MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN
Daniel
5:1-31
Key Verse:
5:25
"This is the inscription that was
written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN."
Daniel chapter 5 is a story about the handwriting of a human hand
on the wall
during a wine drinking banquet King Belshazzar hosted for a of his thousand
nobles, wives and concubines. In fact the foreboding use of the words: “The
hand writing on the wall” comes from this chapter in the Bible. Moreover from
this chapter we will find when alcohol drinking and irreverence towards God is
mixed then indeed the hand writing of the wall indicating God’s judgment is
just around the corner. Let us now learn from the mistakes of Belshazzar so we
may not make the same one.
Part 1. King
Belshazzar hedonistic party (1-16)
Daniel chapter 4 is the last chapter the readers of Daniel will
find Babylon being ruled over by King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel chapter 5 will
mark the last chapter Babylon will ever exist as a nation, which is at least in
these twelve chapters of Daniel. To begin with let me give you a little Babylon
history, which is not mentioned between Daniel chapters 4 and 5. Nebuchadnezzar
died in 562 and was succeeded by his son, Amel-marduk. His brother-in-law
Nergal-sharezer in turn murdered him. He in turn was succeeded in 556 by his
son Labashi-marduk who was assassinated that same year by a group of men that
included Nabonidus who was then made King. Then for some reason this Nabonidus
retired to Arabia entrusting the Kingship of Babylon to his son Belshazzar, the
acting king we find here in chapter 5. This constant change of Kingship by way
of assignation or being the son of the king reminded me of the movie Gladiator.
Let us read verse 1: “King
Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine
with them.” According to Babylon scholars Belshazzar hosted this wine-guzzling
banquet as a way to boost the morale of his nobles as they faced the Persian
armies who were just outside the walls of Babylon. In 2 Kings 18,19 we find the
armies of Assyria out side the walls of Jerusalem. King Hezekiah was the King
of Judah at this time. He reacted to this siege by tearing his cloths, putting
on sackcloth and going to the temple to pray. King Hezekiah reacted to a far
greater army-laying siege to his capital by humbling himself to the Lord and
praying. Because of Hezekiah’s humble prayer in his time of national emergency
God sent one angle who put to death 185,000 Assyrian soldiers thus ending the
siege of Jerusalem. Now in contrast let
us see how King Belshazzar reacted as the future of Babylon laid in the
balance. Let us read verses 2-4. READ. First we see Belshazzar reacted to his
national emergency by drinking wine himself and by encouraging his wives and
all his nobles to drink wine. If you carefully look at verses 1-4 you will find
the word drink recorded five times. When drinking wine is emphasized five times
in four verses well I’m sorry but this is a problem. Think about what are the
emphases on our college campuses through out this country. Drinking. I’m not talking
out about one class of beer or wine over a dinner. I’m talking about drinking
and drinking and drinking and drinking until students either die, trash their
college campus and in many cases become alcoholics. But what is even more
amazing still people react: “O there is no problem.” Excessive drinking is a
major personal and national problem. It was a key factor to the total
destruction of Babylon.
Second, let us see what kind of
behavior seems to always fellow excessive drinking. While Belshazzar was drinking
verse two tells us he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that
Nebuchnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the
king, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. A goblet is a
drinking vessel with no handles. The Jewish priest used these goblets to carry
out their priestly duties in the temple of God. These days many Christian
churches will pass around a gold or silver goblet as they celebrate the Lord’s
Supper. We could never imagine using a vessel for such a sacred purpose for
also such unsacred uses as drinking wine during a drunken banquet. *** Even the
great king Nebuchadnezzar had never dared to use these sacred utensils,
acknowledging that they were untouchable because they belonged to the Holy God
Almighty. However when a person or people drink to drink nothing is sacred to
them. What is more when people drink too much it boldly begin to commit the sin
of blasphemy. Blasphemy is showing total contempt or lack of reverence for God.
Look at verse 4: “As they drank the wine, they praise the gods of gold and
silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.” Now contrast this behavior with that
of King Hezekiah. Do you think God will respond to King Belshazzar national
emergency the same way he did for King Hezekiah’s? Look how the Holy Most High
God responded to Belshazzar sacrilegious hedonistic party. Let us read verse
5:
hedonistic party
Look at verses 5-6 “
Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the
wall, near the lamp stand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it
wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked
together and his legs gave way.” The sheer terror that struck Belshazzar when
he saw this hand writing on the wall showed he was fully aware this was nothing
less than a sign of the coming judgment of God. Usually when you don’t
understand what is written you are not frighten. However for Belshazzer seeing
this finger writing on the plaster of his royal plaster was like a murderer
seeing a police man on the street walking towards him. He knew this hand was
sent from God to arrest him and summon him before the terrible judgment seat of
God.
Look at
verse 10. READ After sensing a great commotion in the banquet hall, the queen
came in. When the queen saw the king, he looked like a man begging for his life
instead of the King of the once most powerful nation in the world.
"Don't
be alarmed. Don't look so pale!" The queen said. Because the queen wasn’t
a partier and wine drinker she was the only able person that could speak reason
to the king. Look at the advice the queen gave Belshazzer. READ 11,12 When Daniel was brought before the king,
he hoped Daniel could act as quick problem solver for him. If he could then in
return he would reward him. Look at verse 16 READ Belshazzar being a man of
great authority and wealth thought he could just throw money at who ever could
solve his problems. Then BADABING BADABOOM problem solved. Then he could again
announce let’s Party! This time all his wealth and power were completely
worthless to resolve his problem of facing the judgment of God.
Look at verse 17: “READ” Before getting down to the business of Interpreting the writing on the wall Daniel first wanted to make King Belshazzar aware of his own value system. For one thing Daniel believed God’s writing in the most literal since. Based upon this message of doom from God, these gifts and rewards offered to Daniel would be worthless by the next day. Similarly the gifts and rewards people seek for in this world all will become worthless. Only heavenly rewards are forever.
After Daniel made the King aware of his own value system he tells him he will read the writing for the King and tell him what it means.
Look at verse 18: “O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.” Notice Daniel does not first read the writing to the King. He knows the writings are God’s judgment against Belshazzar. Therefore first he wants to explain the evidence that proves the justice of God’s judgment against him.
First God disposes King Nebuchadnezzar. Look at verse 19. “Because of the high position he gave him, all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.” Thankfully God has given very few men, if any as high position as he gave King Nebuchadnezzar. To take this verse literally all the peoples and nations dreaded King Nebuchadnezzar because they new at his command he could have them put to death. King Nebuchadnezzar only enemy that could dispose him from his throne was his own pride. Look at verse 20: “But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. Another kingdom was not who disposed King Nebuchadnezzar but a heart that became arrogant, which then became herded by pride In 2Chronicles 26:16 King Uriah’s pride became his downfall. There is only one remedy for hearts harden with pride. This is extreme humble training. Through such humble training King Nebuchadnezar was able to repent of his proud heart. Let us read verse at verse 21: READ
These days many people are criticizing President Bush for saying such comments as: “Jesus Christ is the greatest philosopher he ever knew.” They would like him to praise men. They say religion and government should be separated. When King Nebuchadnezzar tried to praise men and keep God out his government he became like an animal. We must pray for our President, God will continually give him the strength to humble himself before God and acknowledge to all people that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.
Look at verse 22: “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.” Belshazzar knew God was the one who deposed Nebuchadnezzar because of his pride. He also knew God only restore him after he humbled himself before God. A person with a learning mind would have learned from King Nebuchadnezzar mistakes and his willingness to humble himself before God to restore his position. Yet instead of humbling himself before God in deliberately set himself up against the Lord of heaven. Look at verse 23: READ. Belshazzar instead of learning from Nebuchadnezzar failures and success seem to boldly challenge the God of Israel to do to him what he did to Nebuchadnezzar. His liquor induced pride and courage against God only accomplish swift and quick judgment from God. On himself, his family and his nation with no possibility for a second chance. Here we see God judges much more harshly deliberate disobedience to God’s word than he does those who disobey because they are simply ignorant of God’s word. How many times have heard someone say: “Don’t talk to me about the bible, I already know it.” Or “I been studying religion all my life.” All this is find if we use what we know to keep us humble before God and to obey his word. On the other hand when we deliberately disobey God’s word how can we expect God’s mercy and forgiveness?
Look at verse 23c: “But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.” In this verse Daniel sum’s up all the charges God has brought against Belshazzar. Every person can find meaning in this verse. In this verse we find the meaning and reason why God has given us life and every second and everywhere we go sustains our life. God gave Belshazzar his life and Kingship for the purpose to honor God. God gives us our life, blesses our life and sub stains our life so we too can honor God. The other day I was listening to a number of men trying to make a big plan to finish work they were way behind schedule in finishing. While they were making their plan they were misusing and taking God’s name and Jesus Christ name it seems in almost every other sentence. I thought to myself: I wonder if I were part of their plan would I just set back and silently agree with what they were saying. Or would I speak up and say: “Excuse me but before we make any plan, first lets plan to Honor God in all we do and say.” As for me this would be the only way I can have confidence in the final success of the plan. Daniel says: “God holds in his hand your life and all your ways.” If our way has the honor of God as its intention we can have unshakable confidence in whatever way we choose. But if our way is void of honoring God and faith in God then our way becomes like a speeding car racing down a darken winding
Now Daniel will read and interpret the writing on the wall. Look at verse 25: This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. If you look at the bottom of your bibles you can find the interpretation of these words as they refer to money. Here we see just as we count, value, judge and use money, God counts, places value, judges and use people.
Look at verse 26 READ. MENE written twice shows there is no negotiating in lengthening the days of Belshazzar life. This will be the last night Belshazzar life among the living.
Look at verse 27. "Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales
and found wanting." "TEKEL" means God had carefully weighed the
life of Belshazzar on a scale of judgment. God had given him everything on
earth to live for God’s honor. Instead he fell far short of God’s glory by
using all God had given him to feed his sinful appetites. Too the eyes of men
his appearance was glamorous and fascinating. In the sight of God he was no
better than rotting trash that now needed to be disposed of.
Look
at verse 28. "Parsin: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and
Persians." "PARSIN,” means his kingdom would be divided and given to
the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar arrogance against God was responsible for
Babylon becoming completely divided between their enemies the Medes and
Persians.
To find personal
application in Mene, Tekel, Parsin, they can signify death, judgment, and hell.
At death, the sinner’s days are numbered and finished; after death the
judgment, when he will be weighed in the balance and found wanting; and after
judgment the sinner will be given as prey to the devil and his angels. Mene,
Tekel and Peres are the writing on the wall for every sinner. Like Belshazzar
we do will be found wanting on the judgment day. Hell is the only place we
deserve to be cast into. But unlike Belshazzar we have the good news of Jesus
Christ death for our sins and resurrection to save us from certain destruction.
We do not know if today may be the last day God may give us to accept God’s
favor. This is why our bibles urge each person to accept God’s favor
today. 2Cor. 6:1,2: “As God’s fellow
workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the
time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell
you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” Today we
know for sure we know have Jesus. We don’t know what tomorrow will hold for us.
Therefore let us today repent of our sins and call on Jesus to save us.
Look at verses 29-31As soon as King Belshazzar heard what Daniel
said to him, he commanded that Daniel be clothed in purple, have a gold chain
placed around his neck, and be proclaimed the third highest ruler in his
kingdom. That very night, King Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain,
and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. According to
witnesses of Babylon’s defeat. This last night of the empire, the Persian army
was successful in diverting the Euphrates River. They found people who open the
way for them to enter the Babylon city. Instead of finding people alert and
guarding the city. The Persian army found everyone in the city was drunk from
celebrating the festival Belshazzar had authorities. They killed Belshazzar and
force the rest of the city into slavery.
In this passage we learn that King Belshazzar sins were innumerable.
Among them, his sin of drinking and having no learning mind was the worst.
Having no learning mind kept him from having a sense of history through lessons
God had given not having a learning mind. Having no learning made him ignorant,
which made him an arrogant man and boldly commit sins of blasphemy and idol
worship. We come in this world knowing
nothing. At the same time God has given us a mind and heart that can learn
endlessly about our creator who holds our life and our ways in his hands. May
God help us to have a holy desire to endlessly learn what pleases God and his
Son Jesus Christ?