Scales don’t lie.

Men do. 

INTRODUCTION: An apple falling from a tree striking Issaac Newton on the head led him to discover the relationship between gravity and weight. Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object. His theory of gravity revolutionized our understanding of the physical attraction of the universe. Gravity also offers us a picture of the Spiritual Force operating in heavenly realms that identifies our inner reality and relationship with God. Gravity, in a way, is God’s universal scale that judges our spiritual weight and worth considering His standard.  Our life is pulled by God’s moral universe, revealing our real heart from our false facades. God’s scale is true. The arc of the universe bends toward His moral justice.  In Daniel 5, an immoral king learned from a mysterious handwriting on the wall that his spiritual weight has been judged and is found lacking. There will be serious consequences. 

BACKSTORY: Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, held a party to celebrate himself and the gods of silver and gold, drinking with contempt from God’s holy temple vessels taken in exile. Then a hand began to write on the wall: 

25"Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.' 26"This is the interpretation of the message: 'MENE-- God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27"'TEKEL-- you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28"'PERES-- your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians." Daniel 5: 25-28 

EXPOSITION: Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall. Belshazzar was judged for his pride and lack of moral character, his disregard of the sovereignty of GOD. For that, he would lose his kingdom and his life at the hands of the Persians because he did not learn from the consequences of his prideful father, Nebuchadnezzar, who lost his kingdom and mind, before recognizing God as lord, and thus humbling himself. God’s gravity does not lie. Belshazzar was judged.  His moral character was exposed.  

ILLUSTRATION: How do you measure up today against the attraction of God on your life?  Your spiritual weightiness is factored by your relationship with God, but also by your relationship with the other most significant objects of the universe—namely, your fellow brothers. Your pride is out of orbit with God’s gravity: 

•  Are you too proud to orbit within the same path as your brother? You don’t want to live in your realm? 

• Are you too proud to recognize their equality with you having the same Creator, made in the same image. They are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The Maker makes no garbage. 

• Are you too proud to acknowledge that the Maker the Sovereign One, creator of all creations? We, therefore, are all aliens. 

• Are you too proud to humble yourself before the irresistible attraction of His holiness? 

APPLICATION: Be humble. The handwriting is on the wall. Pride will not only weigh you down, but it will also take you down. God's scale will reveal your real self and how you feel about the Sovereign One and your brother.