What does mene mene tekel upharsin mean?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

During the Babylonian captivity, after King Nebuchadnezzar, King Belshazzar came to power. Despite knowing what God had done to humble Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar was so wicked as to use items reserved for God to hold his common drink (Daniel 5:2–3). During his feast, a hand appeared and wrote four words: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin (some translations render the last word “upharsin,” which may be a combination of the Aramaic words “and” and “pharsin”).

Daniel, who had served Nebuchadnezzar and interpreted his dreams, was called to explain the mysterious words. Daniel explained them: Mene meant God had numbered Belshazzar’s days and was ending his kingdom (Daniel 5:26); Tekel meant that Belshazzar had been weighed and found wanting (Daniel 5:27); and Peres (the singular form of Parsin) referred to Belshazzar’s kingdom being divided and given to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:28). In summary, it was God’s declaration of judgment on both Belshazzar and Babylon. That very night, the united Medes and Persians came, and Belshazzar was killed.

From this account, we learn that there is a point at which God will no longer tolerate our sin and will bring eternal judgment. It is therefore imperative that we repent and trust in Jesus before it’s too late!

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The words Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin were written on the wall by a floating hand in the sight of King Belshazzar during a party in which he denigrated God’s holiness by drinking out of vessels reserved for God (Daniel 5:2–3). While scholars have debated the exact origins or relationships of the words, Daniel clearly explained what each meant
• Mene: This is probably the noun form of mena, a word meaning “to number.” Daniel interpreted it as, “MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end” (Daniel 5:26). The word was likely repeated two times for emphasis to show that this judgment was done and settled.
• Tekel: Also likely the noun form of tekal, meaning “to weigh.” Daniel interpreted it as, “TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27). Being weighed is a reference to the scales of justice. Being found wanting refers to not being found just (where “wanting” means “lacking”).
• Parsin: This is the plural form (or the “double” form, a special form in Semitic languages such as Aramaic, the language in this portion of Daniel), which Daniel reads as peres, its singular form. Peres is probably the noun form of peras, which means “to divide, to break in two.” Daniel interpreted it as, “PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:28). Note: Some translations (NASB, KJV) render this word as “Upharisn.” In languages such as Aramaic and Hebrew, the “and” character is directly attached to the next word. In this case, they are translating the “and” character as part of the word rather than as an appended “and” character. Regardless, the meaning is the same.
• Combined, God was telling King Belshazzar that God would no longer allow Belshazzar’s kingdom to remain and that He was sending the united Medes and Persians to conquer Babylon. Daniel 5 ends with the comment, “That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old” (Daniel 5:30–31).
• All of the book of Daniel is about God raising and removing kingdoms as He willed. In this case, He pronounced a very public judgment against King Belshazzar and Babylon by writing these words on the wall.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Mene mene tekel upharsin is not found in the New Testament.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

God is merciful, delaying judgment to provide an opportunity to repent (2 Peter 3:9). However, God won’t delay forever, and we don’t know when we will cross the line. In Belshazzar’s case, it was when He profaned vessels that were set aside for God by drinking out of them himself. At that moment, God’s patience ended for Belshazzar.

However, that doesn’t mean that God will allow us to keep living unless we do something equally grievous. For each of us, before we were born, He has set when we will die (Acts 17:26), and we don’t know when that is (James 4:14)!

When we are young, we feel like we’ll live forever. But ask anyone in their 90s, and they will tell you that they also thought that, but now, in retrospect, life passed by in a flash. Indeed, many young people have died, never coming close to their 90s, so you may not even have as long as you think.

What does this mean? We all have a hidden countdown leading to our last breath. Until then, God is patient with us. While we are born sinful (Psalm 51:5) and deserve death (Romans 6:23), until we die, God gives us the opportunity to repent. However, if we haven’t done so when the timer expires, we face His wrath with no opportunity to escape (Revelation 20:11–15; Luke 16:19–31). Because of this, we encourage you to make your eternal destiny your number one priority. Know that you are a sinner and under God’s judgment. Then repent of that sin and turn from it, trusting that Jesus has paid your judgment through His death and that He conquered sin and death through His resurrection. When you trust in Jesus, God will count Jesus’ death in your place. After you die, He will raise you again to live eternally with Him.

The issue isn’t whether time is running out—it’s whether we’re paying attention while it is. Every breath we take is another moment of God’s patience but also one step closer to the moment that patience gives way to justice. Are we treating today like we still have endless tomorrows or like it may be the very moment God is calling us to finally respond?

UNDERSTAND

• The words Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin were God's public declaration of judgment against King Belshazzar.
• Each word of Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin carried a specific meaning: God had numbered and ended his kingdom, he had been weighed on the scales of justice and found wanting, and his kingdom would be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
• The fulfillment of Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin was immediate and complete, with Belshazzar being killed that very night and Darius the Mede receiving the kingdom.

REFLECT

• How does Belshazzar's example challenge you to respond to God today and not to presume on His patience?
• In what ways does the image of being weighed on the scales of justice and found wanting challenge you to examine your own life and actions?
• How does the swift and certain fulfillment of God's judgment against Belshazzar affect the way you think about God's patience and judgment?

ENGAGE

• What does God's use of the handwriting on the wall reveal about His ability to make His judgments known clearly even to those who reject Him?
• How does the pattern throughout Daniel of God raising and removing kingdoms according to His will inform the way we should think about the rise and fall of nations and political powers today?
• What does Belshazzar's fate reveal about the relationship between God's patience and His judgment?