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So turn with me, if you would to Daniel and chapter 5, we continue our journey through this Old Testament book in Daniel. Do you realize that in many of our English sayings, they are actually derived from the Bible? They are derived from Scripture.  For example, we have this phrase - An eye or an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It's taken from the Old Testament, and even Chinese people, we understand this, 以牙还牙, 以眼还眼, yi ya huan ya, yi yan huan yan.

Tagalog, I don't know have or not, Tagalog, I'm not sure, but this is popular in English, it's popular in Chinese. How about another saying we have - by the skin of my teeth. Wow, we made it by the skin of my teeth. Where is this taken from? It's taken from the book of Job. Okay this is a bit more difficult. What about this - going the extra mile. Where is this taken from the Bible? Anybody? Matthew Chapter 5, yes that's going the extra mile, the 2nd mile kind of a lifestyle. In the twinkling of an eye. Anybody knows? In the twinkling of an eye, which Bible passage or book? Very good 1 Corinthians, that’s right. 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, in the twinkling of an eye. How about this - having feet of clay? Daniel Chapter 2, what a smart church, that's right Daniel Chapter 2. How about this one - the writing or the handwriting is on the wall? Very smart people. Yes, and we are introduced today to the story of the writing on the wall, Daniel Chapter 5.

Now this story took place some 2500 over years ago. To be precise, it's at 539 B.C. on the 11th or the 12th October. So it's a very precise day. Where did this take place? This took place in the royal palace of Babylon. Who is there at that point of time? Many of you I think if I were to  ask you, who would, which King will be there at 539 BC, the answer would be King Nebuchadnezzar. That is a good guess, but alas is a wrong one. Why? Because King Nebuchadnezzar at 539 B.C. had already passed away for some 24 years. So it's not King Nebuchadnezzar who is in the story right here, but his grandson, his name is King Belshazzar.

So the story of the writing on the wall really revolves around this King, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Now, the story goes like this, they set up a feast a royal party where a thousand officials were invited and they were having a wonderful time together. They have food, they have drinks, they have their women there, wives and concubines, and they were having a great time. So the Bible tells us, King Belshazzar made a great feast, for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.

So this was a time of reveling, of indulgence, of happiness and laughter. Now, it will be quite appropriate to have a feast, a party in the kingdom. I mean there are times for celebration. But this is a very inappropriate feast because this is a time of war, not a time of peace. At 539 B.C., Babylon was actually at war with the Medo-Persians. Now  if you are attacking someone and you're really powerful, it's still okay for you to enjoy yourself back in the palace. But this is not about Babylon attacking Medo-Persians. It's about the Medo-Persians attacking Babylon.

Now actually Belshazzar has a father. His name is King Nabonidus. And King Nabonidus has actually gone out to the front line to confront the Medo-Persians and to fight against them. But his father had failed. His father did not succeed against the Medo-Persians. He's captured and now his son, Belshazzar who he has appointed co-regent back in the city, is having a feast. Just a very inappropriate time. The Medo-Persians conquered Nabonidus and now they are closing in on the city of Babylon, encircles them and is laying siege on the city. They are just outside the city gates and Belshazzar and his lords are enjoying themselves. You say, "What's up?".

0:04:42.5

This is even more weird when you consider Belshazzar must have heard from his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar that the kingdom of Babylon is not going to last forever. Remember the dream, the dream about the statue with a head of gold, the torso of silver, the thighs of bronze and so on? They have already known through this dream that Babylon is not going to last forever.  There will be another kingdom of silver that will take over it. But Belshazzar as it were, would not believe the prophecy that God has given.  So in the face of impending doom, in the face of soldiers and armies encircling Babylon, in the face of that clear declaration from God, Babylon will fall! Belshazzar kicks back, sits back and relax and says, "I don't believe a word Daniel has to say.  I don't believe a word God has to say.  In fact I defy him, I'm going to have a party right in his face."  So this is a party of indulgence, of intoxication but also of absolute arrogance and pride.  He defies the God of Heaven.

0:05:58.9

People always say, how come I always talk about Shawn, my older son and never talk about my younger son. Okay, today I'll tell you about my younger son. This is a picture of Matthias, alright? Matthias is a sweet looking boy. I mean he is such a cute face, droopy eyes, he's a little cute boy lah, and everybody thinks he's the nicest creature around, so cute and so nice - until you have to live with him. He has a cute face but a very, very stubborn and rebellious character. I see myself in him by the way, but he's a, he's a very insistent person in that if you refuse him what he wants, he makes sure he lets you know.

So for example, if we don't give him a certain kind of food, he will rebelliously, defiantly bang the table and then give you that look. We call this in Hokkien, 'xiong'. Since young he knows how to 'xiong' you, already. Give you that poisonous look, bang, bang, bang, gives you that look, see what you, what you going to do with me? What can you do to me? It's always that kind of a challenge. And if there are things around he pushes things around, he throws things around and if he can't find anything to throw, no table to bang, on the floor, he sits down, he opens his legs, then he, he slowly very measured way, uses his head to bang on the floor. Bang, not really bang lah, but nod and, and just hit his head on the floor and he gives you that look. He defies his parents in our face.

0:07:31.3

Now the story in Daniel Chapter 5 is one of Belshazzar daring God. "You tell me, Babylon is going to fall, but I'm going to show you right in your face, I don't believe you! Do what you can, send the Medo-Persians, they will not conquer us." In fact he's so insolent, he's so arrogant and proud, this is what he does, he doesn't smash the things, he brings out the golden vessels from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem and he takes these cups, these goblets, these receptacles and he fills it with wine. He drinks from them and he praise the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. You know what he is doing? He's saying, "Who is this God, this God that says Babylon will fall? Didn't my grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, conquer this nation? Didn't we get the vessels and put it in our temple? Now let me show you, who is this God, let us drink from this cup, let us desecrate His Name and let us praise the stupid idols of gold, silver, wood, iron and stone and so on and so forth. I dare this God to do something to me."

Now this is the message Belshazzar is doing, is sending. In the face of impending judgment, absolute arrogance and pride, has no regard to the God of the heavens and now enjoys himself, revels in the, in the wine, in the drinks, absolutely, absolutely with no fear of God in his eyes. And God said this about Belshazzar - "and you his son, Belshazzar hath not humbled your heart. Though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. You remember, you knew that your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar was turned into like an animal for seven years. You knew all this, but you would not humble yourself. The God in whose hand is your breath and whose are all your ways you have not honoured. Belshazzar, you're absolutely lifted up in spiritual arrogant pride."

Yesterday I was in the lift, getting into the lift and there was this father, who came in with two sons. The older son is probably about six, the younger son is probably about three or four. And the sons were a little bit slow coming in because as boys they like to look here, look there, touch here, touch there. Eventually they got in and when the lift door close, he looked at some advertisements within the door and he was asking, "Daddy, what is this all about huh? What is this saying?" And all of a sudden the father burst out in anger. He was angrily scolding the son, "Why are you always so slow, why are you always dilly dallying? Do you know this is the third time you doing it today, I'm going to give it to you when you get home." And he goes on and goes on, he was really angry.

But when I heard what he said, I saw myself because I said the same things to my son before. Now, there are times when my son truly deserves to be scolded, that's obvious. But there are times where I scolded my son, not because he was really slow, but because I was impatient. I saw myself in him. So I went home, I said to Shawn, "Shawn come, daddy has something to say to you." And I said, "Shawn, I'm sorry". He looked at me, "What's up?" because he was, he was not in the lift with me, at that time. And I said,"Shawn, daddy is sorry because I know there many times, where I have scolded you for being slow, when you are not really that slow, I was just being impatient. Would you forgive daddy?" (Pastor nods) and went off and played his toys.

What is this about? He must be thinking. But you see, I saw myself in that man, I could hear myself. I wonder if you look the story in Daniel 5, you, you hear of Belshazzar, but do you see yourself?  Now maybe we are not kings, we don't throw feasts like that, we are not under siege, but our hearts are not very different from Belshazzar, at least before we came to know Christ.

Before I came to know Christ, I mocked Christians. I laughed at God. I said who is this silly thing. I practically say those things. What's this silly book called the Bible? Who are these silly Christians who go to church on Sunday, why can't, why can't they have more strength within themselves, why must they have a crutch of life? And I was living my own life of pleasure, eating, drinking and be merry, that's the mantra of life. Maybe that's the mantra of Singapore today, you know what's the greater god than true God, in many people's lives? Joy, entertainment, fun. More and more movies, more and more outlets, more and more drinks, more and more food, that's what we live for today. You say what's wrong with eating, drinking and be merry?  Nothing wrong, until you realise that it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment.

There is a God who made you. There is a God who is holy and will judge sin. There is a God who will take an account of all that you have done and all that you have said, you have said in your life. How do you live your life in the light of this impending meeting and judgment with your God?

Well, we are so intoxicated by the pleasures of life, the revelings, the romance, the riches that we have lost touch with reality. We've lost touch to the reality that there is God, I'm a sinner and I've to give an account of all that I've done in this life. And so we become proud, because we are arrogant, we now spiral ourselves into deeper and deeper sins. And so we have this party of life. This is a picture of life, folks, this is the party we have, we want our lives to be a party and this life stands at the face of God and spits at His face and says, "Who are you? I don't care, I don't give a hoot."

So this is the tragic picture in Daniel 5. Now you say this, this Belshazzar is a weird guy. I mean, doesn't he have a head probably screwed on? His grandfather tells him Babylon will fall, his father is captured by the Medo-Persians already, the Medes are now at the periphery of the city, they are coming in, they are laying siege and he's still having a party. I mean any man with a decent brain, would at least think of an escape route isn't it? Aiyoh, like the Chinese movies.

0:14:37.2

"Wah! Sha dao le, sha dao le, Huang Shang, ni zhe bian zhou." Sorry for the folks who don't understand Chinese. "The, the, the enemies are coming, the enemies are coming, dear Emperor, this is an escape route for you." I mean, at least find a route out lah. But not Belshazzar, he's so comfortable, he so complacent, he says that, "I will be okay, let's have a feast. They are attacking, but let's drink and let's eat, we will be fine." You say what's up with him?

I tell you why he is so arrogant, because he has a certain assumption, he's assuming something. What do you think he is assuming? Well, he's assuming, he will never be defeated, he will never be caught. Why? He has a basis, the basis of his assumption, is that the city of Babylon is impregnable, it is impenetrable, it is invincible.  You say why? Well, archaeologist, this is common knowledge alright, the city of Babylon, is one of the great cities or empires of time past, the city of Babylon is surrounded by this wall that is far more impressive than the Great Wall of China, okay? This wall is so thick and so strong, it is not a breakable by battering rams, no way. It is so thick that it measures about 87 feet, to be exact it's about 25 m. The width, the thickness of the wall is 25, you say how thick is 25 m. I did some research and I measured the Phoenix ballroom, from this side to this side is exactly 25 m.

0:16:12.7


This is the thickness of the wall of Babylon. It is sufficient for four chariots to go, one, two, three, four. And it is about 100 meters tall. I mean, this is if you have been to Great Wall of China, this is the real deal. So Belshazzar says there's no way, they can come in.

Now for those of you who are strategists, you say, "okay, I can't come in, I force you to come out." So what they do is to lay siege. The idea of a siege is to surround you, cut off all your supplies, so that you have nothing left to eat, nothing left to drink. You have no choice but to come out. That's what the Medo-Persians are doing. But Belshazzar says, never fear, the river is here. Why, because Babylon sits on the River Euphrates. This is the empire, it's right there. So he doesn't fear that there's no water. This is an ever constant stream of supply by the Euphrates.

And then, what if there are no food? Don't worry, archaeologist tells us that within the city it is big enough and there's sufficient land parcels for food supply that will last 20 years. So this king, sits in this city and say, "There is no way the Medes can come in. Yes, my father was captured, yes, I know our armies were defeated, but we are safe and sound within these walls. They cannot come in. We will not die of thirst, there's food aplenty for 20 years. We, they probably die first before we die." That's why he's arrogant.
0:18:00.8

But this is what they did, having a feast in the midst of adversity. Isaiah wrote this, some 150, this is amazing. the Bible is amazing isn't it? God said this about Babylon a hundred and fifty years before, 539 BC. So Isaiah is now writing under the inspiration of God, about Babylon. Sometimes when you read the book of Isaiah, you say what is this all about. Well, because there are times it's referring to Israel, there are times it's referring to other countries, like Babylon. "So now therefore hear this, you Babylonians, you are lovers of pleasures, you sit securely, you say in your heart I am and there is no one besides me, I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children, I am invincible. These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day, just in one, you know the period, one day, the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure. Men will die, things will be lost, in spite of the many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. You felt secure in your wickedness, you said no one sees me, your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray and you said in your heart, I am, and there is one besides me. But evil shall come upon you which you will not know how to charm away. Disaster shall fall upon you for which you will not be able atone and ruin shall come upon you, suddenly, of which you know nothing. Belshazzar, don't you know it is really dangerous to live on assumptions?"

Don't you know, my dear friends, it is dangerous for you to live on assumptions? Dangerous for you to gamble with your soul and to risk your eternal life and to play with fire because there are many of you who say, I know there is God, I know that I'm a sinner, I know the pastor always tell me, Jesus died to save me from my sins, but you know what, I don't want to believe in Jesus yet, because I want to have a party of life. So that when I'm 90 years old, when I'm in the old folks home, when I'm, when I'm on my death bed, then I'll say God, this is the time for me to believe in you.

0:20:15.7

My friends, don't you know it's a very dangerous thing to play with your soul? It's arrogance to think that because of good healthcare, "Oh Singapore has a lot, don't be worried lah, I can live very long, because Singapore good doctors like me, who has since lost all his knowledge. Wait, I have a lot of retirement fund, I can get the best doctors in the world. I've got Medisave, I've got Medifund, I've got Medishield. I bought insurance, I got many safety nets, I have the wall and death cannot reach me, so I can wait till I'm ninety before I come to Jesus." Arrogance and absolutely dangerous assumption.

One catastrophe takes your life away. The writing on the wall, occurs the same day and your life is taken the same day. It can be a MH 370, it can be a capsize of a ship, it can be a ischemic heart disease, it can be a stroke, it can be a road traffic accident while you're crossing the road, it can be anything and the writing on the wall might be too late for you to respond to God.

It is a dangerous thing to play with your soul, when you know that there is impending judgment. Do you realize today that there's a judgment awaiting you? Do you realize today that God is Judge, He is holy and you have to give an account? And you will not get ready for it. You would still persist in your sin, in your party of life, of eating, drinking and being merry and having no care and concern for who He is.

Belshazzar lived on that assumption. But of course, in the midst of their reveling, fun of the immorality and orgies, in the midst of all this desecration and blasphemy, there's a gate crash. God came crashing into this party.

So we see thirdly, the announcement.  Now here we see divine graffiti, okay graffiti is okay, here. There's a divine graffiti that absolutely grab the attention of the entire thousand strong party, everybody was shocked, the Bible tells us. The king was so terrified, his face turned white, his knees were shaking, because there was a hand and a finger that started to write on the wall, just behind him.

It wrote something like this. This is a famous picture, by Rembrandt and he and he drew it as such. It is written in Aramaic, the language of the Chaldeans, the Babylonians and you read it from right to left, downwards like this, almost like the Chinese way of reading in the past. Now none of us could read this. But if it's translate, transliterated into English, with English alphabets or letters, it will look something like this.

So a girl, after hearing about Daniel chapter 5, in Sunday school, went home and mummy and daddy asked her, 'What did you learn in church today?" The little girl says, "I learned about Meeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe." Ugh okay that's not the way to pronounce MENE, MENE alright. It's MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PERES. I checked it out alright, this is how you pronounce it.

So what is the word meaning of each of them. MENE means numbers, you're numbered. Belshazzar, your days are numbered. TEKEL means to weigh. God has weighed you in the balance and you are found wanting, you're light, you do not match up to God's righteousness. PERES means to divide and to split. Now, I did not imagine this, if you've read Daniel 5, it will be crystal clear. 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 in the balances and found wanting. PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

The writing is on the wall, the very same night and on the very same day and night. Belshazzar, the Chaldean King was killed. That's why English saying, the writing is on the wall, refers to something bad that would happen really soon.

0:24:47.4

In verse 31 Darius the Mede, probably the general of Cyrus'  kingdom, received the kingdom being about 62 years old. This is the poem, that someone wrote about this entire story of Daniel 5.

"The king was on his throne,
The Satraps (this is the word for princes) thronged the hall;
A thousand bright lights shone
Over that high festival.
A thousand cups of gold,
In Judah deemed divine,
Jehovah's vessels hold
The godless heathen's wine.


In that same hour and hall,
The fingers of a hand
Came forth against the wall,
And wrote as if on sand:
The fingers of a man;
A solitary hand
Along the letters ran,
And traced them like a, I hope I could say it like a 'wen', ok like a wand.

That night they slew him on his father's throne,
He died unnoticed, and the hand unknown;
Crownless and sceptreless, Belshazzar lay,
A robe of purple round a form of clay.

Belshazzar's grave is made,
His kingdom's passed away,
He in his balance laid
Is dead and worthless clay.
The shroud, his robe of state
His canopy the stone,
The Mede is at his gate,
The Persian on the throne."

So here marks the end of Babylon.

0:26:22.6


Belshazzar is gone, this is a cylinder of Cyrus, this is something you can find today. Now the Bible tells us that the kingdom was wrested from him overnight, but it doesn't tell you how isn't it?  Doesn't quite tell you how. Maybe, this is for fun alright, if you were Cyrus you were the king and you say we have laid siege on Babylon, it seems impenetrable, how are you can conquer the people, in one night? Any brilliant strategist here? It's very fascinating. Well let me tell you, this is the cylinder of Cyrus. It's an archaeological finding. But again, let me say this is extra-biblical information. You, I can't prove to you that this is exactly what happened, but this is what commentators, Bible scholars agree based on archaeological records.

So Cyrus' cylinder records what he wrote in the past, these are the ways by which they record the their sayings. And in the British Museum, this is where it's kept. It's said without any battle, he entered the town sparing any calamity. So is very interesting, it's not by bombs for sure. Very minimal bloodshed. I also gathered all their former inhabitants and returned to them their habitations. So this is a different rule. The Babylonians like to Babylonise his their captives. Make them foreign talent. The Medo-Persians don't like that,  they want to send them back to their homelands. So Cyrus came and this is what he did. Without any calamity, he got the land and then he returned the people back to their homelands. So still we are not very informed as to how they did it. Herodotus which is a Greek historian, he said Cyrus' general captured Babylon without a battle and this is how they did it.

The Persians diverted the River Euphrates into a canal up river so that the water level dropped to the height of the middle of a man's thigh thus rendered, the flood defenses useless and enable the invaders to march through the riverbed to enter by night. Chong ming ma? Smart or not? Brilliant plan. Very interestingly, Isaiah 44, now let me say this, this is, I am not dogmatic about this at all. I think this is just suggested, I'm not necessarily saying this is what God is saying in the whole context of Isaiah 44, but it's just interesting that he prophesied, "that saith to the deep, be dry and I will dry out the rivers. That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built: and to the temple, your foundation shall be laid."

So Cyrus is the one ordained by God to bring Israel out of Babylon back into where they are supposed to be. And Cyrus is the one who enabled Israel to rebuild the city and to rebuild the temple. And he says be dry and I'll dry up the rivers.  So the operation to conquer Babylon was a simple, straightforward one, divert the rivers, walk in from the north and south via the riverbeds, enter the city and conquer them, capture the king and kill him the very same night. And so this is how the writing on the wall took place and what transpired thereafter.

The Bible, however, is not written just to give us a good English saying or to give us a nice story to remember or to learn about the art of war. The Bible is given so that we all today can see ourselves and be brought back to the God who made us. So I suggest to you that the lessons learned in the writing on the wall is, number one, that you and I today must learn about the importance of repentance and not just learn about it for some of us today, truly come to God in repentance. A poem goes like this.

0:30:25.0

"At the feast of Belshazzar
and a thousand of his lords,
While they drank from golden vessels,
the Book of Truth records,
In the night as they reveled in the royal palace hall,
They were seized with consternation, ’
T'was the Hand upon the wall.

So our deeds are recorded. There's a hand that's writing now:
Sinner, give your heart to Jesus, to His royal mandates bow;
For the day is approaching, it must come to one and all,
When the sinner's condemnation will be written on the wall."

0:30:59.6

You see, the message that God wrote on the wall, MENE MENE TEKEL PERES, is equally applicable to your life and my life. God could say to me before I came to know Jesus, MENE MENE your days are numbered Jason, you're not going to live forever. You will be dead one day, and then you will be weighed in the balance, TEKEL. And all of us who die without Jesus and will stand before God and get onto the weighing scale of righteousness, we would all fail terribly. Because God has already told you his judgment, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are all found wanting, we are all TEKEL in God's eyes. But surely there must be one person who could make it, isn't it? In the whole history of humanity, billions of people, at least one?

None is righteous, no, not one. Not me, not you. No one understands, no one seeks for God all of us are MENE, MENE, TEKEL. Therefore, the Scripture says, God commands all men everywhere to repent. This is a command of God. He is the God, He is the judge, He is the Holy One who says to all of humanity, all of us who have sinned in his face, repent. And this is not just for the Caucasians, for the Chinese, for the Indians, this is for all men. Doesn't matter whether you're born in a Christian home, doesn't matter whether you have been to church, doesn't matter whether you worship other gods, He says, every single one, you have to repent.

You say, what is repent? To repent is to have a change of mind, to look at things differently, to look at yourself differently, to look at God differently, to look at sin differently. See, the way we look at ourselves is that we think we are god. We are invincible, we don't have to account to anyone about the way we live our lives. We think of ourselves as probably quite righteous. We think that we are better than the murderers, the rapists, the serial killers and we say God must accept someone like me. He says change your mind about yourself. Change your mind about sin in your life. That you are absolutely sinful. There is none righteous, your ways are paths of distraction, or destruction. There is no fear of God, you don't understand me, you don't seek me. See yourself for who you are God says, and then have a change of mind about who God is. He's not a benevolent old grandfather who says it doesn't matter whether you've sinned, I sayang you come, into heaven. He is not a Santa Claus who is here to serve you and to have the whole world revolve around you. He is the God who says my glory will I not give to another. He is the God who is holy, change your mind, see how great and how holy He is and how unworthy and how sinful you are. He says, I command you to repent, to humble yourself, don't be like a Belshazzar, don't come to God defiantly in arrogance and pride. And then when you repent, He says there's good news. Not just a feel lousy about yourself, not just to say that you cannot do it, but I'm offering you, you the solution, the solution is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

0:34:47.5


The Gospel is the good news that, God in his mercy, sent His Son to die for us on the cross. That's why there is Good Friday and that's why as Christians on Resurrection Sunday, today we rejoice because Jesus has paid it all, the resurrection is God saying to the world, "It is finished!" It is paid! Yes, you are sinful. Yes, you cannot be saved. But here is my answer. Here is my gift of life. So when you repent of your sin, you can come and believe and receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ,

And my friends you today can be saved, before the writing is on the wall. All of us today have an appointment. All of us will meet with this Person who, with whom we have an appointment. The Bible tells us, it is appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment. There is an appointment. The problem is we do not know when this appointment will come. Some of you say I can't wait till I'm later before, you know, I know many of you, you come to church, and I welcome you. We welcome you. But my heart aches for you. But I see you and I know that you have not trusted in Christ. You are saying, pastor, I appreciate the preaching of the Bible. I know your preaching what God says, I know God is holy, I'm a sinful man and Jesus died for my sin but you know I just can't believe in Jesus yet because I have these many, many issues to sort out and maybe later, I believe in Jesus. But my friends, what if the writing is on the wall sooner than you think? What if catastrophe strikes in that same night? And immediately you are ushered into an appointment with God, your Maker. And then he says to you, MENE, MENE, TEKEL. You have nothing! You have nothing to say, I can be saved. That's why you need Jesus, so that when you are weighed, you say, it's not what I'm worth. It's what Jesus is worth. I've trusted in what he has done and what he has done is now imputed to me, it's credited to me. And God, that's why I can stand in the day of judgment, not by what I've done, but what Jesus has done. That's why the Bible tells you, it is a favorable time, I listen to you and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time, now is the day of salvation. Don't wait.

You say, but what if I'm not fit to come? Are, are you sure God wants me to come? I'm absolutely sure God wants you come. Because he didn't just invite you, He commands you. He commands men everywhere to repent and to believe the Gospel. So come, humble yourself, come. Stop, stop standing in front of God like a Belshazzar, but humble yourself come and apply the blood of the Lamb to your life. Believe in Jesus, that he came and died and rose again and he can save you from your sins.

I plead with you. I plead for your soul. Don't risk your eternal life. Don't gamble with your soul. Don't play with fire. Don't sit with arrogance and live based on the assumptions. Believe. Receive life.

So I think it's a clear message for us to repent. If you have not trusted in Christ, this is for you. But I want to speak also to the church, and by church, I mean people who have believed in Jesus Christ. This is a passage that reminds us so strongly about the need to fear God. Here's a man who has no fear of God before his eyes. Absolutely no fear. I believe when you trust in Jesus, you will fear God. When you do, God changes your heart, that you love Him, you fear Him. But this fear of God can easily be, I think, diluted. Or in a sense, forgotten. Because we can live in a, in a lifestyle that is so self indulgent. We can, we can even be listening to messages, sermons that seem to lift up men and to push down God. You see, the old saints, the Christians of old, churches of old, have always valued and understood the need for awe and reverence and honor and fear of God. But today we live in such a casual environment that God is now almost like our buddy. Our, our, our equal. That God is like a genie. We, we, we, talk about how we eat and drink with God. We have, oh God spoke with me, I had ice lemon tea, I had a sandwich and God was here. No, I'm saying God cannot speak to you in the very simple moments of life. But it does tell me the way by which Christians and churches today, see God. There’s this casual, flippant, can't care less attitude towards God. It's reflected by the way, in many things of life. It's, it's reflected in the way you worship God. It's reflected the way you read His Word and most of all it's reflected in the way you live your lives.

The fear of God is one of the great motivations of Christian life, do you realise that? Now of course, today we talk about the love of God, a lot in this day and age. It's great, we need the love of God. But I think we have forgotten the fear of God. Look at Bible, look at what the Scripture says about fear.  It's not a negative thing at all. We view fear as if it's a negative thing. Oh don't be scared of God, just love him. He loves you. I, I see in the Bible, I need to love God. I see in the Bible, I need to fear God. There is no contradiction in that sense. Look at the the the primacy of the importance of fearing God. It is the fear of God that enabled Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his son. Why did Abraham give his son to God? Because he feared God. He honored God. He sees God as worthy of his worship. Even the giving of his, 心甘宝贝, xin gan bao bei, his dearest son. It is fear. Why did Noah build an ark even though everybody is laughing at him 420 years, why? Because the Bible tells us he did so in reverent fear. Oh surely he knows God loves him. And surely he loves God, but the Scriptures puts it across as he feared God. It's a wholesome, it's a right spirit by which we come to God. Yes, He's, He's our Brother. Christ is our Brother. The Bible does say that. Christ is our Friend, He does say that, but He is also our Lord, He's our King. It's not a simplistic relationship whereby we think of Him only as a friend. There's a fear for Noah. The psalmist says, teach me your way oh Lord that I may walk in your truth, unite my heart to fear your name. It's a good prayer. When was the last time you said, "Lord, help me to fear you."? When was the last time you examined your life and said, "God, is my life portraying the fear of God?"?

What about my sins, my habits, what do they tell? The end of the matter, all has been heard. Solomon is one of the wisest man on earth, if not the wisest. He has seen everything in life, as it were, under the sun. And then he concludes by saying, fear God and keep his commandments. This is the whole duty of man. Why? Because there will come a time when we will meet with God in the appointed day of judgment. Fear God and the fear of God will be manifested by obedience. Don't talk about fear of God in your feelings alone, but it's also in the practical obedience. Now I'm just going to show verses. You bring holiness to completion in the fear of God. Why would you want to avoid pornography? Why would you want to avoid extramarital affairs? Why would you want to cease from covetousness? Why would you want to forgive? You know why? Because you fear God. You know why people go around sinning? We all go around sinning because at the heart of the matter, we don't fear God. We say to God, "I know you tell me this is wrong, but I can't care less. I just choose to do this, I choose to indulge myself." Holiness is brought to completion in the fear of God. It is a fear of God that enables us to submit to one another. Why would a wife submit to the husband? Because he is smarter? Not always, right? Because God is God, you do so because you fear God. Why do you love your wife? Because you fear God. It is, it is something we, we have as an attitude, so that we may work out our salvation. It is what we need to have in order to work as employees and workers in an office that God has called us to. It is the fear of God that we need to bring into worship.

I know today, worship has evolved to a very different kind of experience as compared to the past. So many styles, and I'm not against styles per se, but am against that trajectory, that direction that maybe we all as humanity as churches may be taking, taking worship, more and more lightly, casually, irreverently maybe. And there is no deep sense of humbling before the Almighty. Watch for these things in your soul and in our church. Who will not fear O' Lord, and glorify Your name.

Belshazzar stands as a man who would not fear. Christians would you fear God? I just thought it would be a good reminder for all of us today. I end with this last application and this story of the writing on the wall sounds rather negative because death and conquest and wah, judgment, it sounds really negative, but let's have a positive approach and perspective to this and I say to you, this is a message for you to rejoice. Huh? How can I rejoice? Let me tell you why rejoice. Isaiah says, "the oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amos saw." So this vision is given to Isaiah 150 years even anything happened. "I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless." What is God saying? God is saying, I'm doing this to Babylon because I am a righteous God and I'll do that which is right. I'll put down arrogance and pride. This is a great thing that God is doing. Not only that, I'm stirring up the Medes against them. This is all my work. Just like Babylon is successful because I gave Babylon success. The Medo-Persians will succeed because I stirred the Medes up against them. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendour and palm of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. "Lay siege O' Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end." It is a good thing that God is bringing this terrible kingdom to an end, because this is a kingdom that brings misery. This is a kingdom that brings destruction with all the sighing she has caused. And then, Isaiah says, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground, O' Israel." This is so positive because this is not just about Babylon. God is remembering Israel in Babylon and this is the time where God says, "I will deliver my people."

Remember, 539 BC is 70 years after Daniel is captured and God said, you be there for how long? 70 years. So this is the way by which God is going to deliver the people, through Cyrus and the Medo-Persians. Israel, this is the message. I will not forsake you. I will not forget you, it is time for me now. So rejoice, therefore, "Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel." All the passages I've quoted in Isaiah are about Babylonian captivity. You can go back and check it out.

So, God is saying, when there is the writing on the wall, rejoice because God is putting all the wrongs right. And God is delivering His people. He is showing himself sovereign, supreme, faithful, holy and just. And therefore, we rejoice in our God. Maybe some of you today are going through the trials and difficulties of life. And you say why is this world such a mess? Remember that song, "This is my father's world"? "Although the wrong seems oft so strong, God is still the Ruler yet." He is working His purposes, even through the turmoils and the wars and the tragedies of life. Let me say one more thing. I'm not sure if you've realized, but if you have read the verses in Isaiah, you read about how there is none, I will be lifted up, I will be alone. That is a very strong language for any king to say. And it may be really, really, even so extravagant that it might not be so applicable for Belshazzar or Nebuchadnezzar. I'm saying this, I'm saying that what Isaiah is prophesying is not just about Babylon in 539 BC. There is a double prophecy. Yes it's applicable to Belshazzar's time, but the prophecy in Isaiah is also applicable to the Babylon, that is to come, and we all know if you've read the Bible at the end of times there will be an ultimate Babylon. A religious system set up that is anti-God that is like the final confrontation with God. And what Isaiah is saying in his chapters, though applicable to Belshazzar, I believe is also applicable to the times that are to come. For example, "I will punish the world for its evil." Yes, Babylon was the world superpower, but maybe this is more than just Babylon in 539 BC. Remember this phrase 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon." Now we know it fell in October 12 539 BC. But this same phrase is repeated again in Revelation 14 and verse 8, "Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great." And it refers again, in Revelation 18 verse 2.

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What is my point? My point is this, there is a lot of sin in the world today. It's absolutely messy. There's so much deception, there is so much of anti-God philosophy in this world. It seems that it would never go away. And though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is still the ruler yet. And what God has prophesied through Isaiah, some 2700 years ago - 2800 years ago will be valid in the time that is to come. You see, we serve a risen Savior. He has conquered it all. It is finished. It is paid. Sin has been dealt with and evil and arrogance and pride and defiance will all be put down and one day every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus. Babylon will fall.

And so today, on Easter, on Resurrection Sunday, we remember, He is risen and therefore you and I today can repent of our sins, because there is forgiveness available for you. If there is no forgiveness available for you, it's such a painful thing for you to repent, because though you know you're sinning, though you know you cannot help yourself, there's no one to help you. But today He is risen. So you can repent. He has died for you. It is the goodness of God that will lead you to repentance. So there is an avenue and every reason for you to repent. And because He is risen, let us revere Him and love Him and serve Him with our lives. And because He is risen, we can rejoice that all this world's mess and sinfulness will be put down. Babylon will fall. The writing on the wall can come anytime. Are you ready for it?

Let's bow for a word of prayer together. I understand this is a really heavy going message, many quotes, references to prophets but the message is a very simple one actually. The writing is on the wall. It is arrogance to live on assumptions because there will be a judgment, according to truth. Will you be ready for that? My dear friends, I want to plead for your soul, once again. You have been for coming to GLCC. Maybe for your whole life you heard the Gospel stories. But it is one thing to know and another thing to repent and believe. Do you see yourself in Belshazzar? Or would you rather be like Nebuchadnezzar, who at one point of his life, humbled himself, looked up to God and receive that new life. Would you do that today? Turn to believe in Jesus Christ? I mean He died, He rose. It is finished. Salvation is offered free. Come to Him, for He is Lord. Come to Him, for He is God. Come to Him. O sinner, look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be ye saved. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, are you cultivating the fear of God in your life? What kind of language do you use? How do you see God? What do you read? What do you feed your soul? How do you view Him? Is He your servant, your butler or is He your Sovereign and your King? Is your life reflecting the fear of God? Do you worship in reference? Do you serve Him? Do you perfect holiness? Do you submit to one another? It's not because someone else is watching you, but because God is watching you. You fear Him. Maybe there is a sin today you need to turn from. A habit of life that you need to change. Look to the fear of God. Look to Him and have the fear of God in your heart. Humble yourself. My dear friends we rejoice on this Resurrection Sunday because Jesus is risen. Yes, present sufferings, future glory. He died not so that we can have heaven right here right now, but heaven is coming soon. Glory is coming soon. Rejoice in Jesus your risen Saviour. Father, we thank Your Word. Bless each one today. I ask that our eyes would be turned to You, Your Son. May You be glorified through us. Have thine own way. I pray we will see Your supremacy, we'll see Your Glory and we will be satisfied in it. So dear God bless Your people. Call many today to repent and to believe. Do what man cannot do. We ask this now, in Jesus' Name.

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