The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 209

HOMILETICS. Ver. 6.-The writing on the wall. We have here a declaration of judgment, tho circumst11ncee, form, and effects of which are full of significance. I. 'l'HE cmcUMSTANCES OF TIIE DECLARATION OF JUDGMENT, 1. It was in the ldng's palace. The guards who may keep off the hum~n intruder cannot shut out t-he ?i,·i~e messeng~r. Jmlgment may find a !Dan in his own home (Isa. xu:vii. 38; eh. 1v. 29; Luke xn. 16). 2. It WI\S at a time of pleasure. The intoxication of pleasure may hlind us to approaching judgment., but cannot stay it. It is foolish to rrst our secmity on our experience of present enjoyment. The moment of greatest pleasure may hriug us to the brink of the deepest ruin. 3. It was in the midst of ~infu1 re11elry. Drunkennes9, profligacy, and profanity were rioting at the feast when the judgment came. So the sinner is sometimes summoned to judgment in the midst of his sins. It is a delusion to suppose that all of us will have good warning and time for repentancP, before we are called to meet the Judge. 4. It was under circumstances of gross neyligcnre. The enemy was at the gates ; yet the king was revelling in effeminate orgies. Negligence as to the danger into which our sins have brought us is its~lf a sin, and one which will meet with certain, merited punishment (Jer, vi. 14; Matt. xxiv. 38). IL T11E FORM OF THE DECLARATION OF JUDGMENT. 1. It was public. The message was not given to the king privately. It was written up on the wall of his banquet- chamber, in the presence of his courtiers. Sia may be secret; but judgment will be public (Luke xii. 3; 1 Cor. iv. 5). 2. It was silmt. There was no awakening trumpet- blast, but a silent hand writing on the wall. God often speaks quietly (1 Kings xix. 11, 12). This metho-1 is often the more impressive to the observing; and until we are observing, no method is of much use. It is most fitting in the solemn declaration of judgment. In speaking of future punishment, it is most seemly not to indulge in noisy declamation, but to use quiet, weighty words, bordering on awestruck silence. 3. It was decisive. Written words are more decisive than spoken words. 'rhey are generally more weighed. They are more endming. They admit of more study. lllustrate this by Pilate's reference to the superscription on the cross (John xix. 22). Apply it (1) to the written Bible; (2) lo the written book of judgment; (3) to the written names in heaven. 4. It was mysterious. The king and his courtiers and his wise men could not read the writing. All doom is mysterious till it falls. Scriptural intimations of doom are generally vague, though terrible. Note in particular (1) sinful indulgence blunts the spiritual sense for discerning Divine truth; (2) the language of heaven is an unknown tongue to the godless man; (3) God's revelations to the heathen need interpretation by his clearer revelations to his prophets and apostles. . III. THE EFFECT OF THE DECLARATION OF JUDGMENT. 1. It produced terror. The mystery aud superoatural character of the event alarmed the king and his courtiers (vers. 6-9). (1) Here is an instance of the common human weakness in presence of what appears to be supernatural-a weakness which is as great in the proudest monarch as in tbc lowest slave. Before the unseen we are level in our common humanity, (2) The terror was augmeuted by guilt. Sin fears to meet the spiritual world. (3) It was deepened by the surprise of uufamiliarity with the unseen. Daniel was in frequent converse with the other world, and could meet its messages with calmness. Belshazzar was buried in sensuality, and felt tbe first touch of the spiritual with the shrinking of startled horror. What alarm and confusion the engrossed sensualist will experience, when after death he wakes to his first vision of the spiritual I 2. It led to the intro- duction of the l,est CO'll,nsellor. Daniel bad been neglected by the dissolute king in favour of more congenial companies. Now he is sent for. Trouble is good if it ~eads to wisdom. Tbouah the wisdom which comes too late may only deepen the conscious- ness of our punishment, it must be better to meet this intelligently, than with the bliudoese of a bruw. OH, V, 1-31.] TIIE BOOK OF DANIEL. 175