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Belshazzar's Feast
Belshazzar, the last ruler of Babylon when it fell to the Medes and Persians, held a feast to his pagan gods on the night his fortified city state was invaded. Some historians, like Berosus and Abydenus, say the last king was Nabonidus who surrendered in Borsippa, however this happened after the fall of the capital. Beshazzar was co-regent with his father and historian Xenophon confirms the Biblical account of Belshazzar's end.
On that last night of Belshazzar's life, he was holding a feast to his pagan gods, so sure was he of his city's fortifications. He had the vessels from the Jerusalem Temple brought out for his party and was profaning their sanctification when, "suddenly terrified with the appearance of the fingers of a man's hand, which wrote a few words on the wall before him" he became so scared he browned his britches, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, "Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel." (Isaiah 45)
Every detail of this prophecy was fulfilled on this fateful night, because just as God's hand had written on the wall, Belshazzar had been weighed in the balances and found wanting (Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin). Because none of the king's astrologers had been able to read the writing, the Queen-Mother suggested that Daniel be brought in for the interpretation. Daniel informs the king with indelicacy that although Nebuchadnezzar had learned to honor the LORD, and the LORD had blessed him for it, Belshazzar was lacking all the finer traits of his grandfather. This very night Darius the Mede would receive the kingdom of Babylon as viceroy from Cyrus on the occasion of Belshazzar's death. This great event had been prophesied by Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah. The historians Herodotus and Xenophon inform us how the great river Euphrates had been diverted and the invading troops waded through the shallowed motes and into the city without even a fight. Indeed, God's word is true. Let God be true, but every man a liar (Rom 3:4).
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