The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 97

HOMILETICS. Ve1'13. 7-21.-The handwriting on the wall. Among the many dramatic scenes which invest the pages of Holy Scripture with such singular interest, and give them such a hold upon the minds of all who read them with intelligence, perhaps none is more striking than that depicted in the fifth chapter of the prophet Daniel. A gorgeous spectacle is there presented to our view. The monarch of one of those mighty Orientul monarchies, which were a fearful embodiment of irresponsible human power over the lives and destinies of millions, was sitting in high estate in the palace of bis kingdom ; around him were a thousand of the highest nobles of bis empire ; the walls of the banqueting ball were adorned with the symbols of his royal power, and the emblematic images of the Babylonian and Assyrian gods. Upon the king'a table were placed the golden and silver vessels which had once been used in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem-trophies of past victory to feed bis own pride with; trophies of the triumph of Bel and Nebo over the God of the Jews, with which to do l,omage to the gods of gold and silver, of brass and iron, of wood and stone. The wine sparkled in the goblets ; the halls rang with hymns of blasphemous praise; insolent mirth, and voluptuous luxury, and security of power, and pride of domin- ion kept their high revel with audacious pomp. All faces were flushed with wine, all hearts beat high with self-confidence and arrogant success. One would have thought they held a lease of their power and pleasure for the term of eternity. 'l'he revel was at his height, when suddenly but noiselessly there came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and upon the wall just opposite the king's throne, on which the lamps were throwing the full glare of light, wrote the fatal words, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. The agony that passed over the king's face, the tumultuous terror of his heart, the smiting of his trembling knees, the frightened cry for the aetrolo- gers and magicians, the impotent honours to the servant of the living God, the break- ing up of the festival the consternation of the company, were but the prelude to what the sacred write; records with such pithy brevity. "In that night was Belshaz- zar the king of the ChaldeanP. slain, and Darius the Median took the kingdom." Not very different in ite spirit, though dressed in _such a different garb, is !he _moral of the history in the verees which form the subject of our present med1tatwn. By 1reachery, by wholeeale fratricide, and by the help of the vainest and lightest in the land, the worthless Abimelech had risen to that place of kingly power 'A'.hich his great and patriotic father had refused to occupy. He had sought and obtamed the co-operalion of the idolatroue party among the people, he had appealed to the self- i~lrness of the Shechemites, he had freely scattered qribes, and by such meam he lrnd oLtained the desire of his heart, All seemed safe and prosperous, when frorn CB. IX. 7-21.] THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 103