Read Daniel 5
The Writing on the Wall
5 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his fatherhad taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.
7 The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9 So King Belshazzar became even more terrifiedand his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
10 The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”
13 So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. 15 The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. 16 Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.
18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzarsovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death;those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 “This is the inscription that was written:
mene, mene, tekel, parsin
26 “Here is what these words mean:
Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.
Go Deeper
In Daniel 5, we see a theme that is demonstrated all throughout Scripture–God’s authority. This chapter gives us insight into two ways of living: one that leads to abundant life and one that leads to death. The path to abundant life is found in choosing to recognize God’s authority and surrendering to Him, while the path to death is found in pridefulness and our own attempts at control.
The thing about surrender is that God is in control regardless of our choice to surrender to Him or not. Surrender is really just our choice to recognize His control. In His goodness and grace, surrender allows us to more fully experience the abundant life found in walking with God. We see that clearly in the person of Daniel. He uses the gifts God has given him to go where God is leading. Daniel is obedient out of faithfulness to God, not for worldly reward (v. 17). Even so, Daniel lives out a life that is fully surrendered to the Lord, and finds himself exalted before kings and nations.
Through King Belshazzar we see the consequences of pride and a refusal to acknowledge the authority of the one true God. Matthew 23:12 tells us, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” In Belshazzar’s choice to misuse items dedicated to God and choosing instead to give thanks to false gods, he is ignoring the authority God holds. Daniel tells him, “But you did not honor the God who holds in his hands your life and all your ways” (v. 23).
The God that holds King Belshazzar and Daniel is the same God that holds us. We can choose to resist God’s authority, or we can choose to rest in it. Our pride can be the thing that ruins us, or we can humbly submit to God’s hand, knowing that He is for us (Romans 8:31). As we learn who God is and understand His goodness and faithfulness towards us, may it lead us to a place of surrender, trusting Him all the more as He holds us.
Questions
- What are you withholding from God? Spend time in prayer asking God to bring something to mind that you have yet to give over to him completely.
- What would you gain by choosing to surrender to God’s authority in your life?
- What do you think gives Daniel the confidence to walk into situations so boldly? Do you believe that it is available to you, too?
Pray This
Father,
It is easy for me to get caught up in the opinions of others, the overwhelming circumstances or hurdles I am facing, and the worldly, prideful desires that grasp for my attention. Turn my heart and my eyes toward you. Remind me of your goodness and faithfulness toward me, and teach me again to trust in You, the God who holds my life and all of my ways. May I live a life fully surrendered to You, experiencing the abundance that is found in communion with You, and may it lead me to boldly share your Good News with those around me.
Amen.
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3 thoughts on “Daniel 5”
When reading the narratives in Daniel, it’s easy to recognize the missteps and mistakes of the pagan kings and peoples. Today we read of a feast and how Belshazzar took the sacred cups confiscated from God’s temple and drank from them in open defiance to God’s authority. He profaned that which was holy. (God will not now or ever be mocked.) God communicates Belshazzar’s downfall through an eerie human hand writing on a wall for all to see: Mene-Tekel-Parsin.
As Christ followers today we can easily get swept away in the same sins, such as using for selfish purposes what has been dedicated to God. I’m thinking of Ananias & Sapphira in Acts 5. We must be extra careful how we use what belongs to God. In Isaiah 42:8 God states, “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor my praise to graven images” (NASB). Clearly God’s judgement comes to all people. This calls for a deep heart searching, repentance and obedience to God’s way and not our own. Let’s be a Daniel in this broken world.
The writing on the wall, well here it is. Your days are numbered and you are found wanting. Oh how I do not want to be found wanting. My head/heart desires is to magnify the Lord in all I say and do but that is not always the case, sadly. I want my knees to knock in the awe of God. I want to have an indescribable experience with Him daily. Sin surrounds us minutely and we are the only ones(usually) to see that handwriting on the wall to get away from it. BUT GOD has given us His Word to fight with that which so easily entangles us. We are to be controlled by the Holy Spirit and the fruit Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. We have the power to fight through God.
God thank You that You want me to see the writing on the wall so that I can change my ways. God thank You for guiding me with wisdom and to understand how to get there through Your WORD!!! God thank You for a Christ following, believing leadership of a church that also is a help and guide. Thank You God for an amazing husband, family and LG that discusses life with me and encourages me daily. God I am grateful, thankful, blessed beyond measure!!! Thank You for continuing to open my eyes and cover them in Your love goggles to see others the way You see them. Thank You for the next minutes and hours that You direct my path, show me how to be, and what to say. God thank You for helping me to control my tongue so that what people hear is edifying to You and them in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!
Doing right should be our first priority, not gaining power or rewards. Daniel was not afraid to tell the truth to the king even if it was not what he wanted to hear. We should be just as courageous. Honor God.
God, who am I that you are mindful of me? You are above all things and by You all things are held together. You are Holy. Even though I often feel unworthy, You carefully created me. You set me apart before I was even born. You are worthy to be praised. So, in whatever I do, let me do it for Your glory. Amen