A Lamp to My Feet

We’re still in Daniel. This time it is Daniel 5. We no longer read of Nebuchadnezzar. Now we read about a new king of Babylon. His name is Belshazzar. He is giving a feast to celebrate how great his kingdom is. He is so convinced of his greatness that he brings out the temple vessels that were taken when they destroyed God’s temple in Jerusalem. He and his guests are using them as common dinner ware when suddenly a hand appears and writes upon the wall “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.” The king is terrified. He is literally shaking in his boots.

Daniel is called to translate the words. This is what he tells Belshazzar: “ O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.... But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. .... He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, ....Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” ....that very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.

People, we must give God the reverence and respect He deserves, or we will suffer for it.