Mene Mene Tekel Parsin

Daniel 5: 23-24

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.

Yesterday I opened up my bible to the story in Daniel of King Belshazzar, known as the story of The Writing on the Wall.  In this story, the king mocks God while partying with his friends.  Probably intoxicated- definitely stupid- he is stopped dead in his tracks when human fingers begin writing a message on the wall that he is unable to understand.

Daniel, known throughout the kingdom, was found by Belshazzar’s father, King Nebuchadnezzar, “to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems.”  (Daniel 5:12)

So Belshazzar calls on Daniel to explain the message.  Daniel begins by describing the tragic demise of Belshazzar’s father, King Nebuchadnezzar- “whose heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, was deposed from this royal throne, and stripped of his glory.”  Daniel 4:20 

Daniel continues to explain that even though Belshazzar knew his father’s horrific fate, he “set himself up against the Lord of heaven.”  Verse 23

Daniel 5:25- 28:  This is the inscription that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. 

This 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.

Peres (singular of Parsin):  Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

The writing prophecy comes true and later that evening, Belshazzar is slain and Darius the Mede takes over (verses 30-31).

Now, I have to admit:  this has been very hard for me to write about.  I have read and prayed and read and prayed some more.  I am not someone who wishes to promote the “wrath” of God nor do I want to promote fear of God in order to scare you into obedience.   Love is what God desires from us and love cannot be born of fear.  “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7

Whereas some people believe that God will punish us if we disobey Him, I believe that the inevitable consequences of our sins are what tend to punish us, if you will.  God knows what is best for us and tries to lead us away from darkness, into the light.  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”  Psalm 32:8

So how do the reconcile the God we read about in the Old Testament with the God we read about in the New Testament? 

One of my friends who is not a believer in Christ told me that her children do not read the bible because it is just too scary. Too many scary stories, she says.  What a shame that all she sees in the Word of God is fear.   While I agree there are some scary stories (particularly in the Old Testament), it is necessary for us to read and study God’s Word in its entirety.

1 Corinthians 10 confirms this: “Things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” (1 Cor 10:6)  Also, 1 Cor 10:11 states “these things happened to them as examples and are written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”

So as I read the story of Belshazzar, I cannot help but feel grateful that I am saved from my own sins.  I have definitely committed some major sins in my life where the writing was on the wall and I too ignored it. 

But the difference between me and Belshazzar is that I have Jesus and with Jesus, I have salvation.  Let me mention the best part:  I did not earn it.  It is a free gift of grace, given to any of us who have faith in Jesus as the Son of God and who place our trust in him.  All we have to do is acknowledge him and surrender our lives over to him. 

 How about you?  Perhaps you can think of patterns of sin that have a stronghold on you.  It can be big things like adultery or some other type of sexual sin.  Or it can be smaller things like over eating or gossiping.  Is there writing on the wall that you are ignoring?

Perhaps generational sin is following you to this day.  I mean, do you ever stop and think how weird it is that statistically speaking, most child molesters were molested as a child?  Or how many rapists were themselves sexually assaulted?  One would think that after being abused, someone wouldn’t want to do the same awful thing to another.  But many times, offenders were offended.

Throughout the bible are stories of people- just like you and me- who were sinners.  Just read Genesis and you can find more examples of sin than you can imagine. 

There are so many things we do not know.  Things we may never know.  But God holds the answers. Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

God is the same today as he was yesterday as he will be tomorrow.  He is loving, kind and just.   Even in the Old Testament when we read "scary" stories about his “wrath,” we must remember that God always acts out of love.  Always.  It is never about an over blown ego.  God doesn’t need us to feel strong or powerful.  He is strong and powerful. 

God loves us.  He wants what is best for us.  He is good.  And He fights for what is good. 

In John 8, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to teach.  A woman caught in the act of adultery was brought into the temple courts.  The Pharisees brought her before Jesus and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.  Now what do you say?  They were using the question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.  But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.  When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground.”  John 8: 4- 8

Do you see the common factor?  Both stories include God using his finger to write a message.  Here is the question to you:  Do you ignore the writing on the wall, ignore God and never find Jesus?  Because to do so will only lead to a bitter end. 

Or do you choose to look for the writing on the ground, full of redemption and grace and love? 

It’s not too late.  Choose Jesus.  Ask him into your heart today. 

Chris August sings a song titled "Battle" where there is a line that says, "the world will battle for my heart but the war is already won."  Indeed.

Enjoy this great song...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsjJmk7tdk4