Learning from our predecessors

(This is a summary of Michael Larsen's sermon, preached on April 8, 2025.)

We’re continuing our series on Daniel, looking at the 10 great tests he and others went through. Today, in Daniel 5, we meet King Belshazzar, grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. Unlike his grandfather, Belshazzar was immature and arrogant. While Babylon was surrounded by its enemies—the Medes and Persians—he threw a massive drunken party for 1,000 guests. In a moment of sacrilegious foolishness, he ordered sacred temple goblets taken from Jerusalem to be used for a drinking game, mocking God by toasting pagan gods.
God responded swiftly. A mysterious hand appeared and wrote on the palace wall—“the writing on the wall”—a phrase still used today to mean an obvious warning of impending doom. The message, written in Aramaic, said: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. No one could interpret it, so Daniel was summoned.
Daniel, known for his divine wisdom, interpreted the words: Mene—God has numbered your days; Tekel—you’ve been weighed and found lacking; Peres—your kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. That same night, Belshazzar was killed, and Babylon fell.
The Medes and Persians entered the city by diverting the Euphrates River and crawling under the walls. Belshazzar's reign ended because he ignored the lessons from his grandfather’s experiences and dishonored God.
This story highlights the importance of wisdom and learning—especially learning from those who came before us. When crisis hit, the people turned to Daniel, a man with a reputation for divine insight. Daniel 5:11 describes him as having a sharp mind, knowledge, understanding, and the ability to solve difficult problems. The king recognized in him the Spirit of God and extraordinary wisdom.
How can we become wise like Daniel? Two key principles emerge:

1. Make a commitment to never stop learning
Wisdom isn’t about raw intelligence—it’s a choice. Proverbs 4:13 says, “Your education is your life, so guard it well.” Learning is a lifelong process. Proverbs 23:12 encourages us to commit to instruction and listen to knowledge. Learning brings success and profit. Ecclesiastes 10:10 says that skill, not just effort, brings success—sharpen your axe. And Proverbs 19:8 notes that wisdom leads to prosperity.
Humility is essential. Pride refuses to ask questions, but Proverbs 20:5 says wisdom is drawn out like water from a deep well—through asking. Pay attention, ask questions, and stay curious.

2. Learn from previous generations
This was Belshazzar’s fatal mistake—he failed to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s spiritual journey. Job 8:8-9 tells us to ask the former generation and learn from their experience because we “know nothing” in the grand scheme of life. God commands us to learn from the past to avoid repeating its mistakes.
We need Daniels today—people of wisdom, humility, and spiritual insight. Will you commit to becoming that person?