Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Daniel 5 and Psalm 146

What we’re told by ancient historians, but not by Daniel 5, is that while King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them from the sacred golden goblets from the temple in Jerusalem, his kingdom was actually at war with the Persian army of King Cyrus. He was so arrogant and foolish that, while his army battled the enemy, he was getting drunk.

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus tells us that the army of the Persian King Cyrus was held back (as had been many other invaders before him) by the natural barrier of the mighty Euphrates River. Belshazzar acted so blasé, because he had been lulled into a false sense of security. But unbeknownst to Belshazzar, Cyrus’ engineers brilliantly managed to divert the flow of the Euphrates into a nearby swamp. This lowered the level of the river just enough that Cyrus and his troops could march through the water and under the river-gates that protected the city. They would not have been able to do so, however, had the bronze gates of the inner walls not been somehow left unlocked. This was exactly what God predicted in Isaiah 44:28-45:7 and Jeremiah 51:57-58. God opened the gates of the city of Babylon for Cyrus, just as He had spoken to Isaiah 200 years before.

So, while Cyrus’ army was advancing on the City by night, Daniel was giving the interpretation of the Aramaic writing on the wall and announcing God’s judgment on Belshazzar. Reminding him of the way his father Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled by God and had come to realise the sovereign power of the Most High God, Daniel confronted the king: “You have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven…you did not honour the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. (v.22 & 23c)” God had measured Belshazzar and found him wanting, so his kingdom would be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. (v.26-28)

Heavenly Father, I humble myself before You today. I surrender my life to You and ask You to rule over my daily decisions, actions, thoughts and words, as the King of my life. I commit myself to honouring You in all that I think, say and do; for You alone are worthy. Open my eyes to see Your glory Lord, and keep me from the foolish pride that caused Belshazzar’s fall. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.