II. THE WRITING BY THE HAND SENT FROM GOD
Verses 5 through 9 speak of the writing of the hand sent from God.
A. The Fingers of a Man’s Hand Coming Forth
and Writing upon the Plaster of the Wall
At the very moment that they were drinking wine and praising their gods, the fingers of a man’s hand came forth and wrote opposite the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace (v. 5a).
B. King Belshazzar’s Countenance Changing
and His Thoughts Alarming Him
When Belshazzar saw that part of the hand that wrote, his countenance changed and his thoughts alarmed him (vv. 5b-6). The joints of his hips loosened and his knees began to knock together. He was a threatened man and had no peace to drink, no peace to continue his debauchery.
C. The King Crying Loudly to Bring
the Conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the Diviners
The king called loudly to bring the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. He said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who reads this writing and declares its interpretation to me shall be clothed in purple and shall have a chain of gold around his neck and shall rule as the third ruler in the kingdom" (v. 7).
D. All the King’s Wise Men
Not Being Able to Read the Writing
nor Make Its Interpretation Known to the King
All the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing nor make its interpretation known to the king (v. 8). Then the king was greatly alarmed. His countenance changed further, and his lords were perplexed (v. 9).
(Life-Study of Daniel, Chapter 7, by Witness Lee)
