Processional Way. The vast area of temple and palace, the solemn
masses of brickwork, mirrored in the sedgy pools, the loneliness of the ancient
ruins of Nebuchadnezzar’s city, slowly stamp on the mind of the pilgrim an
ineffaceable memory of the grandeur of the Babylonian king’s concepts, of his
masterly genius in handling common clay, the only material to his hand.[80]
How did Nebuchadnezzar
become so accomplished? By God’s provision! God gave him the kingdom. God gave
him the mentality and ability to plan, to build, and to administer. But did
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledge this? No! He refused to recognize the supremacy of
God or give Him the glory.
As Nebuchadnezzar was in the
very act of extolling his own glory, “a voice came from heaven.” There can be
no doubt as to the connection between his sin of arrogance and God’s judgment.
‘The kingdom has been removed from you.” Most historians of Assyriology agree
that a gap exists in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, although they offer no
explanation as to the cause. Only Daniel can enlighten us regarding this
period.
“And you will be driven [terad] away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to
eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you
recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it
on whomever He wishes.” (Dan. 4:32)
“And you will be driven”
denotes the king’s banishment. “Drive” (peal participle of terad) means “chipping away, or driving out.” The Lord has not seen
fit to furnish us with the details of Nebuchadnezzar’s absence from his palace,
but we know with certainty he actually lived with “the beasts of the field” and
was “given grass to eat like cattle.” “Drenched with dew” (verses 15, 23, and
25) indicates that he slept without roof or cover. All these descriptions
reveal that his seven years of judgment involved radical changes. Because of
his madness, Nebuchadnezzar fulfilled prophecy by literally acting like an
animal, and consequently was isolated from society.
In the ancient world it was
considered “bad luck” to kill an insane person. Nebuchadnezzar’s malady
protected him from death at the hands of his enemies, just as David’s feigned
madness at Gath spared his life (1 Sam. 21:10-15). What a sad situation that
some people must sink to the lowest depths of degradation before they can learn
the lesson of humility.
So strong was
Nebuchadnezzar’s negative volition toward the Lord, so debased was his mind
through mental attitude sins that it took years of living like an animal for
the once proud king to learn this indispensable lesson.
‘Until you recognize [peal
imperfect of yeda‘] that the Most High is ruler over the
realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ (Dan. 4:32b)
The last thing Nebuchadnezzar probably remembered
was the “voice. . . from heaven” telling him he was not the source of his
former exalted position. God is the source of all promotion and blessing. This
sobering lesson would take seven years to fathom.
“Immediately the word
concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and
began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of
heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.” (Dan. 4:33)
Down came the tree. Gone was
the glamour. The splendor of his court was replaced by the ordeal of constant
exposure to the harsh elements of nature. Grass replaced the delicacies of a
royal banquet. His appearance deteriorated. Unprotected from the elements, his
hair became matted, thick and bushy, bleached under the summer sun, and as
coarse as “eagles’ feathers.” Uncut, his nails grew long “like birds’ claws”—a
pathetic sight indeed.
“But at the end of that
period I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason returned
to me, and I blessed [birak] the Most High and praised and honored
Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His
kingdom endures from generation to
generation. (Dan. 4:34)
“And all the inhabitants of
the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does [‘abad] according to His
will in the host of heaven and among the
inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What
hast Thou done?”’ (Dan. 4:35)
At last, the once arrogant
emperor, humbled by divine judgment, recognized God’s grace and responded. He
was now ready to acknowledge that the Lord both raises up and removes kings
(Dan. 2:21).
He was now ready to believe
in the Lord. He expressed his faith from a totally helpless psychotic condition
in the only way he could—”I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven.” In
his soul Nebuchadnezzar had recognized the reality and power of God, and that
salvation comes only from the Lord. God, who looks upon the heart, knew
Nebuchadnezzar was unable tG verbally express his faith and that his gaze
toward heaven was a sign of the faith in his soul. Faith in Christ, verbalized
or not, always results in eternal salvation. Nebuchadnezzar expressed faith.
Only then did the king’s “reason” return. Salvation initiated in Nebuchadnezzar
a response of worship which he later recorded: “I blessed [pael perfect of birak] the Most High”—Jesus Christ, the only Savior (Acts 4:12).
Since this account was
written after Nebuchadnezzar
recovered and learned doctrine, clearly the king understood the millennial and eternal
reign of Christ when he penned the words, “His dominion is an everlasting
dominion.” Jesus Christ has an eternal empire consisting of regenerate persons
from every generation: “His kingdom endures from generation to generation.”
Nebuchadnezzar now belongs to this kingdom.
What Nebuchadnezzar had
learned the hard way he now wants the world to know so we may choose to learn
the easy way. Whatever man attains is the result of God’s matchless grace. In
verse 35 he states “all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing.”
Man is nothing and deserves nothing from God. Grace is God at work on behalf of
man. Grace depends on God’s character. “He does,” the peal participle of ‘abad, means “to cultivate” or “to
work.” God’s grace and sovereignty work for all His creation in two realms:
“the host of heaven [angels]” and “the inhabitants of earth [mankind].”
“No one can ward off His
hand” is literally “no one can strike against the hand of God” in the sense of
hindering an action. No one can hinder
the divine plan of grace or question God’s wisdom. Not only did
Nebuchadnezzar believe in Christ as Savior as He was then revealed, but he also
understood God’s power and grace. Such knowledge will produce a change in
mental attitude. The testimony in verses 34 and 35 affirms Nebuchadnezzar’s
grace orientation and genuine humility.
“At that time my reason
returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of
my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was
reestablished [teqan] in my sovereignty, and surpassing
greatness was added to me.” (Dan. 4:36)
At the moment of his conversion, Nebuchadnezzar
experienced a sixfold restoration:
1. “My
reason returned”—This was the complete renewal of health. The king’s psychotic
condition of zoanthropy was cured.
2. “My
majesty and splendor were restored”—”Majesty” speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s
character, while “splendor” refers to his glamour. Evidently the king was a
handsome man and his physical appearance was restored.
3. “The
glory of my kingdom”—After a seven-year Nebuchadnezzar’s empire was restored to
him.
4. “My counselors and my nobles began seeking me
out”—His credibility and popularity were renewed. As a believer in the Lord
Jesus Christ, Nebuchadnezzar gained the favor of both God and man.
5. “I was reestablished”—In the hophal perfect teqan means “to arranged or straightened
out.” With the reinstatement of Nebuchadnezzar as the rightful ruler, the
kingdom remained perfectly stability throughout the rest of his life.
Nebuchadnezzar not only had prosperous reign, but a long one—forty-three years,
extracting the seven years of discipline.
6. “Surpassing greatness was added”—His declaration
presents post-salvation epilogue when Nebuchadnezzar became one of the most
majestic monarchs of all time.
“Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar
praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His
ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” (Dan. 4:37)
In the conclusion of his
testimony, Nebuchadnezzar praises, exalts, and honors “the King of
heaven”—Jesus Christ. No words are too extravagant to describe the King of
kings, and Nebuchadnezzar wished the world to know that all Jesus Christ’s
“works are true.” A synonym for truth is Bible doctrine. Apart from knowledge
of doctrine, mankind is totally ignorant of God’s grace (2 Pet. 3:18). Only
through doctrine can one comprehend His gracious work.
Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed
God’s “ways” are ‘just.” The emphasis is on the perfection of the Person who works for us. God’s justice
pronounced seven years of discipline to orient Nebuchadnezzar to grace and to
doctrine. Our orientation to the plan of God is in direct proportion to our
knowledge of the Word of God: The less we understand doctrine, the more we
substitute human energy and human viewpoint for His plan. Ignorance, rejection,
or neglect of doctrine breed arrogance and unhappiness in our lives. We reap
what we sow (Gal. 6:7) as did Nebuchadnezzar.
For they sow the wind, And
they reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7a)
Possibly no one has ever
been better qualified than King Nebuchadnezzar to state, “He [God] is able to
humble those who walk in pride.” This identifies him with his presalvation
experience. Man must come to the end of himself so that grace can operate,
since there is no place for human works or pride in the plan of God. In the
following poem, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that he was nothing, but God is
everything.
Without Thee, Lord, what
could there be
For the king Thou lovest,
and dost call his name?
Thou shalt bless his title,
as Thou wilt,
And unto him vouchsafe a
path direct;
I, the prince, obeying Thee,
Am what Thy hands have made;
‘Tis Thou who art my
Creator,
Entrusting me with the rule
of hosts of men.
According to
Thy mercy, Lord,
Which Thou
dost spread o’er all of them,
Turn into
loving-kindness Thy dread power,
And make to
spring up in my heart
A reverence for
Thy divinity.
Give as Thou
thinkest best.[81]
God had cut Nebuchadnezzar down to size. The tree
that had flourished became a stump. Yet God preserved the stump with its roots.
When the humbled man, King Nebuchadnezzar, acknowledged the almighty authority
of the King of kings, the stump sprouted and then flourished as a mighty tree.
How fitting that a man who once represented the epitome of power and earthly
splendor should now proclaim to all the world for everlasting generations that
the kingdom of God is eternal and infinitely glorious.
1. Man needs to recognize his
spiritual bankruptcy and depend upon the grace of God.
2. The grace which provides salvation begins
with the cross.
3. A divine principle is clearly
revealed: Grace always precedes judgment.
a. Warning of the image
b. Warning by the deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
c. Warning from the “tree” dream
d. Twelve-month extension for Nebuchadnezzar to realize his need for
repentance (change of mind)
4. When man seeks to exalt
himself to the level of God, he reduces himself to the level of animals.
5. Mental
attitude sins destroy norms and standards and neutralize our ability to cut
through areas of egocentricity and see ourselves objectively from the divine
perspective.
6. Unchecked mental attitude
sins can produce neuroses or psychoses.
7. Mental attitude sins always
affect others in our periphery.
8. There is no substitute for
fellowship with God.
9. There is no security in
power, wealth, human success, or reliance
on people. True security can be found only in a relationship with God,
which begins at the point of
regeneration.
10. True serenity can only be
found in dependence on God and the
grace He offers.
11. This chapter adds to our understanding
of the angelic hosts:
a. The existence of elect (saved) angels
b. The existence of watcher angels
c. Believers have a testimony before angels
12. The tree “stump” illustrates
that the grace of God is endless.
13. True happiness for the believer
depends on the amount of
doctrine learned,
understood, and applied from the soul’s frame of
reference.
14. The Lord promotes believers
on the basis of His grace.
Therefore, promoted
believers must have divine viewpoint to be
oriented to grace.
15. There is a mandate for
faithfulness to the truth and dissemination
of the truth on the part of every believer.
16. Importance of “fixing our
eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:2a):
a. The aspect of faith for salvation
b. Occupation with Christ, a major objective for the believer in time
17. In retrospect, as a mature
believer Nebuchadnezzar could review his illness and divine discipline and know
that for him “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His
purpose” (Rom. 8:28b).
Daniel 5
MORAL DECLINE OF CHALDEA
AFTER THE DEATH OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR in 562 B.C., the
Chaldean Empire staggered and eventually collapsed under the leadership of inept
and immoral rulers. Both Nebuchadnezzar and his father, Nabopolassar, had been
dynamic military and administrative leaders. But Nebuchadnezzar’s son,
Amel-Marduk, also known in history as Evil-Merodach, was a blot on the family
escutcheon. A poor excuse for a son, he was an even worse ruler.
The reign of Amel-Marduk was
so detrimental to the nation that Neriglissar, his brother-in-law, son-in-law
of Nebuchadnezzar, had him killed. Neriglissar then usurped the throne. He
ruled briefly with some distinction and upon his death was succeeded by his
son, Labashi-Mardukiwho was assassinated after nine months.
In 556 B.C. a Babylonian noble, Nabonidus, came to the throne. Ancient
accounts agree that this king spent much of his time away from Babylon, but
they fail to record his coregency with Belshazzar (Bel-sarra-uzar).
Belshazzar was assumed to be a mythical figure since his name was not mentioned by such reputable historians as Xenophon, Herodotus, Berosus, and Abydenus. Throughout many centuries, writers neglected to make any reference to Belshazzar and by consensus agreed that Nabonidus was the last king of Babylon.
According to Ptolemy’s
canon, Nabonidus reigned seventeen years, yet Archbishop Ussher’s chronology
credits those years to Belshazzar.[82]
The contradictions between the chroniclers and Scripture seemed to be absolute.
Skeptics cited the aforementioned historians to discredit the Book of Daniel,
while Bible commentators tried to solve or avoid this controversy by rejecting
the conclusions of hostile historians.
In 1856, the British
archaeologist, Sir H. C. Rawlinson, translated cuneiform inscriptions naming
Belshazzar as the eldest son of Nabonidus. These discoveries testified to the
existence of Belshazzar and confirmed the accuracy of the biblical references
(Dan. 5; 7:1; 8:1). Although the Bible is not an historical textbook, all
historical information contained therein is divine truth and has been proven to
be accurate every time.
At the time when Nabonidus
was enthroned by his cohorts who had assassinated Labashi-Marduk, the world was
divided into four great spheres of influence: Medo-Persia, Chaldea (Babylon),
Egypt, and Lydia. After the Persians conquered the Medes and the Lydian Empire
of Croesus fell in 546 B.C., Cyrus, king of Persia, laid plans to conquer the
decadent Babylonian Empire.
Early in 539 B.C., General
Gobryas, Persian commander under Cyrus, defeated the Chaldeans at Opis and
Sippar. Only the double-walled city of Babylon remained to be captured. With
the total defeat of Chaldea as his ultimate objective, Gobryas camped near the
city at the time when Belshazzar gave his famous banquet—the party to end all
parties—the last decadent gasp of the once glorious Chaldean Empire.
Belshazzar the king held a
great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking [shethah] wine in the presence of the
thousand. (Dan. 5:1)
This verse reveals that
Belshazzar was a foolish man without moral principles. “He was drinking” is the
peal participle of shethah. The peal
stem is intensive and connotes excessive drinking. No leader can afford to lose
control of himself, especially in front of his subordinates. He cannot continue
to exercise leadership effectively. With impending disaster at the gates of
Babylon this was not an occasion for the Chaldean monarch to be inebriated.[83]
Instead, Belshazzar and his nobles should have been alert. Simultaneously
the Persian army was outside the walls preparing a night attack on the capital
city. When a national entity is ruled by a self-centered individual who acts
with little or no regard for his country or people, it is only a matter of time
until that nation collapses from internal strife and, as in the case of
Babylon, from a foreign invasion.
Belshazzar, divorced from
reality, lived in a dream world of escapism, self-indulgence, and sublimation.
He ignored the peril looming at the gates. His grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar,
undoubtedly had taught him the principles of leadership vital for governing a
nation. Nebuchadnezzar had been an honorable and capable ruler who in three
years had successfully united the kingdom left in disarray by his predecessors.
However, Belshazzar miserably failed to demonstrate any of the outstanding
qualities of his forebear, if indeed he ever possessed them. Without mentioning
Belshazzar by name, Xenophon described the last ruler of the Chaldean Empire as
“impious and cruel,” traits which the famous historian graphically demonstrated
by two illustrations.
On a hunting trip, one of
the king’s nobles was the first to make a kill. The king became so enraged that
he drew his sword and murdered the nobleman on the spot. This precedent caused
many a prudent hunter of the Chaldean Empire to feign poor marksmanship. On
another occasion, the king hosted a party similar to the debauchery described
in our passage. During the festivities, a courtier named Gadates was admired by
one of the king’s concubines. For this breach of royal favor the unfortunate
man was castrated.
When Belshazzar tasted the wine,
he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his
father [grandfather] had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, in order that the king and his nobles, his wives,
and his concubines might drink from them. (Dan. 5:2)
Then they brought the gold
vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his
nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. (Dan. 5:3)
They drank the wine and
praised [shebach] the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
(Dan. 5:4)
Belshazzar had so
consistently gratified his own desires and given free rein to his sin nature
that every decent norm and standard had been destroyed. “When Belshazzar tasted
the wine” is literally “when the wine was relished by him.” Under the influence
of alcohol, Belshazzar recklessly ordered the Jewish ceremonial vessels (Dan.
1:2) to be brought from the treasure house into the banquet hall. Vaguely aware
that his empire was in a precarious position, he sought the favor and
approbation of the Babylonian pantheon by desecrating the holy vessels of
Israel. The king and his guests drank toasts and “praised [pael perfect of shebach] the gods” of Babylon with
riotous song in blatant defiance of the God of the Jews.
There were at least four
gods of Chaldea to whom this drunken adulation was given:
1. Marduk, the chief god of
the pantheon and patron god of the city of Babylon; he was also known as Bel,
the sun god, comparable to Zeus or Jupiter;
2. Nebo or Nabu, the god of
wisdom, literature, and education;
3. Nergal, the god of war;
4. Ishtar, the goddess of
fertility and patron saint of the phallic cult, comparable to Aphrodite or
Venus.
This elaborate scene portrays
the complete decadence of Belshazzar and his court. The utensils of gold and
silver were articles from Solomon’s temple used by the Jews to teach the way
of salvation and to communicate divine truth. Belshazzar not only knew the
origin of these bowls and basins but also their spiritual significance. The
profane manner in which he exploited the sacred vessels revealed total
rejection of the God of Israel. In addition to the message taught by the temple
vessels, Belshazzar had heard the testimony of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar.
This, too, he rebuffed as demonstrated by his mockery and ridicule of the
Lord of glory.
Heathenism and blasphemy had
now reached the saturation point in the Chaldean Empire. For nearly a year
Cyrus of Persia had been swallowing up portions of Babylonia. Only the capital
city remained intact. Bored and frustrated, but apparently feeling a false
sense of security behind the great fortified walls, the king and his nobles
reveled in licentiousness. Long forgotten were the bitter lessons learned by
Nebuchadnezzar, which should have taught Belshazzar that security and
deliverance come from only one source—the God of Israel.
Yahweh alone was able to furnish the interpretation of the image dream of
Nebuchadnezzar when all the wise men of Chaldea failed.[84]
Did not the Lord miraculously rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the
fiery furnace? Likewise, Nebuchadnezzar had made an astonishing recovery from the
mental disorder of zoanthropy, which was widely attributed to healing from God.
Instead, the drunken king
and his besotted courtiers ignored these manifestations of divine power and
chose to rely instead on man-made walls and idols. By drinking from the
sacrificial cups, the revelers had elevated their pagan gods above the Lord
Jesus Christ. Brazenly they blasphemed the Lord, arrogantly misinterpreting the
administration of the fifth cycle of discipline to Israel as a sign of weakness
in the God of Israel.[85]
They failed to see themselves in the proper perspective as God’s
instrument for judgment on the Jews.
In their vanity, the
revelers questioned the purpose and character of God. Where was He when His
people were led into captivity and when His temple was plundered? Why had He
not assaulted the mighty Chaldeans and their pagan gods whose praise they now
sang so lustily? Where was He as they insulted and impugned Him? As boisterous
voices raised to an ever higher pitch, the orgy attained unparalleled proportions.
Then a sudden hush fell over the startled revelers as they witnessed an awesome
spectacle.
Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and
began writing [kethav]
opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and
the king saw chazah] the back of the
hand that did the writing. (Dan. 5:5)
Then the king’s face grew
pale, and his thoughts alarmed him; and his hip joints went slack, and his
knees began knocking together. (Dan. 5:6)
“Suddenly” the apostate king
was jolted back to reality. God chose to pronounce judgment on these Chaldeans
who had rejected His Word with a message written by the “fingers of a man’s
hand.” In the ancient world the custom was to inscribe the deeds of a king on
his palace walls. What irony that Belshazzar’s judgment should be superimposed
over his alleged exploits.
Archaeologists have
discovered many examples of cuneiform on walls which describe the actual and
sometimes fabricated feats of rulers. These inscriptions were an ancient
predecessor of today’s newspapers. No doubt a king as selfish and egotistical
as Belshazzar had already filled the walls of his palace with imagined accounts
of his own heroics. Yet now “opposite the lampstand” where all could see a new
inscription was being written (peal participle of kethav—“permanently
recorded”). The sight of a detached hand forming four strange words on the wall
must have sobered even the most intoxicated spectator.
“The king saw” is the peal
participle of chazah. Because he
“saw” and perceived what was happening, his “face” altered dramatically. The
color drained from his face and he “grew pale” (peal perfect of shena’). Obviously this miracle
terrified the inebriated ruler. The fright and shock roused him instantly and
he became “alarmed” (the pael imperfect of behal). Belshazzar was now in a traumatic state
of panic. His knees knocked and his body trembled with terror. The most
powerful man in the empire was falling apart. Since Belshazzar rejected the
Word of God and had no doctrine in his soul, it was inevitable he would be
frightened by the supernatural event. Permanent security and confidence come
from the peace and power of God, not from human prominence, wealth, power, or
accomplishments.
Had the people of this
empire learned from the example of Nebuchadnezzar and heeded the truths of the
Scriptures, they would have recognized that God used Chaldea as His instrument
to discipline the Jews for their apostasy (Jer. 25:8-12). The principle behind
the discipline of Judah applies to all peoples:
My people are destroyed for
lack of knowledge. .
Harlotry, wine, and new wine
take away the understanding. (Hosea4:6a, 11)
The Chaldeans should have also realized that this
divine purpose for their empire did not give them license to persecute the Jews
and to become anti-Semitic.[86]
The depth to which ungodly
man can sink is amplified in Romans 1:18-32. Isaiah prophesied the downfall of
Babylon when he wrote:
“Sit silently, and go into
darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you will no more be called the queen
of kingdoms.” (Isa. 47:5)
The hour of reckoning had come; the handwriting was
emblazoned on the wall. The destruction of Babylon was imminent.
The king called aloud [qera’] to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The
king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this
inscription and explain its interpretation to me will be clothed with purple,
and have a necklace of gold around
his neck, and have authority as third ruler
in the kingdom.” (Dan. 5:7)
History repeats itself.
Belshazzar had pursued the identical course followed by Nebuchadnezzar before
his humbling by God and subsequent salvation. In desperation, Belshazzar
“called aloud” (peal participle of qera’)
for the ranking officers in his State Department (Dan. 2:1-2; 4:4-7). Verse
7 lists three of the five groups who managed the affairs of state for the king.
The conjurers functioned as an intelligence agency; the Chaldeans, or priestly
caste, kept the people subjugated by means of religious activities; and the
diviners determined the future course of the empire.
Belshazzar, ignorant of the
Word of God, had to depend on advisers. While calling on counselors for help in
time of crisis is the desperation of an unbeliever, this action is the wrong
course for the believer. Human viewpoint counsel can never provide assurance of
a permanent resolution or stability in time of adversity. A believer must seek
counsel from the realm of Bible doctrine. The person who has received Christ as
Savior and understands His promised provision knows that only the Lord has the
solution. God says,
“And call upon Me in the day
of trouble; I shall rescue you and you will honor Me.” (Ps. 50:15)
It is better to take refuge
in the Lord than to trust in princes. (Ps. 118:9)
No greater misery exists than that which results
from dependence on man.
“Cursed is the man who
trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from
the Lord.” (Jer. 17:5b)
In contrast, verse 7 gives the result of correct
orientation, the exceptional comfort that ensues from dependency on the Lord:
“Blessed is the man who
trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.” (Jer. 17:7)
Comfort may also come from a friend who knows Bible
doctrine and can offer encouragement from the Word and help in times of
disaster, as Jonathan encouraged and helped David (1 Sam. 23:17).
Belshazzar is a perfect
illustration of the “natural [soulish or unregenerate] man” of 1 Corinthians
2:14. As such, he could neither receive nor understand the supernatural
message, because “the things of the Spirit of God. . . are spiritually
appraised [examined].” When confronted with the incomprehensible Word of God,
Belshazzar panicked. In an effort to resolve his desperate predicament, he
offered lavish gifts and advancement to any one of the “wise men of Babylon”
who could interpret the mysterious message. The promise of “purple”
clothing—purple robes worn by royalty—meant elevation to nobility. The chain of
gold around the neck was a badge of high rank; in this case the medal signified
the choicest plum of all—the office of “third ruler in the kingdom.
The phrase “third ruler in the
kingdom” bears witness to the historical accuracy of the Scriptures. The
Nabunaid Chronicles relate that King Nabonidus made his son, Belshazzar,
coregent in the third year of his reign (553 B.C.).[87] Nabonidus then made a
successful expedition to Teima in Arabia where he established his residence,
while Belshazzar apparently conducted the affairs of state in Babylon. Thus
Nabonidus held the first position of rulership in the empire, and his son, the
second. The third post, second in command to the coregent Belshazzar, was
either vacant or would soon be vacant and subsequently filled by Daniel. This
was the accolade that the frantic king planned to bestow in exchange for an
explanation of this strange phenomenon.
Then all the king’s wise men
came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its
interpretation to the king. (Dan. 5:8)
Then King Belshazzar was
greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler,
and his nobles were perplexed [shebash] (Dan. 5:9)
The royal State Department
consisted of clever and learned men who could be relied upon to provide
excellent intelligence reports. This time they were stumped. Although the words
were perfectly clear, legible, and pronounceable, as a cohesive message the
inscription made no sense to the “wise men.” Why? Because unbelievers possess
neither principles nor categories of Bible doctrine much less the spiritual
assets necessary to decipher the Word of God.
Belshazzar was not only
panic-stricken, he was confused and filled with consternation. The king’s fear
proved to be infectious. The nobles, so recently engaged in licentious revelry,
were now transfixed by terror. The biblical description states they “were
perplexed,” but the hithpaal participle of the verb shebash portrays their true status as mentally shattered. At a time
when the enemy was poised for attack outside the gates, these men, who should
have been stalwart, aggressive leaders, became cowards immobilized by fear.
The fall of a nation or
empire is preceded by the deterioration of the integrity and fortitude of its
leadership. When we hold our own nation up to the light of this principle, the
prospect is discouraging. A blanket of apprehension, confusion, and suspicion
not only covers our capital, but has spread to every corner of our land. The
answer to this dilemma is always the same: the Lord and His Word.
The queen entered the
banquet hall [bet mishteya’] because of the words of the king and
his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your
thoughts alarm you or your face be pale.” (Dan. 5:10)
Nebuchadnezzar was survived
by at least three children: a son, Amel-Marduk; an unidentified daughter, who
married Neriglissar; and another daughter named Nitocris. The second daughter married
Nabonidus and was now the queen mother. Perhaps Nitocris did not share her
husband’s exile, or perhaps she was just visiting Babylon. Nevertheless, she
was in the capital on the night of Belshazzar’s party.
Accounts from Greek and
Latin historians reveal that bacchanalian orgies of the ancient world were
erotic and lewd debaucheries. Needless to say, ladies of high station never
attended such lurid affairs. The only women present at Belshazzar’s orgy were
members of the king’s harem (“wives and concubines,” verse 2), entertainers and
courtesans of the royal entourage. The fact that these women were in attendance
indicates this was definitely a licentious party. Consequently, on the night of
the banquet Nitocris withdrew to her chambers.
For hours the sounds of
lusty revelry echoed through the corridors of the palace. But suddenly screams
of terror startled the queen mother. She rapidly dressed and hurried to the
“banquet hall” (literally, the drinking-wenching house—bet mishteya’) to discover the cause of the commotion.
Despite the pandemonium
outside her quarters, Nitocris—every inch a queen—maintained her composure and
self-control. Certainly, she must have been grieved to encounter such
concupiscence and to witness the king’s licentiousness. Yet she greeted her son
with poise and dignity. Her soul with its doctrinal frame of reference intact
was free from self-righteous judging. The queen mother reassured the monarch
and offered a solution to the crisis.
“There is a man in your
kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father,
illumination [manda’], insight [sakletanu], and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods
were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king,
appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans, and diviners. (Dan.
5:11)
“This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation
of dreams, explanation of enigmas, and solving of difficult problems were found
in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned,
and he will declare the interpretation.” (Dan. 5:12)
What a testimony on the part
of one believer, Nitocris, concerning another believer, Daniel. Nitocris knew
the importance of being properly prepared for a crisis: She identified Daniel
as a man in whom is a spirit of the holy gods.” The term ruach elohim refers to God the Holy Spirit.
Although the Scriptures are
silent regarding Daniel’s activities during the past twenty-three years,
Nitocris knew the whereabouts and character of Daniel. She recognized he
possessed “illumination” (manda ‘—maximum
spiritual knowledge). He also manifested “insight” (sakletan u—a frame of
reference filled with divine viewpoint) and “wisdom” (chokmah—doctrine in the soul ready for application). He literally
exhibited the “wisdom of Elohim [God],”
which was “found” in him.
Daniel as an author of the
Old Testament not only received direct revelation from God, the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, but also studied the books of the Law and the Prophets. He
transferred doctrine into the right lobe of his soul by faith. With doctrine
Daniel maintained his spiritual equilibrium in the midst of prosperity as well
as obscurity. The queen reminded Belshazzar that Daniel had been the master of
the magicians during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and had in the past
interpreted difficult dreams.
“An extraordinary spirit”
(verse 12) refers to the fact that Daniel was endued with the Holy Spirit.
Having logged a maximum amount of time in fellowship, Daniel acquired
“knowledge” (manda ‘—application of
doctrine) and “insight.” The resultant wisdom prepared Daniel to meet the
crisis. His ability to interpret divine revelation in the form of dreams and
accurately communicate the true meaning came from his doctrinal background and
the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. Daniel illustrates that the more
doctrine you know, the more advanced information you can assimilate. New
knowledge is built on previous knowledge. He was prepared to unravel the “explanation
of enigmas, and solving of difficult problems.” Interpreting direct revelation
and complex passages of Scripture presented no obstacle to Daniel.
The queen mother concluded
her counsel by imploring that Daniel, named Belteshazzar by Nebuchadnezzar, be
summoned. Daniel was again God’s man for the crisis.
Then Daniel was brought in
before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is
one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? (Dan.
5:13)
“Now I have heard about you
that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and
extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. (Dan. 5:14).
“Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before
me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to
me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message.” (Dan. 5:15)
In accordance with the
queen’s wise suggestion, Daniel was brought before the king. Now completely
sober, Belshazzar had regained some degree of composure. He began to recall the
historical incident in which Nebuchadnezzar had brought Daniel and other
hostages from Judah in 605 B.C.
Still peeved at the failure
of his own advisers, Belshazzar reviewed with Daniel their unsuccessful
attempts to decipher the handwriting on the wall. Grasping for the right words
to describe the unknown, he asked Daniel to interpret “the message.” Then he
eagerly enumerated the rewards awaiting Daniel for a successful explanation.
“But I personally have heard
about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult
problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation
known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have
authority as the third ruler in the
kingdom.” (Dan. 5:16)
Despite the queen mother’s
recommendation, Belshazzar was doubtful of Daniel’s abilities. But a desperate
man will cling to any hope. Skeptical of success, Belshazzar said, “If you are able to read the
inscription,” and followed with a reiteration of the generous reward.
Then Daniel answered and
said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself, or give your rewards to
someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the
interpretation known to him.” (Dan. 5:17)
Daniel’s refusal to accept
this magnanimous offer reveals his honorable motivation. With perfect tact and
impeccable manners, he firmly but politely declined to be bribed. The gift of
prophecy is not for sale. Unlike Balaam (Num. 22:16-17; 21-22), Daniel would
not be bought or seek self-advancement. He was not in the Lord’s service for
wealth or fame, but he was ready to perform the king’s request in a manner
compatible with grace. Daniel’s attitude paralleled that of Abraham, who told
the King of Sodom,
“That I will not take a
thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I
have made Abram rich.”’ (Gen. 14:23)
The same principle is found in the New Testament:
And whatever you do in word
or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Col. 3:17)
“Freely you received, freely
give.” (Matt. 10:8b)
“However, I will read” is
literally “proclaim” (peal imperfect of qera’).
God had a special task for Daniel: He would have Daniel “make known” the
mysterious inscription. Because he was familiar with Jeremiah 51 and Isaiah 47
and was confident of “wisdom from above,” Daniel could interpret the
handwriting on the wall. Yet he would give credit where credit was due—to the
Lord.
“O king, the Most High God
granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your
father. (Dan. 5:18)
“And because of the grandeur
which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he
wished he killed, and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he
wished he elevated, and whomever he wished he humbled.” (Dan. 5:19)
Daniel addressed himself to
Belshazzar, “‘O king,’ God in His grace made your grandfather the ruler of the
Chaldean Empire. God also granted him ‘grandeur, glory, and majesty.”’
Nebuchadnezzar indeed
possessed great leadership ability, exceptional personality, and talent. His
architectural accomplishments and military successes won him the respect and
admiration of his subjects. This was the real reason Nebuchadnezzar was held in
awe by the people of all racial, geographical, and linguistic divisions
throughout the realm. As sovereign he was autocratic, occasionally ruthless,
and in time became inordinately proud. When he finally reached the apogee of
his reign, Nebuchadnezzar still did not earn or deserve these achievements. His
talent and triumphs were always gifts from the grace of God.
“But when his heart was
lifted up [rum] and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was
deposed [necheth] from his royal throne, and his
glory was taken away [‘ada’] from
him. (Dan. 5:20)
“He was also driven away
from mankind, and his heart was made like that
of beasts, and his dwelling place was
with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body
was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the Most High God
is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that
He sets over [qum] it whomever He wishes [tzeva’].” (Dan.
5:21)
“When his heart was lifted
up” (peal perfect of rum) designates an
attitude of pride. Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogance complex replaced his norms and
standards.[88] Behaving
pompously, Nebuchadnezzar became obstinate and chose against God. “He was
deposed” (hophal perfect of necheth)
from his throne and his glory was “taken away” (haphel perfect of ‘ada’) from him. Under divine judgment,
“he was driven away [peil passive participle of terad] from
mankind.” Then
Nebuchadnezzar’s mentality became like that of
beasts, and he lived with wild donkeys and ate grass. Gone was the brilliant
intellect and dazzling personality; the once exalted monarch suffered from
zoanthropy.
God’s judgment is always
timely and perfect. He always knows what is best for each person. He put
Nebuchadnezzar ‘out to pasture’ for seven years until Nebuchadnezzar
“recognized” (peal perfect of yeda’) the true Sovereign of the universe and
expressed positive volition through faith in Jesus Christ. While he had
exercised absolute control over the many peoples of the Chaldean Empire,
Nebuchadnezzar came to realize God the Father “sets over [aphel imperfect of qum]
it [the earth] whomever He wishes [peal imperfect of tzeva’].” He is the King of kings, sovereign over all.
“Yet you his son,
Belshazzar, have not humbled [shephel] your heart, even though you knew all
this. (Dan. 5:22)
“But you have exalted
yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His
house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have
been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold,
of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the
God in whose hand are your life-breath [nishmetak] and your ways, you have not glorified [hadar].” (Dan. 5:23)
To recount a former
monarch’s failures is precarious, but to censure the reigning king before his
entire court is life-threatening. That took courage! Daniel spared no detail:
“You . . . have not humbled [aphel perfect of shephel] your heart”
indicated Belshazzar’ s failure to believe in Christ, his total lack of grace
orientation, and his arrogance. “Your heart” refers to the right lobe of the
soul, the source of both unbelief (Heb. 3:12) and faith (Rom. 10:9-10). “You
knew” is the peal perfect of yeda’. The
word “all” proved that Belshazzar had the complete salvation information and
was without excuse (Rom. 1:18-20). Because of negative volition, his mind
revered false doctrine (idol worship); mental attitude sins controlled the
mentality of his soul; materialism dominated his perspective; and
self-aggrandizement characterized his every activity.
From there, only a short
step was needed to embrace a state of unrestrained arrogance. Daniel continued
his description of the king’s pride: “You have exalted [hithpaal perfect of rum]
yourself against the Lord of heaven.” Belshazzar had brought in the vessels
from God’s house and had drunk wine from them. He rationalized God was powerless
to liberate the Jewish hostages held these many years. He believed idols of
wood, metal, and stone were mightier than the God of Israel. His frame of
reference became so perverse that he sought to appease the Chaldean gods by
blaspheming the only true God “in whose hand are your life-breath” (nishmetak,
meaning “spark of life”). And “you have not glorified” (pael perfect of hadar)—he had not respected or recognized the authority of Yahweh, Jesus Christ (1 John 3:23a).
‘Then the hand was sent from
Him, and this inscription was written out [resham].
(Dan. 5:24)
“Now this is the inscription
that was written out: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”’ (Dan. 5:25)
“Then”—because of
Belshazzar’s rejection of Yahweh—”the hand
was sent from Him.” The Chaldean inscription “was written out” (peil perfect of
resham, meaning “to record”). At this
point the translators of the English Bible merely transliterated the
inscription. MENE from the verb menah,
“to number,” literally means a “mina,” a weight of fifty shekels, and refers to
both Belshazzar and the guests at his party. The second MENE designates the
rest of the people. The repetition of the word indicates the completeness of
the divine estimate of the Chaldeans and their monarch. TEKEL, from the verb teqal, “to weigh,” literally means a
“shekel;” UPHARSIN, from the verb peras, “to
divide, to shatter,” literally means “half a mina.” Then followed the prophecy
of doom that the wise men were unable to interpret. Daniel began to read the
words, carefully pronouncing each syllable before he made an explanation.
“This is the interpretation
of the message: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it [she lem].” (Dan. 5:26)
Daniel explained that God
“has numbered” the days of the Chaldean Empire. Except for a few grains, the
sands of time had run out for the “head of gold” of Nebuchadnezzar’s image
dream in chapter 2. “Put an end to it” (haphel perfect of shelem) denotes termination—the Lord caused the end of the kingdom.
Divine judgment was passed on them in the form of the fifth cycle of
discipline.
“‘TEKEL—You have been
weighed on the scales and found deficient.” (Dan. 5:27)
The word TEKEL refers to
divine judgment from the Supreme Court of Heaven. Belshazzar had been weighed
on the “scales” of divine justice and been found guilty.
“He who believes in Him is not
judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not
believed in the name of the only begotten [uniquely born] Son of God.” (John
3:18)
How would God evaluate the king? On one side of the
divine scales is grace; on the other side is Belshazzar. The scales do not
balance because Belshazzar rejected Christ as his Savior. The only way the
scales can balance for Belshazzar or any member of the human race is to believe
in Christ. Regardless of how good a person might be, his best is only relative
righteousness. Unless the absolute, perfect righteousness of Christ has been
imputed to him through faith in the Savior (Gen. 15:6), the scales are tipped
toward eternal divine judgment. Such was the case of Belshazzar: He was without
salvation and, consequently, was “found deficient.”
“‘PERES’—your kingdom has
been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” (Dan. 5:28)
The word “Persians” is
actually a paronomasia, a play on the word parsee.
Even today in India, where society is divided into classes, the Persians
are called the Parsees and belong to a high caste. The very use of the word
indicates the fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of the image in which the
domination of Persia was portrayed by the silver arms and torso.
Then Belshazzar gave orders,
and they clothed Daniel with purple and put
a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning
him that he now had authority as the
third ruler in the kingdom. (Dan.
5:29)
One would think the gravity
of this ominous message would have motivated the king to take immediate action
to forestall the end—if indeed the prophecy were true. Obviously, his norms and
standards were so distorted that he was incapable of properly evaluating the
situation and taking decisive action. Not surprisingly and against Daniel’s
wishes, the king fulfilled his promise: He awarded Daniel the “necklace of
gold,” vested him with royal robes, and elevated him to the third royal
position. Daniel was now acknowledged as third ruler of an empire which would
vanish that very night.
Rewards meant nothing to
Daniel, for he knew if God does not promote you, you are not promoted. Even
though the reward from Belshazzar was fleeting the Lord provided an exalted
status for Daniel during the reign of the Medes and the Persians. The impact of
his ministry continued despite his advancing age.
Daniel’s promotions in the
Chaldean and later the Persian Empires illustrate that a believer’s service
never depends on his political or economic status, or that of his nation, but
on the faithfulness of God. That same faithfulness sets up kings, establishes
empires, and removes kings and empires that no longer fulfill God’s purpose
(Dan. 2:21).
During the reveling and
while Daniel fearlessly condemned the foolish king, the armies of the Medes and
Persians were completing their assault preparations. The Euphrates River, which
flowed through the center of the city, was diverted and the army marched in—not
over the great fortified walls, but through the dry riverbed.
That same night Belshazzar
the Chaldean king was slain [qetel]. (Dan. 5:30).
The peil perfect of qetel indicates he received death
violently. Apparently the invaders marched into the banquet ball and
slaughtered him along with his wanton companions. With the once magnificent
empire crushed, the prophecy was fulfilled.
UNHEEDED WARNINGS OF THE PROPHETS
When Daniel was called
before Belshazzar, he came straight to the point. His review of events, which
the king should have heeded, was a reminder of God’s grace despite man’s
failure. God always gives grace before judgment. The Babylonians had in their
possession the scroll of Jeremiah, which Prince Seraiah had brought with him
when he was sent as an ambassador to Babylon Ca. 594 B.C. That scroll contained the dire prediction of the
city’s doom.
The message which Jeremiah
the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when
he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his
reign. (Now Seraiah was quartermaster). (Jer. 51:59)
So Jeremiah wrote in a
single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been
written concerning Babylon. (Jer. 51:60)
The word which the Lord
spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the
prophet: (Jer. 50:1)
“Declare and proclaim among
the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, ‘Babylon has been captured, Bel
has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to
shame, her idols have been shattered.’ (Jer. 50:2)
“For a nation has come up
against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and
there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they
have gone away!” (Jer. 50:3)
Verse 2 demands this
information be proclaimed. “Do not conceal it” is an imperative, a command.
Here is the principle of grace before judgment: The people were to be warned.
“For behold, I am going to
arouse and bring up against Babylon a horde of great nations from the land of
the north,
and they will draw up their battle lines against her; from
there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior
who does not return empty-handed. (Jer. 50:9)
“And Chaldea will become
plunder; all who plunder her will have enough,” declares the Lord. (Jer. 50:10)
Verse 9 reiterates the conquerors would come out of
the north from the land of the Medes. Verse 10 prophesies complete destruction.
“Against the land of
Merathaim [meaning twofold or double rebellion—the name given Babylon, alluding
to intensive, rebellious defiance of the Lord], go up against it, and against the
inhabitants of Pekod [a strong Aramaen tribe in the Chaldean Empire, documented
in Ezekiel 23:23]. Slay and utterly destroy them,” declares the Lord. (Jer.
50:21a)
“I set a snare [the Persian general, Gobryas] for you, and you were also caught, 0 Babylon, while you yourself were not aware; you have been found and also seized because you have engaged in conflict with the Lord.” (Jer. 50:24)
“Therefore her young men
will fall in her streets, and all her men of war will be silenced in that
day... Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one.” (Jer. 50:30a, 31a)
Why was the Lord against the
inhabitants of Babylon? Because they had “engaged in conflict with the Lord”
(Jer. 50:24). They were an abomination to God both individually and nationally,
and their mental attitude sins and idolatry had destroyed Babylon from within
long before the judgment fell. The prophet continued:
“A sword against the
Chaldeans,” declares the Lord, “and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and
against her officials and her wise men! (Jer. 50:35)
“A sword against the oracle
priests, and they will become fools! A sword against her mighty men, and they
will be shattered! (Jer. 50:36)
“A sword against their horses and against their chariots, and against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her, and they will become women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!” (Jer. 50:37)
The prophecy “they will
become women” no doubt explains the lack of action taken by Belshazzar when
Daniel revealed the meaning of the handwriting on the wall. The cowardly king
and his nobles looked to others for protection.
Thus says the Lord: “Behold
I am going to arouse against Babylon and against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai the
spirit of a destroyer [Cyrus, king of Persia].” (Jer. 51:1)
God’s man for that purpose was none other than
Cyrus, concerning whom Isaiah wrote:
Thus says the Lord to Cyrus
His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him,
and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates [of
Babylon] will not be shut. (Isa. 45:1)
Jeremiah 51 continues with the details of the
condemnation of Babylon.
“And I shall dispatch
foreigners to Babylon that they may winnow her and may devastate her land; for
on every side they will be opposed to her in the day of her calamity.” (Jer. 51:2)
In the agricultural economy
of the ancient world, the task of winnowing was to separate the wheat from the
chaff. In this case the “foreigners,” the Medes and the Persians, would become
the Lord’s instrument to speedily and efficiently dispense God’s judgment on
the doomed city. In this winnowing analogy, the Lord would cause the wheat to
be preserved and the chaff to be destroyed. Daniel and other spiritually mature
believers (probably including Nitocris) would be delivered, while Belshazzar
and the other apostates would be annihilated.
Sharpen the arrows, fill the
quivers! The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His
purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; for it is the vengeance of the Lord,
vengeance for His temple. (Jer. 51:11)
Lift up a signal against the
walls of Babylon; post a strong guard, station sentries, place men in ambush!
For the Lord has both purposed and performed what He spoke concerning the
inhabitants of Babylon. (Jer. 51:12)
O you who dwell by many
waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your end.
(Jer. 5 1:13)
Verse 11 contains a direct reference
to the Medes as the Lord’s instrument to destroy Babylon. Verse 12 speaks of
the tactical concealment, revealing the army would be waiting for the appointed
time when they would march into the city. The pronoun “you~~ in verse 13
alludes to the city located “by many waters,” and refers to the Euphrates River
which flowed through the middle of Babylon abundantly supplying the city’s
needs. Ironically, the source of Babylon’s bounty was to become the means of
its destruction.
The mighty men of Babylon
have ceased fighting, they stay in the strongholds; their strength is
exhausted, they are becoming like women;
their dwelling places are set on fire, the bars of her gates are broken. (Jer. 51:30)
This verse foretells the paralysis
of the Chaldean military and proves fortifications are no stronger than the men
behind them. The defenders of Babylon will lack courage and motivation to
fight. Their power dissipated, they will become as helpless as women.
Then Jeremiah said to
Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these
words aloud [a reference to the prophecy of Babylon’s doom], (Jer. 5 1:61)
and say, ‘Thou, O Lord, hast
promised concerning this place to cut it off,
so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it
will be a perpetual desolation.’ (Jer. 51:62)
“And it will come about as
soon as you finish reading this scroll [Jeremiah 50 and 51], you will tie a
stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, (Jer. 51:63)
and say, ‘Just so shall
Babylon sink down and not rise again, because of the calamity that I am going
to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.”’ Thus far are the words of
Jeremiah. (Jer. 51:64)
As always, God’s warnings are
clear and available to all who will search the Scriptures. According to the
prophet’s command, the message had been read in public, then tied to a rock and
thrown into the Euphrates. The stone sank to the river bottom, graphically
depicting the destiny of a corrupted empire. Fifty-five years after the
“reading” the once proud city, now rotten to the core, blatantly ignored the
warning and rejected the Savior. Every line of Jeremiah’s prognosis came to
pass.
The prophecy concerning the
destruction of Chaldea was recorded even earlier by the prophet Isaiah. In
fact, Isaiah 47 is an amplification of the second MENE of Daniel 5:25 and describes what happened to the
remainder of the people.
“Come down and sit in the
dust [symbol of mourning], O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground
without a throne [end of the empire], O daughter of the Chaldeans. For you
shall no longer be called tender and delicate [beautiful and glamorous]. (Isa.
47:1)
‘Take the millstones and
grind meal. Remove your veil [no veil—loss of nobility], strip off the skirt
[lack of feminine attire—work like a man], uncover the leg [rape], cross the
rivers [go into slavery]. (Isa. 47:2)
“Your nakedness will be
uncovered, your shame also will be exposed; I will take vengeance and will not
spare a man.” (Isa. 47:3)
Pride deluded the Chaldeans
and gave them a false sense of security behind their man-made fortification.
Occupied with the pursuit of pleasure, they became careless and disregarded the
impending danger. Because of mental attitude sins, self-indulgence, and idol
worship they would suffer loss of loved ones (Isa. 47:7-10), and through
rejection of God’s Word, they would suffer the destruction of their empire.
Further, this passage sarcastically challenged the apostate Babylonians to seek
deliverance through their sorcerers, the multitude of their counsels,
stargazers, and prognosticators (Isa. 47:11-13). None of these mediums will be
able to deliver them (Isa. 47:15).
Despite repeated warnings
concerning their destiny should they fail to turn to God, the Chaldeans chose
to follow their own devices and ignore the only Savior. People in any era of
history who follow this pattern are doomed as certainly as were the Chaldeans.
“He who believes in the Son has
eternal life; but he who does not obey [believe] the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
How different history might have been for the
Chaldeans had enough people believed and developed a spiritual life. Believers are
the “salt” which preserves and sustains a nation (Matt. 5:13-14).
As a client nation and a
theocracy, all of Israel, both believers and unbelievers, were subject to the
Mosaic Law. This Law did not constitute their spiritual life, but did define
human freedom, morality, and divine authority within the national entity.
Although this code was designed by God specifically for Israel, these same
truths guarantee personal freedom and national liberty to any nation that
operates under its divine establishment axioms.
One aspect of the Law
concerns the duties of the military. To any military organization these
principles can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Under Codex III
of the Mosaic Law, Jewish troops were instructed in preparation for battle:
“When you go out to battle
against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for
the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.
(Deut. 20:1)
“Now it shall come about
that when you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak
to the people. (Deut. 20:2)
“And he shall say to them,
‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do
not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them.’
“(Deut. 20:3)
Deuteronomy 20:1 establishes
the necessity for soldiers to fight wars. This is a bona fide duty of the
citizens of a nation and is honorable in the sight of the Lord. Further, a
believer in the Lord need never be afraid; he has God’s promise: “For the Lord
your God is... with you” (Deut. 20:4). The Christian soldier’s first priority
is spiritual strength. This spiritual vigor, which translates to battle
courage, comes from believing by faith the promises of God. Promises and
doctrines from God’s Word replace fear and stress with calm and poise (2 Tim.
1:7).
‘For the Lord your God is
the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save [deliver]
you.’ (Deut. 20:4)
Verses 5 and 8 of Deuteronomy 20 present the impact
of a confident mental attitude. When a man is double-minded, unstable, or
cowardly, he can never be an effective soldier (James 1:8), nor will he be
effective in any endeavor.
Finally, in Deuteronomy
20:17 the Lord commanded that the enemy be killed—in this case, completely
annihilated. Few in the military have understood these principles as well as
General George S. Patton, one of the greatest soldiers of history. On 1 January
1944 he wrote:
God our Father, who by land
and sea has ever led us on to victory, please continue Your inspiring guidance
in this greatest of our conflicts.
Strengthen my soul so that
the weakening instinct of self-preservation, which besets all of us in battle,
shall not blind me to my duty to my own manhood, to the glory of my calling,
and to my responsibility to my fellow soldiers.
Grant to our armed forces
that disciplined valor and mutual confidence which insures success in war.
Let me not mourn for the men
who have died fighting, but rather let me be glad that such heroes have lived.
If it be my lot to die, let
me do so with courage and honor in a manner which will bring the greatest harm to
the enemy, and please, oh, Lord, protect and guide those I shall leave behind.
Give us the victory, Lord.[89]
Had a few of the Babylonian
leaders possessed Bible doctrine in their souls, Chaldea might have been able
to hold back the forces of the Medes and Persians. Although the military
advantage of the city’s fortifications was tremendous, apparently not one
member of the command group had the motivation to defend the city.
Consequently, the victory of the Medes and Persians was final and complete.
So Darius the Mede received
the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. (Dan. 5:31)
Again, the God of history
had used a nation to accomplish His plans for His people Israel. With the fall
of the Chaldean Empire, Jeremiah’s prophecy was fulfilled. God gave Chaldea
many years of grace before judgment. Yet because they failed to respond to
grace, God used the Medes and Persians as His instrument to free the Jews from
Babylonian oppression. Under the auspices of the Persian Empire, Zerubbabel
(Ezra 1:1-3) would soon lead a remnant of regenerate Jews in a return to
Jerusalem.
In retrospect, the rulers of
Chaldea failed to acknowledge that they were God’s whip to administer the fifth
cycle of discipline to Judah. Following their meteoric rise and conquest of the
Jews, they succumbed to arrogance and anti-Semitism, two deviations against
which God makes war. When the Chaldeans exalted themselves above the King of
kings and threatened His chosen people, they were doomed.
LESSONS FROM DANIEL 5
1. Escapism solves nothing. Every problem in
life must be faced and resolved with Bible doctrine.
2. Human pleasure is never a
satisfactory substitute for fellowship with God.
3. The Bible does not condone
drunkenness. Drunkenness creates its own problems and, as with all excesses, is
a sign of degeneracy.
4. Rejection of divine establishment
principles and rejection of the Gospel destroy a nation. No nation can survive
unchecked apostasy or blasphemy against God.
5. A
believer in the Lord Jesus Christ cannot ignore Bible doctrine and be happy.
There is no security in human success or power.
6. The Word of God judges
those who ignore divine truth.
7. Anyone who is not oriented
to the Word of God must inevitably depend on man. When divine judgment comes,
the people you depend on with human viewpoint cannot help; this is the
prerogative and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
8. Man never knows the day or
hour of his death. Therefore, be prepared: “For what does it profit a man to
gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).
9. True
poise and confidence come from Bible doctrine in the soul.
10. The fall of a nation or
empire is preceded by the deterioration of the mental attitude of its
leadership. Frightened unstable rulers paralyze a nation.
11. It takes doctrine to learn
doctrine. Understanding of advanced doctrine is built upon knowledge of basic
doctrine.
12. When the heritage of a
nation is based on the Word of God, rejection of and apathy toward the Word
result in the destruction of that nation.
13. The rise and fall of nations
and empires depend on the sovereignty of God. He can either prosper or judge a
nation or individuals.
Daniel 6
BABYLON—FROM
RICHES TO RAGS
THROUGHOUT ANCIENT HISTORY the name Babylon occurs
again and again, usually referring to a specific geographical location in the
land now called Iraq. The Babylon of antiquity is situated approximately sixty
miles south of Baghdad on the banks of the Euphrates River near the present
town of Al Hillah.
The Babylon found in Scripture
has several connotations. Not only does it refer to the city but also to an
apostate religion so abhorrent that it will be completely destroyed by God
(Rev. 17). Further, as a figurative expression Babylon invokes the image of a
gentile world that opposes God’s plan for Israel. The inspiration for such a
system originated in the days of Nimrod (Gen. 10:9—10) and will exist until
Babylon is eradicated at the second coming of Jesus Christ (Rev. 19: 19-21).
In the Old Testament,
Babylon is first called “Babel,” derived from the Hebrew root balal meaning “to confound” or “to
confuse.” The English word Babylon is taken from the Akkadian babilu, “gate of god.” Both the biblical
city and the tower of Babel, mentioned in Genesis 11:1-9, were built in the land
of Shinar, more commonly known as southern Babylonia.
The oldest extant temple
tower, or ziggurat, has been excavated at Erech (Gen. 10:10) and dates from the
latter part of the fourth millennium B.C. Although the Bible does not identify the original tower of Babel as a
temple tower, later ziggurats were used as such. This confirms that the
concept of religious Babylon has existed since the Rood. All temple towers were
dedicated to various guardian deities in an attempt to assure the city’s
protection or to placate hostile gods of the pantheon.
Throughout its long history
Babylon, whose prominence can be traced to approximately 2000 B.C., was also
the political center of many gentile nations. The most important ruler of the
First Dynasty of Babylon was the remarkable Hammurabi (ca. 1728-1686 B.C.).
Prosperity characterized his reign with advances in literature, astronomy,
mathematics, and architecture. Hammurabi’s most notable contribution was his
code of laws, uncovered at Susa (Shushan—one of the capitals of the Persian
Empire) by Jacques de Morgan in 1901. This code set up a social order based on
the rights of individuals, reinforced by the authority of the State. Although
Hammurabi preceded Moses by several centuries, his code parallels many of the laws
Moses recorded in the Pentateuch.
Like Jerusalem, Babylon had
a roster of mighty conquerors. Several generations after Hammurabi, the city
first came under the rule of the Hittites, then the Kassites, and later the
Elamites. Under Sennacherib in 689 B.C. the Assyrian Empire sacked and looted Babylon. Esarhaddon,
Sennacherib’s son, rebuilt the city approximately eleven years later.
The Chaldean Empire was
ultimately united by Nabopolassar in 625 B.C. Babylon was made the
capital city. Under his heir, Nebuchadnezzar II, this often-contested real
estate reached the height of glory and became the most glamorous city of the
ancient world. Nebuchadnezzar, the architect, designed vast fortifications,
wide streets, canals, resplendent temples, and palaces. Perhaps the two most
recognizable structures of the capital were the striking cobalt-blue, enameled
brick Ishtar Gate and the famous Hanging Gardens, considered by the ancient
Greeks to be one of the seven wonders of the world.
The future of this
magnificent city was far from secure. Babylon would be repeatedly vanquished.
On 13 October 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the army of
Cyrus the Great of Persia. Later it was partially destroyed by Xerxes I of
Persia (486-465 B.C.) in retribution for the
continued rebellion of its citizens.
Two centuries later in 331 B.C. Alexander the Great of
Macedonia captured the city and began extensive rebuilding programs, soon
halted because of prohibitive costs. Babylon eventually succumbed to Parthian
control Ca. 200 B.C. and came under Sassanian
rule Ca. A.D.
200. Thereafter it crumbled into ruins, never again to be revived. About twelve hundred years after the earthly ministry of our Lord, Arabs looted the ruins of that once proud city and used many of its bricks to build Al Hillah. Thus the full cycle was completed: Babylon had risen to a pinnacle of fame and had returned to dust.
With such a tumultuous
history, God employs Babylon to teach spiritual lessons throughout the
Scriptures. While Sodom and Gomorrah represent absolute moral depravity and
political degradation, Babylon is synonymous with abject apostasy and unbelief.
Yet during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon was the showcase of God’s grace
blessings for a national entity that functioned according to the laws of divine
establishment.
God never shrouds His
actions in mystery to confuse humanity; rather, He clearly delineates
throughout Scripture His plan for the human race. The only people who cannot
comprehend the divine modus operandi are those who reject or ignore His words.
The Chaldean Empire and more
specifically the king, Nabonidus, along with his son Belshazzar, the coregent,
were without excuse on one fateful night in 539 B.C. In chapter 5 Daniel relates the events of
Belshazzar’s licentious revelry and depicts the total disregard of his entire
court for the Persian army’s imminent advance toward the gates of the city. Had
the people listened to God’s warnings through the prophets, disaster for the
Chaldean Empire could have been averted (Jer. 51:9).
At the time when Nabonidus
ascended to the Chaldean throne, the Medes and Persians were uniting into an
ominous power bloc. King Astyages of Media was slowly being overrun and would
later be completely defeated by his grandson, Cyrus II of Persia. The combined
might of the Medes and Persians would be a force to reckon with if the Chaldean
Empire was to survive. Yet the people of Babylon continued to ignore the
prophecies that Jeremiah proclaimed in their city in 594 B.C. (Jer. 51:61).
Although Isaiah and Jeremiah
had graphically described the inevitable fall of Babylon, not all the details
of the conquest are revealed in Scripture. Consequently, in past ages scholars
and theologians have speculated concerning the actual tactics involved in the
capture of the city and disputed the identity of the main participants.
However, the writings of Greek historians, combined with archaeological
discoveries of the last two centuries, permit the events to be reconstructed.
Following the defeat of Astyages
the Mede, and Croesus, king of Lydia, The
Cambridge Ancient History records that Cyrus mobilized a massive army
during the autumn of 539 B.C. His first notable success
came with the capture of Opis, north of Babylon. Subsequently, he divided his
army and personally led the attack on Sippar, near the Euphrates; this action
placed him strategically fifty miles nearer the capital. Two days later the
second army, under Gobryas (Ugbaru or Gubaru), the governor of Gutium, marched
unopposed into Babylon.[90]
One of the most intriguing
and debated questions is how the strongly fortified Babylon could have been
taken so easily. First, was the geographic consideration. The Euphrates River
flowed through the center of Babylon and, according to the Greek historian Herodotus,
a large bridge spanned the river connecting the eastern and western sections
of the city. Another Greek writer, Diodorus Silucus, reveals that a tunnel had
been laid under the riverbed.[91]
Numerous canals on the outskirts of the city were used for irrigation and also
constituted a part of the defense system. In fact, all of southern Babylonia
was laced with these canals permitting water to be diverted for the needs of
the people.
Second, Herodotus records
the splendid engineering feat of the Persians. They rerouted the Euphrates by
constructing a dam some distance from the city, diverting the river around
Babylon rather than through it. This accomplished, the Persian Army approached
the city fortifications by night. Lulled into a false sense of security the
population’s general state of lethargy allowed the army to slip past the
sentries without difficulty. Then they simply marched down the dry riverbed
into Babylon.
That night Belshazzar’s
notorious banquet culminated in the shocking events of the handwriting on the
wall. The evening had been wrought with debauchery and drunkenness, a trend
permeating every social strata in Babylon. Because of a distracted citizenry
and relaxed military vigilance, the Persians literally walked in and conquered.
Once again Babylon was vanquished. A decadent nation and its self-centered
ruler had been judged and replaced (Dan. 2:21). This background introduces our
study of the sixth chapter in the Book of Daniel.
Chapter 6 actually
begins with the last verse of chapter 5:
So Darius the Mede received
[qabbel] the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. (Dan. 5:31)
Who is Darius the Mede? The Bible records three
persons who bear that name. First, there is Darius the Mede found in our
passage, as well as Daniel 6:1, 6, 9, 25, 28; 9:1; 11:1. The second personage
is Darius the king, or Darius king of Persia, named in Ezra 4:5, 24; 5:5-7;
6:1, 12, 15; Haggai 1:1; 2:10; Zechariah 1:1, 7; 7:1. He is better known in
history as Darius I, Darius Hystaspes or Darius the Great, cousin of Cyrus the
Great. He ruled as king of Persia from 521 to 486 B.C. The third reference is to
Darius the Persian in Nehemiah 12:22. This is Darius Codomannus or Darius III,
the last king of
Persia, whose empire was destroyed by Alexander the Great. Neither
Darius I or Darius III is Darius the Mede of Daniel 5:31.
Scripture substantiates that both the Medes and the
Persians played an important role in the downfall of the Chaldean Empire.
“For behold, I [God] am going to arouse and bring up
against Babylon a horde of great nations from the land of the north.” (Jer.
50:9a)
This would include not only the army of Cyrus, but the armies of the
Median king Astyages and Croesus of Lydia, whom Cyrus had defeated. Jeremiah 50
and 51 describe the actual fall of Babylon in some detail.
The Lord has aroused the spirit [the motivation] of
the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it.
(Jer. 51:llb)
Yet Isaiah confirms that Cyrus is the Lord’s anointed of whom God said,
Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I
have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him. (Isa. 45:la)
Scripture accurately prophesied historical facts long before they occurred. According to both biblical and historical records, Chaldea fell to the Medes and the Persians. The army that captured Babylon was led by Gobryas, a Persian general under Cyrus, while the man who assumed the rulership of the Chaldean Empire was Darius, a Mede.
Although many historians have attempted to present
these two men as one and the same person, they were separate individuals.
Daniel 9:1 declares without equivocation that Darius was “the son of Ahasuerus
[a title for king or ruler, as is czar or caesar], of Median descent,” a royal
personage. This fact was verified by the Jewish historian, Josephus:
Such, then, as we learn from history, was the end to
which the descendants of King Nebuchadnezzar came. Now Darius, who with his
relative Cyrus put an end to the Babylonian sovereignty, was in his
sixty-second year when he took Babylon; he was a son of Astyages but was called
by another name among the Greeks.[92]
The royal houses of the
kingdoms of Media and Parsee (or Anshan) were closely related by an arranged marriage
negotiated by the Median king, Astyages. He had wed his daughter, Mandane, to
Cambyses, King of Anshan. This union produced Cyrus the Great, King of Anshan,
who later became king of Persia. Astyages also had a son—Darius Cyaxares fl. He
is both Darius the Mode of this passage and an uncle of Cyrus the Great.98
Cyrus spent little time in
Babylon after its capture. He left the throne in the royal hands of his uncle,
Darius. To further cement this alliance, Cyrus married the daughter of Darius. Approximately
two years later, upon the death of Darius, Cyrus united the two kingdoms and
took to himself the title King of Persia.
All the events of Daniel 6
transpired within a two-year span during the reign of Darius the Mode. The
Chaldean Empire had been conquered by the silver “breast and arms” image from
Nebuchadnezzar’s vision (Dan. 2:32). The arms represented the two kingdoms of
Media and Anshan that were then merging into the silver breast—the powerful
Persian Empire. God used Persia to champion and protect His people. During the
two hundred years of the empire’s existence, the Jews experienced their golden
age.
According to the biblical
narrative, Nebuchadnezzar was the only born-again king of the Chaldean Empire.
However, under the Persian rulers there was a notable trend toward regenerate
leadership. In the days of Isaiah, Cyrus was referred to as the Lord’s
“anointed,” the only time the Lord applied that term to a gentile ruler.
Apparently he was a believer long before he consolidated the Persian Empire.
Cyrus is mentioned many times in Scripture as the Lord’s special servant (2
Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; Isa. 44:28; 45:1-5).
The conversion of Darius the
Mede is recorded in Daniel 6. Darius the Mede was sixty-two years old when he
“received the kingdom” (Dan. 5:31). “Received” is the pael perfect of the
Chaldean word qabbel, a reference to
Darius’ appointment as regent of Babylon. Before Cyrus departed for Ecbatana,
he delegated the political rulership of Babylon to his uncle, Darius, and left
the military administration in the able care of Gobryas.
It seemed good [shephar] to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they
should be in charge of the whole kingdom. (Dan. 6:1)
The peal perfect of shephar, “to be pleasant, acceptable,”
indicates that Darius himself had not formulated the plan for the
administration of the kingdom; he had merely approved it. This may have been
devised by Cyrus before he left Babylon. The word “satraps” is a translation of
the Greek word satraphj (satrapes, from the Septuagint)
and means “guardian, watcher.” The defunct Chaldean Empire had been
reorganized into 120 provinces, each section headed by a satrap or governor.
And over them three
commissioners, sarkin] (of whom Daniel was one), that these
satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.
(Dan. 6:2)
Responsibility for
administration was further delegated by the apportionment of the 120 satraps
into three groups of forty each. “Over them three commissioners” (sarkin) or chief governors were
appointed, “of whom Daniel was one.” In chapter 5, Belshazzar rewarded Daniel by elevating him to the third ruler in
the kingdom. Little did he realize how soon Daniel would be the ranking
survivor of the Chaldean Empire. God did not reveal to us the details of
Daniel’s deliverance on the night the Chaldean Empire fell.
History records that Cyrus
spared the life of Nabonidus.[93]
Even though blessed with ability and intelligence, Nabonidus apparently
played no further role in the administration of the reorganized empire. Daniel,
not Nabonidus, was appointed one of the “three commissioners so the king “might
not suffer loss”—financial loss. This brilliant plan insured the effective
administration of the extensive Persian domain and safeguarded the nation’s
economy.
Then [‘edayin] this Daniel
began [hawa’] distinguishing [netzach] himself among the commissioners and satraps
because he possessed an extraordinary spirit [enduement of the Holy Spirit],
and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. (Dan. 6:3)
The Chaldean adverb ‘edayin, translated “then,” should read
“at that time.” This all-encompassing word takes into account every event from
the moment Gobryas led the Persian troops into Belshazzar’s banquet hall
through verse 3 of Daniel 6.
Daniel’s accomplishments for
Chaldea, as well as his spiritual status, were recognized immediately; and
Cyrus, himself a believer, considered Daniel’s spiritual maturity an important
asset to his administration. Daniel was elevated to high rank, first by
Belshazzar and then by Cyrus and Darius. His remarkable success supervising the
kingdom must be understood in the light of biblical principles. Without divine
impetus Daniel could not have succeeded. If this were not God’s promotion,
Daniel would not have been promoted.
God promotes prepared
believers. Daniel was sustained through learning and applying Bible doctrine to
his circumstances. He regarded life, its problems and solutions from the divine
viewpoint; unquestionably he was ready for advancement. For this reason the
Lord blessed Daniel in a most spectacular way. The Word states that “this
Daniel began distinguishing himself.” The peal perfect of the verb “to be” (hawa’) plus the hithpaal participle of netzach presents the concept of surpassing. The hithpaal is
reflexive and connotes Daniel’s “distinguishing himself’ through the Word.
Twenty-three years had passed since the death of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, content to live in relative obscurity when once he had enjoyed the limelight, devoted those years to the diligent study of the Scriptures. During that period of time other visions were revealed to him (Dan. 7—8). Application of this new prophecy to doctrine already stored in his soul caused Daniel to realize that events were taking place in accordance with the divine plan.
Daniel was about fourteen at
the time of his capture in 605 B.C. (Dan. 1), making the date of
his birth Ca. 620 B.C. When
reorganization of the empire under Darius was accomplished in 538 B.C., Daniel
would have been in his eighties. The timeless principle of Psalm 92:14 emerges
in Daniel 6:3: In God’s service age does not hinder promotion and success.
Daniel was promoted.
They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green [idiomatic for spry and prosperous]. (Ps. 92:14)
Additional examples of this
principle can be found in the productivity and promotion of two other Old
Testament heroes, Joshua and Caleb. For forty long years Joshua was Moses’
adjutant; he was content to remain in the shadow of the great leader of the
Jews until God advanced him to a place of prominence (Josh. 1:1-9). Caleb was
eighty-five years old when he won a tremendous military victory over the Anakim
(giants) and claimed his portion of the Promised Land (Josh. 14:6-14). While in
obscurity the spiritual advance of both Caleb and Joshua never faltered; God
promoted them. Scripture frequently reiterates that divine promotion provides
the only true success and happiness for the believer.
God’s exaltation of Daniel
came “because he possessed an extraordinary spirit.” This statement refers not
only to the enduing Holy Spirit (Dan. 5:12) but also to Daniel’s soul—a soul
saturated with Bible doctrine. This magnificent man possessed the unbeatable
combination of doctrine resident in his soul and the power of the Spirit
working in his life. With this supernatural coalition Daniel or any believer is
armed for effective service.
Because of Daniel’s obvious
trustworthiness and leadership capability, King Darius “planned to appoint him
over the entire kingdom.” In addition to Daniel, a Jew of royal lineage, the
ruling triumvirate of the conquered Chaldean Empire was composed of the Persian
military administrator, Gobryas, and the Median civil administrator, Darius
Cyaxares II. Daniel himself was appointed head over the governmental
organization of the realm.
Then the commissioners and
satraps began trying [be ‘a’] to find [shekach] a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to
government affairs; but they could find no [yekil] ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he
was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. (Dan. 6:4)
Envy often occurs within the
periphery of a highly successful person. While the names of Daniel’s
high-ranking subordinates are unknown to us, their dissatisfaction with the
royal choice of appointments was evident. Their jealousy was vented against
Daniel, the outsider. Two probable causes for discontent among “the commissioners
and satraps” were Daniel’s racial heritage[94]
and the accelerated promotion of Daniel, an unknown Chaldean administrator,
ahead of Persian noblemen. Certainly, their petty jealousies were an inevitable
result of their rejection of Daniel’s authority. The operation of the sin
nature has not changed over the centuries. Even today rebellion against
authority permeates every level of our society and is destabilizing this
country.
Jealousy poisoned the souls
of two other “commissioners” and the “120 satraps.” All succumbed to this
vicious mental attitude sin. “Began trying” is the peal active participle of be’a’ and portrays the motivating factor
by which a mental attitude sin becomes a weapon of destruction. The haphel
infinitive of shekach denotes the
causative verb “to find” or “to obtain.” The purpose of those envious officials
was “to obtain” any pretext for accusing Daniel.
You may desire fame or
approbation for yourself. But when your aspiration is frustrated by others and
lingers to torment your soul, the resulting mental attitude sins may initiate
maligning, back-stabbing, or even violence. Likewise these evil men compounded
their own selfinduced misery; while they continued to foment jealousy and
hatred toward Daniel, “they could find no ground for accusation.” “Could find
no” is the haphel infinitive of yekil meaning
they “were not able”; all their efforts were stymied by Daniel’s faithful
performance of duty.
How frustrating for them to
envy the good fortune of someone who is entirely without malice. Bible doctrine
resident in the soul causes a believer to function beyond his human ability.
While Daniel possessed natural aptitude in the realm of administration,
doctrine gave him true wisdom and genius.
These satraps found no fault
with someone who constantly operated within the framework of divine design.
They could not deny that Daniel “was faithful.” Not once did Daniel doubt God’s
ability to steer his life or the affairs of the empire. Faithfulness is the
principle of true Christian service motivated by doctrine in the soul and
empowered by the Holy Spirit. The compensation for faithful devotion is stated
in
Matthew:
“His master said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I
will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.’
“(Matt. 25:21)
Then these men said, “We
shall not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel, unless we find it against him with regard to the law of
his God.” (Dan. 6:5)
Jealous people are intense
and relentless. They have no sense of humor and cannot relax. Rarely can a
person harbor this malice without committing a subsequent act of vengeance.
Certainly these “commissioners” and “satraps” did not limit their antagonism
to hostile thought against Daniel. They actively conspired to have him removed
from office. How would they conduct their conspiracy? They would scrutinize
carefully all of Daniel’s decisions to find some error. He would be under
constant surveillance in the hope of finding a reason to prove him disloyal to
the king. Was Daniel possibly consorting with the Chaldeans to overthrow the
new rulers? In any event, all intrigue came to nothing, and his calculating
adversaries had to admit “no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.”
There was one avenue still
open: Daniel could possibly be caught in a web of spiritual activities—a clever
ruse concocted by desperate and vengeful minds. Daniel made no secret of his
faith. Without a doubt, he had proclaimed the Gospel message to many of these
men. Only through Daniel’s consistent testimony could they have known that his
first loyalty was to God. Perhaps by using “the law [doctrine] of his God” they
could convince the king of Daniel’s unfaithfulness to the rule of the Medes and
the Persians.
Just as Christ was tempted
by Satan in Matthew 4, so all believers who have reached spiritual maturity can
expect attacks sooner or later. Daniel had parried such blows in the past and
would soon be involved in another skirmish related to the angelic conflict.[95]
Then these commissioners and
satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King
Darius, live forever!” (Dan. 6:6)
“All the commissioners of
the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors
have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an
injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, 0
king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den.” (Dan. 6:7)
Once a plan had been devised
by the conniving ringleaders of this conspiracy, the rulers gathered in an
official convocation before the king to persuade him to “establish a statute.”
They addressed him with the greeting of protocol: “King Darius, live forever!”
The multiplication of mental attitude sins is now manifested in an overt
sin—lying! Their insistence that all “have consulted together” was a gross
misrepresentation of facts designed to conceal the conspiracy. There is
twofold proof: First, Daniel obviously had not been included or consulted in
this matter. Second, it would have been a physical impossibility for all the
various administrative and military rulers in this expansive empire to have met
together on such short notice for a unanimous decision on any subject.
Common law could be amended,
but a royal “statute” would have placed this new decree in the category of the
absolute law of the Medes and the Persians. The basis of this type of law was
unique in that:
1. It must be signed by the
king personally;
2. Once a law was ratified,
the statute was irrevocable and applied to king and commoner alike.
Clearly the plot to
eliminate Daniel had been cleverly arranged. His practice of praying three
times a day was well-known~ and the prohibition against “petitions” to anyone
but the king for thirty days would surely catch Daniel in their trap.
These men had converted
their mental attitude sins into overt vengeance and contaminated those within
their periphery. Darius was tarnished by this jealous attempt to destroy
Daniel. By adding “besides you” the plotters appealed to the ego and power lust
of the king. Vast public approbation is an irresistible temptation to which
many fall prey. Darius was no exception. Pride and arrogance were his primary
areas of weakness. He walked blindly into the web they had so carefully woven
to ensnare Daniel.
The mention of “the lions’
den” as a means of capital punishment in the Persian Empire is an important
factor in the historicity of the Book of Daniel. The Babylonians and Chaldeans
used fire as a punitive measure (Dan. 3) because they were not fire worshipers.
The Persians, however, worshiped the god of fire in their pantheon. Therefore,
instead of incineration they used a den of lions as their method of execution.
Down through the centuries
the punishment for alleged or actual crimes has taken many forms, most of which
are horribly painful. However, the believer steeped in doctrine need not fear
such atrocities. He is protected by the Lord in unjust circumstances, whether
he faces a den of lions or a furnace of fire. God delivers believers from or
through disasters in life. Even if God does not physically deliver but permits
the death of a believer, His timing and wisdom are always perfect.[96]
“Now, O king, establish the
injunction and sign the document so that it may not [la’] be changed,
according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”
(Dan. 6:8)
Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. (Dan. 6:9)
Once they had fabricated a foundation
of lies for their insidious plan, the contemptible nobles petitioned Darius to
“establish [aphel imperfect of qum] the decree and sign [peal imperfect of resham] the writing.” This decree was proposed solely for the destruction
of one man, an act totally in violation of the laws of divine establishment.
All legislation should be designed for the protection of the citizenry in
general. Darius had been deceived. Had he been thinking objectively rather than
overwhelmed by the flattery of his courtiers, he would have recognized the
false motivation behind this legislation. The kingdom was not well served by
the hasty judgment of Darius.
The entire proposal was not
only unorthodox legal procedure, but was also contrary to good administration.
One individual processing all petitions for thirty days could lead only to an
overwhelming breakdown in the governmental machinery of this gigantic empire.
Clearly, the king’s approbation lust had been so thoroughly whetted that he
operated solely within the framework of his emotions. This rendered him
incapable of making impartial decisions—the very reaction the conspirators
hoped would occur when they devised this scheme.
By acquiescing to this
decree, Darius elevated himself to the lofty environs of pagan deity. He posed
as the incarnation of Ormazd, and according to the Zend religion of the
Parsees, his law was to be absolute.[97]
In effect, for thirty days the government of the empire would cease to
function and religious freedom was terminated.
Since Cyrus had authorized
Darius to direct the affairs of the realm, the regent’s signature was necessary
for the enactment of the proposed decree as the law of the land. “To revoke” is
the peal imperfect of ‘ada’. The
addition of the strongest negative La’ indicates
that, once recorded, the law could never be abolished by any authority
whatsoever. Blinded by megalomania and power lust, King Darius ‘‘signed and
recorded the injunction.’’
Now when Daniel knew that
the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had
windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three
times a day, praying [tzela’] and giving thanks before his God, as he
had been doing previously. (Dan. 6:10)
When Solomon dedicated the
temple in 1 Kings 8:22—53, he prayed that the Lord would not forget the
promises made to his father, David. But should the fifth cycle of discipline be
administered to the Jews, those who had been taken into captivity were
instructed to “pray to Thee [facing] toward. . . the house [the temple] which I
have built” (1 Kings 8:48). Thus Daniel complied with the divine commandment:
The windows of his chamber opened “toward Jerusalem.” Daniel followed the
pattern of Psalm 55:
Evening and morning and at noon,
I will complain and murmur [intense prayer], and He will hear my voice. (Ps.
55:17)
The declaration in verse 10
of Daniel’s discovery of the new law signified that Daniel was neither involved
in the writing of this decree nor was he present at court when the proposal was
presented to the king. Had he been in attendance, he would probably have lodged
a protest. The verb “knew” is the peal perfect of yeda’ and depicts complete perception. Once Daniel learned of this
new royal law, he immediately understood the implication: The decree was
directly aimed at his ruin.
As the highest ranking
official in the empire under Darius, Daniel could have extricated himself from
his predicament. He could have rationalized: “It might be wise for me to pray secretly
these next thirty days. Besides, if I am put to death, I cannot serve the Lord.
God will understand!” He could have done this, but he did not! Daniel was
neither frightened nor worried; he knew the battle is the Lord’s (1 Sam. 17:47)
and that God was responsible for Daniel’s exalted position. If his present
status of prosperity was to be reversed, this too, would be God’s prerogative.
Daniel fully understood his options. He made a decision: He would persist in
the same routine of prayer he had established long ago.
What should be the
believer’s course of action when he is confronted with legislation in
contradiction to the laws of God? If man’s laws conflict with God’s mandates
for evangelism and worship, divine directives take precedence. The apostles
Peter and John faced this dilemma when they were forbidden by the Sanhedrin to
declare the Gospel and the doctrines of Christ (Acts 4:17-18). Unhesitatingly,
they answered:
“Whether it is right in the
sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we
cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4: 19b-20)
They continued steadfastly in their mission and left
the consequences in the Lord’s hands.
There can be no compromise. Every believer must separate himself from apostasy. This was precisely what Daniel did: “He entered his house.” Daniel’s prayer life was a private matter between himself and God. Daniel should have been free to worship as he wished in the privacy of his own home.
The principle of privacy is
God’s protection of the individual’s right of volition. Privacy and freedom go
hand in hand. Unless a citizen violates a common law, no government has the
right to interfere with his private life. The government that overrides the
privacy of its citizens violates a God-given freedom.
Three times a day Daniel
prayed fervently (pael participle of tzela’) “giving thanks” (aphel participle of yeda’). This dedication to prayer
revealed a constant celebration in Daniel’s soul for all God had done for him
personally, confidence in the future, as well as for divine provision for the
Jews in captivity.
Daniel 6:5 states only that
Daniel’s enemies hoped to use “the law of his God” against him. Daniel 6:10
adds exactly what they had in mind. The last phrase of verse 10, “as he had
been doing previously,” literally encompasses the sixty-eight years that Daniel
had been away from Jerusalem. Daniel’s consistent prayer life afforded the
plotters the opportunity to trap him.
While Scripture only
narrates Daniel’s movements, his mental attitude in this crisis is not
difficult to trace:
1. Daniel committed the
problem to the Lord.
Cast your burden upon the
Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
(Ps. 55:22)
2. Daniel was occupied with
the Lord by drawing from the divine viewpoint in his soul.
Delight yourself in the
Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the
Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Ps. 37:4-5)
3. Daniel accepted the plot against
his life as a test from the Lord. He countered the test with the knowledge that
This also comes from the
Lord of hosts, Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great. (Isa. 28:29)
4. He thanked God for this crisis
and was prepared to do God’s will.
“It is the Lord; let Him do
what seems good to Him.” (1 Sam. 3:18b)
5. Daniel remained calm and
undisturbed by worry as he placed his confidence in the Lord.
Trust in the Lord with all
your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Prov. 3:5-6)
6. He did not “lose heart”
(mental panic, Heb. 12:2-3) but continued in “perfect peace.”
“The steadfast of mind Thou
wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee. Trust in the Lord
forever, for in God the Lord, we have an
everlasting Rock.” (Isa. 26:3—4)
7. Finally, Daniel was
victorious in his faith-rest life, secure in the knowledge of God’s infinite
power:
I will cry to God Most High,
to God who accomplishes all things for
me. He will send from heaven, and save [deliver] me; He reproaches him who
tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.
(Ps. 57:2-3)
Like Daniel, let the Lord solve all your problems.
Remember that Daniel was the
favorite courtier of the king, but were he to disobey the law, he could not
expect the king’s protection. Darius would, in fact, try to exert his power to
preserve Daniel’s life; yet by his own hasty and unwise decision Darius
rendered himself powerless.
What neither the king nor
the other satraps realized was that Daniel’s life was in the Lord’s hands (Ps.
31:15). When human power persecutes,
divine power protects (Ps. 33:9—11). Daniel was relaxed in the knowledge of
this principle and continued his relationship with the Lord through prayer,
even though this defied the unjust law Darius had signed. Neither the crises
nor the pressures of life could uproot the happiness and peace in Daniel’s
soul. Doctrine was more real, more important to him than the king’s politics
and power. Just as he lived by the Word, Daniel was ready to die for the Word.
Then these men [gubrayya’, heroes] came by agreement [regash, thronging], and found Daniel
making petition and supplication before his God. (Dan. 6:11)
God’s sense of humor is
unique. “Men” is the Chaldean word gubrayya’,
and one translation is “heroes.” Only sanctified sarcasm would call such
men heroes. While they should have been occupied with the lofty business of
governing a large empire, they instead reduced themselves to the pettiness of
common conspirators. “Thronging” is the haphel perfect (causative active) of
the verb regash, which reveals the
herdbound, frenzied state of mind of these men as they scurried to catch Daniel
in the act of praying.
Daniel’s obedience in
following the mandates of his God was well-publicized and the rulers were
certain that Daniel would not miss even one prayer session. Apparently his
window, facing the Holy City, was visible from the street, and all that was
required was several witnesses to swear that Daniel had been observed praying
to God. As expected, they “found” (haphel perfect of shekach) Daniel “making petition” and “supplication before his God”
(hithpaal participle of chanan).
The trap was sprung and
Daniel was caught. The next step was to approach the king and reveal Daniel’s
disobedience to the royal edict.
Then they approached and
spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an
injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O
king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered
and said, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which may not be revoked.” (Dan. 6:12)
Then they answered and spoke
before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no
attention [sum] to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps
making his petition three times a day.” (Dan. 6:13)
How treacherously the
plotters manipulated Darius in verse 12. Without mentioning Daniel’s name or
hinting to the king that anyone had violated his law, they persuaded him to restate
the decree and to emphasize that the “injunction” could not be “revoked.” Had
Darius not been so impressed with his own importance, he might have asked some
questions and uncovered the plot. But anyone motivated by approbation lust
rather than divine standards is oblivious to the evils around him. Darius was
accountable for the injustice he perpetrated by following the counsel of wicked
advisers.
Their triumph assured, these
rulers dropped their mask of formal courtesy and showed their real intent.
Contemptuously they referred to Daniel not as their ruling president but as
“one of the exiles from Judah.” They displayed no reticence in bringing before
the king an indictment against someone they considered inferior. The charge
that Daniel was nothing but a Jewish foreigner reflected anti-Semitism on the
part of the accusers. Through clever propaganda the plotters hoped to imply
that Daniel was disloyal to the king. His record of accomplishments was not
discussed—only the fact that Daniel was a captured hostage from Judah.
In the peal perfect of sum, translated “pays no attention to
you,” the sly innuendo becomes an accusation: Here is Daniel, a prime minister
who has the audacity to disregard the king’s order. He obviously disdained the
authority of the king by continuing to pray. Therefore, he must be dangerous to
the empire.
The unjust charges were
supported by a score of witnesses who eagerly swore that Daniel had indeed
petitioned his own God three times daily. Did they watch him all day to ascertain
whether he defied the king, or did they base their accusation on Daniel’s past
habits? Verse 11 reveals only that they found him praying. Regardless of the
veracity of their testimony, the charge had been made and these satraps and
commissioners must have congratulated themselves on the success of their
efforts. Paradoxically Daniel stood accused unfairly, yet justly, according to
the ‘letter of the law.’
The repeated reference to
“the injunction” demands that the true purpose of legislation in a national
entity be discussed. This concept was formulated by God as a divine institution
for the protection and perpetuation of the human race. Under the principle of
the national entity, legislation should protect the people of the nation.
However, not all governmental structures, or the laws they promulgate, are
compatible with this principle. The ridiculous law Darius signed demonstrates
this fact. Human government, as designed by God, is to safeguard the life,
liberty, privacy, property, and volition of individuals within a national
entity. Legislation should allow freedom of choice in matters of religion,
legitimate business, and social life.
No human government can
rectify all social evils or moral ills, especially not through the
pseudosecurity of socialism that promotes economic and political doctrines
divorced from establishment principles. Socialism exemplifies the attempt to
accomplish just such a program. Curtailing individual freedom for a misguided
collectivism will bring divine discipline to a nation as surely as the private
abuse of freedom.
Just as Nebuchadnezzar had
been wrong in trying to intimidate his subjects into paying homage to the God
of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Dan. 3:29), so Darius was wrong in
allowing himself to be misled and forcing his subjects to relinquish their
religious convictions. The law of the land now made Daniel’s spiritual life
illegal, but God’s Word specifically designates personal worship as a part of
spiritual freedom.
Daniel was aware that God
alone sustained the Persian Empire, not Cyrus or Darius. By following God’s
command, Daniel was both faithful to the Lord and loyal to the empire. True
patriotism exists in unbelievers as well as believers, but mature believers in
a national entity are the salt which preserves that nation (Matt. 5:13).
Believers who utilize doctrine not only insure national survival but national
blessing as well (Hosea 4:1-6).
Then, as soon as the king
heard [shema’] this statement, he was deeply distressed [be’esh] and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even
until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. (Dan. 6:14)
Then these men came by
agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a
law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king
establishes may be changed.” (Dan. 6:15)
When Darius “heard” (peal
perfect of shema’) these words he
realized immediately he had been trapped by his own approbation lust. Darius
had tripped over his own weakness and was “deeply distressed” (peal perfect of be’esh). Before, he had immensely
enjoyed the homage lavished upon him; now, he was completely disgusted with
himself. He must sentence to death a man whom he admired and loved. Darius
discovered too late that ego and approbation lust pay miserable dividends.
When a crisis occurs,
particularly one of our own making, hindsight usually reveals our shortcomings.
Tragically we are often blind to the consequences of our actions until we are
ensnared. Then we bear intense pain and learn the hard way.
The passing of time has made
no distinguishable changes in man’s nature. The lust pattern of the sin nature
is still the source of self-deception (Rom. 7:13-17). Christianity today is
rampant with good works and activism which are not motivated or empowered by
the Holy Spirit but by human energy and lust for acclaim.
Darius grasped the situation
and attempted to rectify his error in judgment. The conspirators, on the other
hand, showed no signs of remorse and would shortly reap what they had sown
(Hosea 8:6). Darius immediately “set his mind on delivering Daniel.” The peal
perfect of sum used with “mind”
indicates that the king intended to find a way “to rescue” (haphel infinitive
of sheziv) his trusted right-hand
man. Previously Darius was absorbed with his own exalted position; now he would
become involved in an intense effort to reprieve Daniel. For all his human
power and resources, for all his desperate work that day, the king could find
no legal means to rescind the edict. If he had contemplated the ramifications
of the decree before signing it into law, then these personal and national
crises would have been precluded.
Some react to disaster and
catastrophe with, “Why did God let this happen to me?” Had Daniel been thinking
subjectively, he would have asked this question and agonized along with the
king. But Daniel knew God makes no mistakes in managing human affairs; God
always knows what He is doing.
For seven years
Nebuchadnezzar had to be relegated to the outdoor life of the animal kingdom to
learn that God is the One who ultimately controls history (Dan. 4:32-34).
Darius would be taught this same lesson in a different way so that he might
realize the futility of human power and rely on the power of God. The
consequences of human folly can never be permanently solved by human efforts;
only God can untangle the knotted skein of man’s failures.
The conspirators were
persistent. They permitted Darius only the remainder of that day to stew in his
own misery. As the sun set, they assembled again to prod the king into action.
They reiterated to Darius his only option. There was no way out of this royal
mess, for the law of the Medes and Persians was decisive. No changes could be
made. Daniel must die!
While we are primarily
concerned with the petty tactics of power-hungry courtiers, remember that the
authority of a supreme decree was one of the built-in strengths of the Persian
Empire—a system of government whereby the monarch was subject to the same law
as his people. Normally, this principle was an excellent safeguard of justice.
However, the application in this case was distorted and resulted in a
miscarriage of justice.
This same concept of “higher
law” applies to the United States. Our Constitution was based on the tenets of
Bible doctrine, written by a group of men, both believers and unbelievers, all
of whom understood the laws of divine establishment. Since that time, many laws
have been passed which are outside the framework of divine law. Clearly, the
influx of socialistic doctrines into American thinking has eroded personal
freedom, destroyed incentive, and resulted in subversion of the free enterprise
system and the American way of life. Such thinking runs counter to the laws of
divine establishment upon which our nation was founded.
When there seems to be no
recourse even in the highest court of our land, we must remember that the
Supreme Court of Heaven is always in session. God will dispense perfect justice
in His own good time. While many innocent people suffer, God is aware of the
injustice and uses those very laws to discipline the promulgators, just as He
did in the days of Daniel.
Then the king gave orders [‘amar], and Daniel was brought in [‘atah] and cast [rema’] into the lions’
den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve [pelach] will Himself deliver you.” (Dan.
6:16)
Darius had no alternative
but to order Daniel’s execution. He “gave orders” (peal perfect of ‘amar) for the sentence to be carried
out. Daniel was “brought in” (haphel perfect of ‘atah) and “cast” or “thrown” (peal perfect of rema’) to the lions.
Perhaps you have seen an artist’s rendition of Daniel in the lions’
den—a strapping youth no older than twenty, amid a group of lions.
Although still vigorous Daniel was actually in his
early eighties during the events of Daniel 6. Be reminded that you cannot
always believe everything you see or hear. Rely on the Word of God as your
final authority.
Keenly aware that his own
inexcusable action was responsible for Daniel’s ordeal, Darius searched his
mind for at least a few words to comfort his loyal friend. He sought to assure
Daniel, despite the turn of events, that he still held him in high esteem. He
hoped Daniel would understand his untenable and embarrassing position. As
Darius stood over the pit, he was painfully aware of Daniel’s faithful and
superb service to the empire, and even more conscious of this Jew’s love for
his Lord. What could he say to a man like that?
At last, the words came. The
king cried out, “Your [Daniel’s] God whom you constantly serve [the peal
participle of pelach, denoting intensive
and consistent worship] will Himself deliver you” (Dan. 6:1 6b). The reference to “your God” indicates
that Darius was an unbeliever; he lacked the personal and intimate relationship
with the Deity whom Daniel adored and served.
Since he could do nothing,
Darius fervently wished that somehow Daniel’s God would rescue him (He “will
deliver,” shaphel imperfect of sheziv). Here
is the first indication of positive volition on the part of Darius, for as the
ultimate authority of a mighty realm he recognized a power greater than his
own.
Admittedly these words were
meant to comfort Daniel, but did the king really believe them? It is one thing
to talk a good fight but another to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim.
6:12). However, the entire sequence of events provides an insight into the
character of this monarch. Darius was a benevolent and enlightened king. As a
rule, his decisions were impartial and fair, based on objectivity. He
recognized his own authority was limited by the greater power vested in the law
of the land; he, too, must be governed by its dictates.
Darius also understood that
a perversion or misapplication of good laws causes innocent people to suffer.
The decree he had approved victimized Daniel. Humbled by that realization, the
king admitted that there had to be a higher law to be reckoned with—divine
intervention. His only option was to leave Daniel in the hands of his God for
possible deliverance. Lacking Bible doctrine in his soul, lucid, objective
thinking soon gave way to subjective emotionalism. The reason: There was no
stabilizing factor of doctrine in which to anchor his faith.
How did Daniel respond to
these adverse circumstances? He weathered this stormy episode in his life as
he had all previous ones—with an inner calm and poise born of unshakable
devotion to and firm conviction in his Lord. Bible doctrine in his soul
precluded resentment; Daniel bore the king no malice. Neither did he attempt to
justify himself nor curse his accusers. The satraps had openly expressed their
hostility toward Daniel, and even used immoral legislation as their whip, but
he did not retaliate. Instead, Daniel displayed nobility of soul and applied a
doctrinal principle:
‘Vengeance is Mine, and
retribution’ . . . “For the Lord will vindicate His people, and will have
compassion on His servants.” (Deut. 32:35a,
36a)
He left the matter in the Lord’s
hands. As a spiritual aristocrat, Daniel harbored no animosity toward his
enemies and avoided the most vicious trap of all—mental attitude sin. When
caught in the quicksand of vindictiveness, a believer who fights back is sucked
down to the level of his accusers.
And a stone was brought and
laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring
and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed in
regard to Daniel. (Dan. 6:17)
Daniel’s faith did not waver
when the heavy stone was rolled over the opening of the den and he found
himself in abysmal darkness. Our Lord set the perfect example for every
believer who suffers undeservedly:
And while being reviled, He
did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept
entrusting Himself to Him who judges
righteously. (1 Pet. 2:23)
This
was precisely what Daniel did; the rest was in the hands of the Lord. The king
sanctioned the
decree
with one official act. He pressed his signet ring into the hot wax and “sealed”
the stone. In the ancient world, the impression of a seal constituted the
ratification of all public documents, treaties, or transactions, and the
sealing off of objects protecting them against violation. The royal seal guaranteed
that no human hands could rescue Daniel with impunity, and that the king had
complied with the terms of the edict. In addition to his own signet, Darius
compelled every man who instigated this law to stamp his seal into the hot wax.
Ultimately, the king must shoulder the responsibility for the enactment of this
ludicrous law, but he obviously wanted physical proof that his lords had
contributed to the infamous deed.
How these nobles reacted to
Daniel’s apparent doom is not recorded. Did they have misgivings when they were
required to affix their signatures on the stone, or did they gloat over their
victory? We can only speculate. Yet while they stood and stared at the stone
atop the den of lions, God used that same stone to remind Daniel of past revelation,
of the rock that would crush the governmental systems of this world. This was
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream-vision of “a stone . cut out without hands” that “struck
the statue” interpreted by Daniel (Dan. 2:34). Also, Jesus Christ was and is
the Rock who controls history, just as He holds in check the lives of men.
Jesus Christ is still on the throne, ruling and overruling. In the execution of
God’s plan Daniel is just as safe in a den of hungry lions or in the palace
with the vicious commissioners and satraps as he would be in his own home.
Then the king went [‘azal] off to his palace [hekleh] and spent the night fasting [tewath], and no entertainment [dachawah] was brought before him; and his sleep
fled [nedad] from him. (Dan. 6:18)
Many people consider wealth
and status to be the road to happiness and the answer to all their problems.
The Bible teaches, however, that neither wealth nor position guarantees
happiness. The person on the top rung of the ladder of success who possesses all
the details of life can be just as miserable, sometimes more miserable, than
the person at the bottom who has nothing. Darius was a man who had everything:
intelligence, power, fame, splendid palaces, and treasures of every
description. Clearly, in time of crisis none of these sustained him. On the
other hand, while Daniel had been stripped of all accouterments of human
success and prosperity, he still had all he needed. He had the Lord and Bible
doctrine in his soul.
Above the rock that sealed
Daniel’s prison towered the grand palace (hekleh,
“big house made for pleasure”) in Babylon. Luxuriously decorated, the
palace was designed to delight a king and to provide him with beauty, comfort,
and relaxation. Darius “went” (peal perfect of ‘azal, “to depart sadly”) from what he feared might become Daniel’s
torture chamber and returned to his royal apartment. Had Darius truly believed
Daniel’s God would deliver him, the king would have had peace of mind. But his
words of hope had been hollow and meaningless (Dan. 6:16). Here God permits a
glimpse of a man who was hopelessly despondent and discouraged. He allowed
himself to be duped by conspirators to betray Daniel. Having deserted his loyal
friend the king was guilt-ridden.
For many, gluttony is a
means of sublimating when frustrated or unhappy, but in his misery Darius left
the evening meal untouched. “Fasting” is the adverb tewath and means “refraining from food”; but, this fasting had no
spiritual connotation. Darius was unaware the lions were also fasting for a
different reason. Had Darius known this, he might have summoned his
“entertainment.” Dachawah is a
euphemism derived from the musical instrument played by trained courtesans or
concubines for the purpose of arousing sexual passions. Traditionally among ancient
rulers (and even some modern ones) an exquisite meal was followed by wine,
women, and song. Concubines were brought in allowing a king to choose his
companion for the evening. Darius, however, was so depressed that he not only
turned down an excellent meal, he also refused to select from among the most
beautiful women in the empire.
Physically and mentally
distraught, the king was consumed with remorse and sorrow. As if this weren’t
punishment enough, Darius tossed restlessly in his bed; sleep “fled” (peal
perfect of nedad) from him. Insomnia
compounded the king’s self-induced misery; God can give or withhold sleep (Ps.
127:2b; cf., Ps. 77:4). Quite a contrast existed between these two men.
Above the rock, Darius felt wretched despite all the pleasures in the palace;
below the rock, Daniel was content, even while facing death. Surrounded by
ferocious felines Daniel slept soundly.
Believers must decide
whether to live in the “palace” of misery or the “den” of contentment. If
inordinate ambition drives you to acquire the details of life at the expense of
Bible doctrine, misery will be your constant companion. True and enduring
happiness is a potential gift from God, attained only through spiritual growth.
Daniel, in desperate
circumstances, still possessed happiness in his soul. Darius was in abject
misery despite his high station in life. Remember this lesson well and save
yourself some sleepless nights filled with anguish. Pleasant and prosperous
circumstances bring only fleeting happiness, but doctrine in the soul produces
enduring happiness in favorable or adverse circumstances.
Then the king arose with the
dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. (Dan. 6:19)
The night must have seemed endless
to Darius; he had reproached himself and was torn between worry and hope. When
the king finally arose at daybreak he “went in haste to the lions’ den.” The
hithpeel infinitive of behal (“haste”
or “hurry”) indicates that Darius hurried to the den of lions as fast as his
royal dignity allowed.
And when he had come near to
the den of Daniel, he cried out [ze ‘iq] with a troubled voice. The king
spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God,
whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver [segar] you from the
lions?” (Dan. 6:20)
Darius reached the den and
“cried out with a troubled [miserable] voice.” Weakly translated “cried,” the
peal perfect of ze ‘iq means he “screamed out.” The unhappy
king, who presented a pathetic figure, expected the worst, yet hoped for the
best. For the second time he manifested positive volition toward the Lord when
he called Daniel the “servant of the living God.” The king knew that Daniel’s
continual service to God was not motivated by a desire to “gain” divine favors,
but by a deep love for the Lord whom he served in prosperity as well as in
adversity.
Darius was deeply impressed
with Daniel’s devotion to God and wondered whether God had indeed “been able to
deliver” (shaphel infinitive of sheziv) His
faithful servant. Notice the inconsistency and instability of Darius. The
previous evening he had assured Daniel of divine deliverance. The next morning
he questioned God’s ability to rescue him. As Darius stood over the gaping hole
and waited expectantly, he was prepared for the dreadful silence of death. He
might have hoped for a groan that would indicate Daniel was hurt but still
alive; better yet, for a sleepy voice, should a miracle have really occurred.
Then Daniel spoke to the
king, “O king, live forever!” (Dan. 6:21)
“My God sent [shelach] His angel and shut the lions’
mouths, and they have not harmed [chaval]
me, inasmuch as I was found innocent [zaku] before Him; and also toward you, O
king, I have committed no crime. (Dan. 6:22)
Divine omnipotence is never
the issue in deliverance. Rather, deliverance is a decision of divine
sovereignty. If deliverance is in God’s perfect plan, a believer will be
rescued; if not, God has another purpose for the life or death of that
believer. Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, had
recognized this truth (Dan. 3:17; cf., 6:10).
There is no crisis in life
from which God cannot deliver the believer. Since deliverance can come through
life or death, removal from earthly suffering would have constituted as much of
a deliverance as Daniel’s rescue from the mouth of the lions. In the case of
Daniel, God’s will was a physical deliverance, whereas God’s plan for the lives
of thousands of Christians whom Nero condemned to the lions was martyrdom. Only
God in his infinite wisdom determines who can glorify Him better in life and
who can glorify Him better in death. A believer with doctrine in his soul
understands that no circumstance, person, or angel can remove him from life
until God calls him home.[98]
He can be relaxed even under enormous pressures.
How easily Daniel could have
gloated over his miraculous deliverance. After all, God had personally
intervened on his behalf. Believers who have won a spiritual victory in life
are vulnerable to arrogance. Daniel could have rebuked the king in anger and
exasperation or demanded instant punishment for all who had plotted against
him. But he was not arrogant or vindictive. From the lions’ den he maintained poise
and observed court protocol in the customary address: “O king, live forever!”
Did the hopeful thought of eternal life for Darius cross Daniel’s mind as he
uttered those words? He may have recognized the king’s positive attitude toward
God. Perhaps God had delivered him to lead this man to the Lord.
Daniel would have employed
every opportunity to clarify the issue of salvation. Had Daniel said, “Look at
me; I have survived this ordeal,” he would have made an issue of himself.
Conceivably, he might have risen to a new pinnacle of importance in the eyes of
Darius. Instead, Daniel gave all the credit to God. He illustrated the grace of
God with his first statement to Darius from the den. The use of the possessive
pronoun ‘‘my’’ with God demonstrated that his priority was his personal
relationship with the Lord.
Darius listened with rapt
attention to the account of Daniel’s miraculous deliverance: “My God sent [the
peal perfect of shelach]
His angel”—a reference to the preincarnate Savior, the Angel of Jehovah.[99]
The simple yet profound statement of God’s personal intervention on
behalf of a believer displays God’s gracious concern for His own. This
supernatural deliverance is not unique in the annals of history. Time and time
again God rescues believers in peril. Just as Jesus Christ walked in the flames
with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3:25), He spent the night with Daniel in the lions’ den.
Jesus Christ appeared to
Daniel and other Old Testament believers as a theophany (an appearance of God),
and was visible to all during the Incarnation. Although He is invisible in the
dispensation of the Church, our fellowship with Him is nevertheless real (1
Pet. 1:8).[100]
For He Himself [Jesus Christ]
has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5b)
The shaphel infinitive of segar has two meanings: “to deliver” and
“to shut.” Both declare that God delivered [Daniel] “from the lions’ mouths.”
Neither the fall nor the lions had “harmed” (pael perfect of chaval) Daniel in any way. Someday you
may experience tremendous pressure or be caught up in some dreadful disaster.
Remember that no matter how grave the danger, as a believer you are perfectly
safe in the Lord’s hands. You have His promises to stabilize your thinking.
‘Do not fear, for I am with
you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
(Isa. 41:10)
“Be strong and courageous,
do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes
with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6)
For God has not given us a
spirit of timidity [fear], but of power and love and [self-]discipline. (2 Tim.
1:7)
Following Daniel’s example, live your life as unto
the Lord and leave the consequences in His hands.
In Daniel 6:22, the noun zaku was incorrectly translated
“innocent”; it should have been rendered “purity.” The term “innocent” is a misnomer,
since all members of the human race possess a sin nature and are “guilty”
before God (Rom. 3:23). Innocence in the true sense of the word became extinct
with the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden (Rom. 5:12). On the other hand,
purity of mind is a mental and spiritual status of the believer in fellowship
with God. Such purity of mind was found” (hithpeel of shekach), literally “was obtained” by Daniel.
Day after day, year after
year, Daniel persisted in the study of doctrine. Divine viewpoint became his
way of life. Therein lay the secret of Daniel’s success. Divine viewpoint
dictated a relaxed mental attitude, even in undeserved suffering. Not once did
Daniel experience vindictiveness or bitterness toward the king or his accusers.
Daniel expressed his attitude by calmly saying, “I have committed no crime.”
Then the king was very
pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was
taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he
had trusted [ ‘aman] in his God. (Dan. 6:23)
In both immature believers
(2 Cor. 7) and unbelievers, a mood of despondency can be overturned by a change
of circumstances. The king was experiencing wide emotional swings that
manifested instability. First, he was miserable, then exuberant. Darius was
enthusiastic because a miscarriage of justice had been reversed. Daniel was
safe. In contrast, Daniel was genuinely happy because he had doctrine in his
soul, not because he had been delivered. Darius’ happiness was transient
because it depended on man and circumstances.
“Cursed is the man who
trusts in mankind, and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away
from the Lord.” (Jer. 17:5b)
Daniel’s happiness was permanent because he relied on
the Lord:
“Blessed is the man who
trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.” (Jer. 17:7)
Daniel’s confidence in the
Lord was not misplaced. At over eighty years old, he had been tossed into a
pit, twelve or fifteen feet in depth, filled with voracious lions. He emerged
unscathed. His rescue was reminiscent of that of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego: Just as the clothes of Daniel’s three companions were not singed by
the flames or tainted by the smell of smoke (Dan. 3:27), Daniel’s body showed not
one bruise or claw mark.
Divine deliverance is both
flawless and complete because it originates from a perfect source, God
Himself. Divine deliverance is always compatible with grace. Ignorance of this
gives the impression Daniel had to do
something to deserve God’s intervention. The Holy Spirit documents that
Daniel’s miraculous rescue occurred because “he had trusted.”
“Trusted” is the haphel
perfect of the transitive verb ‘aman. Daniel
trusted God’s promises and was confident God could deliver him if He so
desired. Daniel had the marvelous opportunity to enjoy his deliverance as he
watched God work. All believers can prepare for the problems and catastrophes
encountered in life. How? By learning God’s Word and applying His
problem—solving devices.[101]
The king then gave orders,
and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast
them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not
reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed
all their bones. (Dan. 6:24)
You can never seek to hurt
someone else without hurting yourself as well.
He who digs a pit will fall
into it, and he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him. (Prov. 26:27)
How often this principle has been proved true. Haman
eventually swung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 5—7). Now the
commissioners and satraps saw their vicious conspiracy boomerang. Daniel had
not demanded retribution. He utilized Psalm 55:22 and cast his burden—facing
the crisis of the lions’ den—on the Lord. He left the judgment of his
adversaries with the Supreme Court of Heaven and Darius.
Proverbs 19:12 declares,
“The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion.” Darius recognized the true
nature of his courtiers; they, not Daniel, played their sovereign false.
Subsequently, Darius “gave orders” (peal perfect of ‘amar) that Daniel’s accusers, who had set their seal in the rock,
be “brought” forth (haphel perfect of ‘atah).
Their hapless families were seized and condemned along with the convicted
nobles. As once Nebuchadnezzar threatened his cabinet members and their
families with extinction (Dan. 2:5), so now this Median ruler pronounced the
death penalty on the families of the guilty courtiers.
While capital punishment is
authorized by God (Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13:4), the sentencing of entire families of
the guilty is expressly prohibited in the Mosaic Law. God’s law of culpability
decrees that every person must stand or fall on the basis of his own actions (Deut. 24:16; 2 Kings 14:6).
While God’s law is holy, just, and good (Rom. 7:12), man’s law is often unfair
and unjust. Condemnation by association was a miscarriage in the law of the
Medes and the Persians. They felt other members of a family were contaminated
by the conspiracy. Such wholesale judgments not only eliminated bad influence
or vendettas but possibly dissuaded others from violating the law. Guilty or
not, all were summarily hurled into the lions’ den. There were no survivors.
To hear some of the creative
ways rationalists explain the miracle of Daniel’s deliverance is fascinating.
They say, “Daniel was not hurt because the lions were not really hungry.” Such
theories deny the facts stated in Scripture. The lions were ravenous; we know
this from Daniel 6:24b. We do not know how many lions were kept in the den, but
they devoured a large number of bodies with no sign of satiety.
Then Darius the king wrote
to all the peoples, nations, and men of
every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound!
(Dan. 6:25)
“I make a decree that in all
the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of
Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one
which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. (Dan. 6:26)
“He
delivers and rescues [netzal] and performs signs and wonders in heaven
and on earth, Who has also delivered
Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Dan. 6:27)
Do these verses remind you
of a similar proclamation? Nebuchadnezzar was still an unbeliever when he
decreed legislation demanding loyalty to God (Dan. 3:29). Darius, newly saved,
made the same mistake; yet both rulers eventually reached the same conclusions
about the true and living God (Dan. 4:34-37; cf., 6:26b-27).
Daniel’s deliverance led to
the removal of those who were not only anti-Semitic but rejected “the God of
Daniel.” In addition, his own testimony led to the conversion of Darius. Then
the king “wrote” (peal perfect of kethav)
his brief declaration. Nebuchadnezzar and Darius both addressed their
message to their subjects throughout their vast empires “in all the land”; the
decree applied to all, regardless of race, language, or geography.
The tract opened with the
salutation “Peace.” As used here, “peace” is more than a greeting. The word
connotes the principle of reconciliation as revealed at this time (Isa. 53:5, 11) and later set down in Ephesians 2:16.[102]
Had Darius limited himself to a simple announcement of his own salvation and Daniel’s deliverance, the kingdom would have
benefited. But like so many new believers who possess zeal but little doctrine,
Darius interfered with the ministry of the Holy Spirit and tampered with God’s
grace plan of salvation.
The salutation is followed
by the preamble, “I make a decree.” This new decree obviously was enacted to
rectify the errors of the old; yet both equally violated the concept of
individual volition. Darius’ impetuous declaration was the result of subjective
rather than objective thinking. He now attempted to force the conversion of his
people just because he had accepted the Lord. By his demand that “men fear and
tremble before the God of Daniel,” the king amalgamated religion and state in
direct contradiction to the Word of God (Prov. 24:21; cf., Matt. 22:21). Even
though some unbelievers turn to the Lord when they are severely frightened,
forced conversion can never be accomplished through legislation.
Salvation is entirely the
work of God from inception to execution—from the ministry of the Holy Spirit
(John 16:7—11) to regeneration. When evangelism is conducted according to God’s
plan,
personal volition will not
be violated. In the presentation of the Gospel, volition must not be coerced.
Every person is free to accept or to reject Christ as Savior (John 3:18, 36).
Darius’ decree that induced fear and demanded recognition of Daniel’s God was
ill-conceived.
Despite the king’s ignorance
of Bible doctrine, the Lord Himself had become very real to Darius. The king
testified, “He is the living God.” This is quite a statement from someone who
once had worshiped an entire pantheon. His testimony that Christ is “enduring
forever” was his recognition of the immutability and eternal reign of the King
of kings: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever” (Heb.
13:8). Daniel conveyed to Darius the lesson taught by the fearful image of
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Whereas nations and empires come and go, the kingdom of
God, which reaches beyond the boundaries of time and space, will never be
destroyed.
Verse 27 confirms that
Darius personally received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. The king’s
explicit vocabulary indicates he distinguished between spiritual and physical
deliverance. “Delivers” is the peal participle of the Chaldean word sheziv. “Rescues” is the aphel
participle of the Hebrew verb netzal. Both
words have the same meaning—”to deliver” or “to rescue.”
Remember, this portion of
the Book of Daniel (Dan. 2:4—Dan. 7) was recorded in the Chaldean or Eastern
Aramaic language. Since this section deals primarily with gentile nations, God
the Holy Spirit used a gentile language. The latter part of the Book of Daniel
specifically concerns the Jews; therefore, the Hebrew language resumes in chapter
8. The Holy Spirit made no mistake in His choice of words for the Scripture
(Prov. 30:5). Tucked away in this passage written in
a gentile language is one Hebrew word, netzal.
The first Chaldean word of
Daniel 6:27, translated “delivers,” denotes the king’s cognizance of his
spiritual deliverance—his salvation. Jesus Christ alone saves for all eternity
(Acts 4:12). The word “rescues~~ speaks of physical deliverance in time, so
real to the king who had personally witnessed God’s deliverance of Daniel. By
using both words, Darius, the gentile, acknowledged his faith in the God of the
Jews.
Before the completion of the
Canon, “signs and wonders” were the means God chose to warn of impending
discipline and to authenticate the declaration of the Gospel. Darius obviously
took the miracle of Daniel’s deliverance from the lions’ den as a sign from God
to bring about his own salvation.
So this Daniel enjoyed
success [tzelach] in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
(Dan. 6:28)
The haphel perfect of tzelach means “to enjoy success.” By
using this verb form, God shows us a glimpse of the grace blessings in store
for the spiritually mature believer. The Lord abundantly supplied all the
details of life for Daniel who had consistently been faithful to the Word.
Never again would he suffer trials and tribulations as in the past.
Although the exact age of Daniel at his death is unknown, we are told that he lived at least into the third year (537 B.C.) of the reign of Cyrus the Great of Persia (Dan. 10:1). If we fix the probable date of Daniel’s birth as 620 B.C., we can estimate that he lived at least eighty-three years. Not only was the remainder of his life overflowing with God’s grace blessings and riches, but Daniel’s desire to see his people, the Jews, restored to their own land finally came to fruition. Scripture records that in the first year of his reign (539 B.C.) Cyrus permitted the Jewish captives to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (2 Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1:2-3).
The key that unlocks the
door to any believer’s spiritual prosperity is doctrine resident in the soul.
Moreover, the intake of the Word is the only preparation for every exigency of
life. What an encouragement to realize that every believer can reach spiritual
maturity. God provided grace beyond measure for Daniel; and what He did for
Daniel, He will do for any faithful believer.
Not once did Daniel
compromise the grace of God. So commendable was the production of his
spiritual maturity that the Holy Spirit included Daniel’s heroics in the New
Testament’s honor roll among the exploits of the greatest believers of the
past.
Who by faith [doctrine in the
soul] conquered kingdoms, performed acts
of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions. (Heb. 11:33)
The divine citation for Daniel’s undaunted spiritual
life makes the narrative of Daniel far more than an epic. Emblazoned between
the lines is this testimony: Bible doctrine works! May the Word of God become
paramount in your life.
LESSONS FROM DANIEL 6
1. God disciplines nations by
replacing rulers under the principle of the fifth cycle of discipline. The
“head of gold” (Chaldea) was replaced by the “arms and breast of
silver” (Persia).
2. However, the ebb and flow
of empires do not change the believer’s objective on earth. God’s plan for the
believer continues, regardless of circumstances.
3. In God’s service, the age
of a believer does not hinder effectiveness.
4. Bible doctrine in the soul
qualifies the believer to succeed in life.
5. Divine
promotion for a believer is a result of spiritual faithfulness.
6. Rebellion against divinely
established authority begins with a mental attitude sin.
7. The mental attitude sin of
jealousy usually leads to and culminates in an overt act of revenge.
8. The mental attitude sin of
one person can affect the lives of many others.
9. When the believer becomes the
object of envy and vindictiveness, he must not retaliate but should commit the
matter to the Lord.
10. One of God’s protections for
freedom is the principle of privacy.
11. The lust pattern of the sin
nature is the basis of great misery and unhappiness.
12. When human power persecutes,
divine power can protect.
13. A believer with doctrine can
be happy in a lions’ den, while an unbeliever can be miserable in a palace;
hence, happiness is a grace provision from God.
14. Every believer must sooner
or later face his own “den of lions.” How you face a crisis determines your
spiritual success or failure in life.
15. Utilization of faith-rest
and doctrine resident in the soul are the basis for serving the Lord.
16. Legislation can never solve
the problems of life; only regeneration and advancing in the spiritual life
can provide the solution.
17. God delivers the believer
physically through or from disaster or He sovereignly permits the death of the
believer. God’s timing, manner, and place of a believer’s
death are perfect.
Appendixes
1. Salt was used as a preservative in biblical times and represents eternal security (Lev. 2:13).
2. Salt as seasoning (Job 6:6—7) speaks of the inner happiness designed by God for every believer—a happiness that comes from knowledge of Bible doctrine. Doctrine seasons life and thought.
3. Salt by analogy is the antithesis of leaven. Leaven—false doctrine—corrupts (Gal. 5:9); salt—true doctrine—preserves.
4.The eating of salt depicts the appropriation of salvation. The believer receives eternal life at the point of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ (1 John 5:11-12).
5. Salt which has become “unsalty” is a picture of the unbeliever in the lake of fire (Mark 9:48—49) and of the believer in reversionism and divine discipline (Luke 14:34-35).
6. The believer on earth is called the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). A positive and growing pivot of believers is the reason a national entity is preserved from destruction.[103]
7. Salt becoming “tasteless” (Matt. 5:13) represents believers perpetually out of fellowship.
8. The “salt of the covenant” (Lev. 2:13) is used to express the eternal relationship between God and the believer depicted by the Levitical offerings in Numbers 18:19.
9. Customs of the ancient world used salt to signify a contract or hospitality:
a. Under the laws of hospitality: If, as an enemy of the host, you both ate salt at his table, you were preserved from harm while in his house.
b. As a sign of fulfilling a contract: Both parties in the contract ate salt as a symbol of agreement and abiding friendship.
c. The symbolic application of the above two laws:
(1) Under the laws of hospitality: God “ate salt” at the cross—propitiation; man “eats salt” at the point of faith in Christ—reconciliation. The believer is, therefore, no longer the enemy of God but eats at His table forever.
(2) As a contract: We enter into a binding
covenant of grace, which preserves us forever.
Appendix B
The Doctrine of the Mosaic
Law
1. The Mosaic Law is given in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. An addendum to the Law is found in Deuteronomy 29.
2. The Mosaic Law is divided into three parts:
a. Codex I, the Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue (Ex. 20:1-17), defines freedom in terms of morality, privacy, property, the sanctity of life, and authority. It also defines freedom in relation to God.
b. Codex II, the ordinances or the spiritual code, is a complete shadow Christology and soteriology (Heb. 10:1) that includes the Tabernacle, Holy Days, Levitical Offerings, dress and modus operandi of the Levitical priesthood. The ordinances are the spiritual heritage of Israel.
c. Codex LII, the judgments, are the national heritage of Israel and presents laws of divine establishment designed to amplify freedom principles related to government, private citizens, and privacy; includes the concepts of jurisprudence, dietary laws, sanitation, quarantine, soil conservation, taxation, military service, marriage, divorce, etc; punishments for nonobservance were stated.
3. Recipient of the
Mosaic Law:
a. The Law was given to client nation Israel only (Ex. 19:3; Lev. 26:46; Rom. 3:19; 9:4).
b. The Law was never given to the Gentiles (Deut. 4:8; Rom. 2: 12-14).
4. Christ’s fulfillment
of the Law (Matt. 5:17):
a. He fulfilled Codex I by living a perfect life on earth during the Incarnation—the doctrine of the impeccability of Christ.[104]
b. He fulfilled Codex IL by His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session.
c. He fulfilled Codex III by His perfect observance of the laws of divine establishment.
5. The Church in relation to the Law:
a. The Church is specifically not under the Law (Acts 15:Sff; Rom. 6:14; Gal. 2:19). Therefore, the Law does not define the Christian way of life.
b. Christ is the end of the Law for believers (Rom. 10:4).
c. Believers in the Church Age are under the higher law of spirituality[105] (Rom. 8:2-4; Gal. 5:18, 22-23; 1 Cor. 13).
6. The limitations of the Mosaic Law:
a. Cannot justify (Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:20, 28; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9);
b. Cannot give eternal life (Gal. 3:21);
c. Cannot provide the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:2);
d. Cannot work miracles (Gal. 3:5);
e. Cannot solve the problem of the sin nature (Rom. 8:7).
7. The present purpose of the Law:
a. To define freedom in client nations to God in the Church Age—both establishment and spiritual freedom.
b. To define the modus operandi of the laws of divine establishment in terms of morality and virtue.
c. Codex I: to convince by divine standard that the unbeliever is a sinner and needs a Savior (Rom. 3:20, 28; Gal. 3:23—24; 1 Tim. 1:9—10).
d. Codex II: to communicate God’s grace in both salvation and
rebound.[106]
(1) Emphasis on the work of Christ in salvation;
(2) Emphasis on the spiritual death and sinfulness of mankind;
(3) Emphasis on faith in Christ for eternal life—no one can keep the Law perfectly and thereby earn salvation.
e. Codex III: to provide national function and freedom under the laws of divine establishment; to preserve nations under the principle of divine institution number four—
(1) Freedom through military victory;
(2) Control crime through capital punishment (Gen. 9:5—6; Rom. 13:4);
(3) The
importance of privacy, property, life.
I. Therefore, keeping the Law is not the way of salvation (Gal. 2:16) or spirituality but a definition
of human freedom and prosperity.
8. The perpetual application of the Law (1 Tim. 1:8-11).
9. The designation of the Mosaic Law as the “Book of the Covenant” (Ex. 24:7-8; 34:27-28; Deut. 4:13-16, 23, 31; 8:18; 9:9, 11, 15):
a. This Book of the Covenant is the subject of Jeremiah 11, but is not to be confused with the New Covenant of Jeremiah
31:31-33.
b. The prophecy of breaking the Covenant (Deut. 31:16, 20; Jer. 22:9). National disintegration results when the Covenant is broken.
10. The grace
application to life is related to Jesus Christ who fulfilled the Law (John
1:17). Therefore, the plan of God for the Church takes its precedence from the
modus vivendi of the humanity of Christ in hypostatic union rather than the
Mosaic Law. The Church does not observe the sabbath, give on the basis of
tithing, or follow the Ten Commandments to fulfill the spiritual life—all of
which are legalistic distortions of the unique spiritual life provided by God
for believers in the present age.
The Doctrine of the Grace
Apparatus for Perception (GAP)
1. Definition: The divine provision for spiritual growth whereby every believer can understand any doctrine through spiritual IQ, regardless of human IQ or education.
2. The distinction between human and spiritual IQ:
a. Human IQ is an index number indicating degree of human intelligence and is a result of meritorious perception.
b. Spiritual IQ created by the filling of the Holy Spirit is the amount of Bible doctrine stored as knowledge—epignosis (Greek) or (chokmah, Hebrew)—in the right lobe of the soul (Col. 1:9) and is a result of nonmeritorious faith perception.
3. The exclusion of human IQ from GAP (1 Cor. 1:19—2:16):
a. Human IQ has often been considered a factor in learning doctrine, which implies that a believer with a low 1Q is handicapped. But in eternity past, God found a way through grace for every believer to learn doctrine apart from human merit or perspicacity (Job 34:32; 36:22).
b. For this reason, every believer in the Church Age receives the indwelling and the filling of the Holy Spirit and the human spirit at the point of salvation (1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Thess. 5:23).
4. The grace provisions for learning doctrine:
a. The formation and preservation of the canon of Scripture (1 Pet. 1:23);
b. The divine authorization of the local church as the classroom for learning doctrine (Heb. 10:25);
c. The laws of divine establishment whereby the nation protects the freedom and privacy of the local church;
d. The spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, which includes authority and
ability (Eph. 4:11):
(1) Bestowed by God at salvation;
(2) Restricted to males;
(3) Includes communication skills;
e. The universal
priesthood of the believer for privacy and freedom of reception of doctrine (1
Pet. 2:9);
f. The filling of the Spirit and the rebound technique to maintain the filling in spite of personal sin (Eph. 5:18; 1 John 1:9);
g. The human spirit as the second stage of Operation Z (Job 32:8; 1 Cor. 2:12; Eph. 1:17; Heb. 4:12);
h. The physical metabolism process by which certain nonmeritorious functions of the body provide ability to think and to concentrate:
(1) Oxygen to the blood through involuntary breathing;
(2) Sugar to the neurons through the metabolism process.
i. The spiritual metabolism process by which the nonmeritorious function of GAP assimilates Bible doctrine in the soul for application to the circumstances of life.
5. The mechanics of GAP:
a. Stage 1—Operation ICE:
Isagogics—The interpretation of Scripture within the framework of its historical setting or prophetical environment.
Categories—The hermeneutical principle of comparing Scripture with Scripture to determine the classification of doctrine.
Exegesis—A word-by-word, verse-by-verse, grammatical, syntactical, etymological, and contextual analysis of Scripture from the original languages of the Bible—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
b. Stage
2—Operation Gnosis:
Objective
perception (gnosis) into the left
lobe or mind (nouj, nous) by means of the Holy Spirit (1
Cor. 2:10); does not require agreement or disagreement as manifest in belief or
unbelief. The left lobe is a staging area for academic knowledge only (James
1:22b).
c. Stage 3—Operation Epignosis:
The transfer of gnosis doctrine in the left lobe to the right lobe by means of faith. Positive volition converts the information to epignosis, applicable knowledge (Eph. 3:17—19). Epignosis in the right lobe establishes a new frame of reference, conscience, and vocabulary (Ccl. 2:2).
d. Stage 4—Operation Divine Good:
Application of epignosis doctrine through the power of the Holy Spirit produces divine good in the life of the believer.
Appendix D
1. Definition: The secret or specialized practices or ritual peculiar to an occupation or a body of people. The Greek word musthrion (musterion), or “mystery,” is derived from an Attic Greek word musthj (mustes), meaning an initiate of a secret fraternity of the ancient world. This was the way the word was used by Jesus Christ in Matthew 13:11 and Mark4:10—11.
2. In the New Testament epistles, the technical use of the word mystery refers to some aspect of Church Age doctrine (Eph. 3:2-6).
3. Mystery doctrine of the Church Age was not revealed in the Old Testament (Rom. 16:25-26; Col. 1:25-27).
4. The mystery was a part of the divine decrees ordained in eternity past (1 Cor. 2:7).
5. The pastor-teacher is responsible for communication of Church Age doctrine (Eph. 3:2-6); this is called the stewardship of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1).
6. The Rapture of the Church is part of mystery doctrine (1 Cor.15:51).
7. Mystery doctrine is always related to the dispensation of the Church (Eph. 1:9; 3:3).
8. The humanity of Jesus Christ in hypostatic union tested and proved the unique spiritual life which is the heart of the mystery doctrine (1 Tim. 3:16a).
9. Mystery doctrine is
understood through the function of Operation Z (1 Cor. 2:9-16; Col. 2:2; 1 Tim.
3:9).
The Doctrine of Jealousy
1. Jealousy is irrational
fear, suspicion, resentment from mistrust of another and is the strongest of
the mental attitude sins (Prey. 27:3-4).
2. Jealousy is the most
cruel mental attitude sin; it creates the arrogance and emotional complexes of
sins.
3. Jealousy removes all happiness from the believer; it is a mental
attitude sin by which you make yourself miserable.
4. Some people cannot stand the success of others; consequently,
jealousy destroys the relaxed mental attitude which is a basis of friendship.
5. So great was the sin of jealousy that a whole offering of the
Levitical Code was prescribed for it (Num. 5:11-31). It is the only offering
that was designed for only one sin.
6. Jealousy can be the basis for the destruction of category two love
(Song of Sol. 8:6).[107]
7. Jealousy can also
destroy the normal function of the soul (Job 5:2; Prov. 14:30). This is the
explanation of some cases of neurosis and psychosis.
8. Jealousy motivates revenge (Prov. 6:34).
9. Jealousy of Joseph motivated his brothers to sell him into slavery
(Acts 7:9).
10. Therefore, jealousy takes real or apparent wrongs out of the hands
of the Lord and intrudes on the divine prerogative of judgment (Deut. 32:35;
Rom. 12:19).
11. Jealousy split the nation of Israel (Isa. 11:13, Ephraim’ s
jealousy of Judah).
12. Jealousy was the motivator of the religious leaders who crucified
Jesus Christ (Matt. 27:18; Mark 15:10).*
13. Continuous negative volition
manifests itself in jealousy (Rom. 1 :28~29).*
14. Jealousy rejects the teaching of Bible doctrine (Acts 13:45;
17:5).
15. False doctrine and apostasy
produce jealousy (1 Tim. 6:4).*
*In the
passages where “envy” occurs, it is a synonym for jealousy.
Appendix F
The Doctrine of the Angel of
Jehovah
1. The Angel of Jehovah is identified as Jehovah (Gen. 16:7—13; 22:11—18; 31:11—13;
48:15—16; Ex. 3:2; cf., Acts 7:30—35; Ex. 13:21; 14:19; Judg. 6:11—23).
2. The Angel of
Jehovah is distinguished from Jehovah (Gen. 24:7, 40; Ex. 23:20;
32:34; Num. 20:16; 1 Chron. 21:15—18; Isa. 63:9; Zech. 1:12—13).
3. The Angel of Jehovah is the Second Person of the Trinity:
a. The Second Person is the
visible God of the New Testament (John 1:18, 6:46; 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 4:12).
b. The Angel of Jehovah never appears after the
Incarnation.
c. The Angel of Jehovah and Jesus Christ are said to be sent
by God the Father.
d. Since both the Father and the
Holy Spirit cannot be seen by man, and since Christ has been seen, it is
concluded that Christ is the Angel of Jehovah
or the visible member of the Godhead in the Old Testament. The appearance
of Christ in the Old Testament is called a theophany.
Appendix G
The Doctrine of the Ministry
of the Holy Spirit in the
Dispensation of Israel
1. The Holy Spirit was not universally given to all believers until
Christ was glorified by being seated at the right hand of the Father (John
7:39).
2. The Holy Spirit only endued with power some Old Testament saints to
perform special functions:
a. Joseph, a believer who was a
prime minister (Gen. 41:38)
b. Believers who were artisans occupied in the construction of the
Tabernacle (Ex. 28:3; 3 1:3)
c. Believers involved in administration (Num. 11:17, 25)
d. A believer who was both a political and military ruler (Joshua in
Num. 27:18)
e. Certain judges:
Othniel (Judg.
3:9-10)
Gideon (Judg.
6:34)
Jephthah
(Judg. 11:29)
Samson (Judg.
13:24-25; 14:5-6; 15:14)
f. Kings of Israel (1 Sam. 10:9-10; 16:13)
g. Daniel (Dan. 4:8; 5:11; 6:3)
h. Postexilic rulers (Zech. 4:6; 12-14)
3. Believers in Israel could be disciplined by the removal of the
Spirit:
a. Saul (1 Sam. 16:14)
b. David (Ps. 51:11)
4. Certain believers could obtain the Holy Spirit by request (2 Kings
2:9-10; Luke 11:13).
5. Jesus gave the Holy Spirit without request to the disciples just
before His ascension for the purpose of sustaining them for the ten-day
interim before the Church Age began (John 20:22).
Appendix H
The Biblical Doctrine of
Drinking
1. The importance of objectivity:
a. In approaching any doctrine, subjectivity, personal experience, or prejudice must be set aside in order to properly evaluate the biblical viewpoint and to gain the true biblical perspective.
(1) Those reared in a legalistic Christian background often relate alcohol to hell or to the devil; the mere mention of alcoholic beverage elicits pious indignation.
(2) Those who have a drinking problem are often looking for an excuse to pursue their besetting sin or weakness.
b. Drinking alcoholic beverage has long been an issue in the human race, as attested by the numerous references in the Bible.
(1) The Scriptures issue neither a license to drink nor a command to abstain.
(2) The Bible comments only on the correct and incorrect use of alcohol, along with its many variables.
c. Alcohol is both toxic and beneficial, destructive and helpful, a
curse and a blessing.
(1) Used in moderate amounts, alcohol is beneficial for various
medicinal purposes, such as arterial stimulation and circulation, and physical
relaxation.
(2) Alcohol can be detrimental when used as a means of escape from
reality, in a frantic search for happiness, or for licentious purposes.
2. The condemnation of drunkenness:
a. Drunkenness, not drinking per se, is condemned as a sin (Prov.
23:20; Isa. 5:11; Rom. 13:13; Eph. 5:18).
b. Drunkenness does not prove one’s social superiority, manliness, or
ability to hold one’s liquor (Prov. 20:1; Isa. 28:7-8; 1 Cor. 5:11).
c. Drunkenness incapacitates anyone, especially those in authority;
i.e., interferes with clear thinking, distorts judgment, suppresses norms and
standards, and can lead to abuse of authority.
(1) Temporal authority, such as kings, rulers, government leaders
(Prov. 31:4-5)
(2) Spiritual authority, such as pastors (1 Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7) and
deacons (1 Tim. 3:8)
(3) Those in authority are not forbidden alcohol, but they are
commanded to be temperate in its use.
d. Drunkenness is condemned in certain Bible characters:
(1) Noah (Gen. 9:21)
(2) Lot (Gen. 19:32-36)
(3) Nabal (1 Sam. 25:36-37)
(4) Ephraim—a reference to the entire Northern Kingdom, which had
become a nation of alcoholics (Isa. 28:1)
3. The adverse effects of alcohol:
a. Drunkenness or the excessive use of alcohol leads to impulsive,
abusive, or irresponsible behavior and social tragedy: crime, suicide, divorce,
traffic accidents, economic and industrial losses, loss of health, miserable
circumstances, poverty, national disaster.
b. Alcohol is a depressant rather than a stimulant.
(1) As a depressant, alcohol cooperates with the sin nature to
lower
standards of resistance to sins in all categories.
(2) Alcohol
lowers inhibitions, dulls the reflexes, destroys
common sense and good
judgment, spawns mental attitude
sins: the result—the drunken
driver kills; the drunken
spouse or parent abuses; the
drunken leader or
administrator loses
integrity; the drunken man or woman
becomes promiscuous.
(3) This
means that excessive drinking or drunkenness is not only a sin in itself, but
has dire
spiritual, as well as
physical, consequences.
(4) The
Bible gives neither encouragement nor excuse for excessive drinking.
c. Habitual
drunkenness or excessive use of alcohol can cause
certain conditions and diseases.
(1) Cerebral
hemorrhage
(2) Delirium
tremens producing mental confusion, anxiety,
terror, auditory and visual
hallucinations and delusions
(3) Korsakoffs
psychosis, in which alcohol so affects the brain
that the victim becomes a
pathological liar
(4) Cirrhosis
of the liver
(5) Wernicke’s Disease—a
paralysis of the eyes, uncoordinated walk, clouding of the consciousness, and
finally coma
(6) Marchiafava-Bignani’s Disease, in which excessive alcohol destroys
brain tissues
4. The assimilation of alcohol:
a. There are two types of excessive drinking—both can kill.
(1) Drinking an inordinate amount at one time
(2) Steady drinking over a long period of time
b. Both the chemistry of the blood and individual metabolism are
contributing factors in determining what constitutes excessive drinking.
(1) On an average, the body is capable of removing approximately one
ounce of alcohol from the blood per hour.[108]
(2) The deciding factor in what constitutes excessive drinking is not
how much a person can assimilate but the content of alcohol in the blood.
(3) Many individuals are incapable of filtering even a small quantity
of alcohol rapidly enough from the blood to prevent inebriation and should
avoid alcohol altogether.
(4) Therefore, while drinking in moderation is permitted, there are
many believers who should abstain.
c. That percentage of alcohol in the blood which causes an individual
to lose honor, integrity, judgment, morality, and reflex function becomes
intoxication.
5. The legitimate uses
of alcohol:
a. Beneficial medicinally for a dying person (Prov. 3 1:6).
b. Useful to the brain and nervous system as a depressant to produce
mild sedation (Prov. 31:7).
c. Improves circulation, especially in older persons; a glass of wine
dilates the blood vessels.
d. Stimulates the appetite (Ps. 104:15).
e. Helpful in relaxing the nervous system and in some cases is
beneficial to general health (1 Tim. 5:23).
6. The miracle of turning water to wine (John 2:1-11):
a. Jesus, His mother, and the disciples were invited to a wedding
(verses 1-2).
b. A crisis occurred when the host ran out of wine (verse 3).
c. Jesus’ answer to Mary implied that neither of them were in any way
inconvenienced by the absence of wine; their pleasure did not depend on
alcoholic beverage (verse 4).
d. The issue was not the social crisis, but who and what Christ is; not
on whether to drink or not to drink, but on salvation.
e. The miracle (verses 6—8) was the turning of water to true alcoholic
beverage, the customary beverage of the Ancient Near East (verses 9-10).
f. The miracle neither condoned nor condemned drinking but focused
attention on the unique Person of the universe, the Savior of the world, and
gave everyone present the opportunity to be saved (verse 11).
7. The divine laws of modus operandi in the Christian life (1 Cor. 6)
applied to drinking:
a. The law of liberty: Every believer upon reaching the legal drinking
age has the legal right to drink moderate amounts of alcoholic beverage; this
is not a sin.
b. The law of expediency: The believer should not drink under certain
witnessing conditions where drinking becomes an issue to the unbeliever.
c. The law of love: The believer should refrain from drinking when
there is danger of leading astray a weaker believer.
d. The law of supreme sacrifice: A believer is forbidden to drink when
his life is completely dedicated to a specific ministry or leadership function.
8. Alcoholism and national disaster:
a. Drunkenness was one of the contributing factors which led to the
fifth cycle of discipline to Israel (Isa. 28:1-9; Joel 1:4-6).
b. The principle of reversionism in a nation is related to drunkenness
and national disaster in Judah (Jer. 13:12-17).
9. Common sense and drinking:
a. Alcoholic beverage is for adults only.
(1) Young people have not gained sufficient wisdom to deal with alcohol
or derive any benefit from drinking.
(2) Since youth is vulnerable to the dangers of alcohol, young people
should never use alcohol.
b. Never drink while
frustrated or unhappy.
I.
Never
drink with strangers in strange places. Young ladies who are foolish enough to
date strangers should not imbibe.
d. Drink moderately
only with friends and those who are trustworthy.
e. Never drink alone;
moderate drinking belongs to social life.
f. Never drink on the
job.
g. Never drink while
operating a motor vehicle, flying an airplane, or operating any type of
machinery.
h. Do not drink while
handling firearms or in any hunting or shooting situation.
i. Drunkenness and
dissipation are not only a waste of time, they are forbidden in the Bible and
classified as sin.
Avoid the
danger of being filled with alcohol instead of the Holy Spirit and Bible
doctrine (Eph. 5:18).
(1) The alcoholic believer fails to utilize the grace provision for
learning and applying doctrine, growing in grace, advancing to the objective of
spiritual maturity.
(2) Since most alcoholic problems begin at an early age, moderate
drinking should not even be considered until maturity is reached.
[1] R. B. Thieme, Jr., Creation, Chaos, and Restoration (Houston: R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 1995), 39—41. Hereafter, cross-references to my books will cite only author, title, date of publication (in the first reference), and page(s).
[2] All Scriptures in this book are quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Bracketed commentary reflects amplification of the NASB translation taught in Bible class lectures (available on tape from R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, Houston, Texas).
[3]
First Cycle of Discipline: Lsss of health, decline of agiicultural prospctity,
terror, fear, and death in combat, loss of personal freedoms due to negative
volition toward Bible doctrine (Lev. 26:14—17).
Second Cycle of Discipline: Economic recession and depression, increased
personal and individual discipline for continued negative volition in spite of
the first warning (Lev.
26: 18—20).
Third Cycle of Di.scipline: Violence and breakdown of law and order; cities laid
waste (Lev. 26:21—22).
Fowlh Cycle of Discipline: Military conquest and/or foreign occupation,
scarcity of food (reduced to one-tenth of the normal supply), the separation of
families (Lev. 26:23—26).
Fifth Cycle
of Discipline: Destruction of a
nation due to maximum rejection of biblical principles (Lcv. 26:27—39).
See also Deuteronomy 28:15—48 for the five cycles, where their listing is not progressive, but is specified as part of the same curse. Verse 49 begins the description of the fifth cycle.
[4] The laws of divine establishment are principles ordained by God for the survival, stability, orderly function, protection, and perpetuation of the human race during human history. See Thieme, Divine Establishment (1988).
[5] Nabopolassar—the founder of
the New Babylonian or Chaldean Empire. The Chaldean peoples were divided into
five main clans: Bit Dakkuri, Bit Sa’alli, Bit Shilani, Bit Amukkani, and Bit
Yakin. Of the five, Bit Yakin is probably the most famous because it
contributed so many kings and rulers. One of them, a genius by the name of
Merodach-baladan (mentioned in 2 Kings 20:12 and Isaiah 39:1), was a primary
harasser of the Assyrian Empire.
We do not know for certain to
which clan Nabopolassar belonged. We suspect that he was a second son of a
second son,” which means he came Out of obscurity. Nabopolassar pulled the
Chaldean clans together and revolted against the Assyrian Empire in 625 B.c. He
became the king of Babylon, as had Merodach-bajadan some one hundred years
before. During the struggles with Assyria, Nabopolassar united with Cyaxares,
king of Media, and the Scythians for a final assault on Nineveh in 612 B.C.
Thus one empire, Assyria, vanished only to be replaced by another great empire,
Chaldea. J. B. Bury, S. A. Cook, F. E. Adcock, eds., The Cambridge Ancient History, 10 vols. (Cambridge: University
Press, 1965), 3:40, 296—99.
The
rulers of the Cha]dean Empire:
Nabopolassar
(625—605 B.c.), Nebuchadnezzar’s father
Nebuchadnezzar
(605—562 B.C.)
Amel-Marduk
(Evil-Merodach, 562—560 B.C.), son of Nebuchadnezzar
Neriglissar
(560—556 B.C.), son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar
Labashi-Marduk
(556 B.C.), son of Neriglissar and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar
Nabonidus
(556-539 B.C.), son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar
Belshazzar (553—539 B.C.), son of Nabonidus and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar
[6] Ibid., 3:130-31. The biblical Book of Nahum describes the fall of the Assynan empire and the devastation of Nineveh.
[7] Nebuchadnezzar, a son of Nabopolassar, succeeded his father as the ruler of the Chaldean Empire in 605 B.C. According to The Cambridge Ancient History, 3.212, “. . . Nebuchadnezzar was a vigorous and brilliant commander, and physically as well as mentally a strong man, fuily worthy of succeeding his father. He was to become the greatest man of his time in the Near East, as a soldier, a statesman, and an architect.” Concerned with the supremacy of Babylon be consolidated his empire by marrying a Median princess, Amyhia. daughter of Cyaxares, which secured his kingdom from the north. For his wife Nebuchadnezzar built the famous hanging gardens of Babylon considered by the Greeks the seventh wonder of the world. His reign of some forty-three years was one of the most glorious in the history of Babylon. Excavations and inscriptions have confirmed that he was one of the great men of antiquity. Ibid., 3:210-17.
[8] Jeliolalcim (also called
Eliakim, 2 Kings 23:34—36; 2 Chron. 36:4)—second son of Josiah, the last great
king of Judah. During the time that Nabopolassar was fighting the Assynans,
Egypt was trying to exert influence in Palestine. After Josiah was slain at the
Battle of Megiddo (2 Clsmn. 35 :20-23) while resisting the advance of Pharaoh
Necho, another son of Josiah, Jehoahaz (also called Shallum, I Chron. 3:15),
was raised to the throne of Judah. When Jehoabaz revolted against Egypt, Necho
returned to Jerusalem and placed Jehoiakim on the throne as a vassal king for
the Egyptians. Knowing the fate of his brother who had been taken hostage and
later died in Egypt, Jehoiakim remained loyal to Egypt when Nebuchadnezzar
besieged Jerusalem for the first time in 605 B.C.
Following the deportation of Daniel and other hostages, Jehoiakim’s allegiance to the Cbaldean Empire continued until 598 B.C. With the backing of the pro-Egyptian religious leadership of Judali, Jeboiakim revolted against Nebuchadnezz&, despite various warnings against looking to Egypt for help (Isa. 31:1). Nebuchadnezzar returned a second time to Jerusalem in 598 n.c., and Jeboiakim died during that siege. Nebuchadnezzar had Jehoiakim’s body “dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem,” just as Jeremiah had prophesied in Jeremiah 22:19. Ibid., 3:299.
[9] Jehoiachin(alsocalledConiahinJer.
22:24, 28; 37:1 andJeconiah in 1 Chron. 3:16; Jer. 24:1; Matt.
l:12)—AfterJehoiakim died during the siege of Jerusalem in 598 B.C., Jehoiachin,
his son, reigned as the nineteenth king of Judah for about one hundred days.
When Nebuchadnezzar took the city, he removed Jehoiachin from the throne and
replaced him with Mattamali another son of Josiah, changing his name to
Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17). Jehoiachin, together with his mother, his wives,
servants, and princes, was taken to Babylon as a captive. He remained in prison
for thirty-six years, until the death of Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah 22:30 records the curse on Coniah. This was apparently based on the evil he did, recorded in 2 Kings 24:9. God promised that his seed would never reign on the throne of Judah. This explains why Joseph who was of Coniah’s seed (Malt. 1:12) could not be the natural father of Jesus Christ although he was the legal father, descended from David. Ibid., 3:213.
[10] Thieme, The Divine Outline of History: Dispensations and the Church (1989).
[11] Thieme, Witnessing (1992); Idem, Freedom through Military Victory (1973).
[12] Thieme, Christian Integrity (1990), 183—88.
[13] Ibid., 57, 188—89.
[14] See Appendix A—”The Significance of ‘Salt’ in Scripture.”
[15] Presumably, Nebuchadnezzar was impressed not only when he saw the beautiful city and its fortifications, but when he realized it was Jerusalem, he remembered hearing stories of its vast wealth. The record of how Hezekiah imprudently displayed the riches of Jerusalem to Merodach-balaslan, king of Babylon, is found in 2 Kings 20:12—15 and Isaiah 39.
[16]
“We must remember that both the Hebrew and Greek terms were
sometimes applied to those filling important posts, without regard to corporeal
mutilation.” Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s
Bible Dictionary, Eighth Printing, 1961, p. 328.
[17] Thieme, The Trinity (1993).
[18] Thieme, The Integrity of God (1988), 93.
[19] Michael Grant, Myths of the Greeks and Romans (New York: Mentor Books, 1962), p. 101.
[20] The God of Israel was Jesus Christ, the Messiah, although neither Israel nor Nebuchadnezzar knew Him by that name. His name was not revealed until the Incarnation. The God whom Daniel worshiped, Adonai Elohim, the God of Israel, today we worship as our Lord Jesus Christ.
[21] See Appendix B—”The Doctrine of the Mosaic Law.”
[22] Thieme, Levitical Offerings (1973).
[23] Thieme, The Trinity, 36-37; Idem, Giving: Gimmick or Grace? (1990), 15—18. See also Appendix C—”The Doctrine of the Grace Apparatus for Perception (GAP).”
[24] Faith-rest is the believer’s basic problem-solving device for claiming promises of God and mixing them with faith through the filling of the Holy Spirit to generate tranquility of soul in the midst of the adversities of life. See Thieme, The Faith-Rest Life (1961); Idem, Christian, at Ease! (1993).
[25] Church Age: That period of human history from the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1—4) until the Church or Body of Christ is removed from the earth at the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13—18). See Thieme, The Divine Outline of History, 64—71.
[26] Thieme, Canonicity (1973).
[27] Thieme, Satan and Demonism (1996).
[28]
The Cambridge Ancient
History, 3:237.
“Mesopotamia seems to have always been thoroughly under the thumb of the
pnests, and it might almost be said that superstition had made men’s lives a
burden. . . . The king as head of the state was hedged about with religious
formalities; he would ask oracles whenever he was undertaking a new expedition.
But the innunserable omentablets which forecast events from the most trivial
acts of daily life show bow the common people tmsted such Books of Fate, and it
was clearly not only the king who bied to peer into the future.”
ibid. 3:208. ..... we can foretell the influence which the priesthood of Babylon were to wield throughout the coming brief renaissance of their country; they were a powerful party whom it was well top1~’ a fact which the usurper who might happen to be occupying the throne was not allowed to forget. .. . Nabopolassar [father of Nebuchadnezzar] was ... a victim of sanctified blackmail. The power of the clerical party was admitted also by ....... . Nebuchadnezzar was prepared to assent.., to the itching palms of the clergy, and he took care to court their favour unceasingly, rebuilding the temples, making Babylon splendid with his edifices, and thus remaining in their good graces.”
[29] Ezra 6:11: “And I issued a decree that any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a refuse heap [dunghill] on account of this.”
[30] Thieme, Christian Suffering (1987).
[31] Thieme, Victory over Death (1991).
[32] Thieme, The Trinity.
[33] Thieme, Prayer (1975).
[34] Sin Nature: An integral part of every human being which resides in the cell structure of the human body; the center of man’s rebellion toward God. The sin nature was acquired originally by Adam at his fall and is subsequently passed down genetically to all mankind through procreation. The result is both spiritual death and total depravity of all humanity, except Jesus Christ. At the virgin birth, Jesus Christ was born without a sin nature. The sin nature is the “old self’ of Ephesians 4:22; the Adamic nature of “flesh” of Romans 8:3—4; the principle of “sin” of Romans 7:8—20. See Thieme, Old Sin Nature vs. Holy Spirit (1988).
[35] Thieme, The Plan of God (1992).
[36] A dispensation is a period of human history expressed in terms of divine revelation. History is a sequence of divine administrations. These consecutive eras reflect the unfolding of God’s plan for mankind. They constitute the divine viewpoint and the theological interpretation of history.
[37] Psalm 19:7: “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”
[38] See Appendix C—”The Doctrine of the Grace Apparatus for Perception (GAP),” and Operation Z diagram, page 20.
[39] Thieme, Anti-Semitism (1991).
[40] Thieme, The Barrier (1993).
[41]
Tribulation: A
seven-year period which begins after the removal of the Church from the earth
at the Rapture and lasts until the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
[42] The Cambridge Ancient History, 3:218—219. “He was a scholar with a most conservative respect for old records and customs, and was never happier than when he could excavate some ancient foundation-stone. If we may infer anything from his pious feelings towards the city of Harran, where he so magnificently restored the Temple of the Moon, in which, as we know, one of his parents, probably his mother, ministered in the priesthood, he may well have been of north Syrian ancestry, with all a Syrian’s devotion to the Moon-god. Indeed, it maybe that this concrete evidence of his worship of the Moon brought him under the ban of the powerful priesthood of Marduk at Babylon, and even perhaps led to his being considered an apostate. which would account for his long periods of residence away from Babylon, especially at Teima in north Arabia.”
[43]
Pertinent rulers of the
Medes and the Persians:
Medes
Cyaxares
I, ally of Nabopolassar of Chaldea against the Assyrian Empire; Astyages, son
of Cyaxaxes I and grandfather
of Cyrus the Great of Persia; Mandane, daughter of
Astyages, married Canibyses I
of Anshan, mother of Cyrus the Great of Persia; Cyaxares
II,
son of Astyages, also known in history as Darius the Mede (Dan. 5:31; 9:1).
Persians
Achaemenes; Teispes, the
Great King. King of Anshan; Cyrus I; Cambyses I, married
Mandane,
daughter of Astyages of Media; Cyrus 11(549—530 B.C.), known as Cyrus the
Great,
King of Anshan and King of Persia; Cambyses 11(529—522); Pseudo-Smerdis
(Gaumata),
usurper (522—521); Darius 1(521-486), known as Darius Hystaspes or Darius
the
Great; great, great grandson of Teispcs through Ariaramnes, younger brother of
Cyrus
I; Xerxes I (486-465), the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther; Artaxerxes I
(465—424),
also known as Artaxerxes Longimanus (Ezra 7:1—8; Neh. 2:1); Xerxes II
(424); Darius
11(423-404); Artaxerxes 11(404-359); Artaxerxes III (359—338); Arses
(338—335); Darius 111 (335—331), last Persian king defeated by Alexander the Great.
[44] The Cambridge Ancient History, 4:2.
[45] Ibid. 6:353. “Aristotle taught him ethics and metaphysics, and some politics; later he wrote for him a treatise on the art of ruling, and another on colonization. He also gave him a general interest in philosophy, scientific investigation, and medicine. The last two bore fruit in Alexander’s care for his army’s health in Asia and in the great contributions he made to the knowledge of geography, hydrography, ethnology, zoology, and botany....
[46] Ibid, 6:436. “...he was one of the
supreme fertilizing forces of history. He lifted the civilized world out of one
groove and set it in another; he started a new epoch; nothing could again be as
it had been. He greatly enlarged the bounds of knowledge and of human endeavor,
and gave to Greek science and Greek civilization a scope and an opportunity
such as they had never yet possessed. Particularism was replaced by the idea of
the ‘inhabited world,’ the common possession of civilized men; trade and
commerce were internationalized, and the ‘inhabited world’ bound together by a
network both of new routes and cities, and of common interests. Greek culture,
heretofore practically confined to Greeks, spread throughout the world; and for
the use of its inhabitants in place of the many dialects of Greece, there grew
up the form of Greek known as the koine, ‘the
common speech.”’
[47] Theme, Witnessing.
[48] See Appendix D—“The Doctrine of the Mystery.”
[49] The resurrection or Rapture of the Church is the removal of all believers from the earth at the end of the present age, the Church Age. All believers who died during the Church Age
[50] Thieme, The Divine Outline of History, 35—37, 67—69.
[51] Thieme, King of Kings and Lord of Lord.c (1974).
[52] The Four Unconditional Covenants to Israel:
I. The Abrahamjc Covenant ((len. 12:1—3) founds the nation of Israel,
and confinns it with specific additions (Gen. 13:14—17; 15:1—7, 18; 17:1—8; 22:15—18; 26:3—4; Ex. 6:2—8).
2. The Palestinian Covenant is the deed to the Land and secures the
final restoration of Israel and gives the circumstances under which Israel will
be returned to the Land ((len. 15:18; Num.
31:1—12; Deut. 30:1—9; Josh. 1:3—4; Isa. 11:10—12; ier. 23:3—8; Ezek.
37:21—25).
3. The Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:8—16; Ps. 89:20-37; 2 Chron. 21:7;
Isa. 55:3; cf., Acts 13:34)
establishes the perpetuity of the throne of David through Christ (Luke 1:32;
Acts 2:29—30).
4. The New Covenant (Jer. 31:31—34) depends on the sacrificial death of Christ and guarantees eternal blessings under the Abrahamjc Covenant. Hosea 2:14-23 pictures the restoration and redemption of Israel (the adulterous wife).
[53] Ocupation with Christ is
maximum personal love for the Lord from Bible doctrine circulating in the right
lobe of the soul by means of the filling of the Holy Spirit; the ultimate
problem-solving device of the mature believer. See Thieme, Christian Integrity, 127—28.
[54] Daniel 2:37: “You, 0 king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.” Psalm 75:6—7: “For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation; but God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another” (cf., Dan. 2:21).
[55] Thieme, Christian Suffering, 140—43.
[56] Thieme, Mental Attitude Dynamics (1974); Idem, Christian Suffering, 13—14.
[57] See Appendix E—”The Doctrine of Jealousy.”
[58] Thieme, Anti-Semitism.
[59] The divine institutions are four founding principles for all
mankind ordained by God an governed by the laws of divine establishment for the
perpetuation, stability, protection, an freedom of the human race: 1. the
individual; 2. marriage; 3. family; 4. the national entity. Each institution is
regulated by a corresponding authority: 1. volition; 2. husband; 3. parents; 4.
government.
[60] Thieme, Christian Suffering, 43—44.
[61]
This is an example of a
principle stated in Psalm 76:lOa: “For the wrath of man shall praise Thee.”
Jesus Christ controls history despite the fact that Satan rules the world. The
evil perpetrated by Satan fails to achieve his goals. Instead God uses Satan’s
ploys to spread the truth throughout the world. God exploits these
opportunities, as when He sent fire from heaven in answer to Elijah’s prayer (1
Kings 18:21—39). More often, God uses these opportunities to teach Bible doctrine
to the believer. Under pressure the believer’s inner strength becomes evident.
The truth in the souls of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego was manifested
before the very idol which was designed specifically to obscure that truth.
[62] Thieme, Christian Suffering
[63] 1 Peter 1:7—8: “That the
proof of your faith, being more
precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be
found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus
Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, an though you do not
see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and
full of glory.”
[64] Thieme, Heathenism (1979).
[65] See Appendix C—”The Doctrine of the Grace Apparatus for Perception (GAP).”
[66] Thieme, Wimessing.
[67] The angel was, in fact, the Lord Jesus Christ in theophany. See Appendix F—“The Doctrine of the Angel of Jehovah.”
[68] Thieme, Heathenism, 18—23.
[69] Thieme, Witnessing, 1—2.
[70] Thieme, The Faith-Rest Ljfe, 24—32.
[71] Regeneration, called the new birth or being “born again” (John 3:3—4), occurs at the moment of faith in Christ when a person passes from spiritual death to eternal life (John 3:15; 10:28; Titus 3:5).
[72] Thieme, Mental Attitude Dynamics.
[73] See Appendix G—”The Doctrine
of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Dispensation
of Israel.”
[74] Thieme, Christian Integrity, 152—54.
[75] Baptism of Fire: (God’s judgment of the unbelievers at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ (Man. 3:11—12; 13:30, 40; 25:41; Luke 3:16—17).
[76] Thieme, Christian Integrity, 161—66.
[77] Thieme, Rebound & Keep Moving! (1993).
[78] The phrase “periods of time” is used for units of years in Daniel 4:16,23; 7:25; and 12:7.
[79] Thieme, Heathenism, 21—23.
[80] The Cambridge Ancient History, 3:216.
[81] The Cambridge Ancient History, 3:216-17.
[82] James Ussher (1581—1656) was
a famous Irish scholar, archbishop of Armagh, who wrote numerous works of
profound and extensive learning. His system of chronology, still widely
accepted, was the source for the dates printed in many editions of the Bible.
[83] See Appendix H—”The Biblical Doctrine of Drinking.”
[84]
The Lord was revealed
in the Old Testament under the sacred Tetragrammaton (Jehovah or Yahweh). Yahweh was the name
by which Israel identified the Second Person of the
Trinity. In other contexts, Yahweh refers
to God the Father or the Holy
Spirit. Out of reverence the name Yahweh was never pronounced. Instead, the Lord was called Adonai.
[85] In polytheistic mythology human weaknesses were often attributed to a god(s).
[86] Thieme, Anti-Semitism.
[87] Unger’s Bible Dictionary. 1976 ed.. s.v. “Belshazzar.”
[88] Thieme, Christian Integrity, 161—66.
[89] Harry H. Semmcs, Portrait of Patton, Paperback library Edition, Seventh Printing: 1972, 174.
[90] The Cambridge Ancient History, 4:11—12.
[91] Unger’s Bible Dictionary, 1976 ed., s.v. “Babylon.”
[92] Flavius Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, x.1 1.4.
[93]
Nabomdus (556—539 B.C.) was the son-in-law of
Nebuchadnezzar, married to Nitocris, and was coregent with Belshazzar.
[94] Thieme, Anti-Semitism.
[95] The invisible warfare between God and Satan, ignited by the prehistoric revolt of Satan and one-third of the angels, which is resolved by the creation of mankind and the continuing spiritual warfare of human history. See Thieme, Anti-Semitism, 11—13; Satan and Demonism.
[96] Thieme, Victory over Death.
[97]
Ormazd or Ahura Mazda
is the supreme god, “Wise Lord,” in the religious system of the Iranian sage
Zoroaster. See Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1970
ed., s.v. “Ahura Mazda,” by Jacques Duchesne-Guillemin.
[98] Thieme, Victory over Death.
[99] See Appendix F—”The Doctrine of the Angel of Jehovah.”
[100] Thieme, The Divine Outline of History, 3—4.
[101]
Divine problem-solving
devices are the aggregate of all that God provides in the Church Age to
accomplish His plan and to glorify Him; the only means by which Bible doctrine
can be applied in the life of all advancing believers. Every human problem can
be solved through employing the ten devices. They are rebound, the filling of
the Holy Spirit, the faith-rest drill, grace orientation, doctrinal orientation,
a personal sense of destiny, personal love for God the Father, impersonal love
for all mankind, sharing the happiness of God, and occupation with Christ. The
problem-solving devices are presented in tape-recorded lessons available
without charge from R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, Houston, Texas.
[102] Reconciliation is all that Christ did on the cross to remove the barrier between God and sinful man. The barrier consists of sin, the penalty of sin, physical birth, our relative righteousness, the perfect righteousness and character of God, and our position in Adam. See Thieme, The Barrier, 32, 41—43.
[103] The pivot is comprised of invisible heroes who glorify God and help to deliver a client nation.
[104] Thieme, The Integrity of God, 79.
[105] Thieme, Old Sin Nature vs. Holy Spirit.
[106] Thicme, Rebound & Keep Moving!
[107] Categories of Love: Category
One—toward God; Category Two—toward the opposite sex; Category Three—toward
friends. See Thieme, Christian Suffering,
83—87; Idem, Christian Integrity, 26—60.
[108] Thorn, ed., Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1977), p. 707.