Daniel Ch. 5 - The Handwriting on the Wall

Introduction

Some twenty years pass between chapters 4 and 5. Nebuchadnezzar moved off the scene, succeeded by a son who reigned just a few years, and then was assassinated by his brother-in-law. He in turn ruled four years but was killed while in battle. The next two rulers occupied the throne for a very brief time; the second of these was Nabonidus. He was a son-in-law to Nebuchadnezzar and was married to the widow of one of the previous kings. At this time, Nabonidus was king of the Babylonian empire and his son Belshazzar was king of the city of Babylon. This explains why Daniel was named the third ruler (Dn 5:7, 29).

Here is something interesting about Belshazzar:

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Belshazzar, King of Babylon

BELSHAZZAR, KING OF BABYLON (בלאשׁצר, bl'shtsr). The name means “Bel protect the king.” He was the last king of Babylon when the city and empire fell to the Medo-Persian Empire in 539 BC

While the events in chapter 5 are taking place, King Nabonidus has been a captive of the Medes and Persians for four months. Notice the experiences of Belshazzar.

I. Enjoying His Feast (5:1–4)

Daniel 5:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

This feast was in honor of one of the great Babylonian gods, and it took place in the autumn of 539 B.C. Archaeologists have unearthed palaces at Babylon containing great halls large enough to entertain a thousand guests. They have also discovered that the walls were covered with a white chalk-like substance, which explains the matter of the handwriting on the wall. The main idea in these verses is drinking wine. Wine has always been associated with Babylon and the Babylonian “system” of this world. Look at the following verses:

Jeremiah 51:7 (KJV 1900)

7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, That made all the earth drunken: The nations have drunken of her wine; Therefore the nations are mad.

Revelation 14:8 (KJV 1900)

8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 17:1–5 (KJV 1900)

1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Revelation 18:3 (KJV 1900)

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Revelation 18:13 (KJV 1900)

13 And cinnamon, and odours, And ointments, and frankincense, And wine, and oil, And fine flour, and wheat, And beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, And slaves, and souls of men.

The king was not content to drink wine to his gods

Daniel 5:4 (KJV 1900)

4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Instead, he wanted to blaspheme the God of the Jews as well. It will be the same in the end times:

Revelation 9:20 (KJV 1900)

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

So he had the sacred temple vessels brought in to be used at this idolatrous, blasphemous feast (see Dan. 1:2).

Daniel 5:2–3 (KJV 1900)

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

The word “father” in 5:2 indicates “grandfather”; It’s the same use in vv. 11 and 13. Keep in mind that the Medes and Persians were already outside the gates of the city when this feast was in progress. So confident was the king that his fortress city was impregnable that he laughed at the invading armies. What a picture of our world today: judgment is about to fall, yet people are making merry and worshiping their false gods.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (KJV 1900)

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Babylon was a strong city with walls 350 feet high and eighty-seven feet thick. The Euphrates River ran diagonally through the city, and great brass gates controlled the city entrances. How could any invading army capture such a city?

II. Revealing His Fear (5:5–9)

The guests did not immediately see the mysterious hand appear, but the king looked over their heads and saw it on the opposite wall.

Daniel 5:5 (KJV 1900)

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

Imagine how shocked the guests were when they saw their king trembling, his knees knocking together.

Daniel 5:6 (KJV 1900)

6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

Wine could not give him courage now; he was face-to-face with a message from God.

Daniel 5:7 (KJV 1900)

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers...

He had to know the meaning of the hand and the handwriting. He offered the man who would explain the position as the third ruler of the land. (In a few hours Belshazzar would not even be alive and ruling himself.)

Daniel 5:7 (KJV 1900)

7 ...And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

As usual, none of the king’s “experts” could explain the writing on the wall, and this made the king even more concerned.

Daniel 5:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

How strange that he did not know Daniel, the man who had counseled his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar. But Belshazzar was a careless youth (he was about thirty-five years old at this time) who was more interested in power and pleasure than in spiritual matters. No wonder his city fell.

III. Discovering His Future (5:10–29)

The Queen Mother solved the problem. This wise woman was most likely the widow of Nebuchadnezzar whom Belshazzar’s father, Nabonidus, married to solidify his power in the kingdom. At any rate, she heard of the consternation in the banquet hall and came to advise the king. “O king, live forever,” she said (v. 10)—and he was going to be dead before the night was over. Then she told him about Daniel and how he had advised Belshazzar’s grandfather.

Daniel 5:10–12 (KJV 1900)

10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

Daniel was an old man now and had been “retired” from public service. As an honored member of the official family, Daniel was probably invited to the feast as a guest, but he would not defile himself or compromise his testimony. Because of his separated position, Daniel was honored by God (2 Cor. 6:14–18).

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 (KJV 1900)

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

The king tried to impress Daniel (vv. 13–16), but Daniel would not be impressed.

Daniel 5:13–16 (KJV 1900)

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:

16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

He knew that the king’s gifts meant nothing in comparison to the blessing of God; for that matter, Belshazzar would not be king much longer. Before explaining the handwriting, Daniel preached a sermon to the king, using the king’s grandfather as his illustration.

Daniel 5:17–23 (KJV 1900)

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

He warned the king about his pride and sin and reminded him that God judged Nebuchadnezzar severely. “And you knew all this,” Daniel exclaimed, “yet you persist in living such a wicked life. Now God has sent you a message of judgment and it is too late.” God gave Nebuchadnezzar a year to repent (4:28–33), but there was no year for Belshazzar to repent. He was doomed.

Now for the explanation.

Daniel 5:24–28 (KJV 1900)

24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

The words were in Chaldean. In Babylon a MENE and a Tekel were different weights; and the word peres simply means “to divide.” When the Babylonian magicians saw these words on the wall, they could not understand what they meant. But God gave Daniel the interpretation: “Numbered—weighed—divided.” Belshazzar’s days had been numbered and time was up; he had been weighed in God’s scales and found wanting; now his kingdom would be taken from him and divided by the Medes and Persians. And keep in mind that Darius was at the gates at that very hour. Did Belshazzar believe the message from God, even after all his fear and shaking? No. We find no evidence of repentance or concern. He kept his promise and made Daniel the third ruler just as though his kingdom were to continue forever.

Daniel 5:29 (KJV 1900)

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

The king’s pride, lust, indifference, and self-satisfaction led to his downfall.

IV. Meeting His Fate (5:30–31)

Had Belshazzar studied the Prophet Isaiah, he would have known just how the city of Babylon would be taken, and by whom it would be taken. Cyrus the Persian conqueror would defeat the Medes and then come down upon Babylon (Isa. 41:25; 45:1–4).

Isaiah 41:25 (KJV 1900)

25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: From the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: And he shall come upon princes as upon morter, And as the potter treadeth clay.

Isaiah 45:1–4 (KJV 1900)

1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have holden, To subdue nations before him; And I will loose the loins of kings, To open before him the two leaved gates; And the gates shall not be shut;

2 I will go before thee, And make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, And cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, And hidden riches of secret places, That thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

Cyrus would dig a canal that would reroute the Euphrates River and then smuggle his army into the city under the gates. The Babylonians had seen the enemy digging, but they thought they were going to build a mound against the city. They were diverting the river. Why was the city taken unawares? Because most of the people were drunk. It was a great religious feast day, and the people were too involved in pleasure to think about defense. The enemy came right into the banquet hall, and the king was slain.

Daniel 5:30 (KJV 1900)

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

What a warning to any nation! We have such a pleasure-mad world today that it will be easy for some enemy to take us unawares, and history will repeat itself.

Daniel 5:31 (KJV 1900)

31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Who was Darius the Mede? Isaiah had said that Cyrus would capture Babylon and set the Jews free (Isa. 44:28–45:13); see also Dan. 1:21 and Dn 10:1.

Isaiah 44:28–45:13 (KJV 1900)

28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, And shall perform all my pleasure: Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; And to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have holden, To subdue nations before him; And I will loose the loins of kings, To open before him the two leaved gates; And the gates shall not be shut;

2 I will go before thee, And make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, And cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, And hidden riches of secret places, That thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, There is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, That there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness: Let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.

9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? Or thy work, He hath no hands?

10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? Or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, And concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12 I have made the earth, And created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, And all their host have I commanded.

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways: He shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, Not for price nor reward, Saith the Lord of hosts.

Darius is mentioned as “king” in Dan. 6:1, 6, 9, 25, 28; 9:1; 11:1. The solution is found in the word “took” in Dn 5:31; the literal translation is “received.” Darius (Cyrus’ military leader) received the kingdom from Cyrus, king of Persia, and ruled Babylon for him. In Dn 6:28 we see that it was a dual kingship; Cyrus was the king of the empire, while Darius ruled Babylon and the area connected with it. Cyrus entered Babylon a mighty conqueror and proceeded to deal wisely with the people, including the exiled Jews. It was Cyrus who issued the decrees that permitted the Jews to return to their land and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:1–4; see Isa. 44:28). So, even the rise and fall of empires are all a part of God’s plan for His people.

The fall of Babylon in 539 B.C. is a picture of the future fall of Babylon (the devil’s world system) as given in Rev. 17–18. And Bible-believing Christians can already see “the handwriting on the wall.” But blind world rulers continue in their pride and pleasure, little realizing that the Lord is coming.