The Handwriting on the Wall: A Lesson from Belshazzar’s Feast

1. The Handwriting on the Wall Daniel 5

2. Introduction • Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC after ruling for 43 years • His son, Evil-Merodach, succeeded 2Kgs 25:27 • After two years he was assassinated by Nergilissar, his brother-in-law (560 BC) • Nergilissar in turn died four years later (556 BC), leaving the throne to his infant son, Labashi-Marduk • 9 months later the priests lead a revolt and kill Labashi-Marduk • Nabonidus, the son of a priestess, is made king

3. Nabonidus • Nabonidus may have been a priest of the moon god, like his mother • After ruling 3 years, he appoints his son, Belshazzar, as co-regent • Nabonidus goes to the city of Tayma, a site of moon worship, and remains there 10 years • In 540 BC he returns to gather an army to defend against a Persian army • In 539 BC Nabonidus takes the army to set up a defensive line or perhaps to attack the Persian invaders • Belshazzar is still left as king in Babylon charged with the defense of the city

4. The Feast • Dan 5:1-3 • Belshazzar throws a big feast • By the Babylonian calendar, this may have been in honor of Shammash, the god of justice • Or may be a celebration of expected victory of Nabonidus over Cyrus, the Persian • Nebuchadnezzar had taken gold and silver vessels from the temple in Jerusalem 2 Chr 36:10 • Nebuchadnezzar not his literal “father” • Either in the meaning of “predecessor” • Or perhaps he or his father married Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter or a granddaughter • Or perhaps a “political lie” • Belshazzar uses the vessels in the feast • Perhaps thinking it is a reminder of previous Babylonian victories

5. The Feast • Dan 5:4 • They “praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” • The king and guests foolishly praised the creation rather than the Creator • Probably thanking their “gods” for the past victory over Israel and their hoped for future victory over Persia • Either felt the battle was already over or would be the next day • Both armies were deployed for battle a couple days journey away from Babylon

6. Application • Would we ever stoop so low? • Worship the gods of silver and gold? • Become guilty of idolatry? • We do if we are covetous! • Eph 5:5; Col 3:5 • Making mammon (material riches) our god (Mt 6:24) • Making created things the prime focus of our time and interest

7. The hand writing on the wall • Dan 5:5-6 • The fingers of a hand appears and write on a wall where the light is shining • Whether the writing is like charcoal on the plaster • Or like Babylonian writing, carved into the plaster wall, is unknown • The king sees the hand writing and . . . • “countenance changed” lit. “cheerfulness frustrated” • “thoughts troubled him” lit. “thoughts terrified him” • “his loins were loosed” (KJV) euph. “wet himself” • “his knees knocked against each other”

8. Looking for an explanation • Dan 5:7-9 • Calls for the wise men, etc and asks for an interpretation • Offers great rewards, including the third highest position in the kingdom • Belshazzar is only in the second position himself behind his father • The wise men can’t even read the writing, so they can offer no interpretation • Now the king is even more terrified and even less cheerful

9. Looking for an explanation • Dan 5:10-12 • The queen could be Belshazzar’s wife • Could be his mother or grandmother • Could be the wife of one of the previous kings (which would include Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter, if she is still alive) • Queen uses language like Nebuchadnezzar’s to describe Daniel and his God • Queen also seems to rub the “your father Nebuchadnezzar” in the king’s face • Makes sense if she is a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar and is pointing out how unlike him the king is

10. Daniel • Dan 5:13-16 • Daniel brought in • Apparently lost his position during all the changes of government • 70+ years old now, quite likely around 80 • King pretends to know all about Daniel • Even though he only knows what the queen just told him (or perhaps her words reminded him of things he had been told) • Perhaps hoping to flatter Daniel to get a good interpretation • Also offers the same reward • Would return Daniel to a high (even higher) position

11. Reminders • Dan 5:17-23 • Daniel not interested in gifts and rewards • Unlike the king he does not worship the creation • Tells the king what happened to Nebuchadnezzar when he became too proud • How Nebuchadnezzar finally acknowledged that God ruled over the kingdoms of men • Belshazzar has insulted the God who holds his life in His hands • By defiling the vessels from His temple • By praising idols at the same time

12. The Interpretation • Dan 5:24-28 • "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" • Lit. “Numbered, numbered, weighed, divided” • Even though the words were Chaldean, since the wise men couldn’t read them, probably written with Hebrew letters • MENE – God numbered the length of the Babylonian kingdom – Time’s up! • TEKEL – God weighed Belshazzar as a king – He doesn’t measure up to what a king should be • UPHARSIN – (PERES is the singular) – God has divided (broken) the kingdom and given it to the Medes and Persians

13. The Results • Dan 5:29-31 • Daniel is given the offered rewards • Short-lived though they were • That night, Babylon fell to Cyrus • While Nabonidus waited for battle across from the main Persian army • Cyrus sent a small army around the Babylonians under his general Darius the Mede • He used slaves to cut a channel diverting the river which flowed beneath the walls of Babylon • Allowed his small army to enter beneath the walls and capture Babylon without a fight (only Belshazzar was slain) - October 12, 539 BC • Nabonidus later surrendered

14. Conclusion • Luke 12:15-21 • How quickly the proud and boastful can fall, despite power and wealth • One day a proud, boastful king • The next a dead man • Sooner or later, everyone will face God’s judgment • Are you prepared?