King Belshazzar hosted a party for one thousand of his friends. It was a joyous, wine filled, occasion until all of a sudden, a human hand appeared and began to write a message on the wall. In Daniel 5:5 we read, "Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote."

King Belshazzar's face and countenance suddenly changed. He became pale, his knees began to knock together, and he could no longer stand up. The mysterious hand wrote a simple message, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin." The king and all of his astrologers, soothsayers, and, so called, wise men could not interpret the message or "handwriting on the wall."

In Daniel 5:9 we read, "So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled." The queen heard of the king's distress and decided to come to his aid. The queen, as recorded in Daniel 5:10-12, spoke, "O king, live forever! Don't be alarmed! Don't look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him . . . This man Daniel, whom the king [King Nebuchadnezzar--Belshazzar's father] called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means."

Daniel [Belteshazzar] was then brought into King Belshazzar's presence and promised a purple robe, a gold chain necklace, and the third highest position in the kingdom if he could interpret the message of the wall. Daniel did as he was instructed and we read the interpretation in verses 26-28. "Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." If I were king I doubt I would have rejoiced upon hearing Daniel's gloom and doom interpretation. King Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, died on that very night; as Daniel had said.

But, does this spooky and scary story of long ago have any relevance or speak anything to us Christians today? I believe it does. First of all, in reading verses 11 and 14 we learn that the spirit of God was within Daniel. Others, including the queen, noticed something different in Daniel. After the king had consulted all of his worldly advisers he then sought the man of God. Are we looking to God for answers or do we seek comfort, advice, and counsel from those of this world?

Second, the things of God are meant for His use and purposes and should never be compromised or used for common or unholy purposes. We too, are instruments in the hand of God and our lives should honor and glorify Him. As we read in Romans 12:1-2, we are to present ourselves as living, holy sacrifices unto God; not conforming to the patterns and lifestyles of those in the world.

In Daniel 5:2 we read, "While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them." The king was a proud man and did things his way, which were contrary to God's. Instead of worshipping the true and living God of Israel he chose to worship things.

In Daniel 5:23 we read, "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." Third, from verse 23 we learn that God is the one who holds our life and breath in His hand. He is worthy to be honored and praised, which is something King Belshazzar did not do. Thus, he faced gloom and doom as a result of doing things his own way. This brings up my forth point as recorded in Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before Me."

May we find comfort in the words of Jeremiah 31:33, "'This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,' declares the LORD. 'I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.'"

Dear Lord, we thank you for the consistent and uncompromising lifestyle of Your servant Daniel. May we harken to the voice of Your Holy Spirit and may others see You living within us as we submit our lives to You. We give You the glory and the honor, Lord Jesus. Amen.