A. Belshazzar Is a Type of the Antichrist.
A. Belshazzar Is a Type of the Antichrist.
1. He Had No Regard For The Holy Things of The Temple.
Belshazzar has no regard for the Holy Vessels which his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple. Even though he knows the Medo-Persian “Bear” is at the gates, he has all his confidence in the mighty walls of Babylon.
“The walls of Babylon were legendary, difficult to imagine even in today's world. According to the historian Herodotus they towered more than 300 feet into the sky, close to the height of a 30-story building. Over 200 watchtowers scattered along the entire length of the city wall thrust even further into the air, some as high as 450 feet! Herodotus records that there were actually two walls, with a deep moat between them; any army that breached the first wall would have to attack the second from inside the river. One wall was wide enough to run chariot races four-abreast. Because of this incredible wall, the city was considered militarily unconquerable. Babylon straddled the Euphrates river at a location roughly 60 miles southwest of modern-day Baghdad.” (Pytlik)
With a 20-year supply of food and many inside water cisterns, Belshazzar probably believed he could just settle down for a long siege and the attackers will just give up and go away! Therefore, he invites a thousand members of his court to a feast where there would be wine and drinking.
“Archeological records show that the Babylonians had brought their idols inside the city walls, a sign that they were preparing for war... Of all the vessels available from all the conquered nations--why did Belshazzar choose those from God’s Temple? It was a public defiance against the God of the Hebrews and the predictions from 150, or so, years earlier that Babylon would be given to Cyrus. Isaiah 44:28 to Isaiah 45:1 predicted Cyrus by name, indicating that God would use him to conquer Babylon.” (Pytlik) (Cyrus was the King of the Persians, Darius was King of the Medes, united against Babylon.)
The overconfident Belshazzar foolishly decides to mock God; just as Satan did in Isaiah 14:13 when he boasted, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...”
“Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. (Daniel 5:2)
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.”(Daniel 5:2-3)
2. The Prophet Daniel Warns The Jews About The Antichrist (Daniel 9:27 a).
“And he (the Antichrist) shall confirm the covenant with many (the Nation of Israel) for one week (of years):...” (Daniel 9:27 a)
The Antichrist, like Belshazzar, has a total disdain for the holy things of God’s temple. At first, when he confirms the covenant, he will allow the Jews to rebuild their temple and begin to worship there. Then,
“...and in the MIDST OF THE WEEK he (Antichrist) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of ABOMINATIONS he shall make it DESOLATE,...” (Daniel 9:27 b)
Our Lord, Himself, in Matthew 24:15-16; Matthew 24:21 gives the final warning about the Antichrist’s murderous plans against the Jews. He will seek to kill every Jew he, or his world federation, can get their hands on.
“When (in the midst of the week) ye therefore shall see the abomin-ation of desolation (Antichrist), spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:16)
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21)
3. The Antichrist Also Hates the Things of God (1 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who OPPOSETH and EXALTETH himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that HE AS GOD SITTETH IN THE TEM-PLE OF GOD, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
But, like Belshazzar, the Antichrist’s days are numbered. Daniel 7:25 makes it perfectly clear, Satan only has a certain allotted time to wage war upon God’s people.
“And he (Antichrist) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and THEY SHALL BE GIVEN INTO HIS HAND UNTIL A TIME AND TIMES AND THE DIVIDING OF TIME.”
We find a similar phrase, “a time and times and the dividing of time” in Revelation 12:14, concerning the time when Israel flees from the wrath of the Antichrist.
“And to the woman (Israel) were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, WHERE SHE IS NOURISHED FOR A TIME, AND TIMES, AND HALF A TIME, from the face of the serpent.”
Revelation 12:6 reveals to us just exactly how long “a time, and times, and half a time” is,
“And the woman (Israel) fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
1260 days divided by a 30-day prophetic month, divided by 12 months to a year) = 3 ½ years. When the Antichrist breaks his so-called peace covenant with the Jews in the “midst” of the seven years; he has, actually, less than 3 ½ years until his total defeat by our Lord Jesus Christ at the Battle of Armageddon.
So...like Belshazzar, he will go down to defeat, as he has “been weighed in the balances and found wanting.” (Daniel 5:27)