GAME CHANGER:
HOW TO IMPACT YOUR WORLD
If
God used Daniel and his friends in such a tremendous way, He will use
us the same way to impact and change our world today. As we study the
Book of Daniel, I pray that God will speak to us and encourage us to
"Get in the Game" and to be "Game Changers."
How To Impact Your World
- Develop Conviction - Live your life with uncompromising conviction.
- Pray Fervently - Our prayers connect us with God's plan.
- Stand Courageously - Be ready and willing to stand for God.
- Live Humbly - Pride leads to downfall, but God honors humility.
- Confront Sin - Call sin what it is and point to what God says about it.
- Act Faithfully - God is greater than those who oppose you.
CONFRONT SIN
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
“When are you going to learn?”
My father used to ask me that when I was a boy, and with good reason—I had a habit of making the same mistake twice. Years later, I catch myself asking my own children the same question. I’m sure they will do the same with their kids.
Ours isn’t the only family to repeat this pattern. In fact, we’ve all experienced the consequences of repeated mistakes. Another thing my father used to say was, “Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” That’s an old saying, of course. It goes back a few hundred years in our language, but examples of that truth in action go back much further.
The Book of Daniel provides such an example: a pagan king who failed to learn from the failings of another king before him. Had he only paid attention, he could have avoided much pain and loss. More than just a fascinating story from the pages of Scripture, this event challenges us to consider how we deal with our sin—not to mention the sins of others.
Our society is becoming increasingly secular. Many people are convinced that the definition of what is wrong or sinful is up to the individual. Something is wrong only if it makes us feel wrong. Therefore, we try to rationalize away sin. Even so, that does not change the Bible's message about sin. That which is contrary to the way of the Lord is sin. Furthermore, sin will someday come to be seen for what it is, and its consequences will be realized.
In last week's lesson of Daniel chapter 4, we saw the madness of Nebuchadnezzar was a product of and punishment for his pride. The court story that is the subject of chapter 5 continues this theme by looking further into the problem of pride and the result of having an arrogant spirit toward God. Belshazzar manifested total disregard and disrespect for the Lord God - and paid the price!
The events of chapter 5 occurred about 25 years after Nebuchadnezzar's death. Initially, Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by three different descendants, each of whom served only briefly. Eventually, his son-in-law Nabonidus became king. However, he was frequently an absentee king who spent considerable time away from the throne. Therefore, his son Belshazzar served as a vice-regent. Whether Belshazzar was a capable leader could be debated, but he apparently enjoyed the trappings that came with being "king." The story found in chapter 5 is illustrative of his approach to being king. He lived a raucous lifestyle, showed disdain for sacred things, and was openly defiant in his attitude toward the Lord God. God is a God of mercy and grace, but eventually sin will be exposed and judgment will come. This story tells of the unusual way God spoke to Belshazzar and how Daniel, even in his latter years, was used of God to confront the king's sin.
Here is the point of this week's lesson:
Our society is becoming increasingly secular. Many people are convinced that the definition of what is wrong or sinful is up to the individual. Something is wrong only if it makes us feel wrong. Therefore, we try to rationalize away sin. Even so, that does not change the Bible's message about sin. That which is contrary to the way of the Lord is sin. Furthermore, sin will someday come to be seen for what it is, and its consequences will be realized.
In last week's lesson of Daniel chapter 4, we saw the madness of Nebuchadnezzar was a product of and punishment for his pride. The court story that is the subject of chapter 5 continues this theme by looking further into the problem of pride and the result of having an arrogant spirit toward God. Belshazzar manifested total disregard and disrespect for the Lord God - and paid the price!
The events of chapter 5 occurred about 25 years after Nebuchadnezzar's death. Initially, Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by three different descendants, each of whom served only briefly. Eventually, his son-in-law Nabonidus became king. However, he was frequently an absentee king who spent considerable time away from the throne. Therefore, his son Belshazzar served as a vice-regent. Whether Belshazzar was a capable leader could be debated, but he apparently enjoyed the trappings that came with being "king." The story found in chapter 5 is illustrative of his approach to being king. He lived a raucous lifestyle, showed disdain for sacred things, and was openly defiant in his attitude toward the Lord God. God is a God of mercy and grace, but eventually sin will be exposed and judgment will come. This story tells of the unusual way God spoke to Belshazzar and how Daniel, even in his latter years, was used of God to confront the king's sin.
Here is the point of this week's lesson:
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Daniel 5:17-28 (ESV)
17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.
18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.
19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.
20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
22And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
23but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
24“Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.
25And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.
26This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;
27TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;
28PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Belshazzar (v. 22)—There is a shift in the time frame between chapters 4 and 5. Daniel 4 marked the final years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. The events of chapter 5 took place 23 years after Nebuchadnezzar’s death. Belshazzar was now ruling Babylon.
Medes and Persians (v. 28)—A coalition of peoples representing the empires of Media and Persia united by the leadership of Cyrus the Great. On a world map today it would roughly include Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and a portion of southeast Turkey.
Daniel 5:17-21
In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of Babylon. In Daniel 5, Nebuchadnezzar had been dead for about 25 years. Worse, Babylon’s capital city was surrounded by the combined armies of the Medes and Persians. The city’s fate was in the hands of the new king: Belshazzar.
When your city is surrounded by the enemy, what do you do? If you’re Belshazzar, you throw a party. Apparently, Belshazzar and the rest of the Babylonians felt perfectly safe—despite the vast army outside their gates. That’s because the city walls were over 300 feet high, over 80 feet wide, and boasted more than 250 guard towers. The city had running water and enough food for 20 years. The people felt secure.
That’s when Belshazzar saw the writing on the wall. Literally: “Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace” (v. 5).
No one could tell Belshazzar the meaning of the words. But Daniel could—and did. Starting in verse 17, Daniel reminded Belshazzar of the actions of his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. God had made Nebuchadnezzar great, giving him fame, fortune, and victory everywhere he went. But when Nebuchadnezzar’s spirit became arrogant, the sovereign God judged him. The king’s throne and his glory were taken from him; for seven years, he lived like an animal. Nebuchadnezzar faced judgment until he acknowledged the Most High God. And only then did God graciously restored him.
“Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” Belshazzar was about to experience a repeat of God’s judgment.
Daniel 5:22-23
Daniel issued a stinging rebuke to Belshazzar. The king had witnessed the last years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this” (v. 22).
Daniel was specific in identifying the ways Belshazzar had sinned against God.
- Pride: Belshazzar was as prideful and arrogant as Nebuchadnezzar. The older king repented of his pride (see 4:37), but Belshazzar never did.
- Blasphemy: Belshazzar exalted himself against the God of heaven by using the sacred vessels from the temple to drink wine and blaspheme God.
- Idolatry: Belshazzar had seen the power of the Most High God through the events of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, yet he deliberately chose to worship false gods—and to use the sacred things of God in the process!
- Failure to glorify the true God: Belshazzar did not glorify God who gives life and controls the universe.
Our own nation has also become prideful and arrogant. The secular has become more important than the spiritual. We’re losing our moral compass because we’ve created a culture in which everyone is encouraged to do what is right in his or her own eyes. We are guilty before God.
The hand of God was on Daniel, and I believe he spoke the truth in love and sincerity. In that moment Belshazzar was confronted by a hard lesson: “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). May we truly learn that lesson before it’s too late.
Daniel 5:24-28
According to Daniel 5:8, not even the king’s wise men were able to read the words written on the wall, nor did they understand their significance. But Daniel read and interpreted the message to show God’s response to Belshazzar’s sins.
- MENE: The word meant “counted or numbered.” “God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end” (v. 26). We have a common saying: “Your number is up.” That surely was the case for Belshazzar and Babylon. The word appeared twice to mark the certainty of the judgment, and the reason is given with the next word.
- TEKEL: The word meant “weight or weighed.” “You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting” (v. 27). Belshazzar had been weighed on God’s scales, and he did not measure up.
- PERES: This was the plural form of the word parsin, which meant “divided.” “Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (v. 28). Due to Belshazzar’s idolatry and disobedience, the Babylonian empire would be destroyed and fade into history (see vv. 30-31).
We probably won’t see any divine writing on the walls in today’s culture, but God has communicated His truth to us through His Word. As Christians, then, we have a responsibility to both reflect and proclaim that truth to others. The world is reeling in confusion and unbelief, and we have the opportunity to present God’s truth in love. Make no mistake: doing so often begins with confronting sin.
Sin brings judgment, but let’s not stop there! We must also proclaim the best news ever given: the hope available in Jesus Christ. All people can find freedom and forgiveness at the cross of Christ. Many modern cultures are traveling the same road as ancient Babylon. Join me in proclaiming and witnessing to the answer we find only in Christ: His hope, His forgiveness, and His salvation.
"Jesus works on us in all sorts of ways, but above all, He works on us through each other." - C.S. Lewis
LIVE IT OUT
Belshazzar, and much of the culture in which he lived, ignored the truth about the Lord God, choosing rather to think that he and his kingdom were the center of the world. Our world today 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 take place. The Bible's word for such actions and attitudes is SIN. Sin makes us subject to the wrath of God. God measures, finds us deficient, and determines we are worthy of judgment.
But you can rejoice in this, for there is 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, and forgiven. That is the glorious gospel message we are commissioned to proclaim as believers.
What will you do this week to be faithful in telling the truth about sin? Consider the following suggestions:
- Confront your own sin. Being honest with sin must begin in your own heart. Confess any sins or sinful patterns that have lingered in recent weeks. Take steps to turn away from your sin and turn back to Christ.
- Speak out among your friends and family. We don’t do our loved ones any favors by ignoring their sinful patterns. Sin is damaging and destructive. Therefore, commit to speaking the truth in love when you observe something potentially damaging in the lives of those you care about.
- Speak out in your community. Spend some time researching in order to identify a specific pattern of oppression or injustice within your community. Join with others in making plans to raise awareness of the issue and move toward a solution.
When are you going to learn?”
The reality is that we’ll never fully learn to control our sinful behaviors—not this side of eternity, anyway. Yet we can help ourselves and others by honestly communicating what God has made clear about sin.
Our Lesson Today:
CONFRONT SIN
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When you were a child, how did your parents confront your MISTAKES?
Lesson Point
Call sin what it is and point to what God says about it.
When should you confront someone about their Sin? When you see sin or damaging behavior in someone else's life, how do you know when to keep quiet and when to speak with them?
- The first principle that Paul lays down for us is, "Who are we to judge those who are outside? It is those in the church that we are to judge." So the first answer is, I'm watching sinful destructive behavior all day in the world. Television, movies, YouTube, on the street, in advertising, people are destroying themselves all day long—neighbors and people all around us. You don't go to everybody. You are not called to spend 18 hours a day walking up to people saying, "Don't smoke!" or, "Don't drink!" or, "Don't swear!" or, "Don't hit your wife!" or, "Don't fail to discipline your children!" That's not our job. We preach the gospel to the world, and as occasion arises we might link some destructive behavior to the gospel as a way out.
- In the church the question becomes more urgent. In the church, the answer to the question is going to hang on criteria like, how serious is the sin? If it is really serious, immediately urgent, and you know that the person is a part of the church—even if you don't know them personally—you might go and do Galatians 6:2. "If you find a brother taken in a fault, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness lest you too be tempted."
- So the criteria is, how serious is the sin, and am I spiritually equipped. And you go in there and try to speak in a way that wouldn't feel condemning—at least at first. You may have to get tough later, but at first you want to win them. You want to create a bubble of grace in which they feel some hope that even though this is sin, they are loved and accepted.
- Another criterion would be how close is your relationship? Are there other people in this person's life? If I saw somebody in your small group doing something, and you are the leader of that little group, I might ask you, "Are you concerned about this kind of thing? You might watch out for it in your group." Because I would rather have someone they know pursue them this way than somebody that has less of a relationship with them.
- My final answer would be, have spiritual discernment and spiritual wisdom for the moment about whether this is an auspicious helpful time to talk, or whether another angle would be better.
When should a Christian try to correct another Christian?
- This can be a delicate subject. It is wise to spend time in prayer first, to check our motivation and ask for guidance. There are times when Christians are called upon to "talk to" or try to correct a fellow Christian. Assuming we are talking about a matter of sin in a believers’ life, our motive and intent should always be to bring about repentance and restoration to the erring brother or sister in Christ.
- First, our attitude is very important. "Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive each other, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done" (Ephesians 4:32). It is then that we are more able to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul had a similar warning about attitude: "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). Here we see that those who are “spiritual,” meaning walking in the Spirit in faith and obedience, should gently restore someone who is in sin, being always aware of how easily we can all be tempted by Satan who wants to ensnare everyone in his traps.
- The Bible prescribes the procedure for confronting a sinning brother or sister in an extensive passage on church discipline: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17). Again, this is the procedure for confronting a sinning brother, not someone whose behavior you feel needs modifying in some way or someone who merely irritates or annoys you.
- On a different slant, one of the most often quoted scriptures is "Judge not, lest ye be judged" (Matthew 7:1 KJV). Taken out of context, the verse has been used to incorrectly justify never taking a stand on anything that would require a judgment to be made. Rather, the verse is referring to hypocritical, self-righteous, unfair kinds of judgment, especially where the confronter is guilty of the same sin as the one being confronted.
So, when should Christians talk to or try to correct a fellow Christian?
- When we have talked to the Lord first, have an attitude of submission and concern for the other person, and are committed to following the procedures outlined in His Word for such a situation.
Lesson Setting:
- About 23 years and several kings following the events of our last lesson, Daniel yet again was called on to interpret a Babylonian king’s baffling situation.
- This time the king was Belshazzar (co-regent with his father Nabonidus), the last king of the Babylonian empire.
- In the midst of a drunken, brazen, sacrilegious party, a hand began writing on a wall.
- Its message proclaimed certain and immediate doom.
Here's the story:
Even the mightiest of kings is nothing compared to God. King Nebuchadnezzar finally learned that. He finally learned that God has power over all things, and that whatever power King Nebuchadnezzar had, it wasn’t his own doing. God gave it to him.
Too bad his son didn’t learn anything from his dad.
King Nebuchadnezzar died, and his son Belshazzar became king. He thought he was pretty hot stuff. Well, he was. He had just inherited the richest, the mightiest, and the most glorious kingdom in the whole world. And he was in charge. He could do whatever he pleased. He could have whatever he wanted.
And so King Belshazzar decided to have a great feast to celebrate just how wonderful he was. He invited a thousand of all the most important people in Babylon.
It must have been a wild party. King Belshazzar began drinking wine. He drank too much wine, and he lost all his sense.
He brought out the sacred pitchers and cups of gold and silver that his father had taken from God’s temple in Jerusalem. He and his guests drank wine from them with no thought at all that these were God’s holy vessels.
The king and his guests were laughing too loudly, singing too badly, and falling all over themselves. They bowed to statues of gold and silver, bronze and iron and wood, and thanked them for making them so great and wonderful.
Right then, in the middle of King Belshazzar’s wild party, a human hand appeared out of nowhere. It wasn’t attached to a body. And it began to write on the wall of the royal banquet hall.
The whole hall went quiet.
The only sound was the sound of a finger scratching giant letters into the plaster wall.
King Belshazzar was terrified.
His face turned white. And he began to shake all over, so that even his knees were knocking together.
He cried out, “BRING ME MY MAGICIANS, SORCERERS, AND WISEMEN!”
The party was over.
All the guests went home, and King Belshazzar was left alone in his banquet hall, with the writing on the wall.
The magicians, sorcerers, and wise men came before the king, and the king said, “Tell me what this writing means! Whoever can tell me what it means, I will put a gold chain around his neck, a purple robe on his back, and I will make him the third most powerful man in all of Babylon.”
Well, of course the magicians, sorcerers, and wise men didn’t know what the writing on the wall meant. Only God knew.
Now, the queen heard all of this, and she came to the king and said, “O King! May you live forever! Don’t be afraid. Remember back in the days of Nebuchadnezzar your father. There was a man who had great wisdom and understanding, the power to answer riddles and to solve puzzles - and he could tell the meaning of dreams. His name is Daniel.”
“Bring me this Daniel!” commanded the king.
And so, once again, Daniel came before the king of Babylon.
“So you are Daniel,” said the king. “I have heard that you have great wisdom and understanding, that you can answer riddles and solve puzzles - and that you can tell the meaning of dreams.
“I have called my magicians, sorcerers, and wisemen to tell me the meaning of this writing on the wall, but they can’t do it. I will put a gold chain around your neck, a purple robe on your back, and I will make you the third most powerful man in all of Babylon, if you can tell me the meaning of the writing on the wall”
Daniel said, “You can keep your gold chain and your purple robe. But so that you will know that there is a God in heaven, and that he has power over all things, I will tell you what the writing on the wall means.
“O king, the Most High God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great and mighty king. All the people in the world feared him because his power was so great. He could do whatever he pleased, and take whatever he wanted.
“But your father became proud. He started to think, ‘How great and wonderful I am!’ And so the Most High God took away your father’s power, and he made him live like an animal. After seven years, your father finally understood that God is King over all things, and he can give power to whomever he wants.
“But you, King Belshazzar, have not learned from your father.
“You think you are so great. You think no one can tell you what you can do and what you can’t do. And so you insulted God by using his sacred vessels for your drunken party. You bowed before statues of gold and silver, bronze and iron and wood. These statues cannot see, they cannot hear. They can do nothing for you at all. But you couldn’t even take a breath without God, and you do not praise or honor him.
“So the Almighty God has sent you this message...
“And this is what it means. MENE means that God has counted out the number of days you will be king, and they are over. TEKEL means that God has tested you, and you have not passed the test. And PARSIN means your kingdom will be divided, and given to the Medes and the Persians.”
Well, at least King Belshazzar was true to his word. He put a chain of gold around Daniel’s neck, and a purple robe on his back, and made him the third most powerful man in all of Babylon.
And that very night, King Belshazzar died.
His great and glorious kingdom and all his riches were given to Darius the Mede.
3 Things we can learn from Daniel on confronting SIN:
I. When confronting people with their sin, point to the consequences of sin.
Daniel 5: 17-21 HCSB
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. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. 20 But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of men and sets anyone He wants over it.
A. Daniel reminded the king that God had given his predecessor great power and authority and a glorious kingdom, but it all went to his head. He reminded him that God had taken it away and Nebuchadnezzar lived like a mad man in the wilderness.
B. When confronting sin, give people examples of consequences of that sin from God’s Word or what has happened to someone they know. Most people do not equate sin with consequences.
Why do people often fail to make the connection between sin and its consequences?
II. When confronting people with their sin against God, be specific.
Daniel 5: 22-23 HCSB
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 heaven. 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.
What did Daniel say were the king’s sins?
Why was Daniel the best person to confront the king?
What are the pros and cons of being honest with people about their sin?
We, too often, are afraid to confront someone in sin, for fear of offending them or driving them away from church. We must be able to speak the truth in love and trust the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin.
III. When confronting people with their sin, make them aware that sin brings judgment.
Daniel 5: 24-28 HCSB
25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, 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 in the balance and found deficient. 28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
The message of Daniel 5 is the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar:
What was the meaning of MENE?
What was the meaning of TEKEL?
What was the meaning of PARSIN?
Daniel told the king that, due to his sin, his kingdom would be taken away. God’s judgment was swift, as Belshazzar died that very night.
Remember this:
A. When we confront sin, we should do so with a grace-filled call to turn to God. We are not the judge, but God can use us to warn of judgment.
B. God’s answer to our sin is two-fold: (1) Freedom and forgiveness are available because God has dealt with our sin through the cross of Christ; but (2) judgment awaits those who do not acknowledge and trust in the saving work of Christ.
How do we balance talking about the judgment of sin with the forgiveness God offers?
If the finger were to start writing on your wall today, what language would God use to describe your misplaced priorities?
1. There is a last night appointed for everyone. Our days are numbered. We each have a rendezvous with death. The only way to face that appointed moment of death and eternity with hope is by faith in Jesus Christ.
2. We can call sin what it is and point to God’s solution through Christ. We may not be able to change legislation in our government, but we can stand on God’s Word and declare sin as dishonor and disobedience toward Him.
What are the dangers of focusing on others’ sins while ignoring our own?
Conclusion/Application
People are either aware of their sin and feel bad about it, or are aware of their sin and have grown insensitive to it. We must not shy away for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. We have enough of that in our churches today. Never confront sin in self-righteous judgment. Make sure there is no plank in your eye before you try to remove the splinter in someone else’s eye.
When we speak today about “reading the handwriting on the wall,” we’re often talking about something that seems obvious—at least to us. And yet, in this story from Daniel, only one man was capable of “getting it.” Though not a prophet in the strictest sense of the word—the book of Daniel is part of the Writings of the Old Testament, which includes texts such as the Psalms and Job—Daniel was able to see things others couldn’t or wouldn’t. What he foresaw was not always pleasant, but in hindsight, it was always understandable; given the circumstances and conditions of the time, certain consequences seem quite logical.
Like Daniel, some of us may be called to “read the handwriting on the wall,” to say that which is right in front of people when they are afraid or unable.
Lord, help me not to take my sin lightly, for indeed You do not, as evidenced in the giving of Your Son that the world might be saved. Amen.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Even the mightiest of kings is nothing compared to God. King Nebuchadnezzar finally learned that. He finally learned that God has power over all things, and that whatever power King Nebuchadnezzar had, it wasn’t his own doing. God gave it to him.
Too bad his son didn’t learn anything from his dad.
King Nebuchadnezzar died, and his son Belshazzar became king. He thought he was pretty hot stuff. Well, he was. He had just inherited the richest, the mightiest, and the most glorious kingdom in the whole world. And he was in charge. He could do whatever he pleased. He could have whatever he wanted.
And so King Belshazzar decided to have a great feast to celebrate just how wonderful he was. He invited a thousand of all the most important people in Babylon.
It must have been a wild party. King Belshazzar began drinking wine. He drank too much wine, and he lost all his sense.
He brought out the sacred pitchers and cups of gold and silver that his father had taken from God’s temple in Jerusalem. He and his guests drank wine from them with no thought at all that these were God’s holy vessels.
The king and his guests were laughing too loudly, singing too badly, and falling all over themselves. They bowed to statues of gold and silver, bronze and iron and wood, and thanked them for making them so great and wonderful.
Right then, in the middle of King Belshazzar’s wild party, a human hand appeared out of nowhere. It wasn’t attached to a body. And it began to write on the wall of the royal banquet hall.
The whole hall went quiet.
The only sound was the sound of a finger scratching giant letters into the plaster wall.
King Belshazzar was terrified.
His face turned white. And he began to shake all over, so that even his knees were knocking together.
He cried out, “BRING ME MY MAGICIANS, SORCERERS, AND WISEMEN!”
The party was over.
All the guests went home, and King Belshazzar was left alone in his banquet hall, with the writing on the wall.
The magicians, sorcerers, and wise men came before the king, and the king said, “Tell me what this writing means! Whoever can tell me what it means, I will put a gold chain around his neck, a purple robe on his back, and I will make him the third most powerful man in all of Babylon.”
Well, of course the magicians, sorcerers, and wise men didn’t know what the writing on the wall meant. Only God knew.
Now, the queen heard all of this, and she came to the king and said, “O King! May you live forever! Don’t be afraid. Remember back in the days of Nebuchadnezzar your father. There was a man who had great wisdom and understanding, the power to answer riddles and to solve puzzles - and he could tell the meaning of dreams. His name is Daniel.”
“Bring me this Daniel!” commanded the king.
And so, once again, Daniel came before the king of Babylon.
“So you are Daniel,” said the king. “I have heard that you have great wisdom and understanding, that you can answer riddles and solve puzzles - and that you can tell the meaning of dreams.
“I have called my magicians, sorcerers, and wisemen to tell me the meaning of this writing on the wall, but they can’t do it. I will put a gold chain around your neck, a purple robe on your back, and I will make you the third most powerful man in all of Babylon, if you can tell me the meaning of the writing on the wall”
Daniel said, “You can keep your gold chain and your purple robe. But so that you will know that there is a God in heaven, and that he has power over all things, I will tell you what the writing on the wall means.
“O king, the Most High God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great and mighty king. All the people in the world feared him because his power was so great. He could do whatever he pleased, and take whatever he wanted.
“But your father became proud. He started to think, ‘How great and wonderful I am!’ And so the Most High God took away your father’s power, and he made him live like an animal. After seven years, your father finally understood that God is King over all things, and he can give power to whomever he wants.
“But you, King Belshazzar, have not learned from your father.
“You think you are so great. You think no one can tell you what you can do and what you can’t do. And so you insulted God by using his sacred vessels for your drunken party. You bowed before statues of gold and silver, bronze and iron and wood. These statues cannot see, they cannot hear. They can do nothing for you at all. But you couldn’t even take a breath without God, and you do not praise or honor him.
“So the Almighty God has sent you this message...
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
“And this is what it means. MENE means that God has counted out the number of days you will be king, and they are over. TEKEL means that God has tested you, and you have not passed the test. And PARSIN means your kingdom will be divided, and given to the Medes and the Persians.”
Well, at least King Belshazzar was true to his word. He put a chain of gold around Daniel’s neck, and a purple robe on his back, and made him the third most powerful man in all of Babylon.
And that very night, King Belshazzar died.
His great and glorious kingdom and all his riches were given to Darius the Mede.
3 Things we can learn from Daniel on confronting SIN:
I. When confronting people with their sin, point to the consequences of sin.
Daniel 5: 17-21 HCSB
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. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. 20 But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of men and sets anyone He wants over it.
A. Daniel reminded the king that God had given his predecessor great power and authority and a glorious kingdom, but it all went to his head. He reminded him that God had taken it away and Nebuchadnezzar lived like a mad man in the wilderness.
B. When confronting sin, give people examples of consequences of that sin from God’s Word or what has happened to someone they know. Most people do not equate sin with consequences.
Why do people often fail to make the connection between sin and its consequences?
- Addictions
- Pleasing effect of the sin itself
II. When confronting people with their sin against God, be specific.
Daniel 5: 22-23 HCSB
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 heaven. 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.
What did Daniel say were the king’s sins?
- Daniel confronted the king with the sins of pride, desecrating holy utensils, and idolatry. You know the root of every sin is pride – it’s basically worshiping yourself. What are some holy utensils today? (Bible, church…) What is idolatry today? Putting anything before God.
Why was Daniel the best person to confront the king?
- Daniel was in a unique position to be able to confront the king with the sin. None of the other magicians could interpret the handwriting. Daniel didn’t shy away from the task, even though he knew the king could get mad and punish him for what he said.
What are the pros and cons of being honest with people about their sin?
- Our own nation is guilty of the same sins Babylon had committed.
- We have become prideful and arrogant.
- We have essentially thrown God out of our science, our schools, and our government.
- The secular has become more important than the spiritual.
- We are losing our moral compass because we are now living in a culture where everyone wants to do what is right in his or her own eyes.
We, too often, are afraid to confront someone in sin, for fear of offending them or driving them away from church. We must be able to speak the truth in love and trust the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin.
III. When confronting people with their sin, make them aware that sin brings judgment.
Daniel 5: 24-28 HCSB
25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, 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 in the balance and found deficient. 28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
The message of Daniel 5 is the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar:
- Nebuchadnezzar is humbled by God, learns his lesson (Who God is) and is restored to his throne.
- Belshazzar in contrast, learns nothing from Nebuchadnezzar’s example, blasphemes God and has his kingdom given to others. The fate of Belshazzar illustrates what happens when a king doesn’t repent.
What was the meaning of MENE?
- God has counted out the number of days you will be king, and they are over!
What was the meaning of TEKEL?
- God has tested you, and you have not passed the test!
What was the meaning of PARSIN?
- Your kingdom will be divided, and given to the Medes and the Persians!
Daniel told the king that, due to his sin, his kingdom would be taken away. God’s judgment was swift, as Belshazzar died that very night.
Remember this:
A. When we confront sin, we should do so with a grace-filled call to turn to God. We are not the judge, but God can use us to warn of judgment.
B. God’s answer to our sin is two-fold: (1) Freedom and forgiveness are available because God has dealt with our sin through the cross of Christ; but (2) judgment awaits those who do not acknowledge and trust in the saving work of Christ.
How do we balance talking about the judgment of sin with the forgiveness God offers?
- We don’t see writing on the wall, but God has communicated His truth to us through His Word.
- The world around us is reeling in confusion and unbelief, and we have the opportunity to present God’s truth in love.
- The truth we communicate often begins with confronting sin.
- Sin brings judgment, but let’s not stop there.
- We also should proclaim the best news ever given: hope in Jesus Christ!
- A judgment is coming, but we find freedom and forgiveness at the cross of Christ.
If the finger were to start writing on your wall today, what language would God use to describe your misplaced priorities?
1. There is a last night appointed for everyone. Our days are numbered. We each have a rendezvous with death. The only way to face that appointed moment of death and eternity with hope is by faith in Jesus Christ.
2. We can call sin what it is and point to God’s solution through Christ. We may not be able to change legislation in our government, but we can stand on God’s Word and declare sin as dishonor and disobedience toward Him.
What are the dangers of focusing on others’ sins while ignoring our own?
- We need to confront our own sin.
- We need to confront sin in love.
- We need to point to Jesus.
Conclusion/Application
People are either aware of their sin and feel bad about it, or are aware of their sin and have grown insensitive to it. We must not shy away for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. We have enough of that in our churches today. Never confront sin in self-righteous judgment. Make sure there is no plank in your eye before you try to remove the splinter in someone else’s eye.
When we speak today about “reading the handwriting on the wall,” we’re often talking about something that seems obvious—at least to us. And yet, in this story from Daniel, only one man was capable of “getting it.” Though not a prophet in the strictest sense of the word—the book of Daniel is part of the Writings of the Old Testament, which includes texts such as the Psalms and Job—Daniel was able to see things others couldn’t or wouldn’t. What he foresaw was not always pleasant, but in hindsight, it was always understandable; given the circumstances and conditions of the time, certain consequences seem quite logical.
Like Daniel, some of us may be called to “read the handwriting on the wall,” to say that which is right in front of people when they are afraid or unable.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord, help me not to take my sin lightly, for indeed You do not, as evidenced in the giving of Your Son that the world might be saved. Amen.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
