June 29: DIVINE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Daniel 5:6-7
From noisy revelry to anguish – in a moment! You could see it on Belshazzar’s face. His fallen expression instantly revealed the state of his soul. A sick wave of fear rolled over him. Although he could not read the message written by the divine hand, the king instinctively understood that it was a message to or about him. And it was not good news.
The Creator has placed within the heart of every soul an innate sense of duty and obligation; not only to the One who gave him life, but to others in proximity who need help. There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:13). A common denominator of unconverted souls is a denial of the inevitable righteous judgment of God, whether subconscious or blatantly conscious.
Like his formerly pagan grandfather, Belshazzar’s first act was to call for the same team of frauds who had failed to help in the past. And, just as before, there was an offer of wealth and position (see Daniel 2:6). Belshazzar, consumed with a sense of terror, was not quite up to including a violent threat to his list of incentives to his wise men as Nebuchadnezzar had done (2:5). Nevertheless, the revelry had come to a screeching halt, followed by silence. Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king its interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished (vv.8-9).
In the years since Nebuchadnezzar’s death, Daniel must have had many seasons of discouragement, as Babylonian ways continued unabated. He could not have known at the time what a steady stream of blessings and positive influences he was God’s instrument to bring. He did not know that the promised Messiah would actively point His followers back to Daniel’s book (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). But in spite of the general Babylonian trends and Belshazzar’s flippant attitude, some in the Babylonian court had acquired an awareness of the God of Daniel and his friends. The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And 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, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.” (vv.10-12)
Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? Proverbs 8:1