The Scripture:
Dan 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Dan 5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Dan 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Dan 5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
The Sum:
The gift of interpretation of tongues is illustrated by Daniel. The tongue is "divine" or "angelic", but it is linguistic, not gibberish. Daniel breaks down the interpretation by systematically identifying the words and assigning them a uniquely corresponding sense. The tongue is unknown to the people, but not to the speaker, nor to the interpreter.
The Sense:
VV.26 This is the interpretation of the thing – Daniel 5:24-28 is the Bible’s illustrated exposition of the doctrine of tongues. What Daniel does here, as one filled with the Spirit (v.14), is what the gift of interpretation of tongues (1Co.12:10) looks like in action, and how far removed is Daniel’s way from what we see and hear today! Most commentators assume that because Daniel interpreted the writing in the Chaldean tongue, that the writing must have been in Chaldean. But that is an assumption. If it was Chaldean, it would not have confounded every scholar and teacher in the king’s realm, even if it were some rare form of Chaldean. The tongue that was written upon the plaister of the wall is one of those famous tongues…of angels (1Co.13:1) which necessitate the gift of interpretation. Thus Daniel could speak the tongues… of angels by revelation of the Holy Ghost. The reader should not be surprised that an Old Testament passage illustrates a New Testament doctrine, for Paul reminded the Corinthians that the gift of tongues was prophesied by the Old Testament: In the law [That’s the Old Testament] it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people [The Jews]; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not [though Gentiles, yet the court of Belshazzar was full of unbelievers]: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe (1Co.14:21-22). Notice that what was written on the plaister of the wall was an unknown tongue to some, but not to others! The Chaldeans didn’t know what it meant, but Daniel did. Furthermore, the angelic or divine author of the sentence must have understood his own writing. Thus an unknown tongue is defined relative to the hearer who doesn’t understand it, not relative to the speaker. In defining the Bible’s sense of unknown, we must interpret scripture with scripture. Paul told the Athenians: as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you (Acts 17:23). Evidently, the unknown God was unknown to the Athenians, but not to Paul, the preacher – just as the tongue on the wall was unknown to the people but not to the author nor to Daniel. There is not one instance in the Bible where a man did not understand what he himself was saying.
Notice that the tongues…of angels (1Co.13:1) here in Daniel 5:25-28 are linguistic: they have an alphabet, a structure, order, sense, grammar, syntax, and are formed of particular and differing words that can be listed, written down, analyzed, and systematically interpreted! They are not a confused, prating drivel.
Now let’s look at Bible instances where angels actually do speak. In Revelation you have the inhabiters of heaven, including the four beasts who are the cherubims, speaking: Rev 19:1…saying, Alleluia… Rev 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. … Rev 19:4…and the four beasts fell down…saying, Amen; Alleluia. […] Rev 19:6 … saying, Alleluia…The word Alleluia is Hebrew for “Praise ye Jah”[1]. When the four beasts praise in heaven, they praise in Hebrew – not in an unintelligible gibberish.
The following are two examples of the Spirit of God suddenly descending on a man whereupon he speaks in a tongue that – unlike the Charismatic iteration – is understandable to the hearers, with specific instructions, and revelations which produce comfort, and specific prophecies that are soon fulfilled:
1Ch 12:18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
2Ch 20:14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; 2Ch 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 2Ch 20:16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 2Ch 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
[1] Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible – Hallelujah.
For Jah, see Psa 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
Dan 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Dan 5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Dan 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Dan 5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
The Sum:
The gift of interpretation of tongues is illustrated by Daniel. The tongue is "divine" or "angelic", but it is linguistic, not gibberish. Daniel breaks down the interpretation by systematically identifying the words and assigning them a uniquely corresponding sense. The tongue is unknown to the people, but not to the speaker, nor to the interpreter.
The Sense:
VV.26 This is the interpretation of the thing – Daniel 5:24-28 is the Bible’s illustrated exposition of the doctrine of tongues. What Daniel does here, as one filled with the Spirit (v.14), is what the gift of interpretation of tongues (1Co.12:10) looks like in action, and how far removed is Daniel’s way from what we see and hear today! Most commentators assume that because Daniel interpreted the writing in the Chaldean tongue, that the writing must have been in Chaldean. But that is an assumption. If it was Chaldean, it would not have confounded every scholar and teacher in the king’s realm, even if it were some rare form of Chaldean. The tongue that was written upon the plaister of the wall is one of those famous tongues…of angels (1Co.13:1) which necessitate the gift of interpretation. Thus Daniel could speak the tongues… of angels by revelation of the Holy Ghost. The reader should not be surprised that an Old Testament passage illustrates a New Testament doctrine, for Paul reminded the Corinthians that the gift of tongues was prophesied by the Old Testament: In the law [That’s the Old Testament] it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people [The Jews]; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not [though Gentiles, yet the court of Belshazzar was full of unbelievers]: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe (1Co.14:21-22). Notice that what was written on the plaister of the wall was an unknown tongue to some, but not to others! The Chaldeans didn’t know what it meant, but Daniel did. Furthermore, the angelic or divine author of the sentence must have understood his own writing. Thus an unknown tongue is defined relative to the hearer who doesn’t understand it, not relative to the speaker. In defining the Bible’s sense of unknown, we must interpret scripture with scripture. Paul told the Athenians: as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you (Acts 17:23). Evidently, the unknown God was unknown to the Athenians, but not to Paul, the preacher – just as the tongue on the wall was unknown to the people but not to the author nor to Daniel. There is not one instance in the Bible where a man did not understand what he himself was saying.
Notice that the tongues…of angels (1Co.13:1) here in Daniel 5:25-28 are linguistic: they have an alphabet, a structure, order, sense, grammar, syntax, and are formed of particular and differing words that can be listed, written down, analyzed, and systematically interpreted! They are not a confused, prating drivel.
Now let’s look at Bible instances where angels actually do speak. In Revelation you have the inhabiters of heaven, including the four beasts who are the cherubims, speaking: Rev 19:1…saying, Alleluia… Rev 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. … Rev 19:4…and the four beasts fell down…saying, Amen; Alleluia. […] Rev 19:6 … saying, Alleluia…The word Alleluia is Hebrew for “Praise ye Jah”[1]. When the four beasts praise in heaven, they praise in Hebrew – not in an unintelligible gibberish.
The following are two examples of the Spirit of God suddenly descending on a man whereupon he speaks in a tongue that – unlike the Charismatic iteration – is understandable to the hearers, with specific instructions, and revelations which produce comfort, and specific prophecies that are soon fulfilled:
1Ch 12:18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
2Ch 20:14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; 2Ch 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 2Ch 20:16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 2Ch 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
[1] Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible – Hallelujah.
For Jah, see Psa 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
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