Preaching the Word
The "First Principle" podcasts which are numbered # are a great tool for believers to go over the essentials of the Christian Faith.
The "Mysteries of God's Word" podcasts are an indepth study of Scripture.
The other podcasts are sermons that have been given, some verse by verse and others topical.
It is my passion to be true to God and His Word. To preach in such a way that people can easily see the LORD as our Creator and as our Redeemer. To understand that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever even as we live in a world that is continually changing. Salvation is and has always been through faith alone in the Messiah alone. His name is Jesus the Christ; there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Preaching the Word
Daniel 5 - The Handwriting is on the Wall - The Mysteries of God's Word
The handwriting is on the wall—few phrases have entered our cultural vocabulary with such force. In this riveting exploration of Daniel chapter 5, we witness the dramatic final hours of the Babylonian Empire as God's judgment arrives in spectacular fashion.
Picture the scene: King Belshazzar hosts an extravagant feast for a thousand nobles, attempting to boost morale in a city under siege. Behind Babylon's massive 350-foot walls, the king believes himself untouchable despite the Medo-Persian army surrounding them. In an act of shocking blasphemy, Belshazzar orders the sacred vessels from Jerusalem's temple to be brought out for his guests to drink from while praising their pagan gods.
Then it happens—ghostly fingers appear, writing mysterious words on the palace wall. The mighty king crumbles, his knees knocking together in terror as none of his wise men can interpret the message. Enter Daniel, now 84 years old, who had been sidelined despite his legendary wisdom. With remarkable courage, Daniel refuses the king's rewards and delivers a stinging rebuke, reminding Belshazzar how Nebuchadnezzar's pride led to his humiliation years earlier.
The interpretation is devastating: "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN"—God has numbered Babylon's days, found Belshazzar wanting, and will divide his kingdom among the Medes and Persians. That very night, as Cyrus's army diverts the Euphrates and marches through the lowered river gates, Babylon falls and Belshazzar is killed, fulfilling prophecies spoken by Isaiah and Jeremiah centuries before.
This ancient account speaks powerfully to our modern hearts. No fortress can protect those who mock God. No earthly power stands forever. And the One who holds our very breath in His hands deserves our reverence and honor. What writing might appear on your wall today?
Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. Thank you once again for joining me for the Mysteries of God's Word. Today we are in Daniel, chapter 5, where we will learn about the handwriting on the wall in the last day of Babylon, as the Medo-Persia Empire infiltrates, conquers and takes over the region. Beginning at verse 1, king Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. Belshazzar, when he had tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, and that the king and his lords, his wives, his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem, and the kings and his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them. There's quite a bit to take in here in verses 1 through 3, so let's start with verse 1.
Speaker 1:Who's King Belshazzar? Chapter 5 begins immediately by naming a different king other than King Nebuchadnezzar, who we have been studying in the previous chapters. At the time of this narrative, nebuchadnezzar has now been dead 24 years and Babylon has gone through three other short-lived and wicked kings prior to Belshazzar. Belshazzar has now been reigning for 17 years himself, and Belshazzar is actually more of a co-regent than a king. His father, nabodinas, is the rightful king. However, nabodinas left the kingdom very early in his reign because he was on a quest to rebuild a temple of his god, seir, and then he remained in the Arabian desert for health reasons. So he left his son, belshazzar, in Babylon as reigning king. And now we find King Belshazzar inviting 1,000 lords who ruled in this great and massive city of Babylon to feast with him.
Speaker 1:And the feast was an arrogant and foolish ploy to try and strengthen the failing morale of the city and ruling class. Less than one year earlier, the army of Babylon had experienced a crushing defeat right outside the city gates to the hands of Cyrus of Persia. After losing the battle, they retreated into the mighty city fortress of Babylon with its 350-foot walls, believing they could easily outlast the siege of Cyrus because they had over 20 years of provisions stored up in the city and they had a great river flowing right through the middle. However, cyrus was determined and he remained outside the city walls with his army, and he began to dig a trench around the great, mighty Babylon, believing if he couldn't go over or through the walls he would somehow have to go under. And at the point of our narrative, as we are picking up here in verse 1 through 3, it had been many months where the entire Medo-Persian army was outside of the city digging tirelessly a vast trench around the city. And that, combined with the defeat of their great army, has the city very nervous. So Belshazzar believes that this great feast with 1,000 of his lords, is going to help with the failing morale and keep him in power.
Speaker 1:In my research I found a very interesting note. Recent excavations by archaeologists in ancient Babylon have actually found a large hall right in the palace 55 feet wide by 165 feet long with plaster could have easily accommodated 1,000 nobles. So at this great feast, belshazzar drinks wine in front of all of these nobles to show them that, in spite of their recent defeat, they can all relax and celebrate in this mighty walled fortress of Babylon. Little did they know that weeks earlier Cyrus had realized how he would be able to lower the water level to the city, water gates and the river that flowed through the city. He was planning to dig more trenches from the river that flowed through the city. He was planning to dig more trenches from the river to a nearby lake and also dig trenches to this vast trench around the city, lowering the water level.
Speaker 1:Then we read in verse 2 that after tasting the wine in front of these lords, king Belshazzar ordered his servants to bring out the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar had captured from Solomon's temple, the first temple in Jerusalem, so that all of them might drink from them. This arrogant display from Belshazzar shows his contempt for the mighty power of the one true God. Picking up in verse 4, it reads they drank wine and they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Immediately, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposed to the lampstand, and the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king's color changed and his thoughts alarmed him. His limbs gave way and his knees knocked together gave way and his knees knocked together.
Speaker 1:In verses 4-6, we read that as they drank out of these vessels from the Lord's temple, they began to praise their pagan gods. Doing this is particularly a hostile act of blasphemy towards the god of Daniel and towards the God that Nebuchadnezzar worshipped in the last year of his life and gave a decree that all flesh must worship the Lord, god in heaven. Belshazzar, out of his own pagan ideals and beliefs, was appealing to his pagan gods, ideals and beliefs, was appealing to his pagan gods, somehow believing that they were going to deliver him from these prophecies that the Lord God had made on Babylon. That Babylon would indeed be destroyed. And the moment they began to praise their pagan gods, fingers attached to a human hand began floating in mid-air next to the wall and it appeared directly across the room from the lampstand so that everyone in the room could see. This hand was directly in the light of that lampstand and, furthermore, it was directly in line of sight of the king. We are told the king saw it while the hand was writing.
Speaker 1:Belshazzar became so terrified when he saw this hand that his body reacted violently in a flight or fight mechanism. The blood was taken from his skin, it moved to his vital organs, his adrenaline kicked in, but he could do nothing. So he lost control over his extremities. He fell to the ground and he began to shake, with his knees knocking together, picking up in verse 7. The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans and the astrologers, picking up in verse 7. Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed and his color changed and his lords were perplexed.
Speaker 1:Here in verses 7 through 9, we see that in this panic attack that the king had, he yells for his enchanters, the wise men of Babylon, the Chaldeans and the astrologers. And all of these so-called wise men that the king is calling for are dark arts dealers. The word for enchanter is sometimes translated charmer, because enchanters use a form of demonic seduction and convincing lies to manipulate people. And the word for astrologer here, quite frankly, is a little bit confusing. It actually refers to men that use the dark arts to gain knowledge from the supernatural world, such as mediums or fortune tellers. The Chaldeans in this context are the soothsayers that have been schooled under the traditions of the Chaldeans.
Speaker 1:So when these dark arts dealers come and arrive on the scene, king Belshazzar tells them that if they can read this writing, if they can decipher what this means for him, he'll reward them with great gifts. He will include jewelry and clothing fit for a king. But most notably, he will reward the man who can do this with a position of great power to be third ruler in the kingdom. So why does Belshazzar say third ruler and not second ruler? Well, we've already touched on that a little bit earlier. It's because the best possible position that could be offered in the kingdom is third ruler. As I mentioned earlier, belshazzar was second in charge because his father, king Nabodinus, was actually first in charge, even though King Nabodinus was not in the kingdom he was in the Arabian desert. Nevertheless, these two kings reigned together. So being the third ruler in the kingdom would indeed be just under the kings of Babylon.
Speaker 1:So after all of these pagan soothsayers and dark art workers came in, they examined what the finger had written on the wall and with all of their collective knowledge, they could not read what was written, nor could they give any kind of interpretation for what it could mean. And when King Belshazzar heard that the men that he had placed his trust in could not understand this writing, he became so afraid that once again, he went into a panic attack and the blood fled from his face. Belshazzar is now realizing that what he feared the most is the truth. The God of heaven, whose prophets had prophesied Babylon's downfall for ages and whom Belshazzar has outright rejected and now mocked in front of 1,000 lords, is in fact the one true God and he has written a message on Belshazzar's wall. So these 1,000 lords of Babylon are confused when they see Belshazzar's reaction, because they don't understand how committed these two kings, nabodinas and Belshazzar, have been to these pagan and demonic gods. They have completely rejected the creator of heaven and earth and have completely committed themselves to the worship of created things such as gold and silver, picking up in verse 10.
Speaker 1:The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet hall and the queen declared O king, live forever. Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods 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, enchanters, chaldeans and astrologers because an excellent spirit, knowledge and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve problems were found in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation here.
Speaker 1:In verses 10 through 12, we're told that the queen comes into the banquet hall because she heard these words of the kings and the lords. Now, just for some clarification, this was not the wife of Belshazzar, as his wives and his concubines were already at the banquet hall. We learned that back in verse 2. Rather, this was likely either the wife of Nabodinas, who he was co-ruling with, or it was a past queen, perhaps the queen's mother, or it was a past queen, perhaps the queen's mother. The fact that this queen had learned what was going on in the banquet hall tells us that someone had reported to her what was happening and how the king was in a desperate situation. So the queen comes in and both honors the king and helps him. Through this, she begins to make a very long-winded speech about Daniel in front of these 1,000 lords, describing Daniel's gift of wisdom, his discernment and how he was able to help Nebuchadnezzar in times just like this. Now, certainly King Belshazzar knew about Daniel. In fact, daniel had become so famous in all of the land that even people in foreign nations knew of Daniel's wisdom. They would even use Daniel's name in common sayings, saying things of each other. Like, you are as wise as Daniel, but King Belshazzar had very likely ruled Daniel out in his mind years ago because of his rejection of Daniel's God. The queen's speech here to the king was surely to help him reconsider his position and to call for Daniel's help.
Speaker 1:Now, picking up in verse 13,. Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel you are that, daniel, one of the exiles of Judah whom the king, my father, brought from Judah. I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now these wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and made known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now, if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold put around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Speaker 1:Here in verses 13 through 16, after the king of Babylon, king Belshazzar had literally been brought to his knees, shaking in his boots and the queen had come in and publicly given him the only possible option left to have this strange phenomenon, an unknown language addressed. The king finally has Daniel brought in and the king addresses Daniel with a little bit of sarcasm. He says you're that, daniel, whom my father brought from Judah? Now Daniel, at this point, is a very old man. He's 84 years old and he had lived in captivity at this point for 69 years, had lived in captivity at this point for 69 years. It won't be until one year later when Cyrus, whom the scripture names by name, would give a famous edict and proclaim that all the Jews in his kingdom could return to their own country, ending the 70 years of captivity.
Speaker 1:There's no doubt that the king had heard of Daniel and as he describes Daniel here, he publicly declares that Daniel has the spirit of the gods in him, trying to link Daniel to his pluralistic understanding of many gods. Clearly, king Belshazzar does not want to give credit where credit is due, to the one true God of Daniel. Then Belshazzar explains the situation to Daniel, letting him know that he's tried everything, he's tried everyone else and no one else is able to decipher this writing on the wall. Nobody else can interpret what it says, and he's hoping that Daniel, with his famed wisdom, would be able to do so. And then Belshazzar promises Daniel all of the gifts that he had promised all of the other wise men, including being named third in power of all of Babylon, if he could only discern and interpret this message on the wall, picking up in verse 17,. And then Daniel answered and said before the king Let your gifts be for yourself and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.
Speaker 1:O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar, your father, kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would he killed and whom he would he kept alive. Whom he would he raised up and whom he would he kept alive. Whom he would he raised up and whom he would he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind and his mind was made like that of a beast and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox and his body was made wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets it over whom he will. And you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords and your wives and your concubines have drunk 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 know, but the God in whose hand is your breath and in whose are all your ways you have not honored.
Speaker 1:In verses 17 through 23, which is really the first two-thirds of Daniel's reply, is a rebuke from Daniel to Belshazzar. Daniel tells the king you can keep your gifts and you can keep your rewards, but I will tell you what the writing on the wall is. And then Daniel makes it clear that he does not have the spirit of the gods in him, but he is a servant of the Most High God, and Daniel begins to give glory to God, most high God, and Daniel begins to give glory to God. Daniel describes how the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar power and greatness so that all the people of the earth were subject to him and came under him in his kingdom. Daniel continues to describe that when King Nebuchadnezzar had accomplished so much that he became arrogant, he hardened his spirit against the word of God and the warnings of God. And so the Lord God humbled him, making him like a beast, and Nebuchadnezzar, for years, had to dwell with the wild donkeys, eating grass like an ox. He was covered with the dew from heaven, driven away from all of mankind. He was covered with the dew from heaven, driven away from all of mankind, until he knew that the Most High God rules over all things, including the kingdom of Babylon, his throne and his very life.
Speaker 1:Daniel then confronts Belshazzar with the truth that he's known that for years, but yet he's failed to humble himself before the Lord. In fact, to the contrary, this king has arrogantly taken the very vessels from the house of the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, and used them to blaspheme his name by drinking out of them, by praising pagan gods of gold and silver. And finally, daniel boldly tells the king that the God, the very God who gives him his breath and his life, he has rejected and he has failed to honor. Picking up in verse 24, daniel continues Then, from his presence, the hand was sent and this is the writing that was inscribed Mean mean, tekel and parson. This is the interpretation of the matter. Mean God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. Decal that you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting Person. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Speaker 1:In verses 24-28, daniel interprets the writing on the wall. He tells King Belshazzar that it was from the presence of the Most High God that this hand and this message was sent. This is a message to the king from the one true God, the God Most High. The double use of the word mean, translated by Daniel, is that the king's days are numbered and the kingdom of Belshazzar is about to come to an end. Tekel is interpreted to mean that King Belshazzar has been weighed by God and he has been found wanting, and the word parson or pers means that the kingdom has been divided up and given into the hands of the Medes and the Persians Verse 29.
Speaker 1:Then Belshazzar gave the command and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck and a proclamation was made about him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. That very night, belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed and Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about 62 years old. In our last three verses for today, we see that Belshazzar gave a command in an attempt to try and keep his name good in front of these lords and in a hope that perhaps Daniel was wrong. Belshazzar publicly rewards Daniel with all the gifts he'd promised. But that very night, that same night that King Belshazzar had this great feast, that the hand had written on the wall and that Daniel had prophesied about the fall of Babylon to the Medes and the Persians, in front of these 1,000 lords, king Belshazzar was killed.
Speaker 1:History tells us that the Medo-Persian army, led by Cyrus, marched through the city water gates, which was about 400 yards wide, and they took the city. So colossal was the city of Babylon that when the army of Cyrus came in through that tunnel and Jeremiah, the prophet had said in Jeremiah 51-31, when he said other to tell the king of Babylon, his city is taken from every side. That night, the Babylonian empire was transferred to the Medes and the Persians, just as God's prophets had foretold for over 200 years, beginning with Isaiah. Some scripture references to those prophecies are Isaiah 13, 1-14, isaiah 21, 1-17, isaiah 43, 1-28, isaiah 46, 1-13, habakkuk 2, 1-20, jeremiah 25, 1-38, jeremiah 50, 1-51, and then what we just read here in Daniel 5, 28. Thank you for joining me this week for Daniel chapter 5. And I hope you join me again. God bless you this week.