There has never been a birth as meaningful and significant as the birth of Jesus Christ. In His infinite wisdom and perfect plan, God chose Nazareth under His divine decree as part of His eternal purpose. Although each person acted freely, everything unfolded precisely as He intended. When we look at the events of life, we must see them through the lens of God’s providence, understanding that His hand is in every detail. In His glorious majesty, God chose to humble Himself, to step down and dwell among us. He endured humiliation for our sake, setting aside the splendor of heaven to fulfill His promise to redeem us. The angel’s words, “Do not be afraid,” offer a profound sense of comfort and hope, a light that pierces through even the deepest darkness. The fulfillment of God’s promises should fill us with wonder, even as we realize these promises were foretold long ago. Salvation is no longer a distant hope or shadowed by prophecy—it is here, present with us in Jesus Christ. He is the long-expected Savior, and His coming changes everything. The light of Christ has entered the world, and the darkness cannot and will not overcome it.

This passage reveals the reality of sinful humanity apart from God’s grace. King Belshazzar, despite knowing the lessons from Nebuchadnezzar, hardened his heart, openly defied God, and pursued idolatry. Outwardly, he displayed the confidence of a king, but inwardly, he was fearful and empty. A hardened heart suppresses the truth, rejecting the light of God. The more light that is rejected, the greater the judgment. Belshazzar’s sin and rebellion brought him under God’s just hand, and when judgment came, it was too late. Scripture reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. None of us measure up on our own. But the good news is this: Christ has done what we could not. By His perfect righteousness, the scales are balanced in our favor. As Paul writes, “For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar’s defiance of God reaches its peak as he uses sacred temple vessels to worship false gods during a drunken feast. With Babylon under siege, his actions show arrogance, blasphemy, and a complete lack of fear of the Lord. God’s judgment comes swiftly and decisively as the mysterious writing on the wall foretells the kingdom’s fall. Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who humbled himself and found mercy, Belshazzar’s hardened heart leads only to destruction.