Today we look at a story I haven't covered before from Daniel, most scholars think that this story is a work of historical fiction. I am not so sure of that - all too often archeology has come along at later dates and confirmed the rightness of the biblical accounts, when until the discoveries scholars considered them fiction. This story regards King Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, current archeological records show that he was crown prince and sat as regent for his father, in his father's absence but was not actually King. The problem with this is that it is usually the winners that record the history. So I prefer to believe the biblical record which has proven to be true so many times.

The story of the judgment of Belshazzar shows us once again that God is clearly in control. This is not a very stable period in Babylon's history. Kings were coming and going - not always peacefully, and the prophet Daniel was no longer a young man at this point. The scholars who have plotted out all of the regimes suggest that Daniel was around 80 years, at the time of the story in chapter 5.

As a quick summary, Belshazzar throws a party throws a party for his buddies and his wives and concubines. During the party to show off, he has the holy goblets Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem years and years earlier brought from the Treasury and they are drinking from them. Belshazzar would have known what God did to his Grandfather Nebuchadnezzar. You know the saying, “If you don’t learn from the past you are doomed to repeat it.” He should have paid attention, he is an arrogant, entitled, boastful upstart and chooses to mock God using sacred items at a drunken party. God wasn't impressed and a supernatural event occurs. God should never be mocked!

A supernatural hand appears and writes a message on the wall. Belshazzar and everyone present are seriously spooked and freaked out and the Queen mother was called to calm him down. She knew about Daniel and had him sent for to translate the message from God. It was 4 words, and God can say a lot in 4 words. What he said to Belshazzar reminds me so much of a scene from one of my fav movies, 'A Knight's Tale' in fact the writers of the movie admit they took the quote from Daniel 5. "You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting" he continued, "Your days are numbered, I am ending your reign, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” In other words, King -- you’re dead meat! Belshazzar died later that very night - don't mock God! Bad things happen to people who do!