Handwriting On The Wall Series

A quick test of your Bible knowledge: There are many phrases that people say everyday that are actually statements from the Bible. An example is when people talk about retaliating, they would say “an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth!” - Exodus 21:24

What other everyday sayings do you know which are from the Bible??

By the skin of my teeth – Job 19

By the sweat of my brow – Gen 3

Going the extra mile – Matt 5

Little bird told me – Matt 16

Out of the mouths of babes – Psalm 8

Rise and shine – Isaiah 60

Scapegoat – Lev 16

In a twinkling of an eye – 1 Cor 15

United we stand, divided we fall – Matt 12

We’ll learn from Daniel 5 today, “the handwriting is on the wall”.

First, let’s remind ourselves of what we noted last week: God is always at work and His desire is for every person in the world to believe in Him and God will humble the proud and arrogant!

We will add to this today: God gives warning signs and will judge at the right time!

We have noted from Daniel 1-4, God warned King Nebuchadnezzar several times and until he was completely humbled by God, he didn’t believe in the God of the Bible. We can say today that God brought Nebuchadnezzar to hit bottom to challenge him to finally believe.

Today, we will again note God’s warning. But because of Belshazzar’s stubborn and unyielding heart and spirit, God allowed his life to be taken violently!

God is an unchanging God!

What are God’s warnings today?

What’s the condition of our hearts and spirits towards God?

Can we be of help to those who will likely be judged by God?

Please open your Bibles to Daniel 5. King Nebuchadnezzar is now dead and a step son Belshazzar took reign. Read along with me Daniel 5…..

Based on v1-4, what can we say about King Belshazzar??

King Belshazzar loved to party and made a mockery of the God of the Bible!

Based on v5-7, what was the second mistake that King Belshazzar made? It was the same mistake that King Nebuchadnezzar made; King Belshazzar first depended on his secular advisers rather than acknowledging God!

How scared was King Belshazzar? Look again at v9….

Doesn’t this indicate that it was time for Belshazzar to call out on Almighty God? But, he didn’t!

And so, what did God do? God actually gave Belshazzar another chance by using the Queen to call on godly Daniel! But what was the final mistake that King Belshazzar did?

Look again at v16….

Even though King Belshazzar knew that Daniel is a godly man, this King tried to bribe Daniel without humbling himself to God or anyone else! King Belshazzar was willing to give Daniel 3rd Place; who was still #1 in Belshazzar’s heart, mind, and spirit?? In spite of how scared the King was and having the opportunity to hear God, Belshazzar was not willing to bow down to anyone! Ever feel scared? Think of God’s amazing love! Our fears and God’s love should bring us to our knees!

Look again at v22-23 to note Belshazzar’s problem……..

God is always at work and His desire is for every person in the world to believe in Him and God will humble the proud and arrogant! And what can we add to this truth? God gives warning signs and will judge at the right time!

And so, we read in v24-30 God’s judgment on King Belshazzar! And isn’t it interesting that even when God already told Belshazzar his fate, we read in v29 that he still wasn’t willing to bow down to God or anyone else! Belshazzar said, “Thanks Daniel and I honor you by being #3 to me, but I am still the God of the Universe!” And we read in v30, “that very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain!”

How about us and other people today?

Is it still God’s desire for everyone to know the truth and be saved today? Last week we noted 1Timothy 2:3-6. God desires every person still alive to know and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and God, therefore be saved from eternal judgment! Have we believed in Jesus Christ as the Only Savior and Lord in our life?

Is God humbling the proud and arrogant these days? Let’s note a few in recent history: Adolph Hitler engineered the Holocaust; he did not sleep well at nights; there were many attempts on his life; and eventually faced defeat and death.

Idi Amin ruled Uganda with human rights abuse, political repression, ethnic persecution, murders, nepotism, corruption, and gross economic mismanagement. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated to be 500,000. Idi Amin was exiled to Saudi Arabia where he eventually died of kidney failure!