King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon died a true believer in God, after many years of the Holy Spirit’s work on his heart. The same man who tried to make the whole world bow down and worship him was humbled. His message to his kingdom in Daniel 4 states the supremacy of God, ruler of all heaven and earth. 

But his descendent Belshazzar did not follow his example. He held a great feast, and in the drunken revelry, he had had the sacred vessels Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple in Jerusalem brought out. They used God’s sacred objects to toast to their idols. 

This insult could not go unanswered. And God chose to answer them personally. “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. 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.” (Daniel 5:5-6)

The defiance and mania of the revelers gave way to terror. Belshazzar called for the wise men to explain what had happened, to interpret the message. But none of them could read the writing on the wall or explain it. 

The queen-mother came, and remembered Daniel’s interpretations of dreams and divine prophecy. He is the only one who can explain this. Daniel refuses the royal gifts, his work is on behalf of God alone.

Daniel declares that the example of Nebuchadnezzar and his humility has been forgotten. That the deference he gave to God has been ignored. The divine message written by the hand of God is made clear to Daniel. 

“And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Daniel 5:25-28) Judgment has come upon Babylon. The prophecy is fulfilled – Belshazzar slain, and Darius the Mede receiving the kingdom. 

Daniel’s explanation of the example of Nebuchadnezzar gives a new mention beyond punishing idolatry and pride. God expects us to learn from the past and the mistakes of others. He gives us lessons like these to remind us how fleeting earthly wealth and power are, that everything we have comes from him. To ignore God’s messages to us makes us doubly guilty.

Art: Jim Padgett via Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org