Rembrandt painted "Belshazzar's Feast" sometime between 1635 and 1638. It depicts Daniel 5:1-31, when during King Belshazzar feast disembodied fingers of a human hand appear and write on the wall of the royal palace the words "MENE," "MENE," "TEKEL," "UPHARSIN," which Daniel interpreted as Belshazzar's downfall. (Public Domain Photo / Wikimedia Commons).
Mene Mene Tekel Parsin
No. This isn't Yiddish or Pig Latin. They are words from the book of Daniel, chapter 5:24-30. Here are the verses.
'So from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.' Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should rank third in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed." (Daniel 5:24-30)
The prophet Daniel, like other apocalyptic literature, is shot through with weird symbolism: horns, goats, rams, etc. And, the reader is left to figure these things out. They are symbolic.
The context of Daniel's writing has to do with the crisis in Israel of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He was a ruler who followed in the lineage of Alexander the Great's generals who divided Alexander's kingdom after his death. Antiochus reigned from 175-164 B.C.E. and instituted sacrifices to Zeus in the Jerusalem Temple, naked Greek wrestling, and brought Hellenistic ways to Jerusalem, which in turn called forth the Maccabees, who overthrew Antiochus, and re-established worship to YHWH again in Jerusalem's Temple.
Long story short, the issue was arrogance in Antiochus. And in the issue in Belshazzar was arrogance, hubris, if you will.
Put this scripture in the context of the Magnificat.
"He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;" (Luke 1:51-52)
Scripture points to a God who watches over all of us and who guides us toward a just future and a Kingdom (or Rule) based not on blatant power, but rather on love.
God does not favor the arrogant or prideful. I'm sure that we can all find verses which underscore this.
If God is a Living God (not the God of the Enlightenment) but a God who is intimately involved in the life of the human race, drawing us toward what Jesus called The Kingdom (or Rule) of God, then the only conclusion to be drawn is that God is working in our time, too.
In Daniel, God convened a "Divine Council" to judge the earth, and especially Babylon and Persia's rulers.
"As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgement, and the books were opened. I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed." (Daniel 7:9-14)
Because God is a Living God, God is addressing what is going on in our world now, and also our nation. We are living in a Kairos moment. God's Rule is breaking in. Its going to be painful. But, the outcome will be good.
Is "the handwriting on the wall?" Reflect on this using Lectio Divina.
1. Lectio: Read the text. What does the text say that everyone should understand?
2. Meditatio: What does the text say to me, today, and to my life?
3. Oratio: What can I say to the Lord in response to his word?
4. Contemplatio: What conversation of the mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of me?
5. Actio: How can I make my life a gift for others?
The Lord Reigns. Only God is God. We are in God's hands, just like the Maccabees, and like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Mara na tha. Our Lord, Come.
Your brother, Chris
Chris Madison
The Rev. Chris Madison
The Rev. Chris Madison of Frankfort, Ind., is a retired clergy member of the Indiana Annual Conference. This post is republished with the author's permission from his Facebook page.