March 2022
REFLECTIONS ON THE WRITING PROPHETS
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 26
D A N I E L
Nebuchadnezzar died about 562 BCE. Daniel was taken captive into Babylon when he was 16 years old in about 602 BCE. Belshazzar only reigned* over Babylon until about 538 BCE. So Daniel was probably in his mid 70’s when “Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords .. and commanded that the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem”. There was much merrymaking as they defiled those vessels, holy to the LORD, by drinking out of them at their feast. Try to imagine the shock and horror that struck them all as, opposite the lampstand, in full view, the finger of a mans hand appeared and wrote on the wall. The words were written in a language no-one could read. It was a conversation stopper for sure. Belshazzar shook with fear.
The ‘experts’ were called in. The magicians, the soothsayers, the astrologers, those who were deemed to have special powers. Great reward was offered to anyone who could read and interpret the words on that wall. No-one claimed the reward. Then the queen spoke to the king. “There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God … now let Daniel be called, and he will give you the interpretation”. What a reputation! To be known as a man in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. What an example! What a lesson. So it was that Daniel appeared before the king and was offered the same reward that was put before the others. “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another”. Daniel was about the LORD’s business here. He had a message for the king and he did not need to be paid for delivering it. I find myself wondering if Daniel had read the words of Solomon (Proverbs 23:23) about not selling truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding. The love, mercy and grace of the LORD is free. A lesson for many today who are intent on making a living out of so doing. Freely we have received, and freely we should give, as He did. But for the recipient, it comes at a cost!! Selah!
First, Daniel reminded the king about the life of his father Nebuchadnezzar. He had built a large and feared kingdom. “But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne.” Daniel did not hold back from describing the indignity which followed that deposition. The LORD had business to conduct with Belshazzar and He had chosen Daniel to convey the details. He did not shrink from the task. “But you his son*, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the LORD of heaven.” As I write, I can feel the horror and hurt that must have filled Daniel as he saw that the holy vessels of the temple had been so defiled. And in such a contemptuous manner. Gloating and challenging God to act against them. “Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.” Can you visualise Daniel pointing to the wall as he spoke? (On a very personal note. It was this writing on that wall which my Saviour used to draw me to Himself. Many years ago in a small market town in Wales.)
MENE: God has numbered you kingdom, and finished it.
MENE: God has numbered you kingdom, and finished it.
The repetition of a word, in Scripture, is a sign of great emphasis. Belshazzar was being told that he had gone too far. For him it was all over. Finished. There would no longer be a kingdom for him to rule.
TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting.
Did you know that God had a ‘balance’ in which people are weighed? We know about the “Books”. The ‘balances’ are something else. Most of us weigh our actions, our thoughts, our relationships in a way favourable to ourselves. God has a ‘balance’ which is accurately set, to His standards. Unwavering. Constant. True. (And as a young Billy Graham pointed out to me in that Welsh market town years ago, I was ‘found wanting’. How about you? The ‘balance’ is struck with God when we have our Saviour Yeshua step into the ‘balance’ on our side. Only then does the ‘balance’ show the correct weight.) Belshazzar was ‘found wanting’ that night.
UPHARSIN: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Game, set and match against Belshazzar. “That very night Belshazzar was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom”.
* (For completeness of detail here. It is claimed by some that this is inaccurate because of ‘factual’ errors regarding Belshazzar’s role. Historical records indicate that Belshazzar was the son of king Nebonidus who succeeded Nebuchdnezzar. Belshazzar was crown prince, and was given great authority by Nebonidus. An inscription found in the city of Ur in 1853 says “May it be that I, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, never fail you. And may my firstborn, Belshazzar, worship you with all his heart.” Another inscription there declares that Nebonidus entrusted the royal throne to Belshazzar.)
What is beyond all dispute is the role of Daniel, and that is the focus of this ‘reflection’. We are now finding out about a young man, just about 16 years old who displayed great faith and allegiance to the God of his fathers. God prospered him for his faithfulness, gave him great authority in a foreign land (much like He had done with Moses) and placed him in a position of some influence. As our ‘reflection’ this week ends, Daniel is a man of great wisdom, in his mid 70’s and about to enter the service of the LORD under a different ruler of another nation. God is working out His purposes.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
REFLECTIONS ON THE WRITING PROPHETS
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 25
D A N I E L
We ended our ‘reflection’ last week with Daniel recounting the dream of king Nebuchadnezzar, and providing him with the interpretation of that dream. For the sake of evidential clarity, we identified the prophetic accuracy of that dream by naming the regimes which did in fact successively replace the kingdom of the Chaldeans, right up to the present time. That’s history. It happened. It is prophecy fulfilled. But none of the regimes were named in the prophetic dream before the event. We note that there is part of that prophetic dream still unfulfilled. Many brave (or might it be foolhardy) people, have SPECULATED about the origin and identity of the final kingdom which precedes the Kingdom of Messiah Yeshua. There are no prizes for being the first to identify that kingdom. All attempts at so doing are purely SPECULATIVE. It is one of those mysteries which are “secret things” of the LORD (Deuteronomy 29:29) and speculation is unhelpful. It is a surety that when these things come about, we WILL KNOW, because God has provided us with the evidential signs of that kingdom. Specifically, a revelation of the “man of peace”. The deceiver. The Beast.
So Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue of the image he saw in his dream. It was HUGE . Almost 30 metres high and 3 metres wide, he set it up in the plain of Dura, Babylon. All the prominent dignitaries of the kingdom turned out for its inauguration. The king was very proud of it, so much so that he demanded that at the sound of “the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music” everyone had to bow down in worship of that statue. For Daniel and his friends it was blasphemous idolatry, of which they would have no part. It did not take long before their refusal to comply with the king’s order was brought to his attention. And that spelled big trouble for Daniel and his friends. The penalty for not doing as the king commanded was to be cast into a “burning fiery furnace”. The story is well known. What remains a mystery is why Daniel was not with his friends who were cast into the furnace. We will never know. Do not speculate. What we do know is a lesson for us all. “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up”. Selah!
Nebuchadnezzar’s response was swift and unequivocal. Shadrah, Meshach and Abed-Nego were promoted to high office. And fierce retribution would be meted out to anyone who would speak “anything amiss” of Almighty God, who had delivered the young men from the furnace, because “there is no other God who can deliver like this”.
Nebuchadnezzar continued to dream! This time it was about an [Image] extremely large tree which provided food and shelter for all. But then “a holy one from heaven”, a watcher, came and gave instructions, among other things, to cut the tree down! But to leave the stump and the roots in the ground. Once again, the king invited the “wise men” to interpret the dream. And again they were unable to provide any answer. So Daniel was called to consider the matter, “for the Spirit of the holy God is in you”. As the interpretation was revealed to Daniel, he became fearful. It didn’t look too good for the king, because the tree was a representation of himself. High, lofty, proud, having the capacity to give life, and to take it away. As the king of a feared and fearsome nation, he was held in some awe. Not to be trifled with. BUT, he was being ‘watched’ .. by God, whose might and power he had seen at first hand. And what God saw, He chose to bring down, just like the tree in the dream. But still there was hope. I paraphrase part of what Daniel said. “The tree is to be cut down, but the stump and roots are left, protected by an iron band, it can be restored to you ‘but only after you come to know that heaven rules’.” Then Daniel offered some sound advice. “Break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
The time scale is not specified here, so we do not know how long the events took to unfold. What we do know is that twelve months later he was still boasting about his achievements when he received another visit from the LORD. Not in a dream this time, but in a “voice from heaven”. The voice of the One who opens and no-one shuts, and shuts and no-one opens. He heard it and he understood it. “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!” The prophetic words which Daniel spoke in the interpretation of the dream, suddenly became a reality. The king was humiliated in that he lived as an animal for an unspecified period of time. Then “at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honoured Him who lives for ever”.
It was a mighty fall from power. Not many experience such things in that same degree, but the principles remain, and the final word must go to Nebuchadnezzar. “I praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven, all of these works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Image Reference: Copyright
Illumination from Beatus of Liebana’s
Commentary on the Apocalypse (M.644, fol. 252v)
REFLECTIONS ON THE WRITING PROPHETS
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 24
D A N I E L
Not strictly a “Minor” prophet in the way such prophetic books are described. But certainly one of the truly heroic faith accounts in the Scriptures. A young man, taken into captivity, offered significant benefits to comply with the aims and objectives of his captors. Rejecting such incentives to remain faithful to the God he was brought up to believe and trust in. Prepared to die for his faith. Used by God to bring enormously important prophetic insight to the faithful down through the ages. Much of that prophecy already fulfilled, some still awaiting the LORD’s timing. Amazing. Be encouraged by Daniel’s faith.
The time of the LORD’s judgement on Judah had arrived. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with his army, was outside Jerusalem and besieging the city. It was “all over bar the shouting”. Priceless articles of worship were taken from the temple and carted off to Shinar (Babylon), and put in the treasure house of their god. Nebuchadnezzar was pretty smart. He instructed that some of the brightest children of Judah should be educated in the ways of his own people so that they could eventually serve him in his relationship with the Judeans. FOUR young men were chosen for a three year training course. They were very early deportees, being captured and taken to Babylon (very early 600’s BCE) about 20 years BEFORE the main group of exiles. One of them was Daniel. He was about sixteen years old. Very bright and a good looking lad. He was re-named “Belteshazzar”. Part of the ‘privilege’ these boys had was to eat and drink the same food as the king himself. Immediately, Daniel set himself apart by refusing to ‘defile’ himself with such a diet. Evidently non-kosher (not proper) to him. A very important distinction. I often wonder if I would have had the moral fortitude, in those circumstances, to set myself apart in that way. Would you? The word of the LORD is very clear. Read Deuteronomy 14 to check out the diet the LORD prescribed for His own. His overseer was concerned that his appearance would deteriorate if he did not eat the king’s food, and that he, the overseer, would get into trouble as a result. In the event, Daniel negotiated a test with his overseer, the chief eunuch, allowing him to eat vegetables and drink water for 10 days, after which his appearance would be judged. Surprise surprise, his complexion was improved!! Not only that, but God blessed them in their studies so that all four of these young men ‘topped the class’ at the end of their training. The word records that they were considered TEN times better than all the ‘wise men’ of the kingdom. Good start eh! “Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus”. This means until Babylonia was itself overthrown by the Persian Empire, of which Cyrus was king at that time.
Now back to the time soon after Daniel was taken captive. Nebuchadnezzar had some troubling dreams. He became an insomniac! Couldn’t sleep. One dream was so troubling his spirit, that he couldn’t even remember what the dream was!! But he was sorely troubled by it. He wanted someone to not only [Image] tell him what the dream meant, but also what it was he actually dreamt! His magicians were put under threat of death if they could not come up with the answer. Of course, they couldn’t. So a decree was made by the king that all the “wise men” should be put to death. Daniel and his friends were also sought out as being part of that group. When the chief executioner arrived Daniel asked what was the hurry? So it was that Daniel and his friends were given time to provide the answer to the king’s request. They had a prayer meeting. God blessed Daniel, also in a dream, with both the same vision as the king and what it meant. “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and might are His”. A mighty lesson Daniel learned that night, and one which upheld him and his friends for the rest of their lives. So Daniel was taken before the king to interpret the dream that had troubled him. BUT, Daniel was careful not to “big note” himself, or to claim any credit for what he was about to reveal. Another major lesson for us all to learn. He told the king that there was no-one in all the king’s court who could fulfil the kings request, BUT, “There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days”. Then Daniel displayed great wisdom as he continued. “But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart”. And so it was that Daniel explained to the king what that dream was.
The interpretation of that dream was another matter. Worthy of a ‘reflection’ of its own. May I encourage all who read this to make such ‘reflection’ for yourself. The dream revealed a succession of ‘kingdoms’, starting from the time that the vision was given, when Babylonia reigned supreme. Overthrown by the Medo-Persian regime (less than 100 years later). Then would come the Hellenistic period, followed by that of Rome. The Byzantine empire which lasted until a mere 100 years ago followed. That is what Daniel saw. We are now living in the part of that vision which precedes “Daniel’s 70th week”. The END Times. The time which will include the return of Messiah to reign on this earth for 1,000 years. The Millenial Kingdom of Yeshua.
All this was revealed to the youthful young man who was prepared to die for his faith. But there is a lot more to follow.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Image Reference: Copyright © 2012 by The Family International. All Rights Reserved.
REFLECTIONS ON THE WRITING PROPHETS
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 23
H A B A K K U K
Habbakkuk appears to have had a bit of a change. In last week’s ‘reflection’ he was in some kind of dialogue with the LORD as he came to grips with the enormity of what God had planned by way of judgement. Both for his own people, Judah, because of their unfaithfulness, and for the terrifying invasion forces of Babylon. In this last part of his ‘burden’, he turned to prayer before the LORD. He had been asking the LORD to intervene in the transgressions of Judah. Now the message is one of pleading for the mercy of God, accepting that judgment was coming. He is no less distressed. The ‘burden’ remained. He opened with a confession of his own. “O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of years! In the midst of years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” The LORD’s words were not un-noticed. He, at least, had clearly understood the gravity of the LORD’s displeasure. He also had knowledge of the mercy of God. So then he thought of Teman (an Edomite city named after a grandson of Esau) and Mount Paran, places where on their journey from Egypt, the Israelites had witnessed the LORD work with great might and power to their advantage. Both Amos and Obadiah had also used this as an example of God’s mercy to the Israelites. It was obviously an important milestone to them. In my imagination, I see that Habakkuk was wondering what he could possibly do or say to avert the calamity which was about to fall on Judah.
Habakkuk described what we would call “The Shekinah Glory” of the LORD. That is, the manifestation, on earth, of the glory of God. (Note that the word “shekinah” itself does not appear in our Bible) He describes it in terms of light and brightness and power. It was the manifest love, goodness, caring, mercy and protection of God among them. Unseen but present, experienced, and appreciated. The radiance of God’s presence, Habakkuk discerned, was about to depart from them. “In wrath, remember mercy”, was his plea. This was not an argument against God’s judgement. Habakkuk knew that God was right, and just. It was a ‘give us another chance’ moment. But it was too late.
There follows a recall of the might and power of the LORD in creation. All things covered in the glory of God. “And the earth was full of His praise”. The mountains, the hills, the rivers, the sea. Habakkuk poses the rhetorical question “O LORD, were You displeased with the rivers, was Your anger against the rivers, was Your wrath against the sea, that you rode Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?” This all symbolic of the might and power of the LORD to defeat His enemies, which Habakkuk raises again just a few verses later. “You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your anointed”. Here a reference to the great salvation of the LORD in bringing His people out of Egypt, with Moses being “His anointed” on that occasion. Habakkuk knew that with God nothing is impossible. What God had accomplished in the defeat and humiliation of Egypt’s Pharaoh, He could do again with the king of the Chaldeans.
This is all framed as a song before the LORD. That is evident from the final words of Habakkuk’s pleading. It is sung with his ‘stringed instruments’. It may be that he remembered the song Moses had sung, after the LORD had miraculously accomplished their salvation in the parting of the Red Sea. “I will sing unto the LORD for He has triumphed gloriously” (pure speculation on my part). In any event, it is obvious that the ‘escape’ from Egypt was very much in his thoughts. And it seemed that he was looking for such a miracle again. “When I heard, (of the crossing of the Red Sea) my body trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; decay entered my bones; and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble.” Well, the day of trouble was close at hand, again! Can you picture, as I can, the Israelites seeing the water of the Red Sea ahead of them, and the army of the Pharaoh behind them. Impossible situation. Then the LORD intervened. That is what Habakkuk could see. And he composed, and sang, his own song to the LORD.
“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls”. Just read that list carefully. Habakkuk described a scene of utter hopelessness. The blossom of the fig tree is the fruit itself, but lack of water will inhibit that growth, or even prevent that growth altogether. No grapes means no wine, No olives mean no oil for light, for seasoning, for cooking. No crops means no bread, no vegetables, nothing to eat. The flock outside the fold is vulnerable to predators. No herd in the stall means no milk. It is a description of great hardship, hunger, famine. A dire situation, hopelessness, which Habakkuk is comparing to the situation the people of Judah were now facing. And in this perilous situation he proclaims “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.”
So the ‘burden’ which the LORD showed Habakkuk is lifted. As we look around our world, our country, our town, our church, our family, what do we see? Certainly there is much to be concerned about. It can be overwhelming. So God has provided this example of the faithful Habakkuk. Thankyou LORD. He has shown us that there is only One in whom we may be assured of safety in a world of woes. That being our trust in Him. He who has called us to Himself is trustworthy. And there is no other.
Shabbat Shalom
RS