Dan. v. 5, 6. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and tvrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace : and the king saw the part of the hand that tvrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against an- other.
IN former days, God was pleased to reveal his mind and will to men by dreams, and visions, and signs of different kinds ; and this he did, not to his friends only, but also to his enemies. To Nebuchad- nezzar he revealed his purposes towards the world at large, in the successive establishment and ruin of four mighty empires, and of the final erection of the Messiah's kingdom, which should stand for ever. His purposes also towards this monarch in particular he was pleased to make known through the same medium of communication. In like manner, to the impious Belshazzar he here in a miraculous manner foretold the impending destinies of himself and of his falling empire. The effect of this revelation upon the mind of Belshazzar is described in the words which we have just read ; and it will give occasion to many useful reflections, whilst we consider,
I. His overwhelming fears —
[That the sight of a hand-writing upon the wall of his room should surprise him, we may well expect. But why should it create in him such terror as is described in our text ? What though he did not understand the writing ? he need not on that account to be dismayed, if he had no inward reason to interpret the sign itself as auguring ill of him. But conscience, which had long been silenced by him, now lifted up its voice, and spoke to him in the language of keen remonstrance, and of dire foreboding : and this it was that made " his loins to shake, and his knees to smite one against the other."
Now this is a striking and instructive incident. We may, by carelessness and dissipation, drown for a season the voice of conscience ; (unhappily for them, many succeed in this too well!) but sooner or later it will speak, and that too in such an
492 DANIEL, V. 5, 6. [ll2().
authoritative tone as will make the stoutest sinner tremble. Every one, whether willingly or not, must listen to it at last : and the longer our attention to it is delayed, the more poignant and terrible will its reproaches be. Behold the convictions of the converts on the day of Pentecost, or the desponding and self-destroying attitude of the jailor ! Yet these were the kindlier offices of conscience for their gooda. In many who continue to withstand its dictates, it stings, it rankles, it cor- rodes, it fills with gloom and melancholy, destroying all their peace, and leaving them nothing but " a certain fearful looking- for of judgment and fiery indignation to consume them." And oh ! with what horrors does it fill them at the instant of their departure from the body, and will fill them in the clay when they shall be summoned to the judgment-seat of Christ ! What " fearfulness will then surprise the hypocrites, when they see no- thing before them but dwelling with devouring fire and in ever- lasting burningsM" How will they then "call upon the rocks to fall upon them, and the hills to cover them from the wrath of that Lamb" of God, whom here they have neglected and despised ! Brethren, listen to the voice of this faithful moni- tor : let not its slightest whispers be unheeded by you : cherish it ; consult it on all occasions ; labour to the uttermost to " keep it pure ; attend to it, and it will prove your kindest friend : neglect it, and it will be to all eternity your bitterest enemy.]
Consequent on these terrors were,