Daniel 4 closed with Nebuchadnezzar recovering his mental health, being restored to his throne, and the reality of the Most High God who is sovereign over every earthly empire. Daniel 5 opens with a king named Belshazzar reigning over Babylon.

What we know is that the saying, “The handwriting on the wall, has made its way into our modern culture as an idiom for “impending and unavoidable doom.” Maybe you didn’t know that saying comes directly from Daniel 5!

In the midst of a Babylonian government drinking party and feast, Belshazzar expressed his pride and defiance toward the God who humbled Nebuchadnezzar. When a hand appeared and wrote a cryptic message on the wall, the party came to screeching halt! The DJ stopped the music and everyone froze in fear and astonishment. Is this really happening? What does it mean?

Daniel, whose wisdom seems to have been forgotten or ignored, is called from the dugout to help. Here are some things to consider:

If, according to history, the last King of Babylon is a guy named Nabonidus, then who is Belshazzar? Is the Bible wrong?What was the message on the wall? What did it mean?For answers to these questions and more, listen in to this study of Daniel chapter five. By the end of the chapter, the impenetrable Babylonian Empire, that head of Gold (ref: chapter 2), will have been replaced by the Medo-Persian Empire without even the smallest battle! Wow. Are you curious? I hope so!