The Writing Is On The Wall

Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful king. So far in the book of Daniel, our main characters have only dealt with his reign as king, but now in chapter 5, we are introduced to another king— Belshazzar. There are a couple interesting stories and facts within this chapter- one actually surrounds this king— who here during this story— isn’t actually king at all yet.

Belshazzar’s actual father (v. 2) was Nabonidus, who had come to the throne through a coup and did not belong to the royal line.

John Goldingay

Nabonidus, the last ruler of the Babylonian empire, spent much of his time away from the kingdom on foreign expeditions, and Belshazzar his son remained at Babylon as his co-regent.

J. Vernon McGee

One part of the context we need to explain is that Belshazzar isn’t actually Neb’s son by bloodline, but is probably is at best a grandson or grandson in law—He may have married into the royal line. When the bible mentions Neb as “your father”, it’s referring to the royal line of rulers. Your predecessor-- We do know from even the Babylonian Chronicles written during that time that Belshazzar only ruled a fairly short time— And we will soon find out why---There were some assassinations and changes in the time between Neb and Bel— We have a new king to meet— and we also have a whole different political system also— in Neb’s time— Babylon was basically secure.

But we have a great contrast here in placing chapters 4 and 5 right next to each other, but the general themes are quite similar.

In each scene we have a king, who is with his noble subjects—

and we have praise begin offered.

If you remember last week— Neb lost it all, but was restored when he acknowledged God’s power and His position as the Most High God of all the universe.

The Big Idea today:

Kingdoms (and people) will be weighed on God’s scale, and those who are found lacking have only one destiny— nowhere.

Belshazzar’s situation is quite different from Nebuchadnezzar's. History tells us that the city in Bels time is under siege, meaning that a great army— or in this case Two great kingdom’s have him surrounded. And if they have the city of Babylon surrounded— that might imply that they actually have taken over all the rest - or most of the rest of the kingdom!

Each are kings— and are hanging out with the nobles and leaders— but the praise we see in each situation is quite different. Watch for that.

What should we do when you’ve got a huge threatening army surrounding your city? What strategy or plans should you employ to deal with the stress of this situation?

Disregard the danger— and just create a distraction.

A Dangerous Distraction (v.1-4)

Daniel 5:1–3 “1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.”

The king makes two fatal mistakes: worshiping the wrong things, and mocking the one that deserves honor.

The king misuses the sacred vessels of Israel.

Why would the king through a party at this time?

He had so much confidence. They can touch us. Sometimes we too think we are secure. It’s very human of us to believe we can handle it.

He also wanted/needed a distraction. He, like us, seek anything we can to get our minds off what is most important— because it’s difficult. Lets admit it. We turn to things that will distract us.

This party makes a very dangerous mistake. They take the sacred items captured from the Temple in Jerusalem, and use them to party with. As a demonstration of their might and power over the nation of Israel, the king defiles those things with his revelry and rebellion.

The king chooses to worship idols of gold and silver. (v.4)

Daniel 5:4 NIV

4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

“We won’t have any problems with the Medes and Persians”… We worship what we have created, rather than acknowledge that God created it, and worship Him.

God sees it from heaven.

Like if someone wants to mock us today or here in our area because we believe in Jesus— that’s fine, I guess we have to deal with that. And there are certainly many opportunities to mock Christians around the world, because we probably do some dumb stuff sometimes. But when we see someone mocking God— that’s dangerous territory.

A Divine Disclosure (v.5-9)

In the same hour...

Daniel 5:5 NIV

5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.

There’s the scene— it’s like a movie. A mysterious hand— not the whole body— but probably a giant hand, that is writing on the wall.

God has something to say.

They partied hard, they had forgotten the events of the past, and God intervene’s again.

Some of you think this is silly— like how could that really happen. I don’t know— some of you may be saying “I wish God would reach his hand out and write me the message that I’m supposed to hear”.

You know what— I have an answer for both of you:

THE BIBLE>

God has indeed given us the greatest collection of inspired handwriting we could ever need.

If Belshazzar would have paid attention to what God has written down in the Hebrew scriptures, and in his predecessor’s life— He would never have had to see the writing on his walls, infront of all the nobles and leaders of the entire kingdom.

I don’t want to give it completely away— but what we are going to find out is written here on the wall? It’s not “I Love you”. No- Belshazzar had reverted back to the old ways of Nebuchadnezzar his forefather before his conversion— Belshazzar had already rejected what God had already sent as a message.

Let me tell you— you don’t want to receive the dramatic writing on the wall type of instruction— you want to just follow what God has ALREADY revealed to us— right here!

You realize this is where we get that phrase in our language “The writing is on the wall”… That’s from the bible dude. Yeah— and what does it actually mean? It’s over. It’s already done. What ever is written on the wall is surely going to happen— it’s already happen. The writing is on the wall.

So how does he react?

Daniel 5:6 NIV

6 His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

The king is alarmed when a hand appears to write a message on the wall.

Why was he so shocked?

He couldn’t understand it. Conscious told him something wasn’t right. He reacts by offering a GREAT reward (3rd in the kingdom) to anyone who can interpret this for him. (why 3rd? Because he already was second!)

Daniel 5:8 NIV

8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

v.8 All the kings horses and all the kings men...

They could NOT read the writing. Maybe it was simply written in Hebrew! They couldn’t understand it.

The king needed someone to read and understand it— and to be able to interpret it! The king needed someone to explain the significance of the words— and the application of the words. That’s kind of like what we’re doing here right now! I’m helping you, helping us, to read and understand the significance of the Bible— and then we pray for the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance to show us the application of God’s word to your life!

You may know some truths from the bible. But do you understand and apply those truths to your life? That’s our goal in helping develop disciples of Jesus. We need to hold each other accountable, and encourage each other regularly—

The queen actually mentions Daniel, and his expertise in stuff like this: V. 10-11-12

Daniel 5:10–12 “10 The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.””

Historians would actually suggest that this might be Belshazzar’s mother in law. The queen mother. She’s probably not participating in the party— she comes in and throws them a bone of wisdom.

She points out that he might be able to read it.

So they throw up the bat-signal, and they call Daniel in. (v.13)

When everything was going great, they ignored Daniel. But when something interrupts the party— who ya gonna call?

Daniel is recognized in the kingdom of Babylon:

The Spirit of God was with him.

He had wisdom and knowledge

He could solve problems.

King Bel even offers to promote and give him gifts to interpret the writing.

I’m guessing it was written in Hebrew— an easy read for our Exile from Jerusalem!

A Dire Destiny (v.25-28)

Daniel 5:17 NIV

17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

“I need nothing from you”. Let the gifts go to someone else. I’ll tell you what it says.

A man who truly trusts God doesn’t need anything from the world.

I don’t need your wealth, or your prestige, your authority. My God owns it all already.

There is something powerful about a person fully relying on God.

Daniel 5:18 NIV

18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.

v.18 Remember Neb? That’s a story you should have heeded. You may fancy yourself as a king like Neb, but you are nothing like him.

V. 21

God’s message to Bel:

You should have learned from Neb. V.22-23 You lifted yourself up above God.

You should have learned humility from Neb.

Daniel 5:22–23 “22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.”

Daniel instructs the king that he should have learned from King Neb.

Bel not only just didn’t glorify God— he actually defies the God of heaven. (The same God who owns your life in his hand.)

It was notable here that Bel had all the knowledge available to him, but he didn’t learn it— and he didn’t do it.

Bels ways should have worked toward God’s glory— but instead Bels ways defied God, and went as far as to blaspheme Him-=- to outright offend the one who holds our life in His hands.

God holds all our lives. Isn’t it pretty humbling to realize how fragile and finite human life is. Have you come to face that in your life yet? What are you attempting to do with your life? Are you attempting to do something that builds up God’s glory— or are you tearing it down?

God holds all that. And because He holds all that— He deserves our honor, our praise, and our worship. I know I’m sounding like a broken record here these last few weeks, but I need to speak to the human condition— the sinful nature fights all of what these passages hold.

And I don’t need to talk to you as Christians— I can just talk to us all as “Creatures” — created beings. You are a man or a woman, created in God’s image— and even if you don’t believe there is a God at all— we owe you honor and respect— but even more important, we all owe HIM our worship, respect and honor.

I was able to participate in evangelistic discussions when I was in college. We would usually visit events or special traffic areas of our campus and hand out flyers for our meetings— simply inviting people to our services— Sometimes we would get questions, and develop relationships by discussing questions people may have had about faith in Jesus.

One of the greatest comeback lines I’ve ever heard was spoken by a buddy of mine on one of these days:

“What if I don’t believe in God?”

“Whether you believe in God or not doesn’t dictate His existence”

That’s what I would want this nation to hear today. That’s what I want Walnut Creek Mennonite Church to represent in the world we live in. We serve a God who transcends our circumstances. We all will be weighed in that scale at the end times. That this life is Not all about us. That includes witnessing to the truth of life as we know it. That is what Daniel is doing here. He does it with grace, but directness. He doesn’t mix words.

We are called to be lights that shine in the darkness of this world, in this time— exactly like our ancestors did in their times and in their places.

Story of Stephen- Acts 6 and 7.

Acts 7:51 NIV

51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

Acts 7:52 NIV

52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—

Acts 7:53 NIV

53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

Stephen spoke as an outsider that day. He spoke with passion and he spoke the truth. And he was killed for it.

I love the way the bible is written. It’s so well written. We’ve taken all this time, and so now in v.25.

Daniel 5:25–28 NIV

25 “This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin 26 “Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. 28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

(Menae, Menae, Tekeel, Parseen.)

The first term has to do with “counting”— or “numbering”.

“You’ve been counted— your life and your reign have been marked out”

The second term has to do with being weighed on a scale—

“You’ve been weighed on a scale— and found to be too light— found to be wanting.”

The third term has to do with something being divided, or “parsed”.

“This whole kingdom is about to fall and it will be divided up— in this case among the Medes and the Persians. “ The very armies that are outside your doorstep right now.

God’s measurement is always proper and accurate.

He doesn’t put His finger on the scale against us. He is a JUST God.

Take a look here at my scale— we could put the worship and respect due to God on one side— and Belshazzar— you’ve been found to be too light. You’re a light-weight.

Maybe you might feel like you would be too light today also. I know I would. But this passage sets us up to consider one of the greatest concepts of our faith:

Atonement: reconciliation between two entities.

If we put what God is owed in honor, love, and worship on one side of the scale— we would be lacking.

If we put what God expects of us in holiness and obedience to Him on one side of that scale— we would be lacking.

If we put all of our good works, all of our own strength or courage, or our very soul and will on that side opposite all that— we would still be lacking.

You are always goin to be actually lacking on that scale— without Jesus.

Jesus is the only way to balance the scales of God.

A father of our Mennonite faith is Menno Simons. In 1539-40 he wrote these powerful words, describing what atonement meant to him:

"Through the merits of your blood we receive the remission of our sins according to the riches of your grace. Yes through this blood on the Cross He reconciled all upon earth and in heaven above. Therefore, dear Lord, I confess that I have no remedy for my sins, no works nor merits, but the precious blood of your beloved Son alone which is bestowed upon me by You and has graciously redeemed me, a poor sinner, through mere grace and love, from my former walk.” Menno Simons, Foundations of Christian Doctrine