Daniel 5:15
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: 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:
The verse stands in the history of the fall of Babylon, which came in an hour of feasting and revelry, belonging to the account of Babylon's fall during a night of feasting and revelry. On that night Belshazzar feasted with his thousand lords and princes, drinking from the vessels consecrated to Jehovah while his reason was beclouded by wine. With music, dancing, feasting, sparkling wine and blasphemy they praised the gods of gold and silver and the idols of Babylon, the king himself taking the lead in riot and blasphemous presumption with reason gone, reverence departed and nothing held sacred.
Although the revelers had forgotten God, God had not forgotten them but was present as unseen witness, beholding the unholy scene and making a history to testify against them to the close of time. In the midst of their sacrilegious mirth a bloodless hand traced mysterious characters over against the wall upon the palace wall, declaring their destiny and doom in writing unintelligible to the wine-besotted revelers and king. King and courtiers were filled with terror, their consciences sensing that the writing condemned them, while God weighed motives, character, life and soul and pronounced them wanting and their doom.
The wise men and astrologers were brought in and summoned before the king to read the writing and make known its interpretation and explain its meaning, but they could not read it, show its interpretation, or explain it. Daniel was then brought before the king and summoned because the king had heard that he could interpret such matters, having insight from God. Daniel served as statesman in Babylon and refused any work against God, and through him prophecies against Babylon were brought before the king of Babylon.
Belshazzar had opportunities to learn God's will from Nebuchadnezzar's banishment, conversion, and restoration, but he neglected those lessons and the truth available to him. Daniel plainly told the king that Babylon's coming calamity resulted from disregarding heaven-sent light, showing that neglecting and failing to practice the instruction God gives brings judgment. The appeal to Daniel shows that rulers cut off from God could not understand His warning. The failure of the wise men shows that heavenly wisdom cannot be bought or secured through royal rewards.
What happened to Babylon will be repeated at the end of the world, when only the wise virgins prepared with oil in their vessels with their lamps will be ready to meet the Bridegroom. The same hand that traced the characters keeps faithful record of every act of injustice or oppression committed against God's people, and slanderous attack on the character of those Christ purchased by His blood is a far greater profanation than profaning soulless vessels. The same witnessing God marks modern wine-drinking and blasphemy, with spoken words passing to the books of final accounts, showing that indulgence in wine shuts away reason and prepares the way for excess, and that the only safeguard is total abstinence and purposing like Daniel not to taste wine.