The Writing on the Wall

Laughter. Music. The clink of golden cups. And then, in the lamplight, the fingers of a human hand appear out of nowhere, and begin to write on the plaster of the palace wall. The music stops.

Many years have passed since Daniel was a young captive in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is gone. Now Belshazzar is on the throne, and he is throwing a great feast for a thousand of his nobles. The wine is flowing. And as the evening goes on, Belshazzar has an idea. Bring out the gold and silver cups that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem, the vessels set apart for the worship of the Lord. So the king, his nobles, his wives and his concubines drink wine from them, and as they drink, they praise gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

In that same hour, the hand appears, opposite the lampstand, writing on the wall. The king sees it. His face goes pale, his thoughts terrify him, his legs give way, and his knees knock together. He cries out for his enchanters, Chaldeans and astrologers. “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around his neck, and be the third ruler in the kingdom.” One by one the wise men come and stare at the wall. Not one of them can read it, or tell the king what it means. And Belshazzar grows more and more afraid.

Then the queen comes into the banqueting hall. She may have been the king's mother, as many interpreters think, someone who remembered the old days. “O king, live for ever. Don't be alarmed. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of Nebuchadnezzar he was found to have light, understanding and wisdom. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what this means.” So Daniel is brought in, an old man now. The king repeats his offer of rewards. Daniel answers, “Keep your gifts for yourself, or give them to someone else. But I will read the writing and tell you what it means.”

First, Daniel reminds the king of Nebuchadnezzar, how God gave him greatness, and how, when his heart grew proud, he was brought low until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of men. “And you, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this. You have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You drank from his vessels and praised gods that cannot see or hear or know. But the God who holds your breath in his hand, and owns all your ways, you have not honoured.”

Then he reads the words. “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.” And he explains them. “Mene: God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. Tekel: you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. Peres: your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Belshazzar keeps his word. Daniel is clothed in purple, the gold chain is placed around his neck, and he is proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom. But it is too late for the king. That very night, Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed, and Darius the Mede received the kingdom.

For a long time, historians had found no record of a Babylonian king called Belshazzar. Then inscriptions came to light naming him as the eldest son of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon. Nabonidus spent years away from the capital, at the desert oasis of Tayma in Arabia, and left Belshazzar in charge of Babylon. That may explain why Belshazzar could only offer to make Daniel the third ruler in the kingdom. The first two places were already taken.

The writing on the wall. You'll find it in Daniel chapter 5. Belshazzar knew Nebuchadnezzar's story, and still chose pride. Daniel, old and unafraid, refused the king's rewards and simply told the truth. So here's the question to carry with you. If your life were weighed today, what would you want to be found in it?