Read
Daniel 7:1-8:27, 5:1-31
Daniel 5:3-5, 8, “So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem… As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall near the golden lampstand in the royal palace. … Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.”
Think
How good are you at seeing “the writing on the wall?” Are you ever oblivious to the obvious? Often, we ignore history and fail to learn from the difficult consequences endured by those who’ve come before us — even within our own family. So was the case with the Babylonian king, Belshazzar.
The grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar was fully aware that his grandpa was driven into the wilderness to live an insane, animalistic existence for seven years until he humbled himself before God. So why did he so badly miss the obvious: don’t mess around with the God of the universe?
He used goblets taken from the Jerusalem temple to toast and praise false idols. And as everyone indulged in the festivities, God sent a sign that He was not to be mocked or taken lightly. The fingers of a man’s hand wrote on the wall and the king’s face changed completely as his knees knocked with fear. Daniel was summoned to decipher what was written. After giving the king a brief reminder of his family history, Daniel told him something we should heed today: “You knew all of this, yet you have not humbled yourself!” Belshazzar’s actions had been weighed on God’s scales of justice, and he was found lacking — his fate had been sealed, and he was destined for destruction.
Don’t be oblivious to the obvious — learn from the past. God holds us accountable for our actions, especially when we know something is wrong and do it anyway. The king’s fate doesn’t have to be your destiny. Seek God’s righteousness and will in your choices, and you will remain in the sweet spot of God’s blessing and favor!
Pray
Heavenly Father, Thank You for providing me with Your Word to learn important life lessons. Help me to apply what I’ve read. Guide my decisions and humble my heart as I seek to live out Your best. Amen.
