10/10/10

Daniel 5

The Inevitable Doom

of Trivializing the Lord
Daniel and the End of History

The GBC Inheritance Class

Fall 2010
Dr. Gene Pond

Our Story So Far

Daniel arose to be a
leading counselor in
Babylon after predicting
the transition of empires
starting with
Nebuchadnezzar, who
had captured him as a
youth along with vessels
that were used in the
Jerusalem temple.
—Daniel 1–4

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The Book of Daniel

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

1–6 7–12
Court Stories Apocalyptic Visions
Daniel presented in 3rd person Daniel records in 1st person

1:1–
2:4a 2:4b–7:28 8–12
Heb. Aramaic Hebrew

Our Setting
Babylon Surrounded
Empire being clipped away
by Cyrus of Persia

City under siege

Famed walls around the city

that surrounds the
Euphrates

Belshazzar is the “king” of

the city and province

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Our Lead Actor

Rulers of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Nebuchadnezzar
605–562
Son Son-in-Law? Son-in-Law?
Evil-Merodach Neriglissar Nabonidus
562–560 560–556 556–539

Labashi- Belshazzar
Marduk in Babylon
9 mos. of 556 553–539

Daniel 5:1-4

The Feast of Belshazzar

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Daniel 5:5–9
The Fingers
of God

For God did

not give us a
Spirit of fear
but of power
and love and
self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7

“Belshazzar’s Feast,” Rembrandt Van Rijn, c. 1635.

National Gallery, London.

Daniel 5:10-16
The Fetching
of Daniel

The queen

“There is a man”

The worthless gifts offered

by a lame duck leader.

Are we aware that we only

have a short time here, and
that we need to seek those
things that are most
profitable?
2 Pet 3:11-12

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Daniel 5:17–29

The Facts of Interpretation

Daniel’s sermon
 Idolatry is arrogant
foolishness
 God is sovereign
and establishes the
nations
 Belshazzar repeats
the mistakes of the
Babylonian kings
God’s message
•  Mene’ =Numbered
•  Mene’ =Numbered
•  Teqel =Weighed
•  Peres =Divided

Daniel 5:30-31

The Fall of Babylon

“Belshazzars Feast,” Samuel Colman, 1836.

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