Overview
During King Belshazzar's sacrilegious feast, a disembodied hand wrote three Aramaic words on the palace wall: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin." The prophet Daniel interpreted these words as a divine judgment declaring that God had numbered Belshazzar's reign and brought it to an end. Mene literally means "numbered" and represents God's sovereign authority over earthly kingdoms and their appointed times.
Key Scriptures
"And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN" (Daniel 5:25, ESV).
"Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end" (Daniel 5:26, ESV).
Application
Believers should recognize that God's sovereignty extends over all earthly powers and kingdoms, reminding us to trust in His eternal purposes rather than the temporary rule of human authorities.