Writing on the Wall    

     We remember when people discussing an issue might refer to "the writing on the wall." There is a source for that.

     Nebuchadnezzar had died after a reign of 44 years (including seven years living as an animal.) Belshazzar, his son, was one of the sorry kings presiding among 22 years of the declining empire. 

     Remember when Babylonians carried off Jewish temple articles and placed them in their temple, and God didn't react? 

     One night, Belshazzar gave a banquet for a thousand nobles, their wives and concubines. As they drank wine from the goblets (taken from Jerusalem), they praised their various gods. 

     Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the wall. The king's ... face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way. Some miracle.  

     He called for his wise men - the fellows who couldn't interpret dreams - and they struck out once more. Ah. The queen. She told her terrified husband, Don't be alarmed! There is a man ... who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. Call for Daniel and he will tell you what the writing means.

     Daniel spoke of the king's father, and how God humbled him for seven years. 

     But you, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. *  Therefore, he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. This is what these words mean:

     God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. 

     That night, the king was slain, and Darius the Mede (the arms of silver) took over the empire. 

* All our lives and ways are in God's hand, whether we know it or not. 

Tomorrow: Good guy Daniel fed to lions