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NOTES
Daniel 1: The Introduction
Chapter 1 introduces the historical context of Daniel’s deportation
to Babylon following Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem in 605 BC. Daniel was
among the royal Jewish captives first extradited to Babylon.
Upon Daniel’s arrival, he and three companions were confronted with
a difficult choice between defiling themselves with the king’s appointed ration
of choice food and wine or risking their lives by abstaining from the food for
the sake of remaining undefiled in the sight of God. God rewards Daniel’s
righteous decision to abstain by granting him favor and compassion in the sight
of the commander of the officials. God also endows Daniel and his three
companions with exceptional knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence that results in
the honor of entering into the king’s personal service.
Daniel 2: Daniel’s Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s First Dream
Chapter 2 explains God’s supernatural equipping of Daniel to reveal
Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream and its interpretation, demonstrating God’s
covenant attentiveness to His exiles. The dream reveals four successive Gentile
dominions preceding the establishment of God’s messianic kingdom that will
never be destroyed. After Daniel reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its
interpretation, Daniel is promoted as ruler over Babylon and chief prefect over
all its wise men.
Daniel 3: Nebuchadnezzar’s Command and the Courageous Response of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego
Nebuchadnezzar erects a great image of gold, commanding peoples,
nations and men of every language to fall down and worship the golden image
when hearing musical instruments. The king’s decree includes the penalty of
being immediately cast into a furnace of blazing fire for anyone refusing to
worship the image.
After the Chaldeans report the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego to worship the image, Nebuchadnezzar gives urgent orders for them to
be cast into a furnace of blazing fire. The three men are tied up and cast into
the furnace. When Nebuchadnezzar and his high officials look into the furnace,
they are astounded to see four men walking unharmed in the midst of the fire.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego exit the fire unsinged. Nebuchadnezzar then
issues a decree forbidding an offensive word to be spoken against the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, whom the king causes to prosper.
Daniel 4: Daniel’s Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
Predicting the King’s Insanity
Chapter 4 provides Nebuchadnezzar’s narrative of his second dream
and Daniel’s interpretation of the dream as a prediction of the king’s
temporary insanity. The dream is of a great spreading tree that a messenger
from heaven commands to be cut down. Daniel interprets the tree as
Nebuchadnezzar himself, predicting that Nebuchadnezzar would dwell among the
beasts of the field for a seven-year period before finally ascribing glory to
God. Afterwards, his mental health and kingdom are restored.
Daniel 5: Daniel’s Interpretation of the Miraculous Writing on the
Wall
Chapter 5 records Daniel’s interpretation of a mysterious
inscription on the palace wall of Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, coregent
with Nabonidus (556–538 BC), and son of Nebuchadnezzar. During a great feast on
the eve of the Persian conquest of Babylon (538 BC), Belshazzar was drinking
out of the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple
in Jerusalem when a hand emerged and began writing on the palace wall. Seeing
the hand, Belshazzar becomes alarmed and calls for the wise men.
After the wise men fail to interpret the inscription, Daniel is
brought to Belshazzar, at the queen’s request. Daniel interprets the message to
read, “‘MENE’ – God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ‘TEKEL’ –
you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. ‘PERES’ – your kingdom
has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians” (Dan 5:26-28).
Belshazzar is slain that same night and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom,
fulfilling the words spoken by Daniel.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1.
Who holds a great feast? For whom does he hold the feast and drink
wine in their presence? (5:1)
2.
What does Belshazzar give orders to bring out so that the king and
his nobles, his wives and his concubines could drink from them? Whom did they
praise as they drank the wine? (5:2-4)
3.
(C) What additional information do the following verses provide
concerning the vessels?
1Kings 10:21
1Kings 10:21
2Kings 24:11-13
2Kings 25:13-15
Ezra 1:7-11
2Kings 25:13-15
Ezra 1:7-11
4.
As Belshazzar with his nobles, wives, and concubines drink from the
gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, what suddenly emerges? What
does the king see? Describe the reaction of the king to what he sees. (5:5-9)
5.
How does the queen advise the king? List nine qualities of Daniel
used by the queen. (5:10-12)
(A) Which of these characteristics would you ask the Lord to develop in you?
(A) Which of these characteristics would you ask the Lord to develop in you?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
6.
What has the king heard about Daniel? What does Belshazzar offer to
give to Daniel if he is able to read and interpret the inscription? What does
Daniel tell the king to do with his gifts? (5:13-17)
(O) Why do you think that Daniel
refused the offer of the king’s gifts?
7.
What does Daniel tell Belshazzar that the Most High God had
granted to Nebuchadnezzar? What was the
result of God’s granting of grandeur to Nebuchadnezzar? (5:18-19)
8.
Why is Nebuchadnezzar deposed from his royal throne and his glory
taken away from him? What are the consequences of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride? What
does Nebuchadnezzar recognize about the Most High God when his sanity is
restored? (5:20-21)
9.
(PR) Write a brief principle regarding pride from the following
verses:
Prov 8:13
Prov 11:2
Prov 16:18-19
Prov 29:23
Prov 8:13
Prov 11:2
Prov 16:18-19
Prov 29:23
Mark 7:20-23
1Pet 5:5
1John 2:16
1Pet 5:5
1John 2:16
10.
(PR) Write a brief principle regarding humility from the following
verses:
Prov 18:12
Prov 22:4
Matt 11:29
Matt 18:4
Eph 4:1-3
Phil 2:3
Prov 18:12
Prov 22:4
Matt 11:29
Matt 18:4
Eph 4:1-3
Phil 2:3
Col 3:2
11.
What does Daniel say that Belshazzar has not done even though he
knows what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar? Against whom has Belshazzar exalted
himself? What specific ways has Belshazzar sinned against God? Who does Daniel
say Belshazzar has not glorified? (5:22-24)
12.
(A) Why is it important to gain wisdom from previous failures and
their consequences? How could you humble your heart and glorify God today?
13.
From Whom is the hand sent? What is the inscription that was
written out? (5:24-25)
14.
What is the 3-part interpretation of the message? (5:26-28)
‘MENE’
‘MENE’
‘TEKEL’
‘PERES’
‘PERES’
15.
What is the outcome of Daniel’s reading and interpretation of the
inscription? (5:29)
16.
What happens the same night as the appearing of the hand to
Belshazzar at the great feast? Who receives the kingdom? How old is he?
(5:30-31)
17.
What do you learn about God in Daniel 5?
18.
How could you apply what you have learned about God this week?
Write
a prayer response to Daniel 5.
BIBLE TEXT: DANIEL 5 (NASB)
Dan. 5:1 Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he
was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 When Belshazzar
tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which
was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his
concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold
vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was
in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank
from them. 4 They drank
the wine and praised the gods of gold
and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
Dan. 5:5 Suddenly the fingers of
a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of
the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. 6
Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed
him, and his hip joints went
slack and his knees began
knocking together. 7 The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke
and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and
explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have
authority as third ruler in the kingdom.” 8
Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or
make known its interpretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar
was greatly alarmed, his face
grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.
Dan. 5:10 The queen entered the
banquet hall because of the words of the
king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “ O king, live forever!
Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your
face be pale. 11 “There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit
of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and
wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar,
your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners. 12
“This was because an extraordinary
spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas
and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king
named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel
now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.”
Dan. 5:13 Then Daniel was brought
in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who
is one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king
brought from Judah? 14
“Now I have heard about you that a
spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary
wisdom have been found in you. 15 “Just now the wise men and the conjurers were
brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation
known to me, but they could not
declare the interpretation of the
message. 16 “But I personally have heard about you, that you
are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are
able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a
necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Dan. 5:17 Then Daniel answered
and said before the king, “ Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to
someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the
interpretation known to him. 18 “ O king, the Most High God granted
sovereignty, grandeur,
glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19 “Because of the
grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every
language feared and trembled before
him; whomever he wished he killed
and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and
whomever he wished he humbled. 20 “But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud
that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed
from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. 21
“He was also driven away
from mankind, and his heart was made
like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat
like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he
recognized that the Most High God
is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He
wishes. 22 “Yet you, his son,
Belshazzar, have not humbled your
heart, even though you knew all this, 23
but you have exalted yourself
against the Lord of heaven; and
they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles,
your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have
praised the gods of silver and
gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand.
But the God in whose hand are
your life-breath and all your ways,
you have not glorified. 24 “Then the
hand was sent from Him and
this inscription was written out.
Dan. 5:25 “Now this is the
inscription that was written out: ‘ MENE,
MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ 26 “This is the
interpretation of the message: ‘MENE’ —
God has numbered your kingdom and put
an end to it. 27 “‘TEKEL’ — you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
28 “‘PERES’ — your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and
Persians.”
Dan. 5:29 Then Belshazzar gave
orders, and they clothed Daniel
with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a
proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.
Dan. 5:30 That same
night Belshazzar the Chaldean
king was slain. 31 So Darius
the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
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