July 9, 2024

Babylon is now under the kingship of Belshazzar, son of Evil-Merodach, and the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. The Medes and Persians were waiting for the opportunity to overtake Babylon when Belshazzar decided to have a party. During the party, he called for the cups seized from the temple of God when the Israelites were taken captive. When they drank their wine from those cups, a hand appeared and wrote on the wall. Belshazzar quickly called for the astrologers to interpret the writing, but they failed. Then he called his queen-mother, and she suggested Daniel. She knew he was full of a spirit that wasn’t human. Belshazzar offered Daniel scarlet clothing, a chain of gold, and to become the third ruler in the kingdom if he could tell him the meaning of the writing on the wall. Daniel rejected his offer but told him the interpretation of the words. 

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel 5:25-28

Belshazzar then clothed him as he promised. That night, Belshazzar was killed, and Darius the Median took over the kingdom. This timeline puts us squarely into the arms of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 

Be very careful not to sully the sacred things dedicated to God. He doesn’t take kindly to that type of behavior. Nowadays, who or what is sacred to God? You and I. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God, who is not human. Make sure you treat your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2