Topical Bible: Rulers: Wicked: Belshazzar, in Drunkenness and Committing Sacrilege

◄ Rulers: Wicked: Belshazzar, in Drunkenness and Committing Sacrilege ►

Topical Encyclopedia

Belshazzar, a Babylonian king, is a prominent figure in the biblical narrative for his acts of impiety and sacrilege, particularly during a feast that led to his downfall. His account is primarily recounted in the Book of Daniel, where he is depicted as a ruler who defied the God of Israel and faced divine judgment as a result.

Background and Context

Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. While Nabonidus was absent from Babylon, Belshazzar served as co-regent and was effectively the ruler of the city. His reign is marked by a lack of reverence for the sacred, as demonstrated in the infamous banquet described in the Book of Daniel.

The Feast and Sacrilege

The most notable account of Belshazzar's wickedness is found in Daniel 5. During a grand feast, Belshazzar, in a state of drunkenness, ordered the gold and silver vessels that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem to be brought to him. These sacred items, originally consecrated for worship in the house of God, were used by Belshazzar and his nobles, wives, and concubines to drink wine and praise the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Daniel 5:1-4 describes the scene: "Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone."

Divine Judgment

Belshazzar's sacrilege was met with immediate divine response. During the feast, a mysterious hand appeared and wrote a message on the wall of the royal palace. The king, terrified and unable to interpret the writing, summoned Daniel, a Jewish exile known for his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams and signs.

Daniel interpreted the writing, which read "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN," as a message of judgment from God. Daniel 5:26-28 explains: "This is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians."

The Fall of Belshazzar

That very night, Belshazzar was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, fulfilling the prophecy of the writing on the wall. Daniel 5:30-31 states: "That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two."

Belshazzar's account serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of pride, irreverence, and defiance against the God of Israel. His actions and subsequent downfall illustrate the biblical principle that God holds rulers accountable for their deeds, especially when they desecrate what is holy.