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Am
Not Interested. When Daniel arrived, the king explained
what had happened and offered Daniel gifts and a promotion to the
third position within the kingdom if he would explain the meaning
of the writing. Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, who was the king
of the Babylonian empire at this time. Belshazzar had been left at
Babylon while dad commanded the empire’s army against Cyrus.
So the offer of being “third ruler” would have placed Daniel
just under Belshazzar, but Daniel was not interested.
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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. O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty,
grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.
And 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. 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.
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. Yet you, his son, Belshazzar,
have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this,
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 your ways, you have not glorified. Then the hand was sent
from Him, and this inscription was written out. (NASB) Daniel
5:17-24 |
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