Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin

No, I haven't gone mad or taken up a foreign language, with the title of this post.  These comprised the famous "writing on the wall".  When I usually make comments about seeing the "writing on the wall", I think about waiting for a sign from God to make a decision about something, but I really don't think any of us want to see these words written anywhere for us!

In Daniel 5 we meet Belshazzar, probably the last king of Babylon.  Another proud boy.  (v22-23) He was having a party one day with his lords, his wives and his concubines, drinking wine and worshipping idols when...

"In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote." --Dan 5:5(NKJV).

                                                MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN

Now, I don't know about you, but I would be pretty freaked out at this sight.  After all, that old horror movie "The Hand" was just a movie, wasn't it?  Back to the story, Belshazzar was pretty freaked out and offered a reward to whomever could interpret the writing.  Enter Daniel to "save" the day. 

As described in vs 25-28, here is what the writing meant:
   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.

I'm imagining myself as Belshazzar, staring at the writing now that he knows what it means.   Hmmm...Was he drunk from his party?  Did the news sober him up?  Was he fearful for his life? Daniel had just told him that because of his pride he received this writing.  Apparently, God was not pleased!  I guess we shouldn't wonder very long what he might have been thinking as "that very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans was slain." (v30)

Aren't you thankful that God has given us more grace than he gave to Belshazzar?  Our prideful spirits also deserve punishment.  I am thankful that God is patient with me.  The God who holds our breath His hand also loves me more than I can imagine.  Thank You, Lord!

* * * May the writing on your walls be only the kind left by little hands....with crayons! * * *    :)