Daniel 5  23 years after Nebuchadnezzar ruled, we find Belshazzar has taken his place on the throne of Babylon.  We meet him on the worst night of his life.. 

Belshazzar held a great feast for a "thousand of his nobles.. "  They were drinking much wine and Belshazzar thought it would be a great idea to use the "gold and silver vessels" that came from the temple in Jerusalem.  Holy vessels.. that Nebuchadnezzar had taken many years before.  So they brought in these vessels and everyone drank from them while praising the "gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone."  In other words.. they praised everything except the One True God. 

"Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace.. "   This brought Belshazzar out of his drunkenness.. and scared him half to death!  He called for the wise men.. but none were able to read the message.  

It was the queen.. perhaps the mother or grandmother of Belshazzar.. who came in and told him about Daniel.. "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom.. were found in him."  So Daniel was called in. 

Now Daniel didn't care about the king's gifts or a promise of a position of power.. but he had a message fro Belshazzar.. when Nebuchadnezzar had behaved "arrogantly" God had humbled him, making him like an animal in the fields.. until "he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven;..."

He had dared to take the holy vessels that belonged to the worship of God and used them to praise the idols of silver and gold.. "which do not see, hear, or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified." 

The words on the wall were "Mene; Mene; Tekel; Upharsin"   Numbered.. Weighed.. Divided.  Belshazzar was judged by the God of heaven and "found deficient".  His kingdom was about to end... and that very night  he was killed and "Darius the Mede received the kingdom." 

Father in heaven, You are God.. in whose hand is our life.. our breath.. our ways.. You are the Most High God and there is no other! We thank You for granting to us spiritual wisdom and understanding..  that we might know You and worship only You. The world around us is still acting like Belshazzar.. arrogant, and exalting themselves.. they do not know that every breath they breathe is in Your hand and that You see their hearts and will be their judge.  We do not want to be found wanting.. deficient.. lost.. and we are thankful that You have made a way for us to be saved.. through Jesus Christ, Your Son.  Let the good news of Jesus be our message to a world that is just one breath away from eternal judgement. May we, Your people, be filled with Your Spirit to share this message of truth with those around us.  In Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.