how do you explain the inexplicable?

 We have read how Belshazzar was terrified by the mysterious hand writing on the wall, now we see his response as he responds to the shock;

7*The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” *8*Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. *9*Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his colour changed, and his lords were perplexed. 

Daniel 5:7–9.

Can you see his desperation?

The king is so alarmed that in the midst of the celebration he ‘cries aloud’, surely an unnerving response for a king. Then he orders the infamous wise men to come, they are summoned by the king’s command in the midst of the celebration. These worldly experts are are faced with the terrified king, a grand audience and are requested to read and interpret some mysterious writing. Doesn’t sound like such a tough job - to read something, but they cannot. They too are puzzled by this writing and the terror of the king increases as he realises his own intellect and that of the 'experts' has been outwitted. Where else can he turn?

The very people that are meant to be able to help, to bring answers and comfort have nothing. Known for their arts, knowledge and understanding, what a disappointment the 'wise' must have been to themselves and the king as they are shown not to be able to even read! What a contrast to what the king, the thousand people present and even the wise men expected. 

This is what can result when we rely on worldly things - whether that be understanding, material goods or even 'experts' - we, at some point, will be disappointed and let down. The king already felt; scared, confused and terrified, he became more so as he realised that all the resources he was dependent on failed. There are times when all the explanations, reasonings and insights are not enough, when they do not provide answers that suffice - .what then?

Are you prepared to put aside your dependence on your own understanding, and consider that there is something ‘out of this world’ going on? That even, perhaps, there IS a God that is trying to get your attention by allowing you to see that your resources - however vast, experienced, and dependable they have previously seemed - are not enough. Or do you decide to bury those events deep inside and not even face them because you cannot comprehend them? Having to live without the answer. 

King Belshazzar was not prepared to do that - he did all he could to seek out what this event meant. He used all of his resources, and those of others he knew, and still he was left ‘greatly alarmed’, and others also became ‘perplexed’ as there seems to be no reasonable explanation. Where do you go then?