The book of Daniel has two parts: the narration of Daniel's life in different palaces and an apocalypse of the end time. We don't find many people mentioned in the book outside the palaces. Daniel served different kings from different kingdoms and Belshazzar was one of them. Belshazzar was not a godly king. Although he might have lived through the era of Nebuchadnezzar or at least heard of the many ways God revealed Himself to Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar did not follow the ways of God. He was pompous and lived to satisfy his own cravings. He cared less about the things of God and He was very proud. He forgot the lesson that pride took Nebuchadnezzar to the forest. Whether by negligence or forgetfulness, Belshazzar did all the evil that God condemned Nebuchadnezzar for. Belshazzar's sheer neglect of the righteous living cost him his life. Like many of the kings in Persia and Media, Belshazzar was also a party man. The story about Belshazzar begins with a party: "King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them." (Daniel 5:1).
The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! (Daniel 5:10)
During his party, the king gave a horrendous request: "While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them." (Daniel 5:2). What was the king thinking? Did he forget that God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, his predecessor? Was he trying to mock God? Whatever his intentions were, he got more than what he bargained for. After they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone (Daniel 5:3-4). The sheer insolence and disrespect for God cost the king a whole kingdom. For as they continued their party, "suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote." (Daniel 5:5). Imagine the fear and the anxiety of seeing a finger writing on a wall. The king's face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking (Daniel 5:6). None of the enchanters, astrologers and diviners of the king could neither read nor explain. The king was terrified. Then, "the queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale!" (Daniel 5:10).
Now the question is, why was the queen not at the party? Did she avoid the unholy gathering because she feared God? Why would she stay away from what was an affront to God? Now, that is one holy person in the midst of a sinful family. The queen was no doubt a personal friend to the man of God. She said, "There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” (Daniel 5:11-12). This nameless queen knew the man of God but her pompous king did not acknowledge the presence of Daniel. When Daniel was called, he gave a vivid account of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar and said, “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this." (Daniel 5:22). Belshazzar was doomed and this doom was irrevocable. Daniel 5:30-31 states this, "That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two."
The takeover of the kingdom by the Medes might have resulted in the death of all members of the royal family. The queen might have been slain but she fulfilled righteousness. She knew that godly living was relevant even in a state of poignant idolatry and evil. She knew that value of Godliness. Many women lived in the Palace but none knew what to do. The queen distinguished herself and led the king to the man of God.
As ladies, whenever we find ourselves in compromising situations, we tend to blend in and forget our values. This story teaches us that we can live right even when all around us have chosen the path of evil. The single righteous queen pointed the whole royal family to the truth. You are also the light of the world. Jesus made this profound statement in Matthew 5: 14-15:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Is your light leading men to the Father? Are you a stumbling block to the Father? You have an assignment and call to fulfill. Don't turn off your light because others are in darkness. Let your light lead them to the Father!
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