Thurs.’s Devo - The Writing on the Wall

Read: Daniel 5:1-31; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 28:19-20
Nebuchadnezzar died and left his kingdom to his son, Belshazzar. Belshazzar didn’t learn from his father’s mistakes so he was full of pride. He had a banquet and had his officials bring out the gold and silver goblets his father had taken from God’s temple in Jerusalem and they drank wine from them. Immediately God responded with a message he wrote himself on the wall. All that was visible to the human eye was God’s hand writing the message. It scared Belshazzar so much he turned pale and his knees knocked together. He called in all his wise men but they couldn’t interpret the words.
His mother remembered Daniel and how he had helped her husband with dreams and interpretations so he told Belshazzar about him. Daniel was called in and immediately knew the meaning. He rebuked Belshazzar for his pride and for not learning from his father’s mistakes then told him that the meaning of the words Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin meant that his reign had been measured and was brought to an end. It would be divided between the Medes and the Persians.
Belshazzar had promised Daniel a purple robe, a gold chain and the position of third in his kingdom. Daniel had told him he could keep his gifts but when he interpreted the words, Belshazzar was obligated. Daniel was given a purple robe, a gold chain and a position of third in the kingdom. That night Belshazzar was killed and the Medes and the Persians took his kingdom under the rule of Darius the Mede.
Peter said that those that introduce destructive heresies that deny the sovereign Lord bring swift destruction on them selves.
God will repay false teachers who make up stories to gain followers. God didn’t spare the angels when they sinned and followed Satan and he will not spare them, nor the ungodly people during the days of Noah, nor the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah during the time of Abraham. He will rescue his godly from trials but hold the unrighteous for judgment.
It will not go well for those who deceive the children of God. A man is a slave to whatever has mastered him so these false teachers are slaves to Satan and his lies. If these false teachers were once Christians it will be even worse for them in judgment.
Lord, the wages of sin is death, but the fruit of righteousness is life everlasting. Thank you for eternal life!