Pride had led Belshazzar to choose to forget all the history that had happened to his Grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar. Being one third prophecy, God in His word, has given us a grand panorama of history spanning thousands of years. As we have seen everything fall into place as foretold by an all-knowing God, we can have absolute confidence in the small amount yet to be fulfilled. Unfortunately, pride can lead us to ignore the facts of history (which in the end is His story) and lead us to deny the living God, just as Belshazzar and his lords did. Instead of allowing the facts of history to confirm the prophetic statements of the Bible, many choose to escape the lessons of history by drowning their convictions in alcohol, immorality, sports, media and the other gods of this world.

The fall of Babylon was a highly improbable event. Some may see the end of the world with the same improbability. But as wit Belshazzar, “the writing is on the wall!”

Nebuchadnezzar had rebuilt and fortified the city. The Hanging Gardens were an ancient wonder of the times. He added a new city to the inner city and connected it with a permanent bridge. He surrounded the new city with a double wall and moat, and a moat that protected the inner city. The walls were estimated to be 30mtrs high and 10 metres thick. The wall stretched for kilometres. The gates to the city were made of solid brass. Babylon would have been the largest city of antiquity.

It is estimated that the city held provisions that could last up to 20 years in the event of a siege. The land within the city limits was sufficient to furnish food indefinitely. Sitting on the Euphrates river, it had an endless water supply. In the minds of its inhabitants, Babylon was impregnatable and undefeatable. When Cyrus and his army arrived, the inhabitants threw food from the wall at his army.

The Medo-Persian army was growing strong but, but to the Babylonians, it was nothing to fear. Belshazzar new that the city could not be taken by any conventional means of warfare known at the time. So he threw a grand party for a thousand of his lords. (You can read the whole story in Daniel 5.) Cyrus divergence of the river was a marvellous feat of engineering. In October 539 the handwriting with the finger of God appeared on the wall.
The fall of Babylon, prophesied by Isaiah in chapter 44 and 45 of his chronical, was highly improbable – almost impossible. 150 years before the event took place, the prophet Isaiah predicted with stunning accuracy not only the fall of Babylon but also how the city would be breached.

Predicting the nations demise and the drying up of the river, would make this event almost impossible to predict. At this point, we need to remember that this ancient story is another amazing example of what sets the Bible apart from all other forms of literature and communication. As we have been elaborating, the highly improbable nature of these prophecies, with at least seven specific predictions points not only to the existence of God but also to the Bible as being His communication to us. Only the Bible gives evidence of the test that only God can pass.

Belshazzar felt safe within the walls of Babylon and scoffed at the idea that Cyrus had any chance of invading the city. This general feeling of peace and safety characterizes many today who feel secure within their own religious, political, or philosophical walls, but they are no more prepared for the end of things than was Belshazzar. What is stopping you from entering into a relationship with Him?