Deeper Reflection
God’s word to Belshazzar that He would “put an end” to his
kingdom and give it “over to the Medes and Persians” was
fulfilled immediately – “that same night” (v.30) – after Daniel’s
interpretation of the inscription on the wall (vv.25-31). God can fulfil His
Word immediately or after a long time. Whatever time God may take to
fulfil His Word, He is “trustworthy in all His promises and faithful in all
He does” (Psa 145:13b, NIV).The demise of the Babylonian hegemony was not just a historical event,
but primarily a theological one. Nebuchadnezzar was “My servant”
whom God raised to judge His unfaithful people in the seventy-year
Babylonian exile (Jer 25:8-9, 11). When God had accomplished His
purpose through Babylon, “I will punish the king of Babylon and that
nation” (Jer 25:12). This is how God deals with arrogant and evil nations:
“And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isa 13:19).The end of Babylon does not mean an insecure future for Daniel.
However drastically our circumstances may change, God’s call for
our lives remains when we walk with Him faithfully. We are secure in
God’s call, because it is God’s call. Daniel became one of “the three
commissioners” in Persia (Dan 6:1-2). It wasn’t that having lost his job
Daniel applied to serve the Persian king. Daniel couldn’t do that. It
was purely by royal appointment. But behind the “It seemed good to
Darius to appoint” (Dan 6:1) was God’s call for Daniel to serve Him from
Babylon to Persia.