How Courage Overcomes | The Writing on the Wall

Today marks the fourth message in our series Loyalty: How Courage Overcomes, our study through the book of Daniel.

As we continue making our way through this unfolding narrative, chapter 5 brings us to a “C’mon Man.”

You know, the moment when the stuff hits the fan, when time runs out, and you gotta pay attention. A few ESPN commentators made this phrase famous. Check it out…

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Well, it’s time for the franchise. Come on, man. You guys delivered last week, so let’s see how you go on your second try. Matt, you’re off the top. Let’s go! Come on, man, let’s go! Texas high school football. Stafford High School. Texas A&M commit, Hezekiah Jones, on the punt return here. Makes a sweet move…. Oh! Oh! Oooh! Nice! Oh! Look good! Oh, he’s rolling. Oh! Check out the end there. He slows down thinking he’s got a TD (touchdown). Check it out. Looks like an owl. Turns his head. And he…… Ohhhh! And the runner blows him up at the one (yard line). Watch again. Checking out the cheerleaders. That’s not going to fly at College Station next year! Come on, man!

Recently, I went through one of these moments myself.

Not long ago my baby boy, Levi, completely changed the dynamics of our family.

One morning, my wife laid him on his back to play on his mat, and without warning, he kicked his leg up in the air and made a slow motion barrel roll onto his side... and then onward to his tummy - all 20 pounds of baby boy tissue and bone made the slow motion roll over.

In an instant, our world changed forever.

To the untrained eye this seems like a good thing, and it is! It’s a great thing! My boy just rolled over! We celebrated and cheered and gave him big hugs and kisses. But to the experienced parent, the amount of mobile kids in our home - boom (snap fingers) - just doubled without warning!

For the first time, my wife and I entered into man-to-man defense, and she quickly reminded me that we need to “PAY ATTENTION” to where we set him down from this moment forward.

Once I sat him on the couch, make sure you ‘pay attention’ my wife told me. He could roll off the couch.

Another time I sat him on the ottoman, just want to remind you to ‘pay attention’ my wife said to me. He could roll off the ottoman.

But then… one morning… in the absence of my wife, I sat him down on our elevated bed. I walked away for what felt like the briefest moment, and then… scream!

He had rolled off our bed, onto our hardwood floor, and landed against our bedroom wall.

C’mon man!

Dad of the year. I’ll be standing off to the side to give pro-dad tips after the experience.

Now, my boy’s a tank, and he was laughing within moments, but the lesson for me stands:

Where do you need to place your attention?

Who needs your attention?

And what warnings do you need to follow?

Because at some point, time runs out and you need to give an account of your actions.

Our narrative continues in Daniel chapter 5 with a man named King Belshazzar who was quickly arriving to his ‘C’mon Man!’ moment.

Please follow along with me, beginning in verse 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. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

This slice of history opens with a playboy party of unadulterated opulence hosted by Belshazzar who’s eating and drinking with a thousand of his nobles, alongside his countless wives and concubines.

As tradition records, a worthy king never hosted a banquet in his honor. His nobles would assume that responsibility.

The author clearly stated that Belshazzar hosted this banquet, which signifies that Belshazzar only intended to celebrate Belshazzar and his perceived power and wealth. He followed in the ways of his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, leading with his arrogance and pride, not caring for the Kingdom in which he served.

New king, same issue.

And to further accentuate his own fame, Belshazzar called for the sacred gold and silver goblets that King Nebuchadnezzar stole from the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Belshazzar and all of nobles and women drank wine from them and desecrated these sacred objects before all in attendance, while worshipping idols of dirt and stone.

This single act of defiance in front of Babylon’s elite demonstrated before everyone in his presence that Belshazzar thought of himself as the one and only god-king.

‘C’mon man!

This guy’s ego thermometer broke the glass.

Belshazzar without question elevated himself above all others and authorities. In his mind, Belshazzar was god. Period.

As we make our way through this chapter, I want you to think deeply upon this question: What parts of your life do you elevate above God?

Your paycheck?

Home?

Marriage?

Kids?

Or the hope of marriage or kids?

What do you elevate above God? And Pay attention to what comes to mind, for whatever you place above God promises to eventually crash down upon you.

You are too small to live for yourself.

How do I know this? From personal experience… But listen to what happened to Belshazzar in the very next verse:

Suddenly [[[and here this gets a bit hard to believe, so stay with me and listen to how God works this out]]] the fingers of a human hand appeared. God wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lamp stand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

Belshazzar... meet the one, true God of the Universe. Given his physical reaction, Belshazzar knew he met more than his match.

In fact, the Hebrew phrase “his knees were knocking” literally translates as Belshazzar ‘pooped his pants’ … Quite a contrast from a few moments earlier when he flaunted his own perceived power as the god-king...

But the presence of God’s hand reached beyond just Belshazzar. For the believers who heard what happened, this event restored God to the rightful place of power and authority.

For 70 years, Babylon asserted its power and will over Israel, making them slaves in the kingdom. Babylon destroyed their hope and decimated their entire worldview when its army invaded Israel and destroyed their Temple, effectively killing God. As a result, the people of Israel believed God laid dead in those ruins thousands of miles away back home.

Nebuchadnezzar forced their allegiance to him and his gods, and Belshazzar did the same.

But the hand of God declared something altogether different: that God could never be destroyed by any force on earth...

I am acutely aware, however, of how many people today still believe the same way as the Israelites did back then… that God lays dead in the ruins of their life.

Killed by some person… some idea… some situation… some unexplainable circumstance… some overwhelming grief that challenged your understanding… some power greater than you and your worldview that crushed you and left your idea of God dead in the ruins…

I think many people who attend church today think of God in much the same way as the Israelites did back then… just as God lived in the Temple, some of you might think that God lives here at church, and on Sundays, we visit God, get close to him, feel something - but then return to our life during the week, apart from God.

That view of God doesn’t work, nor is it even true.

If your understanding of God and faith never makes it out of this room and into the regular rhythms and heart beat of your life, then at the moment a force the size of Babylon strikes against you, then you can expect your understanding of god to lay dead in the ruins and for your heart to go captive.

This event, in fact, proclaimed the live, active presence of God in our world! God does not live behind a curtain, nor does God live cooped up somewhere in this church building. Rather, you can’t go someplace where God isn’t already there!

God is bigger than a Temple destroyed by a Babylonian army. God is bigger than any situation you’ve ever had to endure in life.

God is bigger than your divorce… than your 401K… than your job promotion… than your job dissatisfaction… than your addictions… than a diagnosis... God is bigger than death!

God is alive. And God is active in the here and now.

Ultimately, God is God. And you are not. That is the bottom line of this entire passage. God is God. No one else. Not Belshazzar. Not Nebuchadnezzar. Not your boss. Not a political personality. Not You.

God is God.

Do you think a corrupt king who drank wine out of a few goblets thwarted the true power and authority of God? Do you think an emotionally charged political season will thwart the power and authority of God?

No, this isn’t the first time that egos have gone wild. This isn’t the first time that politics have been corrupt. Never once did Belshazzar foil the ultimate authority of God. Never.

Rather, God always hears the cries of his people.

The powers and authorities in charge thought they ruled the day… just like you may think they rule your heart now… with little to no hope that God can restore you… and set your eyes on anything good ever again.

God always hears the cries of his people.

David wrote in a Psalm:

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:17-18

Babylon crushed Israel. Belshazzar mocked God. But God made good on his promise. He heard the cries of his people and saved them from the tyranny of Babylonian rule.

God is here and now and will not be mocked by someone who thinks better of him- or herself than the one true, righteous, mighty, and gracious Creator God of the Universe!

God does not live in your world. Rather, you live in God’s.

The narrative continues, saying…

The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Sound familiar? King Nebuchadnezzar said the very same thing after his series of disturbing nightmares, and in similar fashion, none of Belshazzar’s wise men could interpret the message.

The Queen Mother then interceded and referred her son to the same man who assisted Nebuchadnezzar from years ago, Daniel, whom she called, ‘the one filled with the spirit of the holy gods.’

Back then, she saw something supernatural with Daniel, even though she misidentified the true source of Daniel’s wisdom.

Furthermore, Daniel was in his 80s when the Queen Mother called upon him. He had been faithful and fiercely loyal both to God and his role in the Babylonian government - probably thinking about retirement - but God had different plans. May I encourage those among our older generations… We need you. I need you. God has a calling upon each of our lives until we take our last breath. Young men and women in our church need your wisdom and faithfulness to learn how to remain fiercely loyal no matter what the obstacle.

The narrative continues, saying:

So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.

This is Belshazzar’s rock bottom moment… he’s already defecated and embarrassed himself in front of Babylon’s elite. And yet, Belshazzar still clung onto his prestige by approaching Daniel as a lowly exile, rather than the lead of all of the magicians and diviners in Babylon whom Nebuchadnezzar appointed.

C’mon man!

Belshazzar still missed it… but you don’t have to… your rock bottom moment may be God’s greatest moment.

Don’t miss it.

The narrative continues with Daniel saying…

“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.

In other words, no matter what kind of influence you exert, what job title you hold, how much income you bring home, how many social circles you belong to, and how many Bible studies you attend… no matter what…

God is God, and you are not. All glory and honor belong solely to God.

While some of you thank God for that, I know others of you may bock at the very notion of not being the god-king or queen of your own land.

If that unsettles you or even makes you angry, then pay attention to what Daniel told Belshazzar in the next verses.

Daniel continued…

“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 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.

Then, Daniel translated the writing on the wall, saying this…

“Here is what these words mean:

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Parsin: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

God did not mince words. God brought the tyranny and power of Belshazzar’s reign to an end. God demonstrated patience, and as a good carpenter, measured twice then cut once, showing mercy for many years, not overreacting to Belshazzar’s wicked acts, but when the moment of judgment came, God acted decisively and with clarity.

Even in judgment, God proves trustworthy and good.

No power or authority on earth can stand against the ultimate authority of God, no matter how highly you might think of yourself.

That night, Belshazzar’s life came to an end.

While God allowed Belshazzar to reign and provided Nebuchadnezzar as a witness to how God humbles those in authority, Belshazzar still went his own way.

Judgment came for Belshazzar. The day of judgment comes for all of us.

David once wrote a Psalm, saying:

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end

and the number of my days;

let me know how fleeting my life is.

You have made my days a mere handbreadth;

the span of my years is as nothing before you.

Everyone is but a breath,

even those who seem secure.

Psalm 39:4-5

James, the brother of Jesus, wrote in his letter:

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14

Sooner or later, life reaches its end.

If you follow the lead of a Belshazzar type leader, then the witness of this passage encourages you to remain faithful no matter what happens. This world belongs to God, not to the Belshazzar’s. Your loyalty belongs to Christ and Christ alone, the true King! Remain obedient to those above you in leadership, but stay fiercely loyal to Jesus.

I am also aware that many of you feel anxious and unsure about how to navigate these choppy waters over the next few weeks. It seems the legacy of Belshazzar continues to the present day. Take encouragement from Paul when he wrote to the church in Philippi, who also knew these types of choppy waters well, when he wrote:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [[[not trapped in the rubble, nor locked in a back room. The Lord is near to you, so…]]] Do not be anxious about anything [[[and the original Greek term here literally means... ANYTHING]]], but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:4-7

Stay fiercely loyal to Christ the King.

Now, on the other hand, if something within your heart and spirit identifies with Belshazzar, then pay attention. Flee from the way of life that you can live as your own god and get away with it. Instead, surrender wholly and completely to God who already holds in his hands your life and all your ways.

This does not mean abdicate your leadership authority. In fact, the witness of this passage says that your authority comes directly from God. I know great leaders who lead with humility, as a steward of the authority in which God gave to them.

The issue is not leadership. The issue is stewardship.

The witness of this passage declares that all people, especially those in positions of authority and influence, will be held accountable. And the right use of power and authority is the kind that comes from God and God alone.

In the New Testament, Paul said of power:

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. Eph 1:19-22

The same God given power and authority that raised Christ from the dead now lives in those who believe! So you can choose to live your life according to your own power and ways - as the god of your own life - or you can surrender yourself over the one, true God who knows you and calls you by name to do immeasurably more than you can imagine.

Do you see the hand of God breaking into your world? It is the same hand that was nailed to the cross for you, that rose from the dead for you, and now extends out… to save you from yourself.

Jesus promises to save. Just as Jesus reached out to Peter sinking in the waves, Jesus reaches out to us sinking in the consequences of our pride.

What is God writing on the wall of your heart? Who is your Daniel? Who can help you interpret what you cannot understand for yourself?

And don’t think that you have time to wait.

People are Dying

Lives are in the Balance

Families are on the Brink

Eternity is at stake.

Don’t miss your life and leadership apart from God. Stop living like Belshazzar. You know how it ends. Instead, let’s be a church of Daniel’s who remain loyal no matter what to the one, true, living, here and now God.

Would you pray with me?