What is happening in the story of Belshazzar’s feast and the writing on the wall?

This story takes place in Babylon during a large royal feast. King Belshazzar is drinking wine with a thousand of his nobles while enemy forces are outside the city. In his pride he orders the sacred gold and silver cups taken from God’s temple in Jerusalem to be used for drinking. As they drink, they praise idols of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. At that moment a hand appears and writes on the wall. The king is terrified, the wise men cannot explain it, and Daniel is brought in to tell what it means.

Why did God judge Belshazzar during the feast with the holy vessels?

God’s judgment comes while Belshazzar is openly mocking Him. The king knows what God did to humble Nebuchadnezzar before him, but he refuses to learn. Instead, he lifts himself up against the Lord of heaven by using the holy vessels from the temple as if they were common cups and by praising powerless idols. Daniel says Belshazzar has not humbled his heart, has not glorified the God who holds his breath and ways, and has chosen pride and idolatry. The writing on the wall shows that God’s patience has run out and judgment has arrived.

What does “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin” mean in this passage?

Daniel explains each word to Belshazzar. “Mene” means that God has numbered the days of Belshazzar’s kingdom and finished it. It is said twice to show how sure and fixed God’s decision is. “Tekel” means the king has been weighed in God’s scales and found wanting, or lacking. “Peres” (from Upharsin) means the kingdom is divided and will be given to the Medes and Persians. So the message is that Belshazzar’s rule is measured, judged, and about to be taken away and given to others.

Who is Daniel in this story, and why is he able to interpret the writing?

Daniel is one of the exiles from Judah who was brought to Babylon years before. He had already served under Nebuchadnezzar and had been known for wisdom, knowledge, and the ability to interpret dreams and hard sayings. The queen remembers this and tells Belshazzar about him. She says that the spirit of the holy gods is in Daniel. When Daniel comes in, he refuses rewards and speaks boldly. God gives him understanding of the strange words on the wall, so he can explain God’s message of judgment to the king.

Why could the Babylonian wise men not read or explain the writing on the wall?

When the hand writes on the wall, Belshazzar quickly calls his astrologers, wise men, and soothsayers. He offers them high honors if they can read and interpret the message. But they cannot do it. This shows that human wisdom and magic cannot grasp what God is saying when He chooses to speak. Their failure increases the king’s fear and helps everyone see the difference between their empty skills and the true wisdom God gives to Daniel. It also shows that only God can reveal the meaning of His own warning.

What does this passage teach about pride, especially in leaders?

This passage gives a sharp warning about pride. Belshazzar enjoys luxury and feels secure while danger is at his door. He ignores how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, who was far greater than he was. Instead of fearing God, he lifts himself up against Him and treats holy things as toys for his party. God shows that He rules over all kingdoms and can remove a king in a single night. For leaders and for anyone, this teaches that pride, contempt for God, and careless sin against what is holy lead to sudden and serious judgment.

What does this story show about God’s control over kingdoms and history?

The story shows that God rules over human kingdoms, no matter how strong they seem. He gave Nebuchadnezzar power, and He took it away for a time when that king grew proud. Now He weighs Belshazzar and ends his rule. The words on the wall say the kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians, and that is exactly what happens that same night when Belshazzar is killed and Darius the Median takes the kingdom. This reminds readers that God sets up and removes rulers and that no empire is outside His hand.

What was happening in Babylon the night Belshazzar saw the writing on the wall?

That night, while Belshazzar holds a great feast, Babylon is actually under threat. Enemy forces of the Medes and Persians are near. Instead of humbling himself or seeking God, the king seeks to show his power and security. He gathers a thousand of his lords, drinks wine in front of them, and uses the temple vessels from Jerusalem for his party. He feels safe behind his walls, but God shows him that his kingdom is already numbered and finished. Before the night ends, the city falls and the king is slain.

How can the message of the writing on the wall speak to people today?

The message on the wall shows that God sees pride, sin, and contempt for what is holy, and that He sets a limit to it. People today may not drink from temple cups, but they can still treat God’s name, worship, and truth lightly, and live as if they answer only to themselves. This passage calls people to humble themselves, remember that life and breath are in God’s hand, and turn away from idols of wealth, power, or pleasure. It reminds us that God will weigh every life and that it is wise to honor Him now.

Dan.5.1

Daniel 5:1

KJV

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

Belshazzar’s Feast

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

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.

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.

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

The Handwriting on the Wall

¶ 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.

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.

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

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.

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

¶ 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:

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;

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 Interprets the Handwriting

Daniel Interprets Handwriting on the Wall

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?

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.

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:

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.

¶ 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.

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

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.

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:

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.

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

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:

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

¶ And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Cross References

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