A Sign of Doom to the King and Guests

A divine Watcher, unrecognized, looked on the scene, heard the sacrilegious mirth, saw the idolatry. Soon the uninvited Guest made His presence felt. When the partying was at its height, a bloodless hand wrote on the palace walls characters that gleamed like fire—words that foreshadowed doom.RR 186.6

The boisterous mirth was hushed while men and women watched in terror as the hand slowly traced the mysterious characters. As if in panoramic view, the deeds of their evil lives passed before them. They seemed to be on trial before the judgment bar of the eternal God whose power they had just defied. Where a few moments before had been hilarity and blasphemous joking, were ashen faces and cries of fear.RR 187.1

Belshazzar was the most terrified of them all. His conscience had awakened, and “his knees knocked against each other.” Now he realized that he could offer no excuse for his wasted opportunities and defiant attitude.RR 187.2

In vain the king tried to read the burning letters. He turned to the wise men for help. His wild cry rang out in the assembly, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” But heavenly wisdom cannot be bought or sold. “All the king’s wise men ... could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.” They were no more able than the wise men of a former generation had been to interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar.RR 187.3

Then the queen mother remembered Daniel. “O king,” she said, “do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar ... made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. ... Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”RR 187.4

“Then Daniel was brought in before the king.” Making an effort to regain his composure, Belshazzar said to the prophet, “I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. 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 around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”RR 187.5

Unmoved by the promises of the king, Daniel stood in the quiet dignity of a servant of the Most High. “Give your rewards to another,” he said, “yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.”RR 187.6