What is the meaning of Daniel 5:30? That very night • Daniel records no delay between the divine verdict (Daniel 5:26–28) and its fulfillment—judgment fell “that very night.” • God’s swiftness echoes Genesis 19:13, where “we are about to destroy this place,” and Luke 12:20, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you.’” • The timing underscores that the Lord’s warnings are not empty threats; when the measure of sin is full, He acts (1 Thessalonians 5:2; Hebrews 10:31). • For believers, it’s a sober reminder to walk in readiness (Matthew 24:44). Belshazzar • Once a proud host of a thousand nobles (Daniel 5:1), he had lifted himself “against the Lord of heaven” (Daniel 5:23). • Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goes before destruction,” and Belshazzar illustrates that proverb perfectly. • Though he knew how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:22), he chose arrogance over repentance. Compare with 2 Chronicles 33:12–13, where Manasseh repented and was spared; Belshazzar did not, and paid the ultimate price. • His sudden end shows that inherited knowledge of God’s works does not equal personal faith (James 4:17). king of the Chaldeans • The title situates him at the pinnacle of a pagan empire foretold to fall (Isaiah 13:19). • Jeremiah 51:24 records God’s promise: “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion.” Belshazzar’s death is the down payment on that promise. • National security and royal lineage offer no shelter when a nation’s sin reaches heaven (Revelation 18:5). • The fall of the Chaldeans opens the door for Judah’s return (Ezra 1:1), showing God’s sovereignty over world powers. was slain • The passive verb signals that God orchestrated events—Medo-Persian forces entered the city and “Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain.” • Daniel 5:31 continues, “and Darius the Mede received the kingdom,” highlighting a complete transfer of power in one night. • Isaiah 47:11 had warned Babylon, “Disaster will happen to you; you will not know how to conjure it away.” • Galatians 6:7 reinforces the lesson: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” • Belshazzar reaped the fruits of blasphemy, while Daniel, a faithful exile, was spared and promoted (Daniel 6:2-3). summary Daniel 5:30 demonstrates the immediacy and certainty of God’s judgment: the very night the handwriting appeared, the proud king who defied the Lord fell. The verse assures us that God keeps His word, humbles the arrogant, and advances His redemptive plan through the rise and fall of nations. |
    |