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Daniel: The writing on the wall

God writes His judgement of King Belshazzar.
Contributed by Sweet Publishing
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, Hindi, Simplified Chinese
1
King Nebuchadnezzar had taken Jewish captives back to Babylon. Among them was a young man called Daniel who rose up to be the chief of all the King’s wise men. When Daniel was older, King Nebuchadnezzar died and was succeeded by King Belshazzar. – Slide 1
2
King Belshazzar sent out invitations to a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles. – Slide 2
3
King Nebuchadnezzar had taken objects from the Temple when he invaded Jerusalem, including gold and silver cups. King Belshazzar wanted these cups to be used at the feast for his guests to drink wine. – Slide 3
4
So the king and his nobles, his wives, and his harem drank wine from cups taken from God’s temple. While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. – Slide 4
5
Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king’s face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him. – Slide 5
6
The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought to him.‘Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!’ – Slide 6
7
But none of the king’s wise men could read the writing or tell him what it meant. The king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken. – Slide 7
8
The queen mother heard what was happening and hurried to the banquet hall. ‘There is a man who has divine knowledge. In Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, a Jew called Daniel was found to have understanding, and wisdom. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.’ – Slide 8
9
Daniel was brought in before the king. ‘I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems,’ the king told him. ‘If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.’ – Slide 9
10
‘You can keep your gifts,’ Daniel told him. ‘Like Nebuchadnezzar you have become proud and arrogant. You have defied the Lord of heaven by drinking wine from these cups and by praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – Slide 10
11
‘So God has sent this hand to write this message, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin” This is what these words mean: – Slide 11
12
‘Mene means “numbered”. God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.‘Tekel means “weighed”. You have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.‘Parsi” means “divided”. Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’ – Slide 12
13
At Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes and a gold chain was hung around his neck. He was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. – Slide 13
14
That night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed and Darius the Mede took over the Babylonian kingdom. – Slide 14
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Slide 15