“King Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3So they brought in the vessels of gold and silver that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. 5Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. 6Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.” Daniel 5:1-6
God of Israel,
There are three times, in the Bible, we are told You, God actually write. For Moses the Ten Commandments. Not suggestions. For the Babylonian Kind Belshazzar’s three words, not of warning but as a final judgement. And lastly Jesus writing in the sand, and we do not know what he actually wrote. But we know what he said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7b).
For Belshazzar it was too late. The writing was on the wall, and we still use the phrase when there is no going back. Even though he rewarded Daniel for explaining what it meant he was killed later that very night. Three written steps within the Bible, that we too need to make. Firstly, to know what is right and the way You, God want us to live and realise we cannot keep even the first commandment. To realise we have failed and are guilty and found wanting before You God. Secondly to see the judgement of sin is death – but to see Jesus taking our punishment and then not condemning. And thirdly a life with Christ which changes everything. Acknowledging our sin, His forgiveness and our need to forgive others.. That doesn’t even begin to explain evrything we have in Christ. It is amazing beyond comprehension and will never end.
In Jesus name we Pray, Amen.
Worship Monday 15th September 2025
All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!
O seed of Israel’s chosen race
now ransomed from the fall,
hail him who saves you by his grace,
and crown him Lord of all.
Hail him who saves you by his grace,
and crown him Lord of all!
Crown Him Lord of all (crown Him Lord of all)
At His feet we fall (at His feet we fall)
Crown Him crown Him
Crown Him crown Him
Hail the King of kings (hail the King of kings)
Robed in majesty (robed in majesty)
Crown Him crown Him
Crown Him Crown Him
Let every tongue and every tribe
on this terrestrial ball,
to him all majesty ascribe,
and crown him Lord of all.
To him all majesty ascribe,
and crown him Lord of all!
Oh, that with all the sacred throng
we at his feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song
and crown him Lord of all.
We’ll join the everlasting song
and crown him Lord of all.
Chorus
Lyrics: Edward Perronet
Chorus: Tommy Walker