Considering Your Weight

Quotes:

“Day by day we should weigh what we have granted to the world against what we have denied to Jesus, in thought & deed." - Albert Schweitzer

“Faith gives you an inner strength and a sense of balance and perspective in life.”

― Gregory Peck

“A year from now, you're gonna weigh more or less than what you do right now.” -Phil McGraw

Daniel 5:22-29 “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. 25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel 5:22-29 “22 Mas tú, su hijo Belsasar, no has humillado tu corazón aunque sabías todo esto, 23 sino que te has ensalzado contra el Señor del cielo; y han traído delante de ti los vasos de su templo, y tú y tus nobles, tus mujeres y tus concubinas, habéis estado bebiendo vino en ellos y habéis alabado a los dioses de plata y oro, de bronce, hierro, madera y piedra, que ni ven, ni oyen, ni entienden; pero al Dios que tiene en su mano tu propio aliento y es dueño de todos tus caminos, no has glorificado; 24 por lo cual El envió de su presencia la mano que trazó esta inscripción. 25 Y ésta es la inscripción que fue trazada: Mene[y], Mene, Tekel[aa], Ufarsin[ab]. 26 Esta es la interpretación del escrito: Mene: Dios ha contado tu reino y le ha puesto fin. 27 Tekel: has sido pesado en la balanza y hallado falto de peso. 28 Peres: tu reino ha sido dividido y entregado a los medos y persas. 29 Entonces Belsasar ordenó que vistieran a Daniel de púrpura y le pusieran un collar de oro al cuello, y que proclamaran acerca de él, que él tenía ahora autoridad como tercero en el reino.”

Nebuchaddnezzar ruled Babylon making it one of the most powerful empires in history. He surrounded the city by two great walls over 30 feet thick. It had towers and a large trench in front of it for security. Archaeologists discovered that the streets in the city were laid out in straight lines that intersect at right angles.

The most notable street was named “Processional Way” which ran along the eastern side of the southern palace, through the Ishtar gate. Processional Way was lined with 120 large stone lions. The ancient historian, Herodotus, said that Babylon “surpasses in splendor any city of the known world.”

Belshazzar, was the grandson of Nebuchaddnazzar and his arrogance surpassed even that of his grandfather.

It can be risky business when you get too big for your breeches.

Let’s consider the word, TEKEL. Daniel said it meant “tried in the balances and found wanting.” - Lacking.

Belshazzar and all his prompt and splendor was weighed against God’s expectations.

And that very night Babylon fell.

Daniel 5:30-31 “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” –The Chest and Arms of Silver from Neb’s dream.

Daniel 5:30:31 “30 Aquella misma noche fue asesinado Belsasar, rey de los caldeos. 31 [af]Y Darío el medo recibió el reino cuando tenía sesenta y dos años.”

What did God weigh in the balance?

It wasn’t the great walls or the Ishtar Gate. He didn’t weigh the Hanging Gardens (considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). God did not weigh the king’s treasury.

God weighed Belshazzar himself.

Just as Belshazzar of old many people today in things without interstice value; and when God’s weighs in, they are left wanting… Lacking.

Jesus said In Matthew 6:19-21 “19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”