TEKEL - Daniel 5:27

In the book of Daniel, Daniel shared how Belshazzar was greatly troubled because he saw a hand writing on the wall, and when his wise men were unable to tell him what the writing said or meant, he called for Daniel who said, “this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.  This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-seven of his book Daniel told King Belshazzar, the interpretation of, “TEKEL” where we read,

TEKEL; You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

The verse reads, “TEKEL; You are weighed in the balances, …” Daniel began with the word, “TEKEL” or “to be weighed”; “you are weighed” which means “you, King Belshazzar, exist as measured to discover how heavy” “in the balances” or “within the scale”. Daniel told King Belshazzar that he was measured within the scale.

The verse continues “… and are found wanting.” Daniel added the words, “and are found” which means  “and have been discovered as” “wanting” or “deficient and lacking”. Daniel told King Belshazzar that he was discovered to be lacking.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Daniel that King Belshazzar was measured within a scale and discovered to be lacking. In other words, King Belshazzar did not measure up. God oversaw the rule of King Belshazzar in Babylon, and when he rose up in arrogance and pride along with defiling the implements of God’s sacred temple, his reign was over. God is in control of all the world’s resources and powers, and no one is exempt from His measuring scales. We all have come short of His glory because we have sin in our lives. (See Romans 3:23) For this reason, “God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son (Jesus) that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (See John 3:16) God resurrected Jesus from the dead after three days, and when we put our faith and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will lead and guide us into all truth so we will never come up short when we are measured by Him.

Next time Daniel shares how he tells King Belshazzar the meaning of, “PEREZ”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".