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Daniel 5:13-16

¹³So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, ‘Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? ¹⁴I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. ¹⁵My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it. ¹⁶I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.’

Reflect

Daniel has been in this situation before. God had given Daniel alone the ability to interpret the message of doom to Babylon. The wise men of the kingdom were ignorant of God’s wisdom, no matter how great the reward. Daniel’s loyalty was to God and not to the king. That is why Daniel didn’t rush to the king but waited to be summoned.

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Daniel 5:7-12

⁷The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”

⁸But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. ⁹So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.

¹⁰But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. ¹¹There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. ¹²This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.’

Reflect

Some notes to consider:

1. When the king offered the person who solved the mystery the position of third highest ruler in the kingdom, it meant that he would be directly below King Belshazzar because at that time, King Belshazzar’s father Nabonidus was still in power and was the 1st king. King Belshazzar was the 2nd king.
2. Although the writing on the wall contained only three words in Aramaic, a language understood by Babylonians, the people could not determine its prophetic meaning.
3. The queen mother was either Nabonidus’s wife or the wife of one of his predecessors, possibly even of Nebuchadnezzar.

So, the stage is set. Daniel has been living in peaceful obscurity for a number of years. The Babylonians have ignored God and once again, God is going to pull Daniel out of his tranquility into the fire!

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