Many folks make reference to the Bible by what they say in everyday language, even atheists, without realizing it. For example, the phrase the writing (or handwriting) is on the wall is “used to say that it is clear that something bad will probably happen soon,” according to the dictionary! While the phrase, itself, isn’t a quote from scripture, its meaning does refer to what occurs in Daniel, chapter five. We begin this study of the fifth chapter of Daniel, which is out of order or out of the actual time sequence of the book. That is to say, this chapter records the end of the Babylonian Empire, and Belshazzar is its last king. Yet, chapters seven and eight, which are obviously later in the book, record what Daniel saw earlier, during the king’s first and third years (Daniel 7:1; 8:1).[1] So, Belshazzar reigned at least three years, and chapter five records what occurred in his final year as king of Babylon, whenever that was.
At the end of the reign of Belshazzar as king over the Babylonian Empire, he made a great feast, wherein he invited a thousand of his lords or princes, and he drank wine before them, and as he did so, he commanded that the gold and silver vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple at Jerusalem, that the same would be brought to him at the feast, so that he and the princes and the king’s wives and concubines could drink from them, which they did, while praising the gods of gold, silver, bronze and stone (Daniel 5:1-4).
It isn’t reasonable to say that of all the kingdoms that Nebuchadnezzar conquered, that he took gold and silver vessels only from the kingdom of Judah, so we need to ask ourselves why Belshazzar singled out the vessels that came from the Temple at Jerusalem. I believe the scripture implies a challenge that the king made against the Lord God of heaven. Later that evening, the text reveals that Daniel reminded the king that he knew what God had done to Nebuchadnezzar, so Belshazzar wasn’t ignorant of the greatness of the Lord (Daniel 5:22). Rather, it seems that with drunken courage (cp. Jeremiah 50:24; 51:39, 57), he drank and causes his wives and concubines and all of his princes to drink from the vessels of the Temple of God as a challenge to God to prevent him from doing so. It was an act of arrogance and rebellion against the Lord God of the Jews.
At the very moment he did this, the king saw fingers, as though of a man’s hand, and they wrote upon the wall of the king’s palace (Daniel 5:5)!
Immediately, the king’s appearance changed from one of mirth to one of great fear, in that even his knees knocked one against the other (Daniel 5:6). Then, Belshazzar cried out for the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, promising them great wealth, if they could interpret the writing on the wall, but none of them could help the king (Daniel 5:7-8). So, the king was greatly troubled over the matter, as were all the princes at the feast; they were all astonished (Daniel 5:9).
When the queen mother heard (the king’s wives were at the banquet), she came to the banquet and told Belshazzar to be at peace, for there was a man in Babylon in whom the Spirit of God rests. During the days of Nebuchadnezzar, he was full of light, understanding and wisdom, and he made him the lord over the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers (Daniel 5:10-11; cp. 2:48). Therefore, the queen advised Belshazzar to call Daniel, and he would be able to interpret the writing on the wall for the king (Daniel 5:12).
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[1] Why this is done the text doesn’t say, but this isn’t the only occurrence in scripture, where it is done. For example, Ezekiel begins with the 30th year, or the age of the prophet (Ezekiel 1:1), which is the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity (Ezekiel 1:3). Later he mentions the 6th and the 7th years of their captivity (Ezekiel 8:1; 21:1). The sequence continues for the 9th and 11th years (Ezekiel 24:1; 26:1), but in Ezekiel 29:1 the prophet mentions the 10th year. Then the prophet jumps to the 20th year (Ezekiel 29:17) then returns to the 11th year (Ezekiel 30:20; 31:1) and, then, the twelfth year (Ezekiel 32:1, 17; 33:21). A few chapters later he jumps up to the 25th year of their captivity (Ezekiel 40:1). Why this is done isn’t clear, but in Daniel there does appear to be a reason. During the book’s first six chapters, the record seems to be mainly historical, recording what Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel or his brethren did. However, the final six chapters are mainly prophetic, recording Daniel’s dreams and visions. So, even though the time sequence is out of order, there is order in the record, as it is presented.
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