Vol. 4, No. 30 Oct. 30, 2005

More Than A Ghost Story IV

Written by Christopher Mentzer

One of the more noted horror authors is Stephen King. Having written dozens of books and short stories, he is one of the tops in his business. One of the literary devices he has used in a couple of his stories is that of mysterious writings on a wall. Two phrases come to mind. “Red Rum” in his story The Shining and the more enigmatic phrase, “Give me what I want and I’ll go away”, from Storm of The Century.

A similar scene happened in the Old Testament. In Daniel 5, Belshazzar was throwing a party:

“1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therefrom. 3. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them. 4. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5. In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”

It was later in chapter 5 that, after Daniel was summoned; we learned what was written and its meaning:

“24. Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed. 25. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end; 27. TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28. PERES; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

From this scenario we obtain the phrase, “The writing’s on the wall”. This means a foretelling of things to come. In the case of Belshazzar it was impending doom. Verse 30 announces the fulfillment. “30. In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.”

This is more than a ghost story because God warns us often not to sin. Not through direct involvement such as a disembodied hand but more of examples found in the scriptures. In 1 Cor. 15: 33 Paul warns, “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” This informs us to be wary of those we associate with and that too close of a relationship with them could cause us to stumble. In Acts 8: 18-19, we have an example of Simon the Sorcerer attempting to buy the power of the Holy Spirit and he is given a chance to repent (vs. 22) and Simon asks them to pray on his behalf (vs. 24).

God also warns us of impending doom; what happens if we don’t repent of our ways. In Heb. 10: 29-31, the author writes, “of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30. For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” One final example comes from Jesus in Matt. 10: 28, “And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Belshazzar’s fate was already sealed when the hand wrote the message. Our fate will not be sealed until our death. The time to change is now. Paul writes, “(for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, “…behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation).” 2 Cor. 6: 2.