Daniel 5:1-30 • The Handwriting on the Wall

Steve Schott
Mar 19
11 min read

Updated: Mar 20

► I mentioned in a previous post that the Book of Daniel is basically divided into 3 topic based sections, rather than being laid out in a chronological fashion.

► This can seem somewhat confusing to those of us in modern times, as we are taught from our earliest educational experiences to understand history in a progressive, chronological order.

► But the Book of Daniel, while dealing with historical events, groups them by subject, rather than time.

► In a nutshell, there are 3 main groups...

→ Chapter 1 - This is the Personal History of Daniel, where we find out how Daniel, a young man who was a member of the upper echelon of Jewish society in Jerusalem, ended up in Babylon, being trained to work in the government of that country.

→ Chapters 2 - 7 are focused on the Gentile Nations of the World, those being the current state of Babylon, currently being run by the Chaldeans, but soon to be replaced by the Medo-Persians, then the Greeks, and eventually the Romans.

→ Chapters 8 - 12 focus mainly on the future of the Nation of Israel. And not so much on the immediate future, but the future of Israel as it pertains to the events of the end times.

► Today we will be looking at chapter 5, within the section where Daniel has recorded events where God is revealing information about the future of the Gentile nations of the world.

► This middle section (chapters 2 - 7) has a unique feature to it, in that it is presented in a chiastic format.

→ Basically what this means is that the 1st and last parts compliment each other.

→ The 2nd and second-to-last also compliment each other.

→ The middle section (or sections as in the case of the Book of Daniel) make up the main focus of the entire chiasm.

→ This is how the chiasm looks in Daniel...

Chapter Verses Subject

2 → 2:1-49 A – Succession of Gentile Powers

3 → 3:1-30 B – Deliverance From The Furnace

4 → 4:1-37 C – Humbled For Pride

5 → 5:1-30 C’ – Humbled For Arrogant Defiance

6 → 6:1-28 B’ – Deliverance From The Den of Lions

7 → 7:1-28 A’ - Succession of Gentile Powers

► So we see how chapters 2 and 7 both deal with the succession of Gentile powers, where God reveals information about multiple layers of world domination.

► Recently we looked at chapter 3, which has a parallel thought in chapter 6, of being delivered.

→ Chapter 3 is where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were delivered from the fiery furnace.

→ Chapter 6 is where Daniel will be delivered from the den of lions.

► And last time we looked at Nebuchadnezzar, who in his last performance in this play, was humbled because of his pride, by being made to live like an animal for 7 years.

► Today we are going to be introduced to Belshazzar, who will also be humbled in a much more significant way.

→ Keep in mind that there are 3 chapters that focus on Belshazzar, and of those 3, technically this chapter is actually the last, from a chronological viewpoint.

→ In chapter 7 we'll see Belshazzar in his 1st year of rule.

→ In chapter 8 we'll see him in the 3rd year.

► It's confusing, I know, but that's the way it is!

► Daniel 5:1-30 →

Belshazzar's Feast

¹ Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. ² When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. ³ Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

→ So a couple of introductory comments about Belshazzar himself, before we talk about what is going on in this story.

• 1st off, Belshazzar is called "the king", and also a reference is made regarding "Nebuchadnezzar his father", that need to be clarified.

• In actuality, he is neither.

• Technically, Belshazzar is the son of Nabonidus, who was a son-in-law to Nebuchadnezzar.

♦ Most commentators will mention that the Aramaic word "father" used in this passage can actually mean FORE-father or predecessor.

• Nebuchadnezzar reigned from 605 to 562BC.

• Nabonidus reigned from 556 to 539BC, but was off on a quest of some sort for at least 10 of those years, leaving Belshazzar (and possibly his mother Nitocris) in charge of the kingdom. Belshazzar would have been more of a regent than a king, but as such would have had the full authority of the crown.

• More info about the Babylonian Empire, and it's kings can be found on the internet... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kings_of_Babylon.

→ All that being said, this wanna-be king has thrown the party of all parties, 1,000 people in attendance, and decides for whatever reason to drink their wine from the "gold and silver vessels" that his grandfather had "taken out of the temple in Jerusalem".

→ So we all understand, these were items used in the worship of the LORD God.

→ And Belshazzar is using these temple items to praise "the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone."

→ Somehow, I just don't think he should have done that. Just sayin'.

⁵ Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.

→ In the midst of all the revelry, a giant hand, disconnected from a body, floating in the air, starts writing on a wall in the palace for all to see.

⁶ Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.

→ So Belshazzar is somewhat freaked out.

⁷ The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom.” ⁸ Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

→ We now find, that besides the unusual one-handed performance going on, that the words being written are not understandable by Belshazzar.

→ He calls for the "wise guys" to explain to him what the words mean, but they can't do it.

→ Which makes Belshazzar even more afraid.

¹⁰ The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale. ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners. ¹² This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.”

→ The "queen" most likely was not Belshazzar's wife, but probably his mother, the wife of Nabonidus.

→ She recalls that Daniel had been able to interpret dreams for Nebuchadnezzar, and recommends that he be called to help.

→ Keep in mind that when Daniel first did this it was about 602BC, when he was about 18 years old. Now it's 539BC (we know historically that this is when Belshazzar met his doom), so it's been about 63 years since Daniel first did this, and he is now about 81 years old.

Daniel Interprets Handwriting on the Wall

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? ¹⁴ Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. ¹⁵ Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message. ¹⁶ But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.”

→ Belshazzar has Daniel brought before him, and validates that he is the correct Daniel being sought for.

→ He goes on to state that his wise men were unable to give him an interpretation of the writing on the wall.

→ And he finishes his statements with a promise of reward and a position within the government if he is able to interpret.

¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

→ Daniel starts his comments with a rejection in regards to the "gifts" and "rewards", but then tells him that he will, in fact, interpret the information.

¹⁸ O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. ¹⁹ Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. ²⁰ But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. ²¹ He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.

→ Daniel prefaces his interpretation first by reminding Belshazzar of how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar for his pride, and how Neb eventually "recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind".

²² Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, ²³ but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified. ²⁴ Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

→ Daniel goes on to claim that Belshazzar has "not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this,...".

→ He also states that Belshazzar has "exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven;..." by profaning the temple vessels to praise the "gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone,...", all of whom are not living.

→ Daniel tells him that this writing on the wall is from the God he has set himself up against.

²⁵ “Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN.’ ²⁶ This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ²⁷ ‘TEKĒL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. ²⁸ ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

→ Daniel tells him that the inscription literally means that (MENĒ) God is ending your kingdom (mentioned twice for added emphasis), (TEKĒL) and that God has evaluated him and found him lacking, and (PERĒS) that the Medo-Persians are going to take over.

→ A very sobering pronouncement, one of impending doom.

²⁹ Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.

→ Belshazzar commanded that Daniel be given the rewards he had promised to him, even though Daniel had said he didn't want them.

³⁰ That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. ³¹ So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.

→ That very night Belshazzar was killed, and the 10th Dynasty of Babylon, that of the Chaldeans was over.

→ Darius the Mede was now the new king.

• There is some confusion about this Darius person, in that according to some historians, this person never existed.

• Some commentators have recommended a few ideas about this...

♦ This is actually Cyrus, the Persian king. Darius is a title meaning “royal one”.

♦ Since Babylon was conquered by the Medo-Persians, Cyrus and Darius could be the same person, with both a Persian and a Median name.

♦ Darius could have been a “sub”-king, a person acting on behalf of Cyrus for a short time.

So What?

► If nothing else, I think we can gather from this passage, that it's probably not a great idea to either puff ourselves up in pride and/or to in opposite fashion, to downplay the significance of the LORD God.

► We need to remember, that even though we are the stewards of this planet, and the caretakers of it, we are not the owners of it.

► God, who actually spoke the entire universe into existence with His words, is so far above and beyond us, that we need to remember that nothing we ever have or ever will accomplish, will ever measure up to the magnificence of God.

► James 4:10 says "¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

► We need to remember to keep a proper perspective about ourselves - and God!

Posts in this series

► An introduction to the book of Daniel

► Daniel 1:1-21 • Daniel & Friends Tested and Enter the King's Service

► Daniel 2:1-49 • Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream and Promotion of Daniel

► Daniel 3:1-30 • The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

► Daniel 4:1-37 • Nebuchadnezzar Dreams, Goes Insane, and Comes to His Senses

► Daniel 5:1-30 • The Handwriting on the Wall

► Daniel 6:1-28 • Daniel in the Lion's Den

► Daniel 7:1-28 • Daniel's Dream and Visions of Four Beasts

► Daniel 8:1-27 • Daniel's Vision of a Ram and a Goat