The Finger on the Wall

Overview

Daniel is a set of narratives about what happened when the Jewish exiles were taken out of a country in which there was a set of cultural institutions that supported the biblical God. They were taken into Babylon, which was a pluralistic society in which there were many gods and there were many moralities, all equally valid. The Israelites, who believed in the one true God, had to learn how to function in an unbelieving society.

Today’s passage from Daniel 5 will help us see how we should also live faithful lives in a secular world. Let’s look at these three parts of the narrative: the party; the great party crasher, Daniel; and thirdly, the fingers of God and the writing on the wall.