There is no doubt at all why God has been pleased to record the scene that we have in this chapter. He has put it down, as a New Testament scripture tells us, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning"; that men and women, you and I, whoever and whatever we may be, may learn first to what a length in impiety, idolatry, and wickedness one may go. The strong point of this chapter is, that we have a most distinct and solemn warning in it from God to Belshazzar; but he paid not the slightest heed to it.
Now let us take a look at that scene. There was a huge banquet prepared, and one thousand lords were there. Would you have been glad to have had an invitation? I can imagine the brilliancy of that scene, the luxury and wealth, lit up with all the splendor of an Eastern court; and they feasted and drank wine, and
God was not thought about. Well, the feast goes on and the impiety and idolatry increase. Belshazzar all the time knew what had happened to his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, but the devil delights to make men forget these things. But see, the feast goes on; and Belshazzar, to crown his impious audacity, commands the sacred vessels which had been dedicated to the service of the Lord God to be brought in; and they drank out of them to their idols.
But God looked on as they feasted and drank and praised the idols of gold, silver, and wood. At the very climax of their impiety, in the same hour, came forth fingers of a man's hand and wrote on the wall. In plain language, God steps in. I know a thing that would spoil the brightest banquet in the world, or the sweetest strains of music, or the ball, or racecourse, or any other worldly scenes of merriment. All enjoyment there is destroyed at once if God steps in.
At the banquet, only the hand of God is seen, the fingers of a hand; and the king saw it. God arrests that idolater; and is not His desire to arrest any unsaved reader? Yes, most truly. Mark His grace. He warns, He arrests that man; He does not strike him dead. Would not you have supposed that, as he raised his cup to drink to the senseless idol, God would have struck him dead? But no; God gives a warning word, that the sinner may have time to repent.
"The king's countenance was changed." The face gets serious, the eye droops, the heart beats—what is the matter? Why, something marvelous has happened! God has drawn near.
The king was frightened; his thoughts troubled him so, that "the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another"; for the man was conscious that it was God speaking to him. The king was anxious; he sent for the astrologers and wise men, but they could tell him nothing. Then the queen comes in and tells of Daniel; he is able to interpret dreams, and show "hard sentences," and "dissolve doubts"; and that is just what the gospel does.
Belshazzar knew how God had dealt with Nebuchadnezzar (see chap. 5:2), and yet he had not humbled his heart.
Now Daniel says, "The God in whose hand thy breath is,... hast thou not glorified." What a solemn charge is this! If Belshazzar had been wise, he would have fallen on his face before God and owned his guilt.
The handwriting was sent as a warning to the king, and he neglected it. It is all over with Belshazzar! Do you think he believed his warning? No, not a bit; his after-conduct shows that he was unconcerned. He was "weighed in the balances, and found wanting."
In the 29th verse, Belshazzar commanded that Daniel should be decked out and honored; and I suppose he went on with his banquet, but he was slain that night, and the city was taken, as history tells us now. And. half drunk, in the midst of their feasting, this impious king was judged.
If an unsaved soul should read these lines, I urge you to come to God this very moment, and you will get salvation and mercy. He will whisper peace to your troubled soul. Do not drop this paper before coming to Christ. Decide for the Lord just now. Your days are surely ' numbered. I beseech you to
halt, tarry, pause consider, turn round and own your... guilt; seek the Lord, and you will find Him; and He will bless you with an everlasting salvation. Come now, I do entreat you; repent and turn to God and receive "the gift of God,... eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."