"So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not 259 rich toward God." The picture is true for all time. You may plan for merely selfish good, you may gather together treasure, you may build mansions great and high, as did the builders of ancient Babylon; but you cannot build wall so high or gate so strong as to shut out the messengers of doom. Belshazzar the king "feasted in his palace," and "praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone." But the hand of One invisible wrote upon his walls the words of doom, and the tread of hostile armies was heard at his palace gates. "In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain," and an alien monarch sat upon the throne. (Dan. 5:30)

"Således går det den, som samler sig skatte, men ikke er rig hos Gud." Dette billede passer på alle tider Du kan indrette dit liv alene for at glæde dig selv, du kan samle dig skatte, du kan bygge store og flotte paladser ligesom babylonierne i fordums dage, men du kan ikke bygge en mur så høj eller en port så stærk, at den kan lukke dommens budbærere ude. Kaldæerkongen Belsazzar "gjorde et stort gæstebud" i sit palads og "priste deres guder af guld, sølv, kobber jern, træ og sten". Men den Usynliges hånd skrev dommen over ham på væggen, og lyden af de fjendtlige hæres trampen hørtes ved paladsets porte. "Men samme nat blev Belsazzar kaldæernes konge, dræbt," og en fremmed hersker kom til at sidde på hans trone.