Can You Read the Handwriting on the Wall?
Notes
Transcript
Can You Read the Handwriting on the Wall?
Can You Read the Handwriting on the Wall?
1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand.
2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.
25 “And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN
26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;
27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;
28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
Here are some signs that didn’t quite communicate what the sign maker intended:
IN A LONDON DEPARTMENT STORE: Bargain Basement Upstairs
IN AN OFFICE: Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday kindly bring it back or further steps will be taken.
IN ANOTHER OFFICE: After the tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.
ON A CHURCH DOOR: This is the gate of heaven. Enter ye all by this door. (This door is kept locked because of the draft. Please use side entrance.)
OUTSIDE A SECOND-HAND SHOP: We exchange anything—bicycles, washing machines etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?
QUICKSAND WARNING: Quicksand. Any person passing this point will be drowned. By order of the District Council.
NOTICE IN A DRY CLEANER'S WINDOW: Anyone leaving their garments here for more than 30 days will be disposed of.
IN A HEALTH FOOD SHOP WINDOW: Closed due to illness.
SEEN DURING A CONFERENCE: For anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the first floor.
MESSAGE ON A BROCHURE: If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons.
ON A REPAIR SHOP DOOR: We can repair anything (Please knock hard on the door—the bell doesn't work.)
https://www.preaching.com/humor/signs-of-the-times/
Do you know the signs of the times?
32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;
When looking at the signs of the times, can you read the handwriting on the wall?
Are you looking through the same lens as God or has your vision become blurry? It is very important we look at the world as God does.
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
Would God say this of you? Do you commit to do the Lord’s will to the best of your ability?
We live in crazy times. We should take this opportunity to grow closer to the Lord. Spend time reading His word and praying.
There was a handwriting on the wall in which no one could read but Daniel. We, as a nation, have strayed so far away from God that we cannot read His handwriting. Even our most educated and most affluent are unable to read it.
One of my favorite Bibles is this Interlinear. It is a large Bible and it is well used. The spine is beginning to break down. I purchased this as part of a reference set I had to have when I went to North Central Bible College. It has the original text. Hebrew and Aramaic for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament. My dream and desire is to be able to read it from the original.
11 Ἄξιος εἶ, ὁ κύριος καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ ἅγιος, λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν· ὅτι σὺ ἔκτισας πάντα, καὶ διὰ τὸ θέλημά σου ἦσαν καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.
11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
I have started to learn the Koine Greek alphabet in which the New Testament was written in. I cannot read it right now because I do not speak the same language as the original.
They could not read it because their hearts had turned away from God. They could not speak the language of God Almighty. Their world view had not only come out of focus, in fact it was the extreme opposite to the things of God. Sounds familiar, does it not? Just like those during Daniel’s time. They had feasted on the pleasures of this world apart from God.
With the death of Belshazzar, part 2 of prophecy in Daniel 2 regarding the statue came to pass. The second part of the prophecy happened approximately 56 years after the dream was given. We need to be able to read the handwriting on the wall. This should motivate us to pray even more for those around us. For our families, friends, co-workers, communities, state, country, and world. The signs are all around us. None of us want to be found lacking. We want to continue in the will of God. We do not want the Lord to pass over us.
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
And take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me
http://www.songlyrics.com/keith-green/create-in-me-a-clean-heart-lyrics/
Conclusion:
Where do you sit on God’s scale? Are you viewing the world through the same lens as Jesus Christ or does it seem Greek to you? It is easy to make the change. God could not have made it easier. It really is as easy as A, B, C.
A. Acknowledge
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
B. Believe
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
C. Confess
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.