Read Time:9 Minute, 32 Second

By William Van Zyl

Published in March 2025.

Whispers…

A hidden passage?

Before them, a grand feast lay untouched—golden loaves of bread, bowls overflowing with dates and figs, steaming cuts of roasted meat. The scent was rich and intoxicating.

Hammurabi smirked, stepping forward and plucking a ripe fig from the offering table. “So, this is the great feast for Bel? A god who dines in silence?”

Arioch chuckled, running a hand along the ornate carvings of the altar. “The priests say he devours it all by morning. The people believe it without question.”

Belshaz scoffed, crossing his arms. “And yet, we stand here—before the feast, before the god—unharmed. Tell me, does Bel wait for us to leave before he eats?”

The three men erupted into muffled laughter, and the cavernous temple hall’s ears were alert. The three men softly called their wives and children. Several more adults and children joined the feast. They ate quietly, enjoying every morsel of the extravagant food in front of Bel.

Their whisper and eating faded. After consuming all the food, they escaped through a hidden door under the table. Bel stared at the empty plates and trays. Bel stayed hungry. They left, locking the trap door from the inside. They left no trace.

Early that fateful morning, a low creak whispered through the chamber. A shadow shifted beyond the stone pillars. King Cyrus the Great broke the seal he had placed on the door the previous day. After he had put the food in front of the god Bel—witnessed by Daniel—he sealed the only entrance. King Cyrus and Daniel walked through the door to inspect the food Bel had supposedly consumed that night.

“Look! Look at the ash foot markings; there are children among them.” “See, the foot imprints come from under the table,” said Daniel. “I have been deceived,” said King Cyrus.

——-0——–

Christians do not take the Apocryphal Books as Holy Spirit-inspired truth because it is not included in the Canon. I give an account of this story because it is remarkable. Though it can not be verified, the story makes us aware of the deceptive nature of the enemy we face on earth, namely Satan. The Devil’s nature is to lie and to deceive.

This is an account of this story in the Apocryphal Books: In the story, King Cyrus places food before the idol of Bel, believing that Bel consumes it overnight. However, Daniel is sceptical and devises a plan to reveal the truth. Daniel tells Cyrus, “I only serve the True Living God, Jehovah.” Daniel scatters ashes on the temple floor after the food is placed on the table. The following day, footprints in the ashes reveal that the food was eaten by the priests of Bel and their families, who entered the temple secretly during the night. This clever tactic exposes the deceit, proving that the idol did not consume the offerings.

Upon discovering their deceit, King Cyrus was furious. According to Bel and the Dragon (an addition to the Book of Daniel in the Apocrypha), he had the priests and their families executed and ordered the destruction of the idol and its temple.

This story is mentioned in the Book of Daniel, specifically in “Bel and the Dragon.” It is also included in the deuterocanonical texts in Daniel 14 in the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.

IMAGE: A priest secretly enters the Temple of Bel through a door under the table. A statue of Bel is in the background. This is an AI-generated image (Credit Copilot – March 2025).

Footprints leading to the secret door under the table in the Temple of Bel. The table is empty; all the food has been consumed (AI-generated image ChatGPT – March 2025). Prompt: ‘Show the light barefoot markings of adults and children in the Temple of Bel. Ashes have been scattered, and the people have entered secretly during the night. The image shows the light foot markings in the temple before a table standing in front of the god Bel. The foot markings lead to a secret opening under the large table.’

Table of Contents

Daniel and Cyrus Before the Idol Bel – painted in 1633 by Rembrandt.

Rembrandt created the oil painting “Daniel and Cyrus Before the Idol Bel” in 1633. This oil-on-panel artwork measures approximately 23.5 x 30.2 cm (9 1/4 x 11 7/8 inches) and is part of the J. Paul Getty Museum collection in Los Angeles.

PAINTING BY THE FAMOUS ARTIST REMBRANDT: Title: Daniel and Cyrus Before the Idol Bel, 1633. When King Cyrus of Persia, seen at the centre, asked his confidant Daniel why he did not worship the deity Bel, whose lower half can be seen in the shadows, Daniel replied that he worshipped a living god, not an idol. The king insisted that Bel was a living god and pointed to the offerings of food and wine that Bel consumed every night. Cautiously, Daniel noted that bronze statues do not eat. Cyrus was momentarily bewildered, but the worried faces of the priests in the background confirmed that Daniel had exposed their deception.

This story of Daniel’s dramatic exposure to the king’s idol worship derives from the apocryphal portion of the Book of Daniel. Light illuminates the figures of Cyrus and Daniel, highlighting their dramatic encounter. Rembrandt contrasted the king’s grandeur with Daniel’s humility. Facing and gesturing toward the table, the lavishly attired Cyrus appears large and imposing. By contrast, the youthful Daniel seems small, and his posture suggests modesty or submissiveness before his ruler. Rembrandt evoked the exotic mystery of a pagan cult by showing only part of the monumental idol emerging from the flickering lamplight on the right. Inside the shadowy temple, the light catches and reflects off the extravagant finery worn by Cyrus and the gold vessels placed atop the velvet tablecloth—credit: useum.org https://useum.org/artwork/Daniel-and-Cyrus-Before-the-Idol-Bel-Rembrandt-1633 (copyright-free downloads of artwork around the world).

Christians, be alert, be on your toes:

False Teachings: Just as the priests of Bel deceived the people into believing that the idol consumed the food, Christians can be misled by false teachings or doctrines that deviate from the core principles of their faith. Studying the Bible and seeking guidance from trusted spiritual leaders to discern the truth is essential.

Superficial Appearances: The priests created an illusion that Bel was consuming the offerings. Similarly, Christians might be deceived by outward appearances or charismatic leaders who seem genuine but do not live according to Christian values. Another example is the appearance of Aliens and Alien Spaceships (UFOs) from outer space. Looking beyond appearances and evaluating actions and teachings against biblical standards is crucial.

Here are some common abbreviations related to UFOs:

UFO – Unidentified Flying Object

UAP – Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon)

IFO – Identified Flying Object (used when a UFO is later identified)

Complacency and Blind Faith: The people believed the priests without question, showing a form of blind faith. Christians can also become complacent, accepting teachings or practices without critical examination. Another example is how WOKE culture numbs Christians to the solid, unchanging truths of the Bible. They compromise and become overly tolerant. God’s precepts, laws, statutes, and instructions must be revered and followed. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” Active engagement with one’s faith, asking questions, and seeking understanding are essential to avoid deception.

Misplaced Trust: The people trusted the priests, who were supposed to be spiritual guides, but were deceiving them. Christians can be fooled by placing their trust in individuals or institutions rather than in God. Maintaining a personal relationship with God and relying on God’s wisdom is essential: Listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will guide you into all Truth.

Ignoring Evidence: Daniel used ashes to reveal the truth about the priests’ deception. Similarly, Christians should not ignore evidence or signs that something is amiss. Being open to questioning and investigating can help uncover the truth and prevent deception.

By staying vigilant, seeking truth, and maintaining a strong personal relationship with God, Christians can guard against deception and remain faithful to their beliefs.

I include prominent Scriptures that highlight the deceptive nature of Satan and how he leads people astray:

John 8:44 (NIV): “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him (Satan). When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he (Satan) is a liar and the father of lies.”
2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV): “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV): “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Revelation 12:9 (NIV): “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”
Genesis 3:1 (NIV): “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’

APA Reference:

Van Zyl, W. (2025). Bel, did you eat all your food? Five House Publishing. https://fivehousepublishing.com/bel-did-you-eat-all-your-food/

Facts about Bel, Cyrus and Daniel:

Fortified gate of the Temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria. Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bel_%28mythology%29#/media/File:Gate_of_the_fortified_Temple_of_Bel_Palmyra_Syria.jpg

“The Walls of Babylon and the Temple of Bel (Or Babel)”, by 19th-century illustrator William Simpson – influenced by early archaeological investigations. William Simpson (1823—1899). Wikipedia (Public Domain).

Winged genius relief in Pasargadae. “Winged Genius” statue at Pasargadae, with braided hair and a Hemhem crown, traditionally identified as Cyrus. Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great

Tomb of Cyrus in Pasargadae, Iran, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2015)

Tomb of Cyrus under restoration. Wikipedia. Public Domain.

Standard of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. Called the: Derafsh-e Shahbaz-e-Talayi or the Golden Falcon (Persian: درفش شاه‌باز طلایی). The standard is described by Xenophon of Athens in Cyropaedia (Book VII, C.1) as: “…and the word went down the lines, “Eyes on the standard and steady marching!”. The standard was a golden eagle, with outspread wings, borne aloft on a long spear-shaft, and to this day such is the standard of the Persian king.” Credit: Wikipedia.