The Handwriting on the Wall at Belshazzar's FeastBible World
5:28Daniel 5:28
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
PERES declares that Belshazzar's kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians, ending his rule and transferring his dominion to those peoples. The sentence was pronounced during his sacrilegious feast, when he and his guests drank wine from the vessels consecrated to God taken from Jerusalem's temple while praising idols amid revelry and idolatrous mirth. It came because of pride and pleasure-seeking, reckoning without God and refusing to humble himself and honor Him despite knowing how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar and rules over human kingdoms. The word was irrevocable and was fulfilled that very night when Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Median took the kingdom, ending Babylon's universal rule because of its wickedness and establishing Medo-Persia in its place. It reveals God present as unseen witness in the palace, weighing motives, character and deeds in the balances of His sanctuary with perfect justice, warning that His forbearance has limits and persistent defiance will at last exhaust His patience and bring certain judgment.
Feast Setting and Sentence
The word belongs to the writing interpreted during Belshazzar's feast, after the king and his guests profaned the vessels taken from Jerusalem's temple. They drank wine with his princes and lords from vessels consecrated to God and to Jehovah, praising idols and the gods of gold and silver amid licentious mirth, wine-besotted riot and blasphemy, music, dancing, feasting and idolatrous sacrifice. It was God's warning and testimony against that sacrilege and idolatry, declaring doom upon Belshazzar for profaning what was sacred. God was present as unseen witness to the desecration, observing the revelry, weighing motives, character, life and soul in the balances of His sanctuary and pronouncing him wanting, and that record will stand when the books of heaven are opened and the great Judge searches to see whose names are written there.
The scene came near the end of Daniel's life, after Babylon had passed from Nebuchadnezzar to his successors and was in gradual but sure decline. Its fall came suddenly in an hour of feasting and revelry.
PERES means the kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians, declaring the impending end of Belshazzar's rule and the transfer of his kingdom to those peoples during the sacrilegious feast. The fall of his kingdom fulfilled that sentence of divine judgment announced at the feast. The judgment came because of his pride, pleasure-seeking, reckoning without God and following human wisdom and schemes, and his refusal to humble himself and honor and glorify God. He knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar and rules over human kingdoms, and had received lessons and heaven-sent light through that history, yet he neglected that light, failed to practice it, and lost the benefits obedience would have brought, leaving him unprepared when his kingdom was taken from him. Knowing God's dealings and receiving His warnings does not excuse continued disobedience or self-exaltation, and neglecting and failing to practice God's lessons brings judgment and coming calamity.
Prophecy Fulfilled in History
The word marks the close of Babylon's universal rule, for because of the nation's wickedness the kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians, raising Medo-Persia as the second universal monarchy. In this transfer of dominion is seen the literal fulfillment of divine prophecy in the history of nations.
Babylon was shattered and broken and passed away because in prosperity its rulers regarded themselves as independent of God. They forgot God and credited human achievement with the honor and glory of the kingdom. Their fall shows the penalty that comes when people refuse to obey God.
The sentence against Belshazzar was irrevocable, declaring that his kingdom would pass from his rule to the Medes and Persians. It was fulfilled that very night, when Belshazzar was slain on the night of his sacrilegious feast and Darius the Median took the kingdom. His evil works had reached their full measure and he and his lords had filled up their guilt, so God's restraining hand and protection no longer warded off the impending judgment.
That overthrow in an hour of feasting and revelry fulfilled things foretold in the prophecies against Babylon and other kingdoms. It was worked out by God's providence, always and incessantly at work in human affairs to exalt Jehovah above earthly kings and above every kingdom. Light had been given for Nebuchadnezzar, for through Daniel the king was shown those foretold things, and by the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream Jehovah was exalted as more powerful than earthly kings. God thus brought Daniel into reasoning relation with the king of Babylon to give that light even to the minds of idolaters, but Nebuchadnezzar turned the light of the dream into idolatry by setting up the golden image.
The doom written on the palace wall, declaring the division of the kingdom and the end of Babylonian rule, was traced by the same divine hand that later rent the temple veil at Christ's death. That hand rent the veil from top to bottom when Christ died. By that act the Jewish nation was marked as no longer God's covenant people, and a new and living way was opened for everyone to come to God without priest or ruler.
Divine Witness and Warning
PERES declares a judgment written while God Himself was present unseen in the palace, watching the revelry and hearing its dishonoring words against Him. That hand that traced the doom upon the wall weighed Belshazzar's motives, character, life and soul, with every word, deed, plan and hidden motive, in the balances of the sanctuary with perfect justice and truth. The division of his kingdom and its transfer to the Medes and Persians was therefore not accident but God's visible verdict upon what the divine Witness had seen. That record will stand when the books of heaven are opened and every case is searched to see whose names are written there.
The same hand shows God is everywhere, writing in every place that He is here and observing all. He keeps a written record in the books of heaven, where a holy Watcher notes every word and action, weighs every motive that prompts to action, registers every denial of self and every grasping, covetous spirit, with all words, plans and secret motives. In that judgment deeds will appear in their true character, including false statements and misrepresentations. Against Belshazzar the writing meant Wanting, fearfully wanting, revealing the true condition of the one judged, a verdict others might try to cover by pleading in his behalf.
The God who witnessed that unholy scene pronounced doom on Belshazzar and his thousand lords after they profaned what He had chosen as sacred and praised the idols of Babylon in sacrilegious mirth, and the mysterious characters traced by a bloodless hand filled king and courtiers with terror as the servant of the Most High declared their division and overthrow. That same hand keeps a faithful record of every act of injustice or oppression committed against God's people. To trace words of calumny and falsehood against those whom Christ purchased by His blood is a greater profanation than defiling soulless vessels, and it will meet the same divine witness, terror and punishment.
The verse warns that God witnesses human actions and holds people accountable, so that knowing His dealings and receiving His warnings does not excuse continued disobedience or self-exaltation. Belshazzar was judged after pride and refusal to humble himself, though he knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar and rules over human kingdoms. Those who ignore sin and warnings may fail to recognize danger until judgment is announced and it is too late to repent. God's forbearance has limits, so persistent presumption, defiance and blasphemy can exhaust His patience and cross a boundary where He intervenes to restrain evil. The same God who was silent witness at that godless, sacrilegious feast is present now where sin is thought hidden from every eye, seeing secret pollution of soul and body, with Christ coming, His judgments abroad in the earth, and the Judge of all the earth standing before the door before whom every case must pass in solemn review.
Like Belshazzar, one convicted by God's word can understand the message clearly, be awakened from spiritual neglect, and plead humbly for mercy in Jesus' name. So will it be at the end of the world, when the kingdom is again overtaken in an hour of feasting and reveling and scoffing says the Lord delays His coming and all things remain as they were. Only those prepared like the wise virgins with oil will then be ready.
PERES declares that Belshazzar's kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians, ending his rule and transferring his dominion to those peoples. The sentence was pronounced during his sacrilegious feast, when he and his guests drank wine from the vessels consecrated to God taken from Jerusalem's temple while praising idols amid revelry and idolatrous mirth. It came because of pride and pleasure-seeking, reckoning without God and refusing to humble himself and honor Him despite knowing how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar and rules over human kingdoms. The word was irrevocable and was fulfilled that very night when Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Median took the kingdom, ending Babylon's universal rule because of its wickedness and establishing Medo-Persia in its place. It reveals God present as unseen witness in the palace, weighing motives, character and deeds in the balances of His sanctuary with perfect justice, warning that His forbearance has limits and persistent defiance will at last exhaust His patience and bring certain judgment.
Feast Setting and Sentence
The word belongs to the writing interpreted during Belshazzar's feast, after the king and his guests profaned the vessels taken from Jerusalem's temple. They drank wine with his princes and lords from vessels consecrated to God and to Jehovah, praising idols and the gods of gold and silver amid licentious mirth, wine-besotted riot and blasphemy, music, dancing, feasting and idolatrous sacrifice. It was God's warning and testimony against that sacrilege and idolatry, declaring doom upon Belshazzar for profaning what was sacred. God was present as unseen witness to the desecration, observing the revelry, weighing motives, character, life and soul in the balances of His sanctuary and pronouncing him wanting, and that record will stand when the books of heaven are opened and the great Judge searches to see whose names are written there.
The scene came near the end of Daniel's life, after Babylon had passed from Nebuchadnezzar to his successors and was in gradual but sure decline. Its fall came suddenly in an hour of feasting and revelry.
PERES means the kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians, declaring the impending end of Belshazzar's rule and the transfer of his kingdom to those peoples during the sacrilegious feast. The fall of his kingdom fulfilled that sentence of divine judgment announced at the feast. The judgment came because of his pride, pleasure-seeking, reckoning without God and following human wisdom and schemes, and his refusal to humble himself and honor and glorify God. He knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar and rules over human kingdoms, and had received lessons and heaven-sent light through that history, yet he neglected that light, failed to practice it, and lost the benefits obedience would have brought, leaving him unprepared when his kingdom was taken from him. Knowing God's dealings and receiving His warnings does not excuse continued disobedience or self-exaltation, and neglecting and failing to practice God's lessons brings judgment and coming calamity.
Prophecy Fulfilled in History
The word marks the close of Babylon's universal rule, for because of the nation's wickedness the kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians, raising Medo-Persia as the second universal monarchy. In this transfer of dominion is seen the literal fulfillment of divine prophecy in the history of nations.
Babylon was shattered and broken and passed away because in prosperity its rulers regarded themselves as independent of God. They forgot God and credited human achievement with the honor and glory of the kingdom. Their fall shows the penalty that comes when people refuse to obey God.
The sentence against Belshazzar was irrevocable, declaring that his kingdom would pass from his rule to the Medes and Persians. It was fulfilled that very night, when Belshazzar was slain on the night of his sacrilegious feast and Darius the Median took the kingdom. His evil works had reached their full measure and he and his lords had filled up their guilt, so God's restraining hand and protection no longer warded off the impending judgment.
That overthrow in an hour of feasting and revelry fulfilled things foretold in the prophecies against Babylon and other kingdoms. It was worked out by God's providence, always and incessantly at work in human affairs to exalt Jehovah above earthly kings and above every kingdom. Light had been given for Nebuchadnezzar, for through Daniel the king was shown those foretold things, and by the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream Jehovah was exalted as more powerful than earthly kings. God thus brought Daniel into reasoning relation with the king of Babylon to give that light even to the minds of idolaters, but Nebuchadnezzar turned the light of the dream into idolatry by setting up the golden image.
The doom written on the palace wall, declaring the division of the kingdom and the end of Babylonian rule, was traced by the same divine hand that later rent the temple veil at Christ's death. That hand rent the veil from top to bottom when Christ died. By that act the Jewish nation was marked as no longer God's covenant people, and a new and living way was opened for everyone to come to God without priest or ruler.
Divine Witness and Warning
PERES declares a judgment written while God Himself was present unseen in the palace, watching the revelry and hearing its dishonoring words against Him. That hand that traced the doom upon the wall weighed Belshazzar's motives, character, life and soul, with every word, deed, plan and hidden motive, in the balances of the sanctuary with perfect justice and truth. The division of his kingdom and its transfer to the Medes and Persians was therefore not accident but God's visible verdict upon what the divine Witness had seen. That record will stand when the books of heaven are opened and every case is searched to see whose names are written there.
The same hand shows God is everywhere, writing in every place that He is here and observing all. He keeps a written record in the books of heaven, where a holy Watcher notes every word and action, weighs every motive that prompts to action, registers every denial of self and every grasping, covetous spirit, with all words, plans and secret motives. In that judgment deeds will appear in their true character, including false statements and misrepresentations. Against Belshazzar the writing meant Wanting, fearfully wanting, revealing the true condition of the one judged, a verdict others might try to cover by pleading in his behalf.
The God who witnessed that unholy scene pronounced doom on Belshazzar and his thousand lords after they profaned what He had chosen as sacred and praised the idols of Babylon in sacrilegious mirth, and the mysterious characters traced by a bloodless hand filled king and courtiers with terror as the servant of the Most High declared their division and overthrow. That same hand keeps a faithful record of every act of injustice or oppression committed against God's people. To trace words of calumny and falsehood against those whom Christ purchased by His blood is a greater profanation than defiling soulless vessels, and it will meet the same divine witness, terror and punishment.
The verse warns that God witnesses human actions and holds people accountable, so that knowing His dealings and receiving His warnings does not excuse continued disobedience or self-exaltation. Belshazzar was judged after pride and refusal to humble himself, though he knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar and rules over human kingdoms. Those who ignore sin and warnings may fail to recognize danger until judgment is announced and it is too late to repent. God's forbearance has limits, so persistent presumption, defiance and blasphemy can exhaust His patience and cross a boundary where He intervenes to restrain evil. The same God who was silent witness at that godless, sacrilegious feast is present now where sin is thought hidden from every eye, seeing secret pollution of soul and body, with Christ coming, His judgments abroad in the earth, and the Judge of all the earth standing before the door before whom every case must pass in solemn review.
Like Belshazzar, one convicted by God's word can understand the message clearly, be awakened from spiritual neglect, and plead humbly for mercy in Jesus' name. So will it be at the end of the world, when the kingdom is again overtaken in an hour of feasting and reveling and scoffing says the Lord delays His coming and all things remain as they were. Only those prepared like the wise virgins with oil will then be ready.