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Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. (numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided).

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Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

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  1. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. (numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided) 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 5:26-28)

  2. Hand Writing “The Handwriting on the Wall” Daniel 5

  3. Kings of Neo-Babylonian Empire • Nabopolassar 625-604 BC • In 605, he and his son Nebuchadnezzar, defeated an alliance of the Egyptians and what was left of the Assyrians at Carchemish ending the Assyrian empire. • Daniel among the first Jewish captives taken to Babylon 605 BC • Nebuchadnezzar 604-562 • the empire’s greatest king • In 586, he burned Jerusalem, and raided the temple’s treasures • Amel-Marduk 562-560 (Evil-Merodach - 2 Kings 25:27) • Son of Nebuchadnezzar, assassinated by Nebuchadnezzar’s son-in-law, Neriglissar. • Neriglissar 560-556 (Nergal-Sharezer - Jer. 39:3,13) • Labashi-Marduk 556 • Son of Neriglissar, deposed by a popular uprising after 9 months • Nabonidus 556-539 • General under Nebuchadnezzar, probably one of Nebuchadnezzar’s sons-in-law. • Eccentric archaeologist and religious zealot • Spent most of his time in Tayma, Arabia - 553-543 • Belshazzar 553-539 • Son of Nabonidus, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, he was appointed as coregent with his father.

  4. City of Babylon • Descriptions according to the Greek historian Herodotus, 484-425BC? (Bk 1, 178-186) • In the form of a square, 14 miles on each side, and of enormous magnitude, approximately 200 sq. mi. • The brick wall was 56 miles long, 300 feet high, 80 feet thick with another wall 75 feet behind the first wall, and the wall extended 35 feet below the ground • 250 towers that were 450 feet high • A wide and deep moat that encircled the city • The Euphrates River also flowed through the middle of the city. Ferry boats and a 1/2 mi. long bridge with drawbridges closed at night • "Hanging Gardens“ (one of the seven Greek wonders of the ancient world) and water was raised from the river by hydraulic pumps • Eight massive gates that led to the inner city and 100 brass gates • Streets were paved with stone slabs 3 feet square

  5. City of Babylon

  6. Hand Writing “The Handwriting on the Wall” Daniel 5

  7. Lessons from Belshazzar • When God and man disagree, God is always right (vs.1-2).

  8. Lessons from Belshazzar • When God and man disagree, God is always right (vs.1-2). • Critics have long regarded the book of Daniel as the product of an unknown author in the second century B.C. (e.g. 165 B.C.) • Why? Because they claim, it contains a number of historical blunders • Here, critics attack Daniel’s account of the existence of Belshazzar and the claim of kingship

  9. “It is now the general opinion that this work cannot possibly have originated according to the traditional theory at any time during the later Babylonian monarchy when the events recorded are supposed to have taken place.” • J.D.Prince, 1899 “As a result of modern research it is now generally agreed amongst scholars that the Book of Daniel was written about or shortly before 165 BC.” - R. H. Charles, 1929 Belshazzar was “obviously a figment of the writer’s imagination.” - F. Hitzig, 1850

  10. In 1854, J.F .Taylor unearthed some small clay cylinders in the ruins of the ancient Babylonian city of Ur in what is now southern Iraq. These cuneiform documents from King Nabonidus included a prayer for “Bel-sar-ussur, my eldest son.” Other tablets clinched the matter, reporting that Nabonidus was away from Babylon for years at a time. These tablets also showed that during these periods, he “entrusted the kingship” of Babylon to his eldest son (Belshazzar). At such times, Belshazzar was, in effect, king – a coregent with his father.

  11. Lessons from Belshazzar • When God and man disagree, God is always right (vs.1-2). • Hittite nation • 1906, Hugo Winckler excavated Hattusa, the Hittite capital • Pithom, Raamses, and the three types of bricks • In 1883, Naville examined the ruins of Pithom and found all three types of brick

  12. Lessons from Belshazzar • When God and man disagree, God is always right (vs.1-2). • Archaeology continues to prove the existence and infinite nature of God • Science • Shape of the earth – Isaiah 40:22 • Earth is held up by nothing – Job 26:7

  13. Lessons from Belshazzar • When God and man disagree, God is always right (vs.1-2). • Archaeology continues to prove the existence and infinite nature of God • Science • Shape of the earth – Isaiah 40:22 • Earth is held up by nothing – Job 26:7 (Isaiah 34:16) Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them. (2 Peter 1:19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

  14. Lessons from Belshazzar • Pride is destructive (vs. 22, 23) • Belshazzar exalted himself and forgot God • Perhaps thought, Look at what all I have – food, water, servants, protection. Let’s eat, drink, and be merry. • “Thou fool, this night” – Luke 12:16-21

  15. Lessons from Belshazzar • Pride is destructive (vs. 22, 23) • Belshazzar exalted himself and forgot God • Perhaps thought, Look at what all I have – food, water, servants, protection. Let’s eat, drink, and be merry. (Proverbs 3:7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. (Proverbs 16:18-19) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (19) Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. (1 Peter 5:6) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  16. Lessons from Belshazzar • Respect and honor that which is holy (vs. 2, 23) • When God sets something apart for a special purpose, it is divinely sanctified – divinely holy. • God is concerned that the people understand the difference between the holy and the unholy, between the sacred and the profane – Ezekiel 44:23 (Ezekiel 44:23) And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

  17. Lessons from Belshazzar • Respect and honor that which is holy (vs. 2, 23) • When God sets something apart for a special purpose, it is divinely sanctified – divinely holy. • God is concerned that the people understand the difference between the holy and the unholy, between the sacred and the profane – Ezekiel 44:23 • Holy Things Profaned Today • Scriptures – Romans 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:15-17 • Church – Ephesians 5:27; Acts 20:28 • Saints – 1 Peter 1:15,16; 2:9; 2 Corinthians 6:17,18

  18. Lessons from Belshazzar • Don’t wait until “the writing is on the wall” to seek God (vs. 6, 9, 22-30) • Why did the hand writing greatly trouble Belshazzar? Could it not have something good? • “you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this” (22) (Hebrews 10:26-27) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

  19. Lessons from Belshazzar • Don’t wait until “the writing is on the wall” to seek God (vs. 6, 9, 22-30) • Numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided

  20. Numbered (John 9:4) I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. (Psalms 90:12) So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. (James 4:13-14) Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (Hebrews 9:27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

  21. Weighed (John 12:48) He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (Ecclesiastes 12:14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

  22. Divided (John 5:28-29) Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (Matthew 25:41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

  23. Lessons from Belshazzar • Don’t wait until “the writing is on the wall” to seek God (vs. 6, 9, 22-30) • Numbered, numbered • There is an end to our life. • Our days are numbered – a number we do not know • Weighed • How does our life balance against the standard of the word of God? • Divided • Eternal life or everlasting punishment? • Seek while he may be found, early • Isaiah 55:6; Ecclesiastes 12:1

  24. Lessons from Belshazzar • When God and man disagree, God is always right • Pride is destructive • Respect and honor that which is holy • Don’t wait until “the writing is on the wall” to seek God

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