When the Writing is on the Wall
Am November 1st 2009
Daniel 5:18-30
Introduction
The “Writing on the Wall” is when it is obvious that you will have to go through a trial or storm. The writing on the wall could be a diagnosis from the doctor that says you have an incurable disease.
The writing on the wall could be a spouse who walks out on you and says they don’t love you anymore.
The writing on the wall could be having to deal with some things because of some bad decisions you made.
The writing on the wall could be having to deal with issues from your past that you have brushed under the rug, and now they are coming back to haunt you.
The writing on the wall is when is absolutely clear that you will have to face a certain trial or circumstance which many times is test to our faith.
From this passage I want us to learn why we have to face the “Writing on the Wall” moments in life. Sometimes they are because of our own doing, and sometimes it is absolutely out of our control.
King Belshazzar, the new King of Babylon, who is the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar had to face the “Writing on the Wall”, because of his own arrogance and pride. Today I want us to learn why sometimes and again not in all circumstances, because I know some of you had to face the “writing on the wall” and it was out of your control, however like King Belshazzar sometimes it is because of our own doing, so today I want us to learn why?
Read Scriptures: Daniel 5:18-30
I. Many times we face writing on the wall moments, when we refuse to deal with the past.
Vs. 18 “O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.”
Vs. 20 “But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.”
Vs. 22 “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.”
The sins of Belshazzar was not sins of ignorance, he knew full well what would happen to someone who had a arrogant prideful heart, because of what happened to his father Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar refused to deal with that in his own life, and learn the lessons that would have helped him in his reign, and as a result he had a prideful arrogant heart.
In my own life, I have been forced by God to deal with some things from my past because I could not go forward in what God wanted me to do until those things were dealt with in my mind and in my heart.
Things like abandonment by my father, physical abuse by my step-father, and a mother who seemingly just stood by and let it all happen.
Many times we see the “writing on the wall” of mental trials and tribulations because we have never dealt properly with issues from our past, if it is never dealt with the past can affect your future.
Many times we face the writing on the wall moments because we refuse to deal with the past.
II. We face writing on the wall moments, because pride gets in the way.
Vs. 22-23a “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven.”
The scripture is clear; Belshazzar knew every thing that happened to his grandfather King Nebuchadnezzar, but in is pride he refused to deal with it in his own life.
Pride says, “I know that happened to them, but I am better than that, that will never happen to me.”
Pride says, “My children will never do that”, and so often we with our children we face the “writing the on the wall”, and we have to eat those words.
Refusing to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God will cause us to face those “writing on the wall” moments. Because as we learned last week, either we humble ourselves, or God will humble us.
The scripture says, “Belshazzar knew better, and yet he still made a decision to set himself up against the Lord.”
Some of you here this morning you know better, but in your pride you refuse to humble yourself before God and his Word, and you will have to face the “writing on the wall”.
III. We face writing on the wall moments, because of a sinful lifestyle
Vs. 23 “Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. 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.”
This is what we don’t like to hear. Yes there are consequences to our actions. Listen, if you are living a sinful lifestyle, don’t expect God’s blessing. God cannot and will not bless sin.
If you are living in blatant sin, let me tell you, you need to expect those “writing on the wall moments”, expect difficulties, and don’t expect peace through it, because God will judge sin.
People say, “Well I don’t know why this is happening to me?”, and to everyone else it is painfully obvious it is because of sin, that’s why it is happening to you.
God made it clear to Belshazzar why He was coming against him, “he set himself up against the God of heaven, he used the Holy Sacred things that was set apart in the temple of God for His worship in idol worship, and instead of bowing down and worshiping the One True God, they were worshiping gold, silver, bronze and wood.
Belshazzar could not say “why is this happening to me?”, God made it clear, it is because of your sin.
IV. Even though we face writing on the wall moments, God is still in control.
Vs. 23e “But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.”
Whose hands is Belshazzar’s “life and ways”, God’s hands. It tells us that God is in absolute control.
God is always in control, you may look at your life and the things that are happening to you and think “man everything is just in chaos”, know this, God is still in control.
Belshazzar thought everything was great, his name even suggested that he was the god of gods. But he found out the hard way, Jehovah is in control, God is always in control.
That should comfort us today, because if you are facing the “writing on the wall”, whether from your own doing, or because of something that is out of your control, God is still in control.
Conclusion
Today maybe you are facing the “writing on the wall” and it is because of your own doing, maybe because of sin, maybe because of some bad decisions, there is still time for you to repent and turn to Jesus and say “Lord help me to turn away from the sinful lifestyle that has gotten me to this point, and Lord although I may still have to go through some trials because of my sin, and want to cling to your Word, that says “I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength”.
Maybe you are having to face the “writing on the wall” because of something that somebody has done to you, maybe you are like me, you can’t go forward until you deal with your past, let me say this, it wasn’t a counselor, it wasn’t a pastor, it wasn’t a friend who helped me, it was just me and God with his word, coming to terms with what happened to me, and all of sudden I had compassion and felt the need to pray for people who hurt me. Those were painful days remembering and dealing with issues from the past, but it was necessary in order for me to go forward with God. I had questions about God’s sovereignty, as far why did he allow that to happen, but all of that was put behind me, because God could not use me in the ministry with questions about his sovereignty.
Maybe you need to come to the altar today and say okay God I’m ready lets deal with these things.
Maybe the question about salvation has never been put to rest in you heart and mind, you come today and let me tell from the scriptures how God wants to answer those questions for you.
