King Belshazzar's Feast

Pride overbalanced Nebuchadnezzar's judgment, and, in the plain of Dura, he was led to erect a great image of himself as Earth's Ruler, to which all people were required to bow down in obedient reverence! If the people could regard him as a god, they would be the more sure to obey him. But among them were three Hebrews who refused to bow the knee. Their religious scruples were not respected. It was enough that they were defying Emperor Nebuchadnezzar. 

A great furnace was heated seven times, or as hot as possible, and into it the three servants of God were cast. The men who threw them in inhaled flame and died. Nebuchadnezzar and his lords, looking over toward the furnace, saw the three unhurt and with them One like unto the Son of God. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the God of the Hebrews and commanded all the people to worship Him. Although God's people today may be subjected to fiery trials, they will probably not be literally burned in a furnace. Nevertheless, God's power can keep their hearts in every trouble.

It was after this that Nebuchadnezzar became insane and beast-like lived upon herbage, seven years, after which his reason was restored and he gave glory to God.

Later on came Belshazzar's Feast, the handwriting on the wall and the fall of Babylon, when the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, represented in the Image by the silver, and by the Bear in Daniel's vision, took possession of the dominions once ruled by Babylon. Cyrus' army turned aside the Euphrates, marched in through the river-bed and captured the city supposed to be impregnable.

Babylon is the symbolical name in Revelation for a great Ecclesiastical System. Its fall is described as accomplished through the drying up of the symbolical river Euphrates, that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared--a Royal Priesthood, of which Christ is the Head. The river represents people and wealth.--Revelation 17:15.