1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. 2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

3 Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, 6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.

7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him. 9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vincent Chan

Today we meet a new king—King Belshazzar. In verse 2, we’re told that Nebuchadnezzar was his father, though this likely means he was a descendant, not his direct son. Still, like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar is marked by power and pride.

The chapter opens with Belshazzar hosting a feast for “a thousand nobles”—a way of saying there were more guests than you could count. But it’s not the size of the feast that reveals his pride. It’s the moment he orders the sacred vessels from God’s temple in Jerusalem to be brought out and used for drinking, all while praising gods of gold and silver. Belshazzar isn’t short on cups—he’s making a statement. He’s shaking his fist at heaven and telling God to shove off.

But Belshazzar’s arrogance quickly turns to fear when the famous incident of the handwriting on the wall occurs. That phrase—“the writing on the wall”—has become part of everyday language, describing a clear sign that trouble is coming. And in Belshazzar’s case, that’s exactly right. The writing reveals God’s judgment on his pride.

And pride really is the heart of the issue here, isn’t it?As I reflect on this passage, I’m reminded how deceptive pride can be. Sometimes it’s blatant—like Belshazzar’s feast. But more often, at least in my own life, it’s subtle and hidden. It can show up in how easily I look down on others. Or in how quickly I act as though I don’t need God’s help.

How are you managing pride in your own life? Let’s take a moment today to remember the cross—the place where all our pride is put to shame. And let’s ask God to help us pour contempt on every trace of it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vinno is one of our Assistant Ministers.