Daniel 5:7 The king called aloud to
bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king
spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon: Any man who can read this
inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed
with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have
authority as third ruler in the kingdom.”
The handwriting on the wall. This is
the story of where that phrase came from.
Belshazzar's feast is interuptted by
this hand...he had taken the cups from the temple of the Lord and
decided to use them in his drunken partying. And God did not take
that lightly. There is the hand and the writing that he could not
read. He knew it was important and needed to be read, but he had no
way of knowing what it was. So he issued this reward for its
interpretation. Purple, royal clothes. Third in line for power.
Unfortunately for him, that person might be second that very evening,
for he did not live through the night. But his wife remembered the
story of Daniel interpreting for his father the king, so Daniel was
blessed with the opportunity to have another shot at revealing his
God to these heathen kings. God was ready to speak, but even the
kings knew that someone else more in touch with God had to intercede
for them as they did not know this God.
This was not the first time God had his
people bear bad news to kings. Joseph had to tell of famine, and
Daniel had to tell Belshazzar that God would require his live as he
was not worthy to be king because he had seen God's dealings with his
father, Nebuchadnezzer. He had gone from powerful to eating grass as
an animal, and allowed to return to power, humbled before the God of
Daniel. But Belshazzar ignored God's dealings and profaned the temple
and the instruments that were holy unto the Lord.
So in a way, he gave away the kingly
clothes almost prophetically, for he would not longer be wearing
them. Someone more worthy would have them. And that person would be
Daniel. Daniel did not seek the glory or privilege, just to speak for
God when asked by the king to do so. This is what is now called
“speaking truth to power.” You tell powerful people what they
don't want to hear. It's the hardest thing for a person to do. He
knew that if he told this king what God said it could mean his head,
or another trip to the lion's den. But he did not fear to tell
Belshazzar the words of God. And God protected him again. Those who
stand for the Lord don't always walk away unscathed. Many have spoken
truth to power and were killed, imprisoned, or thrown down wells like
Jeremiah. But for now God used the instrument of Daniel to make His
point to the nation. Often we think we deserve the rewards that come
with standing on the Lord's side...but when called to speak for the
Lord, we need not worry about the rewards or consequences of that
speech. We will be rewarded. The consequences cannot be eternal ones,
but just temporary. We, like Abraham, should sometimes refuse the
world's rewards so they don't believe that they have provided for us,
but God alone.
Sometimes we are rewarded, sometimes we
pay dearly, for our stand for the Lord. Like Peter, we ask Jesus when
he tells us what we have to pay, what will happen to the other guy.
(John 20) And He lovingly tells us to mind our own business. Follow
Him. Let Him decide if you will wear royal robes or graveclothes. It
doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. We are just to obey, to
speak, to reveal the mind of God to those who call upon us to read
His writing to them. We can't be afraid to tell them the truth...that
they are sinners if we need to...and warn them or comfort them or
whatever we are called to speak. Just make sure it is God's Word in
God's time. And if your favorite color isn't purple, that's ok. The
robes in heaven aren't, for God will not be sharing His kingdom with
anyone, for no one will inform Him of anything He doesn't already
know. He won't be seeking wise men, but be surrounded by all those
made wise by Him.
It's our place...at His feet. And a
joyous place that will be.
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