Daniel 5, The Writing on the Wall

The Writing on the Wall, Daniel 5

I.

A. America founding on Liberty

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land” (Leviticus 25:10)

1. “Proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1).

2. “The truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

3. Tomorrow, we will celebrate the 246th anniversary of the birth of our nation.

4. As I consider the America of today, I am convinced there are some parallels between what Belshazzar did in his day and where America is today.

B. Babylon’s judgement

II.

A. The Drunken Feast (v. 1)

1. Belshazzer and his friends have a huge alcohol fueled party.

2. They are living to gratify their flesh with absolutely no thought for eternity.

3. They celebrate but that night Babylon will fall.

a. The Medo-Persian army was outside the walls of Babylon

b. Proverbs 16:18, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

B. The Dedicated Vessels (vv. 2-4)

1. Drinking led to foolish actions (Proverbs 20:1).

2. Proverbs 23:29-35.

3. Belshazzar calls for the sacred vessels attempting to show the superiority of his gods by ridiculing the God of the Hebrews.

4. He treated the one true God as if He were nothing.

5. Belshazzar took the vessels that had been consecrated for use in the Temple and he desecrated them.

6. Many of our nation’s founders were people of faith.

a. They set a new course for nations: a course of liberty.

b. They hoped this nation would bring glory to God.

7. As a nation, we have taken steps to defile, defeat, and destroy Christianity and godliness.

8. We need a revival to turn America from ruin and judgement.

C. The Devine Warning (vv. 5-29)

1. The night of feasting became a night of fear.

2. The night of triumph became a night of terror.

3. There is a point of no return at which time sin is judged.

4. The writing on the wall: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.”

a. Daniel was called to interpret the writing.

b. Belshazzar had been weighed and found wanting.

c. That night the kingdom would fall.

5. That is where America stands today!

6. This nation has rejected God, His Word, His Lordship, and His ways.

7. As a result, we are already experiencing the wrath of God.

8. This is clear from reading Romans 1:18-32.

9. The Writing is on the Wall