Daniel 5

Message: The Handwriting on the Wall

Time: 20 years after Daniel 4 (according to some sources). King Belshazzar is now over Babylon (though there were other kings since Nebuchadnezzar's departure from the throne). Belshazzar was co-king with King Nabonidus.

What the Lord is Saying: While King Belshazzar and his company was drinking wine, praising their idols, suddenly he saw a human hand writing on the wall of the king's palace. The king was frightened by this. He couldn't read what was written. He asked his astrologers and fortune-tellers, but they did not know. Belshazzar's wife knew of Daniel's interpreting power and wanted the King to call him to interpret this message. King Belshazzar verifies that Daniel is who everyone says he is and then the king promises Daniel to be the 3rd highest ruler of the kingdom is he is successful in understanding what was written. But, Daniel tells him to keep it, he will tell him what it means at no charge.

Daniel tells Belshazzar that it was God that gave Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, majesty, glory and honor. When this happened, Nebuchadnezzar used it to be great among people, killing those he wanted to kill and sparing those he wanted to spare. Then God brought him down from his throne and stripped him of his glory, living as an animal in the field, until he saw that God was the ruler of the all. And then he tells Belshazzar how he knew this and yet he is not humble.

So God has given you a message. "Your reign is short-lived; it has come to an end." "Your ways have been weighed and they don't measure up." "Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Upon declaring this, Belshazzar made Daniel the 3rd highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night, Belshazzar was killed, giving Darius the Mede (62) the kingdom.

Promise: Once again, man will be humbled; God will reign.