Then Was the Hand Sent - Daniel 5:24

In the book of Daniel, Daniel shared how Belshazzar was greatly troubled because he saw a hand writing on the wall, and when his wise men were not able to tell him what the writing said or meant, he called for Daniel who said, “O you king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomsoever he will. And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this. But have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your  ways, have you not glorified”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-four of his book, Daniel told King Belshazzar “then was the part of the hand sent” where we read,

Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

The verse reads, “Then was the part of the hand sent from him;” Daniel began with the words, “then was the part of the hand” or “at that time existed the palm belonging to the hand that appeared” “sent from him” which means “dispatched and assigned separate and apart from the Supreme Deity”. Daniel said when King Belshazzar was lifted up in pride and arrogance and drank from the sacred vessels seized from the temple of God, the palm of the hand from God appeared. 

The verse goes on to say, “and this writing was written.” Daniel continued with the words, “and this writing” which means  “and the engraving and inscription on the wall” “was written” or “was inscribed and engraved”. Daniel said at the time the “hand” appeared, the words were inscribed on the wall.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Daniel the reason for the appearance of the “hand” sent from God. King Belshazzar was prideful and arrogant, and he presumptuously drank from the sacred implements which were taken from the temple of Jehovah God in Jerusalem. That became King Belshazzar’s final act against God, and judgment was to fall upon him. God is long-suffering and patient. He desires to save every person from their sins through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. All who believe and trust in Him as their “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and given His Holy Spirit who will help them never to need “the handwriting on the wall” to convince them to change. 

Next time Daniel shares how he tells King Belshazzar the writing said, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".