Is it the zombie uprising in Matthew 27? The seance in Endor where a ghost appears, frightens the medium and tells Saul he's going to die tomorrow morning? For me there's no contest; I love the story of Belshezzar's banquet.
For those who don't know the story:
Belshezzar was the king of Babylon, which at the time was the mightiest empire in the ancient world. The book of Daniel doesn't say much about Belshezzar, but it gives us the picture of a king who was impressed with himself and therefor given to self-indulgence.
During a feast, Belshezzar decided to impress his guests by bringing out the fine china, which in this case happened to be gold plates and cups that had been taken from the Temple in Jerusalem, and proposed a toast to the gods that made him so impressive.
When he had done this a hand appeared in the air and wrote four words on the wall: MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN.
The prophet Daniel was nearby and he translated the message, which had been written in Aramaic, and explained to the king what it all meant: "God has measured the days of you kingdom and brought it to an end. You have been weighed and found wanting. Your kingdom is to be taken from you, and given to the Medes and the Persians."
The Bible notes that that very night Darius the Mede entered Babylon, took the crown from Belshezzar and had him executed.
Like all good creepy stories, this one has a growing sense of foreboding to it. The party is going great, but a feeling of dread arises as the hand appears and draws tight as Daniel explains what it means. Belshezzar rewards Daniel for telling him what it means, but you get the sense it's because he doesn't know what else to do. He and all his revelers can feel the noose around their necks, and by the time the scaffolding drops out from beneath them it all has the sense of finality that comes with supernatural retribution.
A few things I enjoy about this story, beyond its night-around-the-campfire appeal.
One, there's a promise here that the wicked will not prosper forever. Sooner or later, they overstep themselves and ruin overtakes them.
Two, that's still no cause for celebration. Daniel took no joy in giving Belshezzar the warning he did. "Why do you look for the Day of the Lord?" another prophet asks in his own book. "That will be a day of terror, not of rejoicing." It doesn't take a genius to see that if Babylon falls, a lot of people are going to die and many others are going to suffer.
Three, there's some serious self-knowledge going on here. Daniel was pulled into the feast to advise the king because he had a reputation. He had served the previous king, and had been an official in the government of Babylon for most of his life. Whatever policies Babylon had kept, whatever it had done to maintain power, it's safe to say he bore some responsibility for forming and enforcing them, which meant he also carried some of the guilt.
Weigh, but weigh wisely and weigh generously. One day we all get measured.
Copyright © 2019 by David Learn. Used with permission.
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