Daniel 5-6: The Best and the Worst of Times

It should have been the worst of times for the Israelites who had been taken into captivity in Babylon.  Their great city of Jerusalem along with the temple, the home of the living God, had been destroyed.  God's glory had departed, and it seemed like they had been abandoned.  But even as they dwelt under the hands of the ungodly Babylonians, God's power was displayed. 

It had been displayed to Nebuchadnezzar when he lost his sanity and lived as a wild animal until he acknowledged the true God.  It was displayed to Nebuchadnezzar's son Belteshazzar, who should have been humbled by what God did to his father, but who instead set himself up against the Lord of heaven.  As Daniel told him. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. - Dan 5:23-24 NIV

It took a ghost hand writing the words MENE, MENE,TEKEL, PARSIN on the wall to put the fear of God in Belshazzar, but by then it was too late.  That very night he was slain and the Persian king, Darius, took over the kingdom.

Now, another king, who did not know the God of the Israelites, but knew wisdom when he saw it, entered the picture.  Daniel was appointed as one of the three administrators to rule over the kingdom.  Those in positions of power knew there was no corruption in Daniel and they would have to resort to deceit if they were to get him out of the way.  As a result, Darius was tricked into throwing Daniel to the lions by the other administrators.  When Daniel survived the lions, Darius, like Nebuchadnezzar before him, recognized the one true God and let the whole world know.

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land:
"May you prosper greatly!
"I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
"For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions." - Dan. 6:25-27 NIV

Even in the worst of times, God's power and glory will be declared.  If not by his own people, by those to whom he chooses to reveal himself.