16/01/2026
Handwriting on the Wall: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" (Repost)
By: Gayus Tanko
Pastor of First ECWA Tafa-Hanya, Iddah DCC, Kaduna-Abuja Expressway Kaduna State.
A. Introduction:
I have heard and seen how arrogant some people are especially when they have opportunity to be in power. They use their position to inflict pains on their subordinates, and sometimes they use nasty comments, arrogant and derogatory remarks against their subjects. While others use such profane remarks against God in order to taunt his children. The story of Belshazzar is not a new thing and how sovereign God can use his divine judgement to silent the arrogance of any man who sets himself against God and his people.
B. What is Handwriting on the Wall?
The metaphor of "handwriting on the wall" depicts a situation where God brings to an end the arrogance of a man. It projects the end of road of any man who does not show regards for God, his command and warnings. It is what can be likened as āend of discussionā. This only happens when God would have given you repeated warnings but such warnings were arrogantly ignored. This indeed can be a terrible time where opportunity to repent is over and judgement becomes inevitable.
As a child of God, a minister of God, or a public office holder never should you wait or desire to have a writing on the wall against you in your life because you take God for granted or ignore his warning in your life.
C. The Life of Belshazzar and the Handwriting on the Wall
Belshazzar ruled as co-regent of Babylon with his father, King Nabonidus, from about 553 B.C. to 539 B.C. Though he is referred to in the Book of Daniel as the son of Nebuchadrezzar, the Babylonian inscriptions indicate that he was in fact the eldest son of Nabonidus, who was king of Babylon from 555 to 539, and of Nitocris, who was perhaps a daughter of Nebuchadrezzar. His father, Nabonidus, was the official king of Babylon but spent much of his reign away from the capital. During that time, Belshazzar governed Babylon and acted as king in his fatherās absence. His rule ended in 539 B.C., the year Babylon was conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia.
What further can we learn about him and what lessons can we learn to avoid "handwriting on the wall"?
1. The Danger of Pride and Arrogance
Belshazzar exalted himself in arrogance, forgetting the humbling experience of his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. His pride blinded him to the fact that power and kingdom come from God. Pride often precedes downfall, and Belshazzarās end that very night reminds us that human power without humility before God leads to destruction. I have heard many politicians talk with so much defiance against their opponents or subjects. This has also crept into the Church. I fear when I see Church leaders intoxicated with power that they talk by bragging, boastful and see themselves as demi-god. "If I am the one in this office, you can't be this or that". That might be your end sir! It just took God just one night (and that was his divine prerogative) to end the rule of Belshazzar and hand it over to others. What makes you think you can finish your tenure as a leader in any capacity?
2. The Danger of Profaning the Sacred
By using the temple vessels for drunken revelry, Belshazzar showed open disrespect for Godās holiness. This act symbolizes the danger of treating sacred thingsāGodās name, worship, and commandmentsāwith contempt. When people handle what is holy carelessly, they invite divine judgment upon themselves. This type of attitude is commonly among MCs and comedians who have little or no regards for God and his sacred name, symbolism, or even repudiate ministers of the Gospel. Sometimes people of other faith have constantly repudiate Christians and even make mockery of Jesus Christ. You can enjoy the mercies of God for many years but never allow an handwriting on the wall concerning a warning you repeatedly ignore. That will definitely be your end.
3. The Danger of Ignoring Godās Warnings
Belshazzar knew the story of Nebuchadnezzarās pride and repentance but chose to ignore it. This shows the danger of disregarding lessons from history and Godās previous acts of judgment. God is patient, but continued rebellion leads to sudden judgment when His warnings are ignored. As a minister of God, I have seen instances where I will give warning to some individuals but they will ignore me. The results have not always been palatable. During Noah's day, they ignored his warning of coming flood but when their cups were full, the flood swept them off. Of course, when you choose to ignore God's warnings, you are actually preparing your destruction.
4. The Danger of Spiritual Insensitivity
Even when the handwriting appeared, the king and his wise men could not interpret it. Their spiritual blindness mirrors the condition of those who live without the fear of Godāunable to discern spiritual truth even when it is written plainly before them. Daniel, a man filled with the Spirit of God, alone could interpret the message, showing the importance of maintaining spiritual sensitivity and connection with God. God has spoken to us in many ways but because of insensitive to spiritual realities, we seem to just laugh out. For instance, during COVID-19 pandemic, the world was rendered helpless, voiceless, motionless and completely disarrayed. The rich as well as the poor, the powerful as well as the powerless, the mighty and the lowly, the advantage as well as the disadvantage nations etc. were rendered incapacitated. This reality mirrors the fact that God has control over mankind and it's foolishness to think there is no God.
5. The Danger of Divine Judgment
Danielās interpretationāMene (God has numbered your kingdom), Tekel (you have been weighed and found wanting), and Peres (your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians)ārevealed that Godās judgment was final. That very night, Belshazzar was slain, and his kingdom collapsed. This underscores the reality that Godās justice cannot be delayed forever; His judgment comes swiftly and surely. Never undermine God's judgement. This can be devastating. If just one virus-Covid-19 can kill over 7 million people, how much more if a divine judgement can befall the world? If the then world of Noah could be flooded, do you think it's impossible to flood our generation if we reject him? Think of this.
Conclusion
The handwriting on the wall serves as a solemn reminder that God is sovereign over the affairs of men. When individuals or nations exalt themselves, desecrate holy things, or ignore Godās warnings, judgment follows. The danger lies not only in the act of rebellion but in the hardened heart that refuses to repent.
Just as Belshazzarās feast ended in sudden ruin, every life or nation that resists Godās authority will eventually face divine reckoning. The message remains timeless:
āYou have been weighed in the balances and found wanting", it is either you repent and accept Jesus Christ or you perish as a result of divine retribution. Which one will you choose?
