Introduction
What would happen if someone gave a party—and God crashed it?
In the first verses of Daniel chapter 5, we find a description of a rather wild party thrown by a king named Belshazzar.
Then we are told how his party was crashed. Right in the middle of the party, at what was probably the loudest and wildest part, an unexpected and unusual guest suddenly appeared that brought the party to an abrupt end.
The uninvited visitor was a disembodied set of fingers. In view of all the astonished party revelers, the uninvited hand wrote a mysterious message on the palace wall that no one understood.
The meaning of the message to those people—and us—is what we are going to look at today.
But to understand the full meaning of the message, we must start with the historical setting.
King Nebuchadnezzar ruled over Babylon for almost forty-five years. By the time of Daniel 5, he had been dead for about twenty-five years.
The fourth king after him was Nabonidus. Nabonidus had a son named Belshazzar. Belshazzar and his father Nabonidus were co-regents over Babylon for about twenty years. From 559-539 BC they reigned together. It’s believed that Nabonidus was presently living in North Arabia, where he had been for the last ten years. During this time, his son Belshazzar remained in Babylon.
Belshazzar seems to have been a very insecure man, the kind of man who indulged in very wild and loose living as a way of covering up his many insecurities.
At this time, the great kingdom of Babylon was just about to fall to the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. In fact, the capital city was now surrounded by the Medo-Persian army. And Belshazzar knew it.
So why was he going ahead with this big feast?
Because he and his people thought they were invincible.
In its prime, the city of Babylon was second to none. 1.2 million people lived in Babylon. The city was 60 miles around and surrounded by a wall 350 feet high and 87 feet across. Historians tell us that four full chariots would race abreast on top of the wall.
Guards were constantly on watch as if they were guarding a prison wall. The Euphrates River ran through the center of the city. There was a 30-foot mote outside the wall that ran around the city. The city was considered to be impregnable. It was believed that no military strategy could ever break through that wall.
At the time the city was under siege, it had twenty years of supplies. If they never grew another crop, they could have lived twenty years off the surplus. There was a prevailing smug of sophistication, an air of superiority, among the people of Babylon.
Belshazzar was so sure of himself that in his smug, pseudo-security he went ahead with his great feast in which he showed that he did not fear the army that surrounded his city.
We should keep in mind that Daniel was still living in Babylon. At the time of this narrative, Daniel was an old man. He had lived his entire adult life as a faithful believer in God in an utterly pagan culture.
The reason we are studying Daniel is that it answers the following question, “How do I live as a believer in the Biblical God in an unbelieving world?”
Scripture
Let us read Daniel 5:1-31:
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Lesson
In Daniel 5:1-31, we see what happens when God crashes a party.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. The King’s Party Described (5:1-6)
2. The King’s Cry for Help (5:7-17)
3. The King’s Answer (5:18-31)
I. The King’s Party Described (5:1-6)
First, let me describe the king’s party.
The king’s party is described for us in Daniel 5:1-4. This party was unashamedly blasphemous. It was designed to exalt the gods of Babylon and mock the true God of Israel. They even dared to drink their wine out of the sacred Jewish vessels, which had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem years before under King Nebuchadnezzar.
Picture the scene: The slave that had been sent for the holy vessels finally arrived back in the banquet room. The dancing stopped. The musicians put down their instruments. The house lights were turned up. Belshazzar took the goblet. He filled it with his own private wine and then, smirking with arrogance, slopped the wine to his inebriated lips. As it dribbled down his beard, a thousand people looked on in amazement at such a daring act. The place was then filled with cheering and loud applause. The music and dancing started up again, but now with a new fervor.
Then there was a startling interruption of the party. “Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote” (5:5).
I don’t know if anyone has ever kept a record of the shortest time it took for someone to sober up, but this instance would have to be in the running!
Verse 6 describes the king’s reaction: “Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.”
Belshazzar was so overcome by what he saw that he went totally limp.
The application for us is this: God has a way of getting our attention and bringing things back into focus when we need it.
Do you remember Black Monday back in October 1987? On that day, thousands of people throughout our country were dumbfounded to find that the Dow Jones Average dropped an unprecedented 508 points. In just 6 hours, one publication reported, the richest man in the USA lost several billion dollars. It had taken him years and years to accumulate that wealth. And then, in half a day, one-half of his fortune was suddenly gone.
Those of us who are not at such a pinnacle of wealth can still face similar crises. Daniel’s message is simple. In Galatians 6:7a, Paul put it this way, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked.”
Be very careful not to misread the silence of heaven after you have sinned to think that somehow, because you were not struck by lightning, you can get away with your sin before God.
Always remember: Slow justice is not no justice, but a gracious display of God’s patience.
II. The King’s Cry for Help (5:7-17)
Second, observe the king’s cry for help.
In verse 7 we read, “The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.’ ”
The reason Belshazzar said “the third ruler in the kingdom” is because he and his father were first and second. The man who read and interpreted these words would be just beneath the authority of the co-regents.
The next verses show that none of these wise men in Babylon could read or interpret these words—despite the great rewards. This caused the king to become even more alarmed than before.
Then the queen came on the scene (5:10). She was probably Belshazzar’s mother and the daughter of King Nebuchadnezzar. She entered the banquet hall and told Belshazzar that Daniel would be able to read and interpret these letters.
Daniel was now well in his 80s. He had been through many experiences as the Prime Minister of Babylon. He had served under five Babylonian kings by the end of his life. And yet Daniel’s life remained untainted by the pluralistic culture of Babylon. Through it all, he maintained a deep devotion to God.
When Daniel was brought before Belshazzar, the king told him that if he could read and interpret the inscription on the wall, he would be given all the perks of royalty, receive a gold necklace, and be given authority as the third highest ruler in Babylon.
But Daniel could not be bought! Verse 17 says that Daniel answered the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.” Daniel refused to give in to the pressure put on him by the king.
The pressure of the influential is a pressure every one of us has to face. As you seek to live for Christ in this life, you will inevitably come face to face with very real temptations to prostitute your convictions and principles as a disciple of Jesus.
You see, the wealthy and the influential may sometimes make you promises—if you will only do as they please or request. The larger the influence, the greater the pressure. Being under the pressure of an ungodly influence is a very difficult place to be.
Some of you may be there now. People are trying to make promises and bargains with you if you will only do what they want. As a Christian, this is something you must learn to deal with. You must determine whose approval really matters—the living Christ or people.
In Galatians 1:10, Paul says, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Daniel gave up trying to win the approval of men years earlier.
I’m afraid many of us are still in bondage to the approval of others.
There is no freedom like the freedom from intimidation.
III. The King’s Answer (5:18-31)
Finally, notice the king’s answer.
Daniel began his interpretation in verses 18-21 by reminding Belshazzar of the greatness of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. The key verse of this section is verse 20 where Belshazzar was reminded that when Nebuchadnezzar became proud “he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.”
Daniel then said, “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this” (5:22).
Although Belshazzar knew very well the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and his humbling before God, the tragedy of his life was that he did not humble his own heart.
Let me remind you that there is nothing necessarily mature about knowing truths about God and his Word. You may know a great deal about what the Bible says concerning the coming judgment of God. But if it doesn’t impact your life for righteousness’ sake, what good is that?
Some of you have heard truths from the Bible for most of your lives. But it has still not yet captured your life. It has not made a dent in those areas of your life that really need attention. Learn from Belshazzar’s example that this is a terrible way to live.
Now for the interpretation of this strange inscription, beginning with verse 25, Daniel said, “And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.”
The first word was “Mene,” which means “numbered.” “God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end” (5:26). The word was repeated to denote intensity.
The second word was “Tekel,” which means “weighed.” “You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting” (5:27).
The third word was “Peres,” which means “divided” or “separated.” “Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (5:28).
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus tells us that on the eve of the overthrow of Babylon, there was a great city-wide banquet. And during that banquet, the Medo-Persian military commander ingeniously devised a way to divert the Euphrates River that ran into the city so that the water levels around the moats sank just enough to allow his armies to wade across, thigh deep, under the cover of darkness. Babylon, supposedly secure behind massive walls was now being conquered at the very moment Daniel was talking to Belshazzar.
Belshazzar thought he was safe. But he was killed that very night. His city was conquered. The party was over.
The fall of this great Babylonian Empire is simply recorded for us by the last two verses which read, “That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old” (5:30-31).
Conclusion
Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. Numbered. Weighed and found wanting. Divided and cast down.
Secure in the world. Sinful before God. Judged!
What is God saying to us here?
It’s an age-old message.
King Solomon summarized it this way, “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
The names change. The situations vary. But ignoring this truth has always led people to bitter consequences.
Like Belshazzar, there are walls we try to erect to hide our sins from the eyes of God. But we must see the walls for what they are—foolish defenses that must be abandoned for our own ultimate welfare.
There is no wall so high, no fortress so secure, no activity so hidden that it can protect us from the judgment and wrath of an all-powerful, all-knowing, holy God who will one day bring every dark thing to light and judge sin.
Through Belshazzar’s experience, God is strongly warning us not to forget that one day we too will all be judged by him.
The apostle Paul made this same point saying that one day “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
But the good news is that Paul goes on to tell us that the reason why God warns us so strongly is because he loves us so completely. And God demonstrated the extent of his love for us at the cross of Jesus Christ.
There is no warning like the cross of Jesus Christ. The message of the cross completes all the Old Testament warnings about judgment. The cross warns us of the type of destruction and awesome wrath that a just and holy God must pour out on sin—because of who he is.
But the Scriptures tell us the real glory of the cross is that it does more than warn us of sin’s penalty. It also saves us from it! The blood of Jesus blots out the handwriting of condemnation that has been written across all of our lives—if we will simply come to Christ in sincere repentance and faith.
Then we are promised by God himself that on that final judgment day, when we stand before his throne, he will see all of our sins as having been covered by the royal robe of Christ’s righteousness that has been freely given to us through faith.
What a wonderful thing to know that despite all our sins, we stand completely forgiven before God! What a joy it is to know and to rest in God’s solemn promise given to us in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Amen.
