spiritual battle, Fingers Sent From God (Dan.5)

Nebuchadnezzar died and Belshazzar took over.  I'm sure Belshazzar would have witnessed Nebuchadnezzar becoming a believer and making appropriate changes with the way he governed his kingdom, but obviously Belshazzar had not been impressed with any of that, and resorted to the "old ways"...

(Daniel 5:1-4)  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.

I'm curious if Belshazzar had intended all along to take the party to the next level - to show off his power and all that he had - by bringing out the articles which had been stolen from the Israelites' temple.

Maybe Nebuchadnezzar had intended to return these articles at some point, but now, Belshazzar used them to toast a bunch of his gods.  And perhaps Belshazzar was trying to mock his father, but he was also mocking God.  So - God sent him a message!  Allowing Belshazzar to see the writing on the wall - literally!

As for "the fingers of a man's hands" - these would have belonged to an angel.  We will see more of an explanation below...

(Daniel 5:5-9)  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.

The queen who remembered Daniel, was either the wife or the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar...

(Daniel 5:10-16)  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.”

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.”

Belshazzar tried to show off again by offering a grand reward to Daniel, but Daniel was not impressed.  Here Belshazzar had received a stern warning from God, and he was trying to make an event out of it.

Below we see the explanation that "the hand was sent from God", so it is clearly not the hand of God, but the hand of an angel...

(Daniel 5:17-31)  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.

25 “Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28 ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

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.

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.

From this we see:
- God sometimes allows us to see portions of angels
- angels have the intellect to write
- angels are used to send messages

Personal experience:  I've mentioned before that occasionally a spirit will "visit" me.  I'm not sure why God allows these "visits".  They could be a result of my one brother's involvement in the occult, before he became a believer.  But over all these years, there could be so many other reasons.  What I do realize and know is that they are all definitely tests - for me to stay focused and only focus on God.

The various demons have used several different tactics or methods to try to distract me, like trying to scare me, entice me, or make me curious.

Lately, while I'm trying to fall asleep, a spirit will appear in the form of a beautiful "little" light.  After reading today's scripture, it would make sense then that I have been only seeing part of a spiritual being.

In the past, I have felt their presence.  I have heard noises.  I have seen them move things.  I have felt them touch me.  I have seen them impersonate my deceased grandfather (appearing like a "ghost").  And in a couple of days I will be writing about my most dread-filled experience.

In all of these "visits" - the feeling is the same - it feels more real than reality.  And there is no way to imagine it.  But as I continue to rely on God, He protects me.  I do not have to be afraid.  As I continue to desire to get to know God better, He fulfills me.  I have no curiosity about the spiritual realm.

Today's takeaway:  we are to humble ourselves and only "boast" in God - and God alone...

(Jeremiah 9:23-24)  Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

spiritual battle, An Angelic Watcher (Dan.4)

Daniel chapter 4 is a public decree or state paper of Nebuchadnezzar - like a copy (or record) of an official journal in his own words about an event which he experienced.  It was an event which affected him personally, which would have had a bearing on his kingdom and how he would have run things from that moment on.

I see this as Nebuchadnezzar's testimony to the world.  I am fully convinced that he became a believer!  He begins by giving glory to God!  And then he begins his story.

After another disturbing dream, Nebuchadnezzar called for ALL his wise men (besides Daniel and his friends, the magicians, conjurers, diviners and Chaldeans were still in his employ).

I'm not sure why Daniel was last.  Maybe Nebuchadnezzar was afraid to hear what Daniel would say.  Maybe the servant who set up the appointments gave preference to the others.  Or the others demanded that they see the king first.  Or maybe Daniel decided to hang back and pray first...

(Daniel 4:1-9)  Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound!2 It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.

3 “How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His dominion is from generation to generation.

4 “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 6 So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. 8 But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, 9 ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.

At that point, all that Nebuchadnezzar realized was that Daniel had some special insight because of his God.  What the king still didn't recognize was that Daniel's God was and is THE only God.  But he did have a lot of confidence that Daniel would be able to interpret his dream (which could have been more of a vision, since angels delivered the message)...

(Daniel 4:1-18)  ‘Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great.

11 ‘The tree grew large and became strong and its height reached to the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.
12 ‘Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it.

13 ‘I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.

14 ‘He shouted out and spoke as follows: chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
15 “Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
16 “Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him.
17 “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.”

18 This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

After hearing the dream, Daniel was a little afraid to give the interpretation, because it did not favor Nebuchadnezzar...

(Daniel 4:27-37) “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth 21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged— 22 it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23 In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,” 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. 26 And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’

Nebuchadnezzar did not heed the warning.  He knew that Daniel could interpret the dream, but he didn't think that the vision would actually happen.

There is pride involved when one holds on to what they believe (even when they know it is wrong), and then there is the pride that Nebuchadnezzar developed that had him believing he was perhaps a god.  In his bragging, he was also looking for praise.  This was the ultimate pride before his fall.

The illness that the king then developed is called boanthropy.  This is a psychological disorder when a person imagines themselves to be an animal and acts accordingly.  It is an actual condition that has been observed in modern times.  During Nebuchadnezzar's insanity, they probably kept him in one of the royal parks.

The king suffered with this disorder until he recognized and believed in the only true God...

(Daniel 4:19-37) “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. 29 Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ 33 Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

34 “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

36 At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

From this we see:
- angels can appear in "dream-like-visions" to give messages
- angels support God's will
- God is sovereign over all of heaven and earth

Personal experience:  it is not always easy to put God first - ahead of everything.

There is the pride-aspect of what we believe are our achievements.  If we are not giving God the glory for those things, then those things will begin to take precedence over God.

And then there is the worry-aspect.  When we worry about something or someone, we really are putting those things ahead of God.

I have had to learn to give my spouse and children, family and friends, to God.  I have had to learn to give all my possessions to God.  I have had to learn to give my career, time and purpose to God.  I have had to learn to give my health and my intellect to God.

And in recent years, I've been learning to give my website and all my social media accounts to God!!!  There are internet-hackers just looking for opportunities to be malicious and destructive.

So I'm curious if there are guardian angels who are tech savvy.  Although it would be more likely that the angels will be keeping us from clicking on the wrong things, or battling the (demonic) influences and temptations of the internet hackers.  No matter how it is handled - besides taking the proper precautions of internet security, I have to trust that God will protect what the internet-world will be able to see.

Today's takeaway:  we need to give God our worries and give God the glory for all that He does!...

(Proverbs 3:9-10)  Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; 10 so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

(1 Corinthians 6:18-20)  Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

(Deuteronomy 6:5)  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

(Colossians 3:17)  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

(John 12:25-26)  He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

(Psalm 86:11-13)  Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. 12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Your name forever. 13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.