What are the balances? The balances are
a set of weighing scales; which usually consist of a horizontal beam pivoted at
the centre of the beam. Two pans are suspended from the ends of the beam. The
item to be weighed is placed in one pan and weights are placed in the other pan
until the beam returns to the horizontal position. Whatever weight is needed to
balance the beam is the correct weight for the item.
Let's look at an incident in Daniel
chapter 5 relating to the Chaldean king Belshazzar.
Daniel 5:22-30,
"(22)
'But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew
all this,
(23)
and you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the
vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your
concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver
and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know;
and the God who holds your breath in His hands and owns all your ways, you have
not glorified.'
(24)
Then the fingers of the [man's] hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
(25)
And this is the inscription that was written: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.'
(26)
This is the interpretation of each word, MENE: God has
numbered your kingdom, and finished it;
(27)
TEKEL: You have been weighed in the
balances, and found wanting;
(28)
PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.'
(29)
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a
chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he
should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
(30)
That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
(31)
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years
old."
God had judged Belshazzar, weighed his
life in the balances and Belshazzar was found wanting. In other words he did
not meet God's holy standards. It was a very dramatic way to find out the true
worth of his life before the true and living God.
Belshazzar knew about the true and
living God, but preferred to ignore Him and worshipped idols instead. God
however had not ignored Belshazzar! When Belshazzar and his lords used the holy
vessels consecrated to the true and living God to praise "...the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and
stone..." judgement was pronounced upon him. He died that very night,
unrepentant and still in his sins.
What about you? If you were weighed in
the balances today would the weight of your sins find you wanting? Don't want
to think about it? Don't be a Belshazzar and die unrepentant, still in your
sins.
Romans 6:23,
"For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Don't be
like Belshazzar, let's read about his destiny.
Revelation 20:11-15,
"(11)
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the
earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
(12)
And I saw the dead, small and great,
standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which
is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the
things which were written in the books.
(13)The
sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead
who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
(14)
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
(15)
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of
fire."
Everything we do is recorded in heaven!
Every sin is recorded in our own book; "...and
books were opened..." Your life is an open book to God!
Ezekiel 18:23,
"Do I have any pleasure at all that
the wicked should die?" says the Lord God, "and not that he should
turn from his ways and live?"
That is what the Lord God wants for you
- to turn from your wicked ways and live!
John 3:16,
"For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life."
Jon Peasey
[All
Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted.
Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted
for clarity. Words in bold type
emphasise a point
You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or
elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate
directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]
[Any comments or questions? You are invited to contact me by clicking on the comments section below.]
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