Editorial by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 12, 1910

Editorial

By W. A. S.

A Critic in Error Over an Interesting Piece of History

An opponent of our work goes into hasty print as criticizing “Thoughts on Daniel” for placing the vision of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, and the explanation by the angel, of Daniel 9, in the same year.

The critic finds that the marginal dates in the common version place the third year of Belshazzar, of Daniel 8, in B. C. 553, and the first year of Darius, of Daniel 9, in B. C. 538—with an intervening period of fifteen years. Moreover, he says Josephus and other ancient authorities so place it.

But some things have taken place in historical study since the days of those ancient authors and the printing of the marginal dates in King James’s Version.

The length of time between these two chapters is not essentially material to the interpretation of the prophecy. In fact, in all the editions of “Thoughts on Daniel” up to recent years, the same chronology as that of the marginal dates was followed, and the comments on Daniel 9 opened with the explanation that “a period of fifteen years is consequently passed over between these two chapters.” But later editions have placed the dates in harmony with the well-established facts of modern researches in Babylonian history.

The facts in this story are of interest, though doubtless pretty well known to most of our readers. Inasmuch as no trace was found in secular history of this King Belshazzar, it was concluded that the Belshazzar of Daniel must have been the Nabonadius of Greek and Persian history, the last king of Babylon. This Nabonadius assumed the throne in B. C. 555, and reigned seventeen years. And as Belshazzar was assumed to be only another name used by Daniel for the same king, “the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar” (Dan. 8:1) was placed in 553, fifteen years before the fall of Babylon. This satisfied friends of the Bible story. But all along unfriendly critics discounted the book of Daniel for bringing in the name of Belshazzar, a character unknown to secular history. This apparent discrepancy in Daniel encouraged the critics in their effort to make out this prophetic book a partly fanciful compilation of later times.

But about the beginning of this last generation, when light from the prophetic word was to shine forth, men began to explore the ruins of old Chaldea and Assyria. Books of clay and libraries were unearthed, that had been buried under the sands of over two millenniums. And lo, the very stones spoke out in confirmation of the words of Inspiration. The books of clay told what the Greek and Persian historians had failed to tell—of a Belshazzar who was not Nabonadius at all, but the son of Nabonadius, associated with his father as king in the last years of Babylon.

This has been one of the A B C’s of history, at least since the publication of Rawlinson’s “Ancient Monarchies.” In chapter eight, of his “Fourth Monarchy,” Rawlinson tells of this kingly association of Belshazzar with his father, and in a foot-note adds:—

The proof of this association is contained in the cylinders of Nabonadius, found at Mugheir, where the protection of the gods is asked for Nabu-nadid and his son Bel-shar-uzur, who are coupled together in a way that implies the co-sovereignty of the latter. (“British Museum Series,” Vol. I, Pl. 68, No. 1.) The date of the association was, at the latest, B. C. 540, Nabonadius’s fifteenth year, since the third year of Belshazzar is mentioned in Daniel (8:1).

Here is one of the various inscriptions telling of Belshazzar:—

Myself, Nabo-nid, king of Babylon, in the fear of thy great divinity preserve me. My life unto distant days abundantly prolong, and of Bel-sar-ussur, my eldest son, the offspring of my body, the awe of thy great divinity fix thou firmly in his heart, that he may never fall into sin and that his glory may endure. —“Records of the Past,” Old Series, Vol. II, page 148.

The note quoted from Rawlinson places the date of Belshazzar’s joint kingship with his father in 540. This would make his third year 538, the year of Babylon’s fall; and the same year was the “first year of Darius,” the Median. Therefore the historical probability is that the vision of the 2300 days of Daniel 8 was in the year that Babylon fell, and that the explanation by the angel of the time prophecy in Daniel 9 was the same year, possibly but a few weeks or a few months later. The exact time, however, can not be positively settled.

These facts of history fit the Bible narrative exactly. In that last stand, Nabonadius was in the field, while Belshazzar held the capital. When the doom of Babylon was hastening to overtake the young ruler the very night of his sacrilegious feast, and the invisible hand wrote the divine sentence in fiery letters on the wall, Belshazzar promised Daniel that if he read the writing he should be “the third ruler in the kingdom.” Dan. 5:16. Belshazzar himself was second ruler, and the highest place he could bestow was that of third ruler.

Again, in the vision of Daniel 8 the prophecy begins with Medo-Persia, leaving out Babylon altogether. This would seem strange if, according to the old Greek view of chronology, Babylon’s course had yet fifteen years to run. But now that it is established beyond question that the vision of Daniel 8 was in the last days of Babylon, it seems most natural that the view given should begin with Medo-Persia, just at hand.

Still again, it is interesting to note that the eighth chapter closes with the angel’s explanation of the vision, making all clear up to the long prophetic period of the 2300 years, reaching to the cleansing of the sanctuary. This time prophecy, which was a most important feature, was not explained. And Daniel said of the vision that “none understood it.” This was in the third year of Belshazzar, evidently his last year. Chapter nine opens with the first of Darius, just a little later, and the angel appears to Daniel, saying, “Understand the matter, and consider the vision.”

Then was given the explanation that forever fixes the date of the beginning of the great prophetic period that reaches to 1844, when the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary was to come, the opening of the judgment hour in heaven. And true to the sure word of prophecy, as the days of 1844 drew near, there arose the great advent movement proclaiming the judgment hour at hand; and following close came the third angel’s message, which is rapidly spreading from land to land with its call to reformation and its cry of the coming of the Lord.

This movement arose at the right time; it is bearing the very message of the prophecy, bringing out a people keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Not one thing has failed in the fulfilment. Things like this do not come by chance. As Daniel told the unbelieving scoffers at Belshazzar’s feast, the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men; and in these last days also he is carrying out the purposes of his own will. Let those who turn from this work to criticize it and lead off in factional movements, remember that if this be not the right advent movement of the prophecy, it is forever too late for the right one to arise. But this movement bears all the stamp of the genuine, and we are hastening on into the time of shaking and of the latter rain that is to see the finishing of the work. W. A. S.