THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

"At that moment," says the inspired account, "the fingers of a man's hand came forth and were writing in front of the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, and the king was beholding the back of the hand that was writing." (Daniel 5:5)  What an awesome sight!  A hand appeared out of nowhere, floating in the air near a well-lit section of the wall.  Imagine the hush falling over the party as the guests turned to gape at it.  The hand began  to write a cryptic message upon the plaster.  So ominous, so unforgettable, was this phenomenon that to this day people use the expression "the writing on the wall" to suggest a warning of imminent doom. 

What was the effect upon this proud king who had tried to exalt himself and his gods above Jehovah?  "At that time, as regards the king, his very complexion was changed in him, and his own thoughts began to frighten him, and his hip joints were loosening and his very knees were knocking each other." (Daniel 5:6)  Belshazzar had aimed to appear grand and majestic before his subjects. Instead, he became  a living portrait of abject terror-his face blanched, his hips wobbled, his whole frame trembled so violently that his knees were knocking.  True, indeed, were David's words directed to Jehovah in song:  "Your eyes are against the haughty ones, that you may bring them low." -2 Samuel 22:1, 28; compare Proverbs 18:12.

It should be noted that Belshazzar's fear was not the same as godly fear, a profound reverence  for Jehovah, which is the beginning of all wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10) No, this was morbid terror, and it did not beget anything like wisdom in the quaking monarch.  Instead of begging forgiveness of the God whom he had just insulted, he called out loudly for "the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the astrologers."  He even declared:  "Any man that will read this writing and show me its interpretation, with purple  he will be clothed, with a  necklace of gold about his neck, and as the third one in the kingdom he will rule." (Daniel 5:7) The third ruler in the kingdom would be mighty indeed, preceded only by the two reigning kings, Nabonidus and Belshazzar himself.  Such a place might usually have been reserved for Belshazzar's eldest son. The king was that desperate to have this miraculous message explained!

Next time: Conclusion of THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

From the book:  PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999