CHAPTER 5

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

In 562, Nebuchadnezzar died and was succeeded by his son, Amel-marduk (the Evil-merodach of Jeremiah 52:31). Amel-marduk was assassinated by his brother-in-law (the Nergal-sharezer of Jerermiah 39:3, 13). Nergal-sharezer was succeeded by his son, Labashi-marduk. And Labashi-marduk was assassinated by a group of people that included Nabonidus, who was made king. Then Nabonidus retired and entrusted the kingdom of Babylon to his son Belshazzar. Belshazzar was the LAST king of Babylon.

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

Belshazzar's mother was the daughter of king Nebuchadnezzar. Therefore, he could refer to Nebuchadnezzar as his "father" (actually grandfather).

The Persian armies were already camped around Babylon. Why would Belshazzar throw a party? Perhaps to boost the morale of the troops. Or perhaps because he was so proud he didn't believe the Babylonians could be defeated.

Either way, he threw the party, and in drunken pride called for the "vessels" that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem. These were teh holy vessels which had been taken from the temple of God.

When they drank from the holy vessels, they committed a gross sin against God by praising idols.

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. 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.

Ever wonder where that old saying, "He saw the writing on the wall," came from? This is it.

Belshazzar saw a hand writing on the wall of the palace! He became so full of ear that his knees shook!

7 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. 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.

Belshazzar called for all the "wise men" to interpret the writing. But no one could.

Notice Belshazzar's promise to give THIRD rulership to whoever could interpret the writing. Nabonidus was actually the king, and Belshazzar was second in rulership. Whoever interpreted the dream would be the third most powerful man in the kingdom.

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.

But the queen remembered Daniel. She advised the king to call him, and he did.

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. 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.

Daniel is offered the reward of being third ruler if he can and will interpret the handwriting. Daniel refuses the gift politely, but promises he will interpret the writing.

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

Daniel first recounts the story of Nebuchadnezzar having a mental problem that caused him to think he was a beast. He is quick to point out that Almighty God did this in order to show that it is HE Who establishes kingdoms and not people.

Belshazzar certainly knew of the story, and of the proclamation that Nebuchadnezzar made about God's SOVEREIGNTY. But Belshazzar didn't humble himself before God. In fact he had acted in haughty pride AGAINST God by using the holy vessels from the temple in Jerusalem.

Daniel tells Belshazzar that God even holds his "breath" (verse 23) and that he has not "glorified" God.

Therefore (verse 24), God has sent this message!

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 message is that God has called a screeching HALT to Belshazzar's kingdom! The king was weighed in the balances of God's righteousness and found "wanting"!

Therefore, his kingdom will be conquered and divided and given to others.

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. 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Perhaps Belshazzar's last act was to give Daniel the third rulership in his kingdom.

That very night, while the king was partying, the Persians had slipped into Babylon and conquered it quite easily. Then, Darius the Mede was made king over the new empire.

Let's stop just a moment and THINK about what God told Belshazzar through Daniel. Daniel talked about how Nebuchadnezzar had decreed that Almighty God is SOVEREIGN over all nations. Then Daniel said, "THOUGH THOU KNEWEST ALL THIS!"(verse 22)
Even though Belshazzar was AWARE of the truth, he stood AGAINST the truth!

Friends, there is no middle ground with God! Jesus said it Himself, "He that is not WITH me is AGAINST me!" (Matthew 12:30)

If you KNOW God, then stand WITH God. For to stand AGAINST Him is TRAGEDY!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.