Page 12 - 06 THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL - CHAPTER 5

THE STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET

Stephen N. Haskell

“But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest and stand in thy
lot at the end of the days.” Daniel 12:13.

finished it: ...thou art weighed in the balances,

and art found wanting: ...thy kingdom is

divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

In dealing with men God always uses a

language which appeals forcibly to their

understanding. This is illustrated in the

handwriting on the wall. It is a common belief

among idolaters that the gods weigh deeds in

balances, and that if the good deeds outweigh

the evil, the individual enters into his reward;

if the opposite result is obtained, punishment

follows. The language, therefore, was familiar

to King Belshazzar. “God hath numbered thy

kingdom; ...thou art weighed in the balances,

and art found wanting.” To the magicians who

stood within hearing, as Daniel gave the

interpretation, the words came with peculiar