The Writing on The Wall...

Ancient city of Babylon.  The sun just dipped below the horizon.  Sound of music, noise of a great feast.  The royal palace of Belshazzar.  Thousands having attended, some drinking, some being drunk. Soon though, everything is about to change...

For a moment, let us leave this feast and travel back a few years to the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. Being father of Belshazzar (some say not by blood, only as one who precedes in ruling), was greatly humbled when he has forgotten that the Most High gives authority to anyone he wishes.  After being driven to the wild and his mind ruled by madness, the kingdom was eventually restored to Nebuchadnezzar after 7 years.  But now, Belshazzar is about to learn from his father's mistake first handed...

Back to the feast... Belshazzar being bored of this plain 'let us get drunk from ordinary cups' party, orders that the sacred goblet which were carried away from the temple in Jerusalem be used as wine cups for his guests.  Belshazzar does as he pleases, until... out of thin air, a hand appears... and starts writing on the wall... Illuminated by the light of candles, the inscription reads... "mene, mene, tekel, parsin".  Now at this point Belshazzar is turning pale, his knees are knocking together, and about to faint.. Why so serious Belshazzar? Maybe you've done something you should not have?   Soon our favorite interpreter, Daniel, shows up and recalls to Belshazzar what happened to his father, and how he was humbled...  then adds - "But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.".. Ouch..  What was Belshazzar thinking?  Why did he not learn from his father mistake?  Did he have a little too much wine?  Perhaps the thought of being popular with his nobles this way was too tempting?

In any case...  The judgment is given, this is what the words mean:

"Menef: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Tekelg: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
Peresh: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

The scripture says that same night the words were fulfilled and the kingdom was given over to Darius.

What is a Kingdom worth?

Nebuchadnezzar dreams a dream, a great and frightening statue resembling a human figure. Daniel's interpretation tells that each part represents a kingdom, starting from head to toe.  The first and most splendid of these - the head made of gold - is revealed to be Nebuchadnezzar himself, his kingdom and reign.  The statue's arms and breast made of silver represents a forthcoming empire that is inferior to King Nebuchadnezzar's.  Then comes belly and thighs made of brass, followed by iron legs, and finally iron mixed with clay which are the feet & toes.  As we progress from head to toe, the statue's part is made out of more common material; therefore the kingdoms succeeding one another worth less and less.  By what measure?  Certainly not by land area, or population, since each one devours the previous one and extends itself even further.  

During Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Babylon was beautified by all sorts of architectural wonders.  A flourishing city's need of a great river, such as the Nile was for Egypt, is mimicked here by Euphrates; providing a busy trade route, water for agriculture, and even a defensive element for its grandeur entrance gate.  Wisdom triumphed through those who kept God's law, such as Daniel, even at times of facing death. Perhaps the citizens of the whole kingdom experienced greater quality of life compared to those that followed, and is suggested by the harsher materials of the statue's part, even an iron rule, revealed towards the end of the vision.

Although, God's judgment is eventually poured out on Babylon because of wickedness, its splendor remains yet to be forgotten...