Holy Scriptures and Israel

Gideon Levytam: The study of Daniel chapter 5, he’s telling them a few things. Number one, he's telling them, “God” in verse 24, “is the creator God.”

Verse 25. God who made the world and all things that there in, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temple made with him. Why? Because he's the creator.

He’s telling this company in Athens that are worshipping all kind of idols. They have had upon one of the mountains. They have had an altar and they had one additional God called the Unknown God.

Paul wisely using this altar saying, “Listen, here is a title set to the Unknown God, I want you to I want to present to you that Unknown God.” In other word, he is a creator. He made all things.

But then notice in verse 26, sorry, 25, not only that he is a creator, he is also the provider. Everything you have have been provided by God. He said that when in verse 25, “Neither is worship him with men's hand as though he needed anything, seeing that he gives to all.”

Here's his provision. He gives them life, he gives them breath, and he gives them all things. You know, God is not only a creator, but God is also a giver. You know, everything that he gave and that's what Belshazzar needed to learn. That he received, just like his grandfather, whatever he had, he received it. Even the breath that he was breathing was a gift that came from God.

And then thirdly, here, I want you to notice, not only that God is a creator verse 24, he is a provider verse 25, but he is also a ruler in verse 26 to 29. And he has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of all the earth. And has determined the time and appointed and and appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they should seek the Lord. If happily they might feel after him.

You know what? God is a ruler and he longed for people to seek after him. That they will follow after him, that they would be drawn after him because in him we live and we move and we have our beings. That's what he was trying to say.

And so, you know what Daniel does? The Hebrew in the Old Testament. Paul also, a Hebrew does in the New Testament. Same thing. The same principle those two men understood. One of them understood that God had given to Belshazzar breath. And the other one understood that God had given to all men, as he says here, life and breath and all things. It was a gift from God. Belshazzar, it was a gift from God, you people of Athens. That was both of them are saying.

Now, go back please, and you notice that Daniel 5 and verse 24. Now, he's saying to Dan to he's saying to Belshazzar, “Listen,” in verse in verse 23, it says to him that you received the breath from God, but you did not glorify him. And then now he's saying to him in verse 24, “Okay,” he said, “Then because of this,” Belshazzar, verse 24, “Then was the part of the hand sent from him and this is the writing which have been written.”

You see Belshazzar because you did not learn the lesson from history about your grandfather, and because you became very proud and instead of worshipping the true and living God that gave you breath, you went and you glorified and you worship false gods that do not move, cannot do anything. That's the reason why you saw the handwriting on the wall. And I'm going to tell you about the handwriting on the wall he's saying he's telling to Belshazzar, the king.

And so now quickly, verse 25 to 28 is the writing on the wall and the interpretation of the writing of the wall. First of all, verse 25 is what was written on the wall. And verse 26, 27 and 28, the interpretation of the words that were written on the wall.

What was written on the wall listen verse 25. And this is the writing that was written. Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin. Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin. These are really Aramaic words for measurements. Aramaic words for measurements. Let me just give it to you also the similarity to it in Hebrew.

Mene in Aramaic is simply the Hebrew word mana. In Aramaic is Mene. In Hebrew is mana. Then the second word that we have here is the word Tekel is exactly the equivalent of the Hebrew word for Shekel. You know, by the way today if you go to Israel the money that we use in Israel today, called Shekel.

Years ago, they used to have a way to weigh a Shekel a way it's a it's a it's a measurement, it's a weight that you would weigh in Aramaic it's Tekel. In Hebrew is Shekel. And thirdly, the third word that you have here Upharsin is really three words together. U is a connection connecting word. It's like the Hebrew Ve, and, and. And Parsin or Farsin, Peres is one word. In or IN is plural just like in Hebrew IN or YUD men.

So, it's saying it's the plural, U and Parsin or Divi force mean to divide but it's in plural. So, he's saying, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

Now, here he gives us the interpretation. All by himself he does it in verse 26, 27 and 28. First of all, the word Mene is repeated twice. Is repeated twice but he gives us only one time here in verse 26. He says, “This is the interpretation of the thing.” Mene or in Hebrew mana, in Aramaic Mene. “God has numbered thy kingdom and finished it.”

The word mana, like I told you it's a measurement, it's a portion. It's a number, so the word number God, Mene, God numbered your kingdom. In other word, there is certain length of time the king Belshazzar your kingdom going to remain. But also the word Mene also it's also mean, it's not only does mean numbered but it also mean appointed.

In other word, God have numbered the days of the kingdom of Belshazzar and he appointed an end to this kingdom. Very clearly from verse 26. “This is the interpretation of the thing. Mene, God has numbered thy kingdom and notice, and he finished it.” He's appointed a time of an end to the kingdom. That's why it's repeated twice, Mene, Mene. Mana, Mana. Numbered, appointed. He numbered the kingdom, he's appointed the day to end the kingdom of Babylon.

Secondly, the word Tekel, and again, you remember what I say, it's a measurement of weight. And here is in Hebrew, it's simply Shekel. “Thou art weighed in the balance and are found wanting.”

You know, if you take a balance, a scale, and you weigh the scale, you weigh the value of something and if it's not if it's not enough valuable, found short, it's coming exactly the principle of Roman 3:23. “For all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God.” Everybody have been weighed in the balance if you will, but nobody had risen to be enough valuable enough. In other word, nobody had measured enough to come even with the value of God's expectation.

You know, he's saying to Belshazzar, “You have been weighed in the balance and you came too short.” You came, you fall short. Khaser. The word for Tekel mean simply Shekel, you just did not make it.

And finally, Peres in verse 28. You remember that we in in verse 25, he says Upharsin the plural. Here he gives us the singular but it's really mean he has two meanings. It says here in verse in verse 28, “Thy kingdom has been divided.” And that's what it mean, Divi force, Farsin is divided but it's much more than being divided. It says here the secondly, he said it had been given to the Mede and the Persian.

You know, the word Paras or Peres is exactly the same word for the kingdom of Persia. So, thy kingdom has been divided. Divi Paras or Peres but also had been given to the Medes and to the Persians.

And can you just imagine now Daniel is is is speaking to to King Belshazzar, and he says the number of the days of the kingdom have been appointed. You have been weighed in the balance and you came too short. And therefore, he says, “Your kingdom had been divided and had been given to the Medes and the Persians.”

And you know, beloved, that while King Belshazzar was having this feast, the Persians and the Medes were already outside, ready to come in to take to come inside and to take this this great city by the name the city of of Babylon.

And so, you know, the question was, and I think a while ago, one of us here have expressed, how was the kingdom have been taken? How did Babylon this great city with such a high walls and wide walls and towers and gates of of metal gates, how does this city have been taken over by the Persians and the Medes? And we were talking about the fact that there was enough food in this city to keep the citizens of this city for 20 years.

How did Babylon fail? And you know the the the history tells us that the Cyrus, what Cyrus what Cyrus the king have done is that while the Euphrates River have been going through the walls, if you will, underneath the walls, into the center of the city, you know what it had been said that the Persian, what did they do? They have diverted the river and making channels so that water will go to various sides and not go into the city.

And as the water slowly, slowly, slowly came further down, then the Medes and the Persians could enter underneath the wall and went all the way into the palace where the king have had his celebration. And they say it had been said that almost without any casualties they took over the city of Babylon. And Babylon became under the authority now of the Medes and the Persians.

And notice that I want you now to read with me in verse in verse 29. It says here, “After Daniel told King Belshazzar the the the writing on the of on the wall and the interpretation, in verse 29, apparently, he commanded Belshazzar, the king commanded that they will close Daniel with scarlet. And they put chain upon chain of gold about his neck and they made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

You know, Daniel was the third ruler of the kingdom for extremely short time. Because it did not take too long, if you read the next verse, that he stopped to be the third in the kingdom, at least the third in the kingdom of the Babylonian Belshazzar, the king because it says in verse 30, “A dead night, a dead night, was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans slain.”

And it was the very same night, you know, when he had this great feast, that Daniel have given him this this explanation. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, this is the interpretation. God has numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Thou have are weighed in the balance and are found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided and have been given to the Medes and the Persians.

The water descended, the Medo-Persians came underneath the walls, enter into the into the palace and took over the whole Babylonian kingdom.

Now, I want you please to turn to a passage in the book of Isaiah please. Isaiah chapter 44. Isaiah prophesied concerning Babylon about Cyrus that Cyrus would go to take will ultimately become take over the Babylonian kingdom about 150 to 200 years prior to even the coming of Cyrus, to the birth of Cyrus even and so. Notice what Isaiah is saying. Isaiah chapter 44 and verse 27.

Isaiah 44 verse 27 and 28. I read just verse 28 actually. That says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure. Even saying to Jerusalem, thou shall be built, and to the temple thy foundation shall be laid.” Chapter 45, verse 1. “Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden. To subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings to open before him the two leaves gates, and the gate shall not be shut. I will go before thee. And make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron.”

Chapter 47 verses 8 and 9 in connection with Babylon and the fall of Babylon. Chapter 47 verses 8 and 9. Let me read verse 1 as well. Isaiah 47 verse 1 and 8 and 9. “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground. There is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for thou shall no more be called tender and delicate.”

Verse 8. “Therefore hear now this thou that are given to pleasures.” This is Babylon's boasting. “That dwells carelessly, that sayth in thine heart, I am and none else beside me, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment, in one day, listen, in a moment, in one day, the loss of children and widowhood, they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries and for the great abundance of thy enchantment. For thou has trusted in thy wickedness, thou has said, none saith me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it has perverted thee, and thou has said in thine heart, I am and none else beside me.”

You see, the pride of Babylon, and the fall of Babylon had been prophesied by Isaiah in chapter 47, verses 8, 9 and 10 concerning the city of Babylon. And it is also very interesting that it was Cyrus and and you know, who is the one that first of all, have and introduced again the rebuilding of the temple and the return of the Jewish people back to the Promised Land after the Babylonian captivity. It was Cyrus, the King of Persia.

And so now two more passages and we're going to stop. Daniel chapter 5, the last verse, listen. After we said in verse in verse 30 that at that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. Then notice what we read. “And the Riis, the Mede, took the kingdom being about three score and two years old.”

Darius actually was a vice king, he reigned over Babylon but actually it was King Cyrus, the King of Persia, who was really the one who was in full authority. And so Darius received the kingdom of Babylon just to take to to control Babylon, but the Medes and the Persian are the one who took control finally of the whole Babylonian kingdom and if you will, took over and at that particular point, the Medo-Persians became the one that were in control.

And now quickly, I want to close with this, if you just turn to the book of Ezra, one more time, and we're going to read Ezra just for a minute. Ezra, Nehemiah, just a few verses in the book of Ezra. Second Chronicle, then Ezra. Second Chronicle and Ezra. The first chapter of the first first chapter and the first a few verses.

You remember we read Isaiah chapter 44 and Isaiah chapter 45. Isaiah chapter 44 and Isaiah chapter 45, we read that Cyrus was mentioned, the one that will be used by God to rebuild the home the house of the Lord through the Jewish people as they will be restored. And so listen, Cyrus reigned from 559 to 529 BC. And let me read Cyrus we read in verse 1 of chapter 1. “Now in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia.”

“That the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled.” And you remember, Jeremiah said that the Jewish people because of disobedience going to be in Babylon for 70 years. Once the Babylonian captivity have ended, the Persian took over and now after 70 years of the Jewish people to be in Babylon, now notice what happened. It says here, “Thus in verse in verse 1 and that the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the King of Persia. That he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and he put it also in writing and he said, “Thus says Cyrus King of Persia. The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. And he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judea.”

Verse 3. “And who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judea, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel. He is the God which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place, where he sojourneth, let the men in his place help him with silver and with gold and with wood, and with beasts, beside the free will offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

And so that it's so beautiful to see that at the end of the Babylonian captivity, when the Medo-Persians took over, Cyrus, which have been already spoken about through Isaiah the prophet about 200 years prior to it, he was proclaiming now and he's saying to the Jewish people, who is among you, that the Lord stir his heart to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.

And for those who did not go, do you know how many people only gone to Jerusalem to build the only about 45 to 50,000 individuals. That's it, you read it in Ezra, and you read it in Nehemiah, only about the most about 50,000 Jewish people went all the way out, all the way up to Judea to rebuild the temple and rebuild the wall. The rest of them remain in the in in in the diaspora.

And the the book of Esther, the book of Esther in the scriptures, tells us about those that remained, the Jewish people who remain in, if you will, in the diaspora, and the experience they had to go through and you know the story of Haman, who wanted to kill all the Jewish people and so on and and how Mordecai, the Jewish man, whose niece or Esther the Queen, he became the Queen and how they have delivered and they have been helping to all the Jewish people to be saved from the from the desire of Haman to destroy them.

And so, Cyrus is telling them that whosoever remained away from the land, you know how they're going to support them? They're going to send silver and gold and wood and beasts and free will offering with those that have gone up to Jerusalem.

And you know, this principle still remains today. Many of the Jewish people who live in North America and Europe are even today supporting the state of Israel, supporting the Jewish people who live in the land in in various ways. Israel of today could have never been sustained unless of course God in his wisdom has a plan for them and we know that and using the Jewish community around the world to be able to help them to sustain them in the in the land of Israel today.

And so what's the lesson that we learned beloved in chapter 5? I tell you the lesson before we're going to close. One thing we learned for sure in chapter 5 is that it is so important for every one of us to learn from experiences that others have gone before. Are all the experience that we learned that others have gone and they tell us about them, it is important to learn from them that ultimately we might be humble and broken before the Lord that the Lord does not need to to use drastic measures like he have used here in the life of Belshazzar.

That's number one. Number two, we learn here that all what God have said, and you remember the program that God have said, in chapter 2, the Babylonian, the Medo-Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans, and the final revival of the Roman Empire and ultimately, the the one that going to reign, the Messiah, who's going to reign, it will surely come to pass. It's just a matter of God's timing. In the fullness of time here, we see the end of the Babylonian kingdom, and immediately we see the Persians. And as we're going to move of course into into chapter 6, Lord willing, next time, we're going to talk a little bit about Darius that we have just read about him in the end of chapter 5. But then we are going to go to chapter 7 and chapter 8, which are really taking us back into the Babylonian kingdom. There we're going to be speaking about other things that we could learn from these chapters.

Holy Scriptures and Israel: You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levytam. Gideon teaches God's Word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry, write to Holy Scriptures and Israel, Box 1411, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, L0S 1J0. Or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall, 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program, visit holyscripturesandisrael.com. God bless you. Shalom shalom.