Daniel 5:13, commentary and pictures

Daniel was brought before Belshazzar after the king's wise men could not read or interpret the writing on the wall, and was addressed as the Daniel of the captivity of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Judea more than sixty years before. The meeting took place in the midst of an idolatrous feast of wine, music and praise to gods of gold and silver from Jehovah's consecrated vessels, when a hand traced mysterious characters that filled the king and his thousand lords with fear. Standing faithful as God's servant and statesman in that critical hour, Daniel declared that God as unseen witness had weighed Belshazzar's motives, character and life in the balances of the sanctuary and pronounced him wanting for disregarding the light given through Nebuchadnezzar. God's forbearance has limits, so persistent presumption, blasphemy and refusal to humble and obey bring loss of kingdom and destruction, and Babylon's sudden fall at an hour of feasting pictures what will take place at the end of the world. The same divine witness keeps a faithful record of every act against His people and is present when devotion due to God is turned to human beings, and the same spirit that beclouded Belshazzar's reason acts in modern wine-drinkers, whose only safeguard is to purpose like Daniel to abstain wholly and make God their strength.

Context and Identification

Daniel was brought in before Belshazzar after the king's wise men could not read or interpret the writing on the palace wall. That meeting took place in the midst of an idolatrous feast at the hour of feasting and revelry when Babylon fell. Belshazzar sat with his princes and his thousand lords, drinking wine from the consecrated gold and silver vessels of Jehovah that had been dedicated to God by holy consecration, while praising the gods of gold and silver amid music, dancing, feasting, sparkling wine, and idolatrous sacrifice. In the midst of that sacrilegious mirth a hand traced mysterious characters upon the wall opposite, filling the terrified king and his courtiers with fear. God of heaven was present as an uninvited, unseen witness, hearing the praises and seeing the desecration.

Belshazzar was an absolute monarch with power, property, princes, and flattery to indulge his pride and passions, yet void of self-control and corrupt at heart. Hasty, violent, and cruel when opposed, molded by flatterers, self-indulgent, gluttonous, and drunken, he lost reverence under wine with his reason beclouded. He forgot God and dishonored Him, taking the lead in riot and blasphemy and profaning the God of heaven.

In calling for him the king identified him as that Daniel who was of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom his father Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jewry from Judah. He asked whether he was the Daniel known for wisdom and understanding. He was sought among the rulers consulted because he honored the living God and received heavenly light. His long exile in Babylon, begun more than sixty years earlier under Nebuchadnezzar, had placed him in the Babylonian court where he could speak to the king.

Message and Judgment

Daniel stood in a most critical and trying position when brought before the king of Babylon, faithfully doing the work assigned to him as a statesman while plainly refusing any work that would militate against God. That course provoked discussion, and by God's providence incessantly at work over human affairs the king was brought into reasoning relation with him concerning things foretold in the prophecies against Babylon and other kingdoms. God had light for the king, and through Daniel He presented that light and by the interpretation of the king's dream exalted Jehovah as more powerful than earthly kings. That light was perverted when the dream was read in the light of idolatrous understanding and ambition to exalt Babylon in idolatrous exaltation. All men, whether king or subjects, must not read the Scriptures and God's providences in the light of their dreams and fancies, but must read their dreams in the light of the living oracles.

Before Belshazzar in the midst of his sacrilegious mirth and idolatrous feast, Daniel told the king that Babylon's coming calamity resulted from disregarding the light God had given through Nebuchadnezzar, and he pronounced their doom. Though the revelers forgot God, God did not forget them but stood as unseen witness, making a history to testify against them to the close of time. He weighed Belshazzar's motives, character, life and soul in the balances of His sanctuary and pronounced him wanting. That record will stand when the books of heaven are opened.

God's forbearance has limits, and Belshazzar's presumption and defiance show that persistent blasphemy and disobedience bring judgment. Neglecting God's instruction and failing to practice it costs the benefits obedience could have brought. Rulers who forget God and refuse to obey Him and humble themselves face the penalty of transgression, and with Babylon the kingdom passed away. The account ends with the city swept with destruction and left in ruins.

The fall of Babylon came in an hour of feasting and reveling, and that sudden fall pictures what will be in the end of the world.

Faithfulness and Application

Daniel as servant of the Most High was brought before Belshazzar after the king with his thousand lords profaned the golden vessels of Jehovah and praised the idols of Babylon while the God they defied watched the unholy scene. In the midst of their sacrilegious mirth a bloodless hand traced mysterious characters upon the palace wall, filling the terrified king and courtiers with fear, and Daniel pronounced their doom. The same hand that wrote on the wall keeps a faithful record of every act of injustice or oppression against God's people. Slanderous words of calumny and falsehood against those Christ purchased by His blood are worse than profaning soulless vessels and will be punished.

The same divine witness present as uninvited hearer and seer at that desecration of consecrated gold and silver vessels dedicated by holy consecration to profane and licentious purposes is present when hearts God requires in pure and holy devotion are turned to worship human beings. When powers solemnly dedicated to God are bestowed on defiled sinful beings in man-and-woman worship, that repeats Belshazzar's feast and Belshazzar's worship and degrading idol worship. Those living in the last days who do this are far more guilty than Belshazzar. Aroused conscience interprets God's witness as denunciation, bringing suspicion, fear, alarm and terror.

Belshazzar was an absolute monarch with power, property, princes and flattery to indulge pride and passion, yet void of self-control, hasty, violent, cruel when opposed, molded by flatterers, self-indulgent, gluttonous, drunken and corrupt at heart. Under wine his reason was beclouded and reverence departed, so he forgot God and dishonored Him and took the lead in riot and blasphemy amid music, dancing, feasting, sparkling wine and idolatrous sacrifice. Though the revelers forgot God, God did not forget them but stood as unseen witness making a history to testify against them to the close of time, weighing motives, character, life and soul in the balances of His sanctuary and pronouncing him wanting, which record will stand when the books of heaven are opened. The same spirit acts in modern wine-drinkers who becloud reason, praise the sparkling cup as their Christ, blaspheme the Son of God, and obey Satan. The only safeguard for youth and mature age is total abstinence and purposing like Daniel not to eat luxuries or taste wine at fashionable resorts but to make God their strength.