And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
Belshazzar knew all that God had done to humble Nebuchadnezzar and to teach that He rules over earthly kingdoms, holds the king's life and breath in His hand, and restores those who learn, including what was shown through Daniel in the dream and in the deliverance from the fiery furnace. Though he had light, opportunity and ability to know his duty and do right, he refused to humble his heart, wasting his entrusted opportunities through pleasure, self-glorification and trust in his own power. Instead he exalted himself against the Lord of heaven, ascribing Babylon's glory to men, worshiping lifeless idols, failing to glorify God, and profaning the vessels consecrated to Him in idolatrous feasting. His knowledge did not excuse him but left him without excuse and accountable, for light received makes a person responsible, and despised warnings and examples lead to presumption, blindness and continued defiance that God's patience does not excuse. The God he defied was present as unseen Witness, weighing motives, character and life in the balances of His sanctuary, and because Belshazzar would not humble himself his probation closed, he was found wanting, and judgment fell in the very night of revelry when he was slain and Babylon passed to other hands, a warning that those in later generations who know God's reproofs yet refuse to humble themselves will likewise pass the limit of forbearance and be judged.
Belshazzar's Knowing Rebellion
“Thou knewest all this” means Belshazzar knew the whole history of God’s dealing with Nebuchadnezzar, how pride brought his humiliation and how God restored him when the lesson was learned. He knew that God had taught Nebuchadnezzar that He rules over earthly kingdoms and that Jehovah is more powerful than kings and every kingdom. He knew that God holds the king’s life and breath in His hand and that all his ways belong to Him. He knew what had been shown through Daniel in the interpretation of the dream, and that God had been with His three faithful servants in the fiery furnace when they would not bow to the golden image set up in the plain of Dura.
He had been given opportunity and light to know God’s will and his duty to obey Him, with ability to learn and to do right. Yet pleasure and self-glorification caused him to disregard the lessons and the opportunities entrusted to him. Relying on his own power, he wasted those opportunities, refused to humble his heart, and would not correct his ways when warned by what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar.
Instead of humbling himself, he exalted himself against the Lord of heaven and proudly defied Him. In prosperity he forgot God and ascribed the glory of Babylon to human achievement, failing to glorify the God who held his breath and directed his ways. He profaned the vessels consecrated to Jehovah and dedicated by holy consecration to God, taking them from His house for profane use in idolatrous feasting. There with his thousand lords he drank to and worshiped lifeless idols of gold and silver, turning pure devotion, praise, adoration and affection that belong to God alone to human and earthly objects.
His defiance fit his place as a man of absolute power with everything to flatter pride and indulge passion, holding property, lords, nobles and princes at his command with his will as law. He was void of self-control, hasty and violent in temper, gracious to flatterers who did not oppose his will and cruel as the grave to those who crossed his caprice, molded as wax by flattery and ferocious when provoked, self-indulgent, gluttonous and intemperate, corrupt at heart and swayed by base passions. His rebellion culminated in a night of riot, music, dancing, feasting and idolatrous sacrifice, when Babylon’s fall came in an hour of feasting and revelry. Wine beclouded his reason and led him to forget and dishonor God, taking the lead in riot and blasphemy and leading his princes and thousand lords in insult to the God of heaven.
Judgment on Rejected Light
Daniel's charge declares knowing guilt, for Belshazzar knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar yet would not humble his own heart. That knowledge did not excuse his irreverence but made him accountable, leaving him with no excuse when called to account for his rule and wasted opportunities. He knowingly exalted himself against the Lord, relied on his own power, profaned the vessels of God's house, worshiped lifeless idols of gold and silver, and failed to glorify the God who held his breath and life and directed all his ways. He was condemned not only for doing wrong but for failing to use the opportunity, light, and ability he had to learn and do right and to correct his ways. Those who know God's warnings, reproofs, and the consequences of others' disobedience yet refuse to humble themselves blind themselves, reject His messages, continue in defiance, and will be judged for it.
God gives lessons, warnings, reproofs, and examples through His dealings to lead people to reform, and light already received makes a person responsible for how he responds to it. Disregarding that heaven-sent light leads to presumption, blindness, and continued proud defiance of the Lord of heaven. God's patience and long forbearance do not excuse continued rebellion, and men may persist in presumption and defiance until they pass the limit of forbearance, after which He intervenes against insolence and disobedience. Neglecting and failing to practice the lessons brings judgment, as Belshazzar's disregard brought calamity on Babylon and cost him the benefits obedience could have brought.
The God whom they defied was present as an unseen Watcher and witness of the unholy sacrilegious feast, hearing the praises to idols and watching every movement without being forgotten by heaven. He watched as a messenger making a history to testify to the close of time, weighing motives, character, life, and soul in the balances of His sanctuary. In the midst of the mirth a bloodless hand was seen tracing mysterious characters upon the palace wall, and filled with terror the king and his courtiers heard their doom pronounced by the servant of the Most High, confronting Belshazzar with his deeds, his evil works, and his wasted rule. That weighing pronounced him wanting, and the faithful record kept for punishment will stand when the books of heaven are opened.
Because he would not humble himself his measure of evil became full, his probation closed, and restraining protection was withdrawn so that evil was no longer warded off from him. Judgment fell during the feast and revelry itself: he was slain, Babylon was shattered and broken and passed into other hands, bringing calamity as the result of his chosen course. This was in literal fulfillment of divine prophecy, for in prosperity its rulers regarded themselves as independent of God, forgot Him, and ascribed the glory of the kingdom to human achievement.
Warning for Later Generations
Daniel 5:22 warns that guilt is measured by light, for Belshazzar knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar yet would not humble his own heart, but exalted himself against God and failed to glorify the God who held his life and all his ways in His hand. Knowing the warning and example without correcting conduct did not excuse his irreverence but made him accountable and his guilt greater. The same is true of all who know God's reproofs, warnings, and the consequences of others' disobedience yet resist them and continue in their own ways. Such persons can blind themselves, reject God's messages, persist in presumption and defiance until they pass the limit of His forbearance, and God will judge them for refusing to humble themselves and will intervene against their insolence and disobedience.
Belshazzar with his thousand lords profaned the golden vessels of Jehovah in sacrilegious mirth while praising the idols of Babylon, but the God whom they defied was present as witness of the unholy scene. In the midst of their feast a bloodless hand was seen tracing mysterious characters upon the palace wall, and filled with terror the king and courtiers heard their doom pronounced by the servant of the Most High. That same witnessing God sees those who delight to trace words of calumny and falsehood against the servants of Christ. Their slanderous touch profanes not soulless vessels but the characters of those whom Christ has purchased by His blood, repeating Belshazzar's sacrilege, and the hand that wrote on his wall keeps faithful record of every act of injustice or oppression committed against God's people for punishment.
His sin was sacrilege and licentious idol worship at his feast, desecrating vessels dedicated by holy consecration to God by applying them to profane purposes, praising and idolizing them while God was forgotten and carnal senses were inflamed. It turned pure and holy devotion, praise, adoration and affections that belong alone to God to human and earthly objects, while the God of heaven as unseen witness heard the praises and saw the desecration. That sin is repeated whenever the heart God requires to be given to Him is turned away to worship a fallen human being, and whenever solemnly consecrated powers of soul, body and spirit are dragged down to administer to debasing lust and harlotry. Such a course dishonors God and ruins the actors, and those living in these last days with great light from Revelation about events just prior to the second appearing of Christ are far more guilty than Belshazzar when they do the same.
Belshazzar would not humble his heart though he knew all God had taught Nebuchadnezzar, that Jehovah is more powerful than every kingdom by the interpretation of the dream, and that God was with His three faithful servants in the fiery furnace when they would not bow to the golden image of Babylon set up in the plain of Dura. Though kings and subjects were to read dreams and providence in the light of the living Oracles, Babylon held to its idolatry, and its fall came at an hour of feasting and reveling. So will it be at the end of the world, when many say the Lord delays His coming and all things remain as from the beginning of creation. Then only the wise virgins with oil in their vessels with their lamps will be prepared to go forth to meet the Bridegroom.
Belshazzar knew all that God had done to humble Nebuchadnezzar and to teach that He rules over earthly kingdoms, holds the king's life and breath in His hand, and restores those who learn, including what was shown through Daniel in the dream and in the deliverance from the fiery furnace. Though he had light, opportunity and ability to know his duty and do right, he refused to humble his heart, wasting his entrusted opportunities through pleasure, self-glorification and trust in his own power. Instead he exalted himself against the Lord of heaven, ascribing Babylon's glory to men, worshiping lifeless idols, failing to glorify God, and profaning the vessels consecrated to Him in idolatrous feasting. His knowledge did not excuse him but left him without excuse and accountable, for light received makes a person responsible, and despised warnings and examples lead to presumption, blindness and continued defiance that God's patience does not excuse. The God he defied was present as unseen Witness, weighing motives, character and life in the balances of His sanctuary, and because Belshazzar would not humble himself his probation closed, he was found wanting, and judgment fell in the very night of revelry when he was slain and Babylon passed to other hands, a warning that those in later generations who know God's reproofs yet refuse to humble themselves will likewise pass the limit of forbearance and be judged.
Belshazzar's Knowing Rebellion
“Thou knewest all this” means Belshazzar knew the whole history of God’s dealing with Nebuchadnezzar, how pride brought his humiliation and how God restored him when the lesson was learned. He knew that God had taught Nebuchadnezzar that He rules over earthly kingdoms and that Jehovah is more powerful than kings and every kingdom. He knew that God holds the king’s life and breath in His hand and that all his ways belong to Him. He knew what had been shown through Daniel in the interpretation of the dream, and that God had been with His three faithful servants in the fiery furnace when they would not bow to the golden image set up in the plain of Dura.
He had been given opportunity and light to know God’s will and his duty to obey Him, with ability to learn and to do right. Yet pleasure and self-glorification caused him to disregard the lessons and the opportunities entrusted to him. Relying on his own power, he wasted those opportunities, refused to humble his heart, and would not correct his ways when warned by what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar.
Instead of humbling himself, he exalted himself against the Lord of heaven and proudly defied Him. In prosperity he forgot God and ascribed the glory of Babylon to human achievement, failing to glorify the God who held his breath and directed his ways. He profaned the vessels consecrated to Jehovah and dedicated by holy consecration to God, taking them from His house for profane use in idolatrous feasting. There with his thousand lords he drank to and worshiped lifeless idols of gold and silver, turning pure devotion, praise, adoration and affection that belong to God alone to human and earthly objects.
His defiance fit his place as a man of absolute power with everything to flatter pride and indulge passion, holding property, lords, nobles and princes at his command with his will as law. He was void of self-control, hasty and violent in temper, gracious to flatterers who did not oppose his will and cruel as the grave to those who crossed his caprice, molded as wax by flattery and ferocious when provoked, self-indulgent, gluttonous and intemperate, corrupt at heart and swayed by base passions. His rebellion culminated in a night of riot, music, dancing, feasting and idolatrous sacrifice, when Babylon’s fall came in an hour of feasting and revelry. Wine beclouded his reason and led him to forget and dishonor God, taking the lead in riot and blasphemy and leading his princes and thousand lords in insult to the God of heaven.
Judgment on Rejected Light
Daniel's charge declares knowing guilt, for Belshazzar knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar yet would not humble his own heart. That knowledge did not excuse his irreverence but made him accountable, leaving him with no excuse when called to account for his rule and wasted opportunities. He knowingly exalted himself against the Lord, relied on his own power, profaned the vessels of God's house, worshiped lifeless idols of gold and silver, and failed to glorify the God who held his breath and life and directed all his ways. He was condemned not only for doing wrong but for failing to use the opportunity, light, and ability he had to learn and do right and to correct his ways. Those who know God's warnings, reproofs, and the consequences of others' disobedience yet refuse to humble themselves blind themselves, reject His messages, continue in defiance, and will be judged for it.
God gives lessons, warnings, reproofs, and examples through His dealings to lead people to reform, and light already received makes a person responsible for how he responds to it. Disregarding that heaven-sent light leads to presumption, blindness, and continued proud defiance of the Lord of heaven. God's patience and long forbearance do not excuse continued rebellion, and men may persist in presumption and defiance until they pass the limit of forbearance, after which He intervenes against insolence and disobedience. Neglecting and failing to practice the lessons brings judgment, as Belshazzar's disregard brought calamity on Babylon and cost him the benefits obedience could have brought.
The God whom they defied was present as an unseen Watcher and witness of the unholy sacrilegious feast, hearing the praises to idols and watching every movement without being forgotten by heaven. He watched as a messenger making a history to testify to the close of time, weighing motives, character, life, and soul in the balances of His sanctuary. In the midst of the mirth a bloodless hand was seen tracing mysterious characters upon the palace wall, and filled with terror the king and his courtiers heard their doom pronounced by the servant of the Most High, confronting Belshazzar with his deeds, his evil works, and his wasted rule. That weighing pronounced him wanting, and the faithful record kept for punishment will stand when the books of heaven are opened.
Because he would not humble himself his measure of evil became full, his probation closed, and restraining protection was withdrawn so that evil was no longer warded off from him. Judgment fell during the feast and revelry itself: he was slain, Babylon was shattered and broken and passed into other hands, bringing calamity as the result of his chosen course. This was in literal fulfillment of divine prophecy, for in prosperity its rulers regarded themselves as independent of God, forgot Him, and ascribed the glory of the kingdom to human achievement.
Warning for Later Generations
Daniel 5:22 warns that guilt is measured by light, for Belshazzar knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar yet would not humble his own heart, but exalted himself against God and failed to glorify the God who held his life and all his ways in His hand. Knowing the warning and example without correcting conduct did not excuse his irreverence but made him accountable and his guilt greater. The same is true of all who know God's reproofs, warnings, and the consequences of others' disobedience yet resist them and continue in their own ways. Such persons can blind themselves, reject God's messages, persist in presumption and defiance until they pass the limit of His forbearance, and God will judge them for refusing to humble themselves and will intervene against their insolence and disobedience.
Belshazzar with his thousand lords profaned the golden vessels of Jehovah in sacrilegious mirth while praising the idols of Babylon, but the God whom they defied was present as witness of the unholy scene. In the midst of their feast a bloodless hand was seen tracing mysterious characters upon the palace wall, and filled with terror the king and courtiers heard their doom pronounced by the servant of the Most High. That same witnessing God sees those who delight to trace words of calumny and falsehood against the servants of Christ. Their slanderous touch profanes not soulless vessels but the characters of those whom Christ has purchased by His blood, repeating Belshazzar's sacrilege, and the hand that wrote on his wall keeps faithful record of every act of injustice or oppression committed against God's people for punishment.
His sin was sacrilege and licentious idol worship at his feast, desecrating vessels dedicated by holy consecration to God by applying them to profane purposes, praising and idolizing them while God was forgotten and carnal senses were inflamed. It turned pure and holy devotion, praise, adoration and affections that belong alone to God to human and earthly objects, while the God of heaven as unseen witness heard the praises and saw the desecration. That sin is repeated whenever the heart God requires to be given to Him is turned away to worship a fallen human being, and whenever solemnly consecrated powers of soul, body and spirit are dragged down to administer to debasing lust and harlotry. Such a course dishonors God and ruins the actors, and those living in these last days with great light from Revelation about events just prior to the second appearing of Christ are far more guilty than Belshazzar when they do the same.
Belshazzar would not humble his heart though he knew all God had taught Nebuchadnezzar, that Jehovah is more powerful than every kingdom by the interpretation of the dream, and that God was with His three faithful servants in the fiery furnace when they would not bow to the golden image of Babylon set up in the plain of Dura. Though kings and subjects were to read dreams and providence in the light of the living Oracles, Babylon held to its idolatry, and its fall came at an hour of feasting and reveling. So will it be at the end of the world, when many say the Lord delays His coming and all things remain as from the beginning of creation. Then only the wise virgins with oil in their vessels with their lamps will be prepared to go forth to meet the Bridegroom.