Daniel-Late That Night...The Message Came True

By Mary Vee
Daniel 5

From Daniel's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Daniel. I am a prophet of God and am a prisoner in the land of Babylon with many other Jews.

I have been summoned to King Belshazzar's banquet hall. The second I arrived, he motioned for me to approach his chair. 

He showed me strange writing on the wall. He said, "A hand appeared out of nowhere. I don't understand the writing and neither can anyone else. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

I didn't want any of those things, but I was willing to do my job. I prayed and asked God to give me the meaning of the message.

When I understood the message I said to the king, "O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar greatness, glory, and spender. Because of the high position he gave him, everyone in every nation and language dreaded him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death. Those he wanted to spare, he spared. Those he wanted to promote, he promoted. And those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 

"But when his heart became full of pride, he lost his throne and had his glory taken away. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdom's of men and sets in power over them anyone he wishes.

"But you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all of this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you. You and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. These things cannot see or hear or understand. You did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.

"Because of these things, God sent the hand that wrote the message on your wall. Here is the meaning of these words: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Tekel: You have been found lacking.
Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

King Belshazzar commanded his guards, "Put the purple robe on Daniel and a gold chain around his neck." He turned to me, "Daniel, for giving me the meaning of these words, you are now proclaimed to be the third highest ruler in my kingdom."

Later, the same night, Belshazzar, king of Babylon was killed, just as the message said.


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1. Why was Daniel summoned to the king's banquet?
2. What did Daniel say the king had done wrong?
3. What did the message mean?
4. What did the king give Daniel?

5. What happened late that night?

Daniel-What is the Writing on the Wall?

By Mary Vee
Daniel 5

From Daniel's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Daniel. I am a prophet of God and am a prisoner in the land of Babylon with many other Jews.

Several years have gone by since I saw those frightening visions of what would happen in the future. I went about doing my work in the palace, not hardly being noticed by anyone of importance. The king didn't have any real need for me which made life easier.

I never really was worried that anything bad would happen when a king sent for me. Each time one called, God had somehow communicated with whichever man was king at the time. Confused, the king demanded the meaning of the message. 

Each time I prayed and God told me the meaning. I answered the king's questions truthfully as God directed, even if I had to give bad news. The kings respected me for that.

News spread among the staff in the palace. King Belshazzar planned a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles this evening. I was glad I didn't have to go because barrels of wine had been order. The guests would get drunk and I just didn't want to be a part of that.

I did my usual work, ate supper then went to bed. I was surprised to hear a guard knocking at my door. "The king has summoned you."

I grabbed my robe and went with him. This new king didn't know me very well. He looked at me and raised one eyebrow as if to say he didn't think I would be of any use to him. He said, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have great understanding, intelligence, and outstanding wisdom."

"I am Daniel."

He stood then walked over to the wall and pointed. "The wise mean and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

In truth I didn't want any of those things. I was willing to ask God for the meaning and to tell King Belshazzar what it was, but that was it.

Come back next time to find out what the writing meant.

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1. Why did the kings of Babylon trust Daniel?
2. Why had King Belshazzar called Daniel?
3. What would King Belshazzar give Daniel if he answered his question?
4. Was Daniel excited to get the reward? Why or why not?

King Belshazzar-The Party Crasher

By Mary Vee
Daniel 5

From King Belshazzar's Chronicles

Photo Courtesy

My name is King Belshazzar. I am the king of Babylon. These words are my report of what happened on this night.

As is the custom of kings, I gave a banquet for a thousand of my nobles. I ordered barrels of the finest wine and plenty of the richest foods in the kingdom.

Years ago my father, King Nebuchadnezzar, invaded and conquered the Jews living in Judah. Slaves by the thousands were brought here, to Babylon, along with chariots full of plunder taken from their great city, Jerusalem.

Buried in my treasury were some of the finest pieces of gold and silver goblets I have ever seen. The Jews certainly have excellent craftsmen. I was told these pieces came from the temple for their God.

We had an exquisite gold or silver goblet for each nobleman's place setting. The table looked magnificent.

We drank wine and ate, and drank more wine, praising the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. We laughed and drank some more.

Suddenly I saw fingers of a human hand appear. They were much larger than life. The fingers wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lamp stand in the royal palace for all of us to see.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from what the hand was doing. Even knowing I had drink inside me, seeing the hand with no body and writing on the wall frightened me. My knees knocked together and my legs gave away. My servants ran to my side to help me stand.

"Quick!" I could barely speak. "Get the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners here at once."

Several guards ran out of the room while my servants helped me to my chair. "Hand me my goblet." I drank some more, but it didn't calm me any. Surely it was just the drink playing with my mind. By the time the guards left, the hand had vanished.

Seeing the hand vanish unnerved me as much as it's first appearance. What was happening? Did everyone else see the same thing? Surely they did because all the nobles gasped when I did. No I am not going crazy.

The guards escorted the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners into the banquet hall moments later. "Come," I ordered, waving them forward.

They approached my chair. "Look at the wall." I pointed to the writing. Their eyes widened. Good. At least they could see the writing as well.

"Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will also be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

I expected these rewards to pry one of them to tell me the meaning. They all walked to the wall and stroked their beards.

I leaned forward, waiting to hear the interpretation.


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1. Who was King Belshazzar's father?
2. What things had his father taken from Jerusalem?
3. What special place in Jerusalem did these thing belong?
4. What did he do with them?
5. Why did the people praise the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone?
6. What frightened King Belshazzar?
7. What did he offer to have someone tell him what it meant?
8. Do you think any of these men can give him the answer?