THE WRITING ON THE WALL

The story of the writing on the wall is a well-known story from the Bible, which appears in the Book of Daniel, chapter 5. The story takes place in the city of Babylon, which was then ruled by King Belshazzar.

One day, Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and they drank wine and praised their gods. During the feast, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought in, so that he and his guests could drink from them. This act was a great insult to the God of the Jews.

Suddenly, a hand appeared and began writing on the wall of the banquet hall. The king was terrified and called for his wise men to interpret the writing, but none of them were able to do so. At the suggestion of the queen, Daniel was brought before the king to interpret the writing.

Daniel read the writing, which said: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.” He then explained the meaning of the words to the king. “Mene” meant that God had numbered the days of Belshazzar’s kingdom and that it would soon come to an end. “Tekel” meant that Belshazzar had been weighed in the balance and found wanting. And “Upharsin” meant that his kingdom would be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

That very night, the king was killed and his kingdom was indeed given to the Medes and Persians, just as Daniel had predicted. The story of the writing on the wall serves as a warning against arrogance, pride, and disrespect for God, and a reminder that all rulers are accountable to a higher power.