Lesson 13: IMAGES OF THE END
13.3 Belshazzar’s Feast
Belshazzar – Knowledge Alone Does Not Prevent the Fall if the Heart Remains Proud
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Introduction
Babylon – the magnificent capital of the ancient world, a symbol of wealth, power, and human arrogance. In the midst of this backdrop, a final act unfolds: a king’s feast becomes the stage for God’s judgment.
Daniel 5 is a chapter about boundaries:
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the boundary of God’s patience,
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the boundary of human pride,
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the boundary between light and darkness.
We meet a man who knew everything but did nothing with it. A king whose last night became an eternal warning.
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Bible Study
Verses 1–4: The Feast – Arrogance against the Holy
“King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.” (v.1)
The scene opens with a lavish feast. A thousand guests, wine in abundance – and a provocation against the holy. Belshazzar commands the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple to be brought in. Holy items become the toys of a godless party.
Why did he do this?
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Provocation: Amid the siege by the Medes and Persians (who were already at the gates!), Belshazzar declares: We fear nothing – not even Israel’s God.
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Contempt: He mocks the God his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar once honored.
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Pride: Belshazzar lives as if there is no judgment – only his own power.
Spiritual Principle: Whoever despises the holy inevitably invites judgment.
Verses 5–12: The Handwriting – God’s Response to Mockery
“Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote…” (v.5)
In the middle of the feast – and the mockery – God interrupts. A hand appears. Silence. Terror. Panic.
No one understands the words. The wise men fail. Finally, Daniel is summoned – long forgotten by men, but not by God.
Why a finger?
→ In Scripture, the finger of God symbolizes divine power (Exodus 31:18 – “written by the finger of God”).
Here, it represents judgment. No more warnings. Now comes the verdict.
Verses 13–23: Daniel’s Speech – A Reminder of What You Knew
“But you, Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.” (v.22)
Daniel reminds Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation – his pride, fall, repentance, and faith in God.
Now the verdict over Belshazzar:
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You knew the truth.
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You ignored it.
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You mocked God’s holiness.
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You are without excuse.
Spiritual Principle: The greatest sin is not ignorance – but ignoring the truth you know.
Verses 24–28: The Verdict
Mene, Mene, Tekel, Uparsin
These four words mark the end of divine patience:
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Mene – God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
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Tekel – You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
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Peres/Uparsin – Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
This judgment is final, irreversible. No room for repentance.
God had spoken – for long. Now He acts.
Verses 29–31: The End – One Night, One Judgment, One Death
“That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain.” (v.30)
Perhaps the most tragic words in Scripture. No delay. No miracle. No tomorrow.
Judgment does not strike Babylon first – it strikes the king who knew the light and ignored it.
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Answers to the Questions
Question 1: What important spiritual lessons do we learn?
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God is patient – but His patience has limits.
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Belshazzar knew God’s works, but lived as if God were a myth.
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God weighs hearts, not titles.
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Holy things are not for play – be it God’s Word, time, or name.
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Rebellion against light is more severe than ignorance.
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Belshazzar “knew all this” and still hardened his heart.
Question 2: What caused Belshazzar to stumble?
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Not lack of information – but pride.
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A heart that remained hard despite warnings.
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Arrogance that mocked God’s grace.
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A lifestyle that excluded God.
As Ellen White once wrote:
“No man suddenly falls into deep sin. Apostasy is the result of a gradual, careless attitude toward light.”
(Education, p. 95)
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Spiritual Principles
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God speaks before He judges.
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Ignoring spiritual light is dangerous.
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Our actions are weighed.
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A proud heart is blinder than an uninformed one.
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Humility is the path to salvation.
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Application for Daily Life
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Take God’s Word seriously. It’s not just for Sundays – it’s life.
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Treat sacred things with reverence – time, worship, truth.
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Live consciously – God’s patience is great, but not endless.
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Ask yourself: Am I ready to be weighed?
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Learn from the mistakes of others. You don’t have to fall to learn.
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Conclusion
Belshazzar’s final night is a message for our time. Many know much – but live as if there were no God.
Yet the judgment is real. The scale exists. God does not weigh fame, money, or influence – He weighs the heart.
Don’t be surprised by judgment. Respond today.
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Thought of the Day
“When the hand of God writes, it is too late to argue. It is time to bow.”
Don’t wait for the writing on the wall – listen to His Word now.
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Illustration – “The Glass Office”
New York City, 21st Century
The office was high. Too high. 67th floor. The sky was barely above. Only glass, steel, and eternity.
Leon H. Chandler was CEO of NovaCore – a tech giant leading in AI and digital defense. He was brilliant, powerful – and godless.
Religion?
“A relic for the weak,” he’d scoff, “something people invent when they’ve lost control.”
It was New Year’s Eve. Leon was preparing a grand private gala – journalists, politicians, even an astronaut would attend. He was about to unveil his latest project: Nova Eden – a digital paradise without God.
The Invitation
Two days before the event, a handwritten letter arrived. No return address. Just:
“D. Michael – Former security advisor, now pastor.”
Leon vaguely remembered him. A former CIA analyst, once hired by NovaCore. He had left to “serve God.” Leon had laughed at the time.
The letter was calm, yet piercing:
“Leon, you build towers of light and glass, but your foundation is sand.
You know the truth. You’ve seen it in your family. But you’ve chosen to scorn it.
This night will not be ordinary. God’s fingers don’t always write visibly – but they write.
You still have time. But not forever.”
—Daniel
Leon shrugged it off. “Religious nonsense.”
The Feast
December 31. Everything was perfect. Robots served wine. Holograms played music.
At the center: an ancient silver chalice – once from the Jerusalem Temple, now a decoration.
Leon raised it:
“The old gods are dead,” he declared. “We’ve taken over!”
Then – silence.
The Writing
Lights flickered. Music stopped. Screens went black.
Then, words appeared on the glass walls – glowing, untouchable:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPARSIN
Panic erupted. Technicians scrambled. No one could stop it.
Leon stood frozen.
He remembered. The story. His father’s Bible. Daniel. The judgment. The king. The cup.
“You knew,” whispered something deep within. “You always knew.”
The Encounter
That same night, Leon left the tower. No press. No guards. Just a letter in his coat.
At 3 a.m., he knocked on a small door in Brooklyn. Daniel opened – as if expected.
Leon was pale. Quiet. Broken.
“Is it too late?” he asked.
Daniel paused.
“Not yet. But you’ve seen the boundary of God.”
They spoke until dawn.
A New Year
Leon resigned the next day. No press release.
Only one interview, weeks later:
“I was king of a digital empire,” he said. “But I was empty. I knew the truth and mocked it.
But God gave me one last night. His fingers don’t write on glass – they write on hearts.
I saw His handwriting. And I fell. But in that fall, I found grace.”
What this story tells us:
“But you, Belshazzar, did not humble your heart, though you knew all this.” (Daniel 5:22)
Even today, people celebrate their own power – with glass, tech, and pride.
Even today, the holy is mocked.
Even today, God writes – not always visibly, but truly.
Even today, He sends Daniel – messengers of mercy before the verdict comes.
You know it.
What will you do with it?
