HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

Tonight (Wednesday, 3/26, 7:00 pm), join your Calvary Chapel family at the Holy Grounds Cafe or online through our website (www.calvaryinv.com), Facebook, and YouTube (Calvary Inverness) as we continue our study of the book of Daniel (5:1-31). It is one of the most remarkable sets of prophecies ever recorded.

Nebuchadnezzar, whose kingship lasted for forty-three years, died. He was the world’s last absolute monarch, and the one Daniel had revealed was the head of gold in the King’s dream. The prophet significantly influenced the King, which is why there are those, myself included, who believe that when we reach heaven, we will see Nebuchadnezzar.

After his death, several kings ascended to the Babylonian throne- men who fought and killed those they perceived as threats. Palace intrigue was rampant. No one could rest easy and trust anyone, not even their spouses or families.

When the dust settled, a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar became King. His name is Belshazzar, and he possessed none of the qualities of his grandfather. He was the typical secular man who cared for no one more than himself.

He was a man-child who had not paid his dues in expanding or defending the kingdom. His greatest ambition was to fulfill every deviant desire he had.

One evening, in a bizarre and boastful act, he gathered a thousand of his lords, along with his many wives and concubines, in the great hall for an evening of debauchery.

While in an intoxicated state, he commanded that the utensils used in the worship of the God of heaven, which had been taken from Jerusalem, be brought to him. With complete disregard for the dignity of his kingship and God, he ordered all present to drink from the cups to demonstrate that the Babylonian gods were greater than those of Jerusalem.

As the wine dripped down his chin, Belshazzar turned as pale as a ghost when he saw fingers of a man’s hand appear and write on the wall before him. His demeanor changed entirely; he was no longer the man he had been moments earlier.

He summoned his astrologers and magicians to read and interpret the inscription. When they failed, he was informed of an elderly man who had performed a similar feat for his grandfather.

Daniel was ignored or possibly removed from the royal court in his eighties and lived anonymously. The King’s guards came and swiftly brought him to Belshazzar. Daniel knew exactly what had transpired. He revealed the message and informed the King that night, he would be slaughtered and that the Medes and Persians would become the new rulers of the Babylonians.

Many lessons can be learned from Belshazzar. His life, which concluded with his death, serves as a reminder that life is short, every individual will be held accountable for their actions, and, as Daniel did, believers should always be prepared to explain the reason for their hope.

Please pray that open hearts embrace this journey through the Word of God, eager to grow in Jesus’ grace and knowledge. Furthermore, He will achieve profound and lasting work in and through us for a world that desperately needs a Savior.

In His Strong Love,

Pastor