Belshazzar, awed by this representation of God’s power, showing that they had a witness, though they knew it not, had had great opportunities of knowing the works of the living God, and His power, and of doing His will. He had been privileged with much light. His grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had been warned of his danger in forgetting God and glorifying himself. Belshazzar had a knowledge of his banishment from the society of men, and his association with the beasts of the field; and these facts, which ought to have been a lesson to him, he disregarded, as if they had never occurred; and he went on repeating the sins of his grandfather. He dared to commit the crimes which brought God’s judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was condemned, not alone that he himself was doing wickedly, but that he had not availed himself of opportunities and capabilities, if cultivated, of being right. {TM 436.1}

Beltsazzar vidste, skræmt ved denne fremstilling af Guds kraft, at de havde et vidne, skønt de ikke vidste det har de haft store anledninger til at kende den levende Guds gerninger, og hans kraft, og til at gøre hans vilje. Han har været begunstiget med meget lys. Hans bedstefar Nebukadnezar, har været advaret i hans fare for at glemme Gud og forherlige sig selv. Beltsazzar havde et kendskab til hans forvisning fra menneskers fællesskab, og hans samvær med markens firbenede dyr; og disse kendsgerninger, der burde have været en lektie for ham, så han bort fra, som havde de aldrig forekommet; og han fortsatte med at gentage hans bedstefaders synd. Han vovede at begå de forbrydelser som bragte Guds domme over Nebukadnezar. Han var dømt, ikke alene fordi han selv (437) gjorde det onde, men også at han ikke havde benyttet sig af sine anledninger og evner, hvis de var opelskede til at være rigtige.