Chapter 8: The Writing on the Wall

Nebuchadnezzar eventually died. Thrones passed from hand to hand until Belshazzar — a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar — took the kingdom. By then, Daniel had served Babylon for a lifetime, and the court had forgotten him. Belshazzar didn't have respect for the God of Israel.

One night, he held a great feast for a thousand of his lords. Wine flowed freely, and as the king grew drunk, he gave a reckless command "bring the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem."

The sacred cups were brought. Belshazzar and his guests drank wine from them and praised their gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Then it happened.

A human hand appeared out of nowhere and began writing on the palace wall. Just the fingers — moving slowly across the plaster.

The king's face went pale. He ordered the wise men to read it. They couldn't.

Then the queen entered. She remembered a man the court had long forgotten.

"There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. His name is Daniel. Send for him."

Daniel was brought before the king and said:

DANIEL“Keep your gifts. But I will read the writing. Your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God until he acknowledged that the Most High rules over kingdoms. You knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. Instead, you drank from the vessels of His temple and praised gods that cannot see or hear. So God sent this hand.”— Daniel 5:17-23

He read the words aloud:

DANIEL“MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. That means God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. You have been weighed and found wanting. Your kingdom is given to the Medes and Persians.”— Daniel 5:25-28

That very night, Babylon fell. Belshazzar was killed. And Darius the Mede took the kingdom.