3. Speak Truth Boldly
Speak Truth Boldly
THE POINT
Being a bold witness for God sometimes
means speaking hard truth.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
On June 4, 1940, Winston Churchill had been the prime minister for about a month and stood before the House of Commons, delivering what became the best-known speech of his life. He declared: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”1
What we tend to forget is that this speech was delivered after France had fallen to the Nazis, and over 300,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk. Churchill knew that morale in Britain was at an all-time low, and that the population was celebrating because of the success of the retreat. He had to help the nation remember that they had not experienced victory, and there was still much pain, suffering, and discouragement on the horizon. He had the task of delivering truth when truth was not necessarily what the people wanted to hear.
In a similar way, Christians are called to stand for truth not just in practice but verbally. We are called to speak, and many times what we have to say will go against the popular notions of the day. Nevertheless, this is what witnesses for Jesus do. We testify about who God is and what He has said, regardless of how popular that message is.
Question 1:
When have you really appreciated someone’s honesty?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Daniel 5:13-16
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah? 14 I’ve heard that you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. 16 However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”
“He saw the handwriting on the wall.” The phrase refers to being aware of an unstoppable crisis. This week’s text provides the backdrop for that saying.
- The Politics. The previous session focused on the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, the last great Babylonian king who reigned for forty-two years. The following six years, marked by murder and a political revolt, saw four different men ascend the Babylonian throne. The final king was Nabonidus. He was not a loyal worshiper of the Babylonian god, Marduk; he followed the moon god Sin, his ancestors’ primary deity. Nabonidus moved to Arabia where he could worship Sin without offending the Babylonians. His oldest son, Belshazzar, stayed behind and served as co-regent, leading as the de facto king over Babylon. During these years, Babylon’s military and political power waned. At the same time, Persia was conquering territories and gaining wealth, strength, and influence.
- The Party. Belshazzar threw a great feast while the Persian army was camped just outside Babylon’s city walls. He knew the walls were virtually impenetrable; he had enough food stored to feed the citizens for over a dozen years. Thus, Belshazzar felt invincible.
During the feast, Belshazzar ordered servants to fetch the sacred vessels the Babylonians had taken over fifty years earlier from the Jerusalem temple. Taking sacred objects from an enemy’s temple and placing them in your own symbolized the superiority of the victor’s god over that of the defeated peoples. Drinking from the consecrated vessels was Belshazzar’s way of shaking his fist in the face of the God of Israel. The verb “drank” conveys an ongoing action (Dan. 5:3-4). Thus, as inhibitions lowered, the banquet likely denigrated into a drunken orgy.
Archaeologists have excavated the throne room where this banquet occurred; the walls were covered with a gypsum-type plaster. The writing would have been easily visible against this white backdrop, especially illuminated by the lampstand. Everyone was terrified by the writing, including the king. He promised a great reward to anyone who could interpret the message. None of Belshazzar’s diviners, wise men, or mediums could interpret the message. Daniel was summoned to the royal banquet hall.
- The Prophet. Daniel’s reputation had gone before him. Over sixty years passed since Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream; at this point, he was probably about eighty years old.
Belshazzar likely didn’t know Daniel. In his eyes, Daniel was just another captured slave. He stood out, though, in the queen’s mind. She was confident Daniel would be able to solve the puzzle. The queen (a title that probably referred to the queen mother, wife of Nabonidus), recalled Daniel’s remarkable character, intelligence, and ability. She knew him to be a man of integrity.
Evidently Belshazzar believed everything the queen said about Daniel. He repeated almost word for word the description she gave. Beyond his abilities, two things stood out about Daniel. First was his integrity, a trait that had earned the queen’s respect. Second, something was different about Daniel spiritually. Both the queen and Nebuchadnezzar had said “a spirit of the holy gods” was in Daniel (4:8-9,18; 5:11). Belshazzar used almost the identical phrase (5:14). The presence that was with Daniel, though, was completely unlike the metal, stone, or wooden idols the people worshiped. It was the true and living God, the Creator of heaven and earth. God’s presence in Daniel is what set him apart.
Question 2:
How does our integrity shape our witness for Christ?
Daniel 5:17,22-23
17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. … 22 “But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand. But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life.
A captive stood before a king. If the captive could help, though, the king promised to elevate him to the kingdom’s third-highest position, ranking just below Belshazzar and his father, Nabonidus. He would change out of his servant’s clothes and put on instead royal robes and jewelry, both signs of royal rank and favor.
Daniel, though, refused the king’s gifts at this point. He didn’t want to be beholden to him or give the impression that the king had purchased the Lord’s assistance or bribed God in some way. God’s favor can’t be earned or bought—a principle that still applies to us today.
Before reading the message, Daniel provided a context; he reminded Belshazzar how God had blessed Nebuchadnezzar with everything a king could want—sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty. Even foreign peoples honored him. They were terrified and fearful of him. These two words refer to an external and an internal response; the word translated “terrified” conveys the idea of trembling, an involuntary physical reaction. Nebuchadnezzar had the authority to lift up and to destroy (5:18-19).
Pride, though, was Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall (4:28-30). God struck him with a condition in which his body became covered with hair, and he began to think like, act like, and live among the wild animals. This condition lasted seven years. Afterwards, Nebuchadnezzar repented of his pride. As a result, God restored his health and mind. Nebuchadnezzar became even greater than he had been before (4:36).
Belshazzar’s age meant he would have seen the final years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. He would have been familiar with the humiliation and the later restoration that Nebuchadnezzar experienced. Daniel rebuked Belshazzar for failing to learn the essential lessons from Nebuchadnezzar’s experience. Three visible elements highlighted Belshazzar’s stubbornness and pride.
- He had ignored the threat of the approaching Persian army. The guards who stood atop the massive city walls had watched the mighty Persian army approaching Babylon. Certainly, they had expressed their alarm. Belshazzar ignored their warnings; he placed all his confidence in the military might and structural stability of his city.
- Daniel could see the sacred items from the Jerusalem temple that were scattered about the room. He knew these had been dedicated to God, but now they were profaned, used as props in what had become a drunken Babylonian orgy. Their presence symbolized Belshazzar’s defiance and total disregard for the holy God of Israel.
- Belshazzar and the people of Babylon insisted on worshiping idols made of metals, wood, and stone. Although he had seen how Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and afterwards began to “praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens” (Dan. 4:37), Belshazzar stubbornly refused to follow the same path and give glory to God, who is the Creator and Controller of kingdoms and of the courses of people’s lives.
Question 3:
What do we risk when we speak out against sin?
Engage
Who or What Do You Fear?
As we consider speaking truth to the people around us, we face the question of who and what we are fearing. Evaluate yourself on each scale.
I fear/revere God and prioritize His commands in my life.
1.......................................................................10
NOT MUCH SOMETIMES I DO USUALLY
I fear other people and what they will think of me.
1......................................................................10
NOT MUCH SOMETIMES I DO USUALLY
I fear what will happen to me at work if I speak about God.
1......................................................................10
NOT MUCH SOMETIMES I DO USUALLY
I honor God’s Word and want it to guide my words and actions.
1...................................................................... 10
NOT MUCH SOMETIMES I DO USUALLY
I fear loss of reputation and influence for speaking truth.
1........................................................................10
NOT MUCH SOMETIMES I DO USUALLY
I fear my own future if I don’t share truth while I can.
1........................................................................10
NOT MUCH SOMETIMES I DO USUALLY
Daniel 5:24-28
24 Therefore, he sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed. 25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the message: ‘Mene’ means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel’ means that you have been weighed on the balance and found deficient. 28 Peres’ means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Daniel spoke of “the Most High God, . . . the Lord of the heavens, . . . the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and controls the course of your life” (Dan. 5:18,23). These titles could never refer to a man-made idol or a mere mortal. Daniel proclaimed that God sent the hand and its message directly to Belshazzar.
The message contained three words; the first was repeated. The familiar words were commonly used in relation to Mesopotamian weights and measures. What did the inscription say?
- Mene, Mene. This verb meant “numbered” or “appointed” and emphasized a final and full count. Repetition, common in ancient writing, was for emphasis. Mene, Mene thus meant that God had made His final decision; it was non-negotiable.
- Tekel. This verb referred to weighing metal on a balance scale. The Old Testament states God weighs our actions (1 Sam. 2:3). God had weighed Belshazzar’s actions; rather than have the desired value, they were lacking. He had come up short.
- Parsin. This is the plural form of Peres, which refers to something being broken apart and shared. Interestingly, this is also a word play; the same consonants are in this word and Persian, a reference to the Persian army gathered just beyond the city walls.
Question 4:
How would you describe our culture’s view of judgment?
History teaches that on this very night, October 16, 539 (BC), invading soldiers dug trenches and diverted the Euphrates River that normally ran under the massive city walls. Once the water level dropped low enough, the massive army marched under the walls; they killed Belshazzar, his guards and noblemen, and captured the city. It was the end of the Babylonian Empire.
We see a couple of significant lessons from this story. First, these events remind us that God punishes sin, even today. Second, confronting sin should lead to repentance and a new life.
Question 5:
How do we balance talking about the judgment of sin
with the forgiveness God offers?
LIVE IT OUT
Being a bold witness for God sometimes means speaking hard truth. Choose one of the following applications:
Check your ego. Examine to see if there are areas in which you have become over-confident in your own abilities and resources. Evaluate what’s led to this elevated sense of security. Pray that God will help you have a right attitude about depending on Him.
Spend time alone with God. Set aside a couple of secluded hours, taking only a Bible, pen, and paper. Spend time in Scripture and prayer. Ask God to speak any messages He may have for you. Take time to listen silently; take notes on any impressions He gives.
Focus on that which is sacred. Make a two-column list. Write “Sacred” as the heading of the column on the left; write “Cultural” as the heading of the column on the right. Under Sacred, list worship-related actions Scripture mandates. Under Cultural, list actions that may seem religious but are instead dictated by cultural expectations and traditions. Focus this week on what God calls sacred.
Teacher Notes:
Christians are
called to stand for truth not just in practice but verbally. We are called to
speak, and many times what we have to say will go against the popular notions
of the day. Nevertheless, this is what witnesses for Jesus do. We testify about
who God is and what He has said, regardless of how popular that message is.
Video: The
Handwriting on the Wall
Society is becoming
increasingly secular. Many people assume that what defines something as wrong
or sinful is the individual’s personal code of morality or ethics. We may try
to rationalize or excuse our sin. Doing so does not change the Bible’s message
about sin. Sin is still sin, and sin brings its consequences. That which is
contrary to the way of the Lord is sin. Daniel boldly confronted sin by
pointing the sinner to God.
Being a bold
witness for God sometimes means speaking hard truth.
Speak Truth
Boldly
SETTING: The
madness of Nebuchadnezzar described in Daniel 4 was the product of and
punishment for his sinful pride. Chapter 5 continues this theme by looking at
an event involving one of Nebuchadnezzar’s successors, his grandson - Belshazzar.
The events in the chapter
occurred about 25 years after Nebuchadnezzar’s death. Initially, he was
succeeded by three different descendants, each of whom served only briefly.
Eventually, his son-in-law Nabonidus became king. However, he was essentially
an absentee king who spent considerable time away from the throne. Therefore,
his son Belshazzar served as a vice-regent. Whether he was a capable leader
certainly could be debated, but he certainly seemed to enjoy the trappings that
came with being “king.” Belshazzar lived a self-indulgent lifestyle, showed
disdain for sacred things, and was openly defiant in his attitude toward the
Lord God. God spoke to Belshazzar in an unusual and mysterious way that not
only got Belshazzar’s attention but elevated his anxiety about his future. Once
again, Daniel was called on to interpret the signs that would announce
Belshazzar’s eventual demise.
Daniel 5:13-16
Then Daniel was
brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the
Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah? I’ve heard that
you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and
extraordinary wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men and mediums were
brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to
me, but they could not give its interpretation. However, I have heard about you
that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can
read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in
purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position
in the kingdom.”
The prophet Daniel
was called in to read the writing on the wall.
Persia is the modern-day
Tehran – Daniel was the first prime minister of Persia – Billy Graham.
Nebuchadnezzar was
dead – Belshazzar was now the king – he was young, egotistical, self-centered,
and prideful.
Be a
person of integrity and godly wisdom.
How can we seek the
Lord now for insight and wisdom, so that we will be useful to God and others in
the future like Daniel was?
Thank God that He
puts people in our life path who will tell us the truth and move to correct us
from the destructive course we are on.
Faithful believers
desire to be known as people of integrity and godly wisdom.
We can learn much
by studying the past and avoiding the same pitfalls that befell those who came
before us. Sin has its consequences. Even as we experience the discipline of
God, His goal remains our restoration.
Daniel 5:17,22-23
17 Then Daniel
answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone
else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the
interpretation known to him. …
22 “But you his
successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all
this. Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The
vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives,
and concubines drank wine from them, you praised the gods made of silver and
gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand.
But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and
who controls the whole course of your life.
Sin is
exalting self over God.
How do we exalt ourselves
over God today?
How are holy
vessels being profaned today?
Belshazzar didn’t
know it was a judgment until Daniel was called in to interpret the words and
their meaning. Daniel could’ve told him what the words said and left it at
that. But Daniel called out his sin, and he called sin what it is - sin.
We serve God and do
His work not for how it might benefit us but because doing so calls attention
to Him.
How foolish it is
to know better but refuse to do better. Identifying and admitting our sins is
prerequisite to securing forgiveness for them.
The Lord holds our
lives — our destiny — in His hand.
Daniel 5:24-28
Therefore, he sent
the hand, and this writing was inscribed. “This is the writing that was
inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the
message: ‘Mene’ means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and
brought it to an end. Tekel’ means that you have been weighed on the balance
and found deficient. Peres’ means that your kingdom has been divided and given
to the Medes and Persians.”
Daniel called sin
what it is, and he did so to the face of the king. Daniel could’ve kept his
mouth shut, but he was compelled to speak the truth. Based on Daniel’s
character we see in the rest of the book, I’ve no doubt that Daniel spoke these
words with a tome of love and concern. But Belshazzar learned a hard lesson.
Mene Mene – Your
days are numbered, remember.
·
God remembers our sin, He sees our pornography, lying, cheating, and
corruption. “you may be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). We live
in a culture rampant with sin, but in many circles, it’s not even being called
sin anymore. Killing an unborn child is justified as making “a responsible
choice based on my needs and well-being.” Deviation away from God’s standards
for sex is viewed as simply a lifestyle choice. “It may be wrong for you, but
it’s not wrong for me.” In other words, if a person doesn’t think it’s wrong,
then it’s not a sin. People can redefine sin all they want, but it’s still sin
in God’s eyes. Stop turning a blind eye to sin — any sin. Let’s speak the truth
about sin — but let’s do it with a load of love and grace.
·
Tekel – You have been weighed. How are we weighed by God – 1) the Ten
Commandments, 2) the Law of Love – Matthew 22:34-40, 3) the Person of Jesus
Christ – Psalm 89, 4) your works – Matthew 25:34-46, 5) by our Opportunities –
to share what God has done in our lives.
·
Parsin – You have been broken in two, divided, your time is up, over.
Good News is Romans
8:1-2 therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…
God also remembers to
forget when we repent and are forgiven.
Sin
brings judgment.
How can believers
humbly admonish a friend?
What God says He
will do, He does.
This message is a
reminder to all of us that whatever we sow, that we will also reap (Galatians
6:7-8).
God is the Judge;
He justly weighs all matters and metes out retribution in His time (Psalm
94:2).
Sometimes God
speaks very clearly into our lives, convicting us of sin and warning us of
pending judgment.
It does not pay to
ignore the "handwriting on the wall."
Conclusion
Belshazzar and much
of the culture in which he lived ignored the truth about the Lord God, choosing
rather to think that he (Belshazzar) and his kingdom were the center of the
world. Our world is not much different. God is ignored, holy things are
profaned, self is exalted, the immoral is celebrated, others are cast aside as
unimportant, and a host of other similar things. The Bible word for such
actions and attitudes is sin. Sin makes us subject to the wrath of God. He
measures, finds us deficient, and determines we are worthy of judgment. That is
a hard message that believers are to declare.
And yet, we can rejoice,
for there is also a message of hope! Christ has stepped in on our behalf. He
took the judgment for us on the cross. By His atoning death, we stand redeemed,
justified, forgiven.
That is the
glorious gospel message we are commissioned to proclaim as believers. Freedom
from the pain and penalty of sin is available to all who repent — turn from sin
and turn to the Lord — and give themselves over to new life in Christ.
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