Daniel 5

Daniel 5 recounts the story of King Belshazzar’s feast and the mysterious writing on the wall. In a display of arrogance, Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, used the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple to praise his idols. During the feast, a hand appeared and wrote a message on the wall. The terrified king summoned wise men to interpret it, but only Daniel was able to reveal its meaning. The message pronounced judgment on Babylon, and that very night, the kingdom fell to the Medes and Persians, fulfilling God’s prophecy.

Daniel 5:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand.
2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Belshazzar’s actions reflect arrogance and disrespect toward God. By using the holy vessels taken from the Jerusalem temple, he demonstrated his disregard for the sacred, showing off his power before his nobles. The act of drinking from these vessels while praising idols symbolizes his defiance against the God of Israel, as he honored gods made of earthly materials. This blasphemous act set the stage for divine judgment, as it showed Belshazzar’s lack of reverence for God.

Daniel 5:5-6 (NKJV)
5 In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster 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 changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.

The sudden appearance of a hand writing on the wall shocked and terrified Belshazzar. His reaction shows his sudden realization of vulnerability and fear of the unknown. Though he had been confidently feasting moments before, the supernatural event reduced him to a state of dread, exposing his inner fear and uncertainty. This reaction foreshadows the judgment that is about to be pronounced on him and his kingdom.

Daniel 5:7-9 (NKJV)
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.

In desperation, Belshazzar turned to his advisors for help, offering great rewards to anyone who could interpret the writing. However, his wise men failed to decipher it, highlighting the limits of Babylonian wisdom and power. Belshazzar’s fear increased, and his nobles shared his astonishment, as the mysterious writing remained unexplained. This scene emphasizes the futility of relying on human wisdom when confronted with divine mysteries.

Daniel 5:10-12 (NKJV)
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change.
11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

The queen, likely the queen mother, advised Belshazzar to seek out Daniel, who had previously served King Nebuchadnezzar with great wisdom. She reminded Belshazzar of Daniel’s reputation for interpreting dreams and solving difficult mysteries through the Spirit of God. Her intervention suggests a respect for Daniel’s God-given abilities, contrasting with Belshazzar’s earlier disregard for the sacred. Daniel’s past service foreshadows his role in revealing God’s message to the Babylonian king.

Daniel 5:13-16 (NKJV)
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?
14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15 Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing.
16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Belshazzar acknowledged Daniel’s reputation and offered him rewards if he could interpret the writing. Despite his arrogance, Belshazzar recognized his own advisors' limitations and was willing to rely on Daniel. This scene highlights Belshazzar’s reliance on material incentives, attempting to secure divine wisdom through wealth and power. However, Daniel’s wisdom came from his faith in God, not from earthly rewards, which foreshadows the prophetic message that Daniel would soon deliver to the king.

Daniel 5:17-21 (NKJV)
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.
19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.
20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. 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 rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.”

Daniel declined the king’s gifts, indicating that his service to God was not motivated by material rewards. He reminded Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar’s rise and fall, recounting how God had given Nebuchadnezzar authority over nations but humbled him when he grew prideful. Daniel emphasized that Nebuchadnezzar eventually acknowledged God’s sovereignty. This retelling served as a warning to Belshazzar, contrasting Nebuchadnezzar’s ultimate humility with Belshazzar’s present arrogance.

Daniel 5:22-23 (NKJV)
22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.”

Daniel directly confronted Belshazzar for failing to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s example. Although aware of his predecessor’s humbling experience, Belshazzar had chosen to defy God, using the sacred vessels to worship idols. Daniel emphasized the foolishness of honoring lifeless idols while ignoring the true God, who controlled Belshazzar’s very life. This rebuke highlighted Belshazzar’s accountability for his actions, demonstrating that his arrogance would not go unpunished.

Daniel 5:24-28 (NKJV)
24 “Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25 And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;
27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;
28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Daniel revealed that the writing on the wall came from God Himself as a message of judgment. He explained that “MENE” indicated that Belshazzar’s reign was at its end; “TEKEL” meant that Belshazzar had been measured and found lacking in righteousness; and “PERES” signified that the kingdom would be divided and handed over to the Medes and Persians. This interpretation conveyed the finality of God’s judgment and the imminent fall of Babylon, fulfilling the prophecy against the proud kingdom.

Daniel 5:29 (NKJV)
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Despite the ominous message, Belshazzar honored his promise by rewarding Daniel. His act of bestowing honors on Daniel, however, was hollow in light of the impending destruction of his kingdom. Belshazzar’s response indicates he may have misunderstood the gravity of the prophecy or sought to save face in front of his court. This gesture was ultimately futile, as Babylon was already doomed, and Daniel’s promotion carried little meaning in a kingdom about to fall.

Daniel 5:30-31 (NKJV)
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

The chapter concludes with the swift fulfillment of God’s judgment. That same night, Belshazzar was killed, and Babylon fell to the Medes, represented by Darius. This immediate fulfillment of the prophecy underscores God’s sovereignty over earthly kingdoms and serves as a powerful example of divine justice. Belshazzar’s pride and disregard for God’s authority resulted in the loss of his life and his kingdom, marking the end of the Babylonian empire.