Tag: Belshazzar

The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 4-6

Devotion by John Tullis (Ohio)

Have you ever heard someone say “I see the writing on the wall…”? 

Sometimes the truth of a situation can be so obvious and plain that we can do nothing but accept it as reality.  After the reign of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, his son Belshazzar took the Babylonian throne (Daniel 5:1-2).  As a son, he no doubt saw the amazing transformation of his father from a king who worshipped gods of gold and silver to a devoted worshipper of the one True Living God (Daniel 4).  But he failed to acknowledge God as the source of his wealth and power.  Instead, Belshazzar gave praise and thanksgiving to the old gods of his father Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:4).  As a consequence, The One True Living God (our God Yahweh) decided to destroy the Babylonian empire because of the sinfulness of its leader, King Belshazzar. 

What Belshazzar needed to read was “the writing on the wall”.  Daniel tells us that the “fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace” (Daniel 5:5).  The king was terrified and pleaded for someone to help him understand the writing that had appeared on the wall.  Once again, Daniel was brought before the king to interpret the strange message – Mene, Mene, Tekel, Peres.

As we have seen, Daniel was a devoted follower of the One True Living God.  All the days of his captivity in Babylon, Daniel had been richly blessed by God.  Daniel was able to read the writing on the wall.   He delivered the terrible message that Belshazzar would be brought to an end, that he had been found guilty of sin, and that his kingdom would fall to his enemies.  Stunned by the message, Belshazzar rewarded Daniel for his honesty and skill in deciphering the message.  That very night, the king would be killed by the enemies of Babylon, the Medes and Persians.

It is difficult to face the truth of sin in our lives.  Each of us, like Belshazzar, has been “weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27).  Each of us has been found guilty by God because of the sin that is in each of us.  His word says that each of us has sinned and fallen far short of God’s glorious, holy standards (Romans 3:23).  Like Belshazzar, we deserve to suffer the consequence of that sin (Romans 6:23).  But God desires to offer His grace to each of us.  He wants to forgive us of our sin and restore us to a right relationship.  He gave us this chance by delivering up His only Son to be the “atoning sacrifice” to take away our sin (Romans 3:25).  Though we deserve spiritual and eternal separation from God, He graciously offers to us a path of salvation.  Some believe that Nebuchadnezzar may have submitted himself to the one True God.  This new faith in God could have resulted in his redemption.  God himself refers to Nebuchadnezzar three times as his “servant” (Jeremiah 25:9, 27:6, and 43:10).  Perhaps, just maybe he was a recipient of God’s amazing grace. 

The message is so clear and is freely given to each of us.  It is as if He wrote the message clearly upon the walls of our hearts and minds (Ezekiel 36:27-28).  The message of grace, freely given by God, to offer us salvation and adoption into His family – through faith (Ephesians 2:8).  This very moment, will you read the “writing on the wall” and place your faith in the Son of God, for the forgiveness of sin?

Questions for Discussion:

  1. Why did God continue to bless Daniel during the reign of three different kings?
  2. Why do you suppose Belshazzar fully accepted Daniel’s interpretation of the writing on the wall?
  3. Daniel consistently stood for God despite dangerous opposition.  How can you faithfully submit to God in your situations?
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Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks

OLD TESTAMENT: Daniel 5

Poetry: Psalm 136

NEW TESTAMENT: John 8:48-59

Can I tell you a secret? I *loathe* the nickname “Turkey Day” for Thanksgiving. 

Sure, the big bird is special to the day and to the success of the first colonist. Sure, Ben Franklin thought the bird was “a Bird of Courage.” But there is much more to Thanksgiving than the protein. 

In a world of many gods, like Babylon, feasting and reveling for the glory of a deity was common. Sometimes, in the ancient world, the Kings would claim to be gods, or children of the gods, and would show their superiority over “other” gods and people by belittling the symbols of those gods. Belshazzar, the final king of Babylon, showed his contempt for Almighty God and God’s people by allowing his guests at his drunken feasts to eat and drink out of the Temple treasures that were in Babylon. In Daniel 5:4, we read “They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.” 

However, God does not take kindly when the glory due him is given to another. Therefore, because they are using God’s Temple’s treasures while worshipping other gods, God decides to give Belshazzar and his kingdom and his treasures to others, the Medes and the Persians. Daniel tells Belshazzar, “the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, and sets over it whom he will.” 

Thanksgiving was instituted by George Washington on October 3rd, 1789. Read this declaration to see why he instituted it : “Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being [i.e., Almighty God], who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. 

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.”

President Washington desired for his Nation to thank the true God, not the gods of this world, but the “glorious Being,” the subject of “true religion and virtue”. Thanksgiving was instituted, not just to feel grateful but to give thanks to the only God, the God who is there, the God who is present in the affairs of this world and in the life of this nation and in the prosperity and peace of humankind. Today is and should be a day of feasting and merriment for all our many blessings. In the midst of all the joy of this holiday, be sure to give thanks, sincerely and humbly, to the Almighty, the Most High God. 

Happy *Thanksgiving*!

Growing deeper:

Are you thankful for your blessings? If we aren’t conscious, we could miss them. Today, don’t answer questions but make a list and try to think of every blessing in your life. Number them and see how high you can make your list. Don’t forget the blessings that might be too small to consider (aren’t eyelashes amazing?) and the blessings that might be too big to see (you are able to read this, so you have life, a computer or phone, and access to the internet, plus electricity…). The list grows quickly.

-Jake Ballard

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The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5-6

     The kingdom of God is political.  It is political because it begs the question, “Who or what will rule over you.”  Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer: “Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  God Himself is moving history to an inevitable conclusion.  A day is coming when the kingdoms of this world will be overwhelmed by the sudden arrival of the kingdom of God.  Remember, God has ultimate control.  In the meantime, however, God gives the authority to govern to various kings, presidents, and prime ministers.  However, all politicians beware.  You will be judged by the God of the universe.  You will be measured according to the LORD’s standard.  God has given you authority and He also can take it away.

     Consider the case of the foolish King Belshazzar.  Belshazzar was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, but he was nothing like his grandfather.  The Babylonian Empire had declined because Belshazzar lacked wisdom and the talent to rule effectively.  Above all, Belshazzar did not fear the God of Israel.  Belshazzar threw a huge blow-out party for all his nobles.  It was a night of drinking and frivolity.  It is believed these events took place in 539 B.C.  At the time, a huge Persian army surrounded the city of Babylon.  Belshazzar was not worried for he believed himself to be safe behind the imposing walls of the city.  Ignoring the threat outside, Belshazzar threw this huge party.  In fact, it is believed that whole city was in the midst of a huge festival. 

When Belshazzar was feeling his wine, he ordered that the vessels that had been taken from the LORD’s temple in Jerusalem be brought to this feast.  They used these sacred cups to drink toasts to the idols of Babylon.  Those in the banquet hall were shocked to see a hand writing a message on the wall.  Belshazzar’s knees knocked together with fright.  Daniel was summoned to interpret the message for it was somewhat mysterious.  Daniel informed Belshazzar of a very simple truth in Daniel 5:21: “…the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes….”   Also, Daniel openly chastised Belshazzar.  Belshazzar had toasted the dumb idols, but “….the God in whose hand are your life breath and all your ways, you have not glorified….”(Daniel 5:23).  King Belshazzar, in his arrogance, had insulted the King of the universe.  The rulers of this earth cannot ignore God without serious consequences.

What about the message on the wall?   It was a short message from the LORD Himself to Belshazzar: “MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN.”  The words themselves are common words that might be heard in the marketplaces of Babylon.  MENE means count.  TEKEL means weigh.  UPHARSIN or its other verb form PERES mean divide (make change).  The message to Belshazzar is that God has judged him.  God has counted his every deed.  God has weighed him in the balance and Belshazzar has come up short.  God has taken the kingdom from him and given it to the Persians.  History tells us that the Persian army, on that very night, had diverted the Euphrates River which flowed through the city of Babylon.  The Persians entered the city undetected.  Belshazzar was killed that night.   Even the rulers of this world are subject to the God of the universe.  Those who rule in defiance of the ways of righteousness will eventually face the consequences while God will bless those who honor Him.

-Scott Deane

Read or listen to today’s Bible reading plan passages at BibleGateway.com here – Daniel 5-6 and Psalm 142-144

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