Daniel

Daniel 5: God weighs the proud king

Begin in prayer

Before we read about the feast and the writing on the wall, let us ask God to show us that He holds every life in His hand.

You hide your face: they are troubled; you take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust. You send out your Spirit and they are created. You renew the face of the ground.

Psalm 104:29-30

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that our lives are in Your hand, and help us to see Christ, who bears the sin of His people. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

King Belshazzar holds a great feast for a thousand of his lords. He calls for the gold vessels that Nebuchadnezzar took from God's temple in Jerusalem. They drink from them and praise gods of gold and silver. Then the fingers of a man's hand write on the wall, and the king's face changes and his knees strike together. None of his wise men can read the writing, so the queen tells him about Daniel. Daniel reminds Belshazzar that the Most High God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, and that Belshazzar has not humbled his heart. Daniel reads the writing, and that night Belshazzar is slain and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom.

As you read Daniel 5, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God holds every life in His hand, and He ended the kingdom of proud Belshazzar.

Belshazzar was king in Babylon, and he held a great feast for a thousand of his lords (verse 1). He sent for the gold vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from God's temple in Jerusalem (verses 2 and 3). They drank wine from them and praised gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone (verses 3 and 4). Then the fingers of a man's hand wrote on the wall, and the king's knees struck together (verses 5 and 6). Daniel reminded him how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, and said he had not humbled his heart (verses 20 to 22). Belshazzar had not glorified “the God in whose hand your breath is” (verse 23). Job says the same, that God holds the life of every living thing (Job 12 verse 10). The writing said that God had counted his kingdom and brought it to an end (verse 26). That night Belshazzar was slain, and no proud king can escape the God who holds his breath (verse 30).

How does Daniel 5 show us that God holds every life in His hand, and that He ended the kingdom of proud Belshazzar?

Belshazzar used God's vessels and praised idols.

Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand lords (verse 1). He sent for the vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem (verses 2 and 3). They drank from them and praised gods which cannot see, hear or know (verses 3, 4 and 23). Then the fingers of a man's hand wrote on the wall (verse 5).

Daniel told the king that he had not humbled his heart.

The wise men could not read the writing, and the queen remembered Daniel (verses 8 to 12). Daniel refused the king's gifts, and he reminded him how the Most High God humbled Nebuchadnezzar (verses 17 to 21). Belshazzar knew all this, yet Daniel said he had lifted himself up against “the Lord of heaven” (verse 23). He had not glorified the God who held his breath and all his ways (verse 23).

God counted the king's kingdom and brought it to an end.

Daniel read the writing, “God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end” (verse 26). Belshazzar was “weighed in the balances” and “found wanting” (verse 27). His kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians (verse 28). That night Belshazzar was slain, and Darius the Mede received the kingdom (verses 30 and 31). God has set a day to judge the world by Jesus, whom He raised from the dead (Acts 17 verse 31).

Memorise

God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.

Daniel 5:26

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, when God weighs my life, who can stand for me?

Belshazzar was “weighed in the balances” and “found wanting.” Jesus is the only One who has ever been weighed and found without sin, and God has set Him as Judge.

Every one of us is found wanting before God. So Jesus carried the sin of His people to the cross, and He paid for their sins in full. Three days later He rose in power.

So come to Jesus while you still have breath. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts Him is forgiven, and God will not condemn them.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God holds every life in His hand, and that He judges the proud. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Parents, verse 30 says the king was slain that night, so please tell it plainly and gently.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that every breath is in His hand, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:3

Lord God, thank You that You hold our breath in Your hand. We are sinners who deserve to be found wanting. Thank You for Jesus, who took judgment for His people. Please help us to repent of our sin and put our trust in Jesus. Amen.