Bring in the
astrologers, the Chaldeans and the Soothsayers”, screamed Belshazzar, the
Chaldean king with a loud voice. As he was drinking wine with a thousand of his
nobles, his wives and his concubines, he ordered for the golden vessels, which
Nebuchadnezzar took away from the temple of God at Jerusalem, to be brought in;
so that the king, his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink wine
from them. These were sacred vessels consecrated in the service of the Most
High God in the Temple. While drinking the wine, they praised the gods of gold
and silver, bronze and iron, and wood and stone. Thus, Belshazzar defied the
Most High God and His Sovereignty.
It
was in the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand and wrote over against
the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king
saw the part of the hand that wrote and was frightened beyond measure. None of
the astrologers and soothsayers of Babylon could interpret the writing.
But Daniel, who served and worshipped the same God whom Belshazzar defied,
interpreted the writing to the king.
Daniel
chided and reminded the king that the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, his
father sovereignty and great glory. But he was lifted up with pride and stubbornness,
so God overthrew him from his royal throne and driven away from the palace. He
had to live with the wild beasts and was fed with grass like oxen and his body
was wet with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God is
Sovereign over all the kingdoms of the earth. But although Belshazzar knew all
this, he rebelled against the God of heaven.
It was therefore the writing on the
wall, which Daniel interpreted, “God has numbered thy kingdom and finished it.
Thou art weighed in the balances and are found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided
and given to the Medes and Persians." The verdict was final and his fate
was sealed. That night was Belshazzar slain. He was given enough warnings, but
he rebelled and perished for his sins.
All who are of the
works of the Law are under a curse (Galatians 3:10). The curse of the law is
the handwriting against us like the handwriting upon the plaster of the wall of
Belshazzar's palace. This is the handwriting, which is against you and me that
threatens you and me with eternal death! The Lord Jesus came to redeem you from
the curse of the Law by His death, being made a curse for you (Galatians 3:13).
If you trust in the redemptive work of the Saviour, you will be freed from the
curse of the Law and can experience the joy of salvation.
Moreover, the Mosaic
Law makes us debtors to God because of our sins. But this debt has been fully
paid by the Lord Jesus Christ by His atoning death on the cross. He came into
this world to deliver you and me from the curse of the law. So, if you trust in
this finished work of Christ our Saviour and turn away from your sins, you will
receive eternal life because the Lord Jesus abolished in His flesh the law of
commandments contained in the ordinances (Ephesians 2:15).
Dear
reader, do you have the assurance that you are freed from the handwriting that
is against you? If not run to Christ, our Saviour right now and escape the jaws
of eternal death!
- by Nadesan K.
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