Song Numbers

The Handwriting on the Wall Daniel 5 Weighed and Found Wanting

This is a familiar passage in the O.T. As with any O.T. account, it was written for our admonition

Rom. 15:4 [4] For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

I. Belshazzar’s arrogance - Dan. 5:1-6

Belshazzar = The last king of the Babylonian Empire

A big feast – vs. 5:1-3 A great feast for 1000 of his lords They drank wine from the gold and silver vessels taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar The kind, his princes, their wives and concubines….

Idolatry – 5:4 [4] They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

The writing on the wall – 5:5-6 [5] In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister 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 was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

Belshazzar sees the hand and the writing His sinful pride turns into panic

II. Daniel’s Boldness – Dan. 5:7-16

The helpless advisors – 5:7-9 [7] The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon,…

[8] Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

Advice from the Queen 5:10-12 Vs. 12 – “…now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

The arrival of Daniel – 5:13-16 Vs. 16 [16] And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

III. God’s Judgment – Dan. 5:17-31

Daniel speaks of Nebuchadnezzar – Dan. 5:17-21 God gave Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom – He richly blessed him Because of his pride, Nebuchadnezzar was driven from among men to live like a wild animal Belshazzar should have learned a lesson from the past!

The foolish pride of Belshazzar – Dan. 5:22-24 [22] And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; [23] But hast lifted up thyself against the LORD of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou…

hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: [24] Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

This was a message from God!

The hand writing on the wall explained – 5:25-29 MENE – God has numbered your kingdom and finished it TEKEL – You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting

PERES – Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians

“The message of Daniel's interpretation is that Belshazzar's kingdom had been numbered for destruction. The king himself is weighed and found wanting. The kingdom was to be taken away and given to the Medes and the Persians.”

The execution of God’s judgment – Dan. 5:30-31 [30] In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. [31] And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

IV. In what scales (Balances) does God weigh us?

1. It is not in the scales of our wisdom 2. Not it the balance of public opinion 3. We are not weighed in the scales of comparative excellence

4. We are to be weighed in the balance of God’s Word --- this does not include human creeds but the inspired Word of God

V. Do you weigh enough, or are you found wanting?

1. Do you weigh enough in a knowledge of God’s Word? It takes some knowledge to become a Christian We need knowledge to mature spiritually It is dangerous to be without a knowledge of God’s Word!

Hosea 4:6 [6] My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee

Rom. 10:1-3 [1] Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

[3] For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

2. Do you weigh enough in regard to faith in Christ? To be a Christian one must have enough faith to obey Mk. 16:15-16 [15] And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

As a child of God our faith must grow Lk. 17:5 [5] And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Faith is shown by works Js. 2:18 [18] Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

3. How much do you obey in the matter of good works? Eph. 2:10 [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1 Cor. 15:58 [58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Rev. 3:2 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. (NKJV)

4. Are you gaining or losing weight? A. Spiritual growth is normal and essential B. Growth is desirable C. One cannot be spiritually overfed, but spiritual malnutrition is an ever-present danger

D. One can measure his growth by measuring his maturity now as compared with the past

Conclusion We will someday be called to step on the God’s scale for the last time It will be eternally tragic for one to be “weighed and found wanting” Now is the time to me obey --- now is the time to start growing for Christ