A Message on the Wall

Years passed, and Belshazzar ruled in Babylon. One night he prepared a great feast at the palace. There were many guests and cups on the tables, but the king was not acting respectfully toward God.

He ordered the vessels taken from Jerusalem's temple to be brought in. They used them at the feast while praising gods made from different materials. Things that had been dedicated to God were being treated as ordinary entertainment.

Suddenly, fingers appeared and wrote on the wall near the lamp. The king could see the writing. The noisy enjoyment of the feast changed when he discovered he could not understand the message.

Belshazzar became afraid. He called for the wise men and promised great rewards to anyone who could read the words and explain their meaning. None of them could give him the answer he wanted.

Then the queen came in and told him about Daniel. She remembered his wisdom and how he had explained difficult things during Nebuchadnezzar's reign. She advised the king to send for him and listen to what he could say.

Daniel was brought before the king. Belshazzar again offered gifts and an important position if he could explain the writing. Daniel did not need to receive prizes in order to speak honestly.

First, he reminded the king of what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar. He had received power, become proud, and needed to learn that he did not own everything. Belshazzar knew that story but had not learned its lesson.

Daniel explained that the king had acted proudly and dishonored God. The writing hand was not a trick arranged by a guest. The message was a warning from God.

The words announced that the kingdom's time had been counted, that the king had been examined, and that his kingdom would be divided and given to others. His riches could not change the truth of that warning.

Belshazzar ordered Daniel to receive the honors he had promised. But gifts could not erase what was happening. That very night Belshazzar's reign ended, and Babylon passed into other hands.

By morning, the city had a new ruler. The great feast had not made the kingdom stronger, and pretending everything was fine had not removed its problems. Daniel had explained the message without selling the truth for a reward.

We can learn from a warning before repeating a mistake. When we use something that belongs to someone else, we should care for it and ask permission. When we do wrong, it is better to listen, tell the truth, and look for a way to make things right.