During the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln gave one the shortest yet most meaningful speeches in history. The two-minute address spoke to a crucial moment in the nation's history. Lincoln spoke in a redemptive tone about the judgment of God upon a single nation and what might yet be accomplished.

Today that speech is known as the Gettysburg Address. It was so short that it was only afterward that people would begin to recognize the gravity of what was spoken.

In the annals of human history is there any more poignant and crisper message than the Gettysburg Address? If so, where?

Yes, there is a shorter message given long ago that also came to jolt a nation. Actually only four words were conveyed to those assembled. This message changed the course of not only a nation, but the entire world. It, too, would have to be later interpreted for its significance. Its meaning comes down to our day and has incredible prophetic implications for the future.

Far from the dirt roads and fields of Gettysburg, we enter a different time and place at the royal court of Babylon as described in Daniel 5:1-5.

It is here we discover the actions of Belshazzar, the coregent of Babylon and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, staging a gigantic banquet for 1,000 of his closest cohorts. Many of us are familiar with this biblical event, but what is the story behind the story?

Oh, those walls!

Extrabiblical literature can help set the stage for this particular night. Herodotus, the Greek historian, offers this interesting detail of what may have preceded the great banquet:

"A battle was fought at a short distance from the city, in which the Babylonians were defeated by the Persian king, whereupon they withdrew within their defenses. Here they shut themselves up, and made light of his siege, having laid in store for many years in preparation against this attack" (Persian Wars, Book 1, Sec. 190).

Those defenses described by the historian were purported to be walls that were 90-feet high and so wide that six chariots could ride side by side at the top. Babylon stood seemingly impregnable and invincible for the ages!

We may not realize that by this time the city of Babylon stood alone as its soon-to-be conqueror, Persia, already stretched from Media on the east to the shore of the Aegean Sea on the west. Babylon was not simply in the way—it was to be the final, great prize!

Building on the thoughts of Herodotus, the Expositor's Bible Commentary informs us that, although the Babylonians were aware of the Medo-Persian threat outside their magnificent and unassailable city, they knew beyond a doubt that no army could penetrate their fortress walls. They were secure in the knowledge that their walls had not been "stormed by invaders in over a thousand years" (Vol. 7, p. 70).

The folly of pride

Oh yes, human nature loves denying reality. It can be amazingly delusional! After all, bad things happen to everyone else—right? Why is it so often we foolishly dream of being the exception, rather than the rule?

Thus, rather than face the facts, Belshazzar chose to gloat over victories from "the good old days." They brought out the sacred vessels of his grandfather's Judean conquest and drank from them as they praised their pagan gods. Bad move! This was a raw and unadulterated abomination before the Great Disposer of all events.

While God is long-suffering, ultimately He will not be mocked. He will answer at the right time, in the right way, and His judgments are sure. Verse 5 says that "in the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote…[on] the wall."

You can just imagine how this shook the audience. This account describes how the king's knees were knocking against each other. Obviously, the ruler wanted to know what was written on the wall. But no one present could interpret the meaning of the four little words written in Aramaic. Perhaps they were just scared to do so.

Finally the queen suggested that one of the wise men of old "be brought out of mothballs" and given an opportunity to grant understanding to the king and his audience. She was lofty in her praise of him as she described him as a man "in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God… light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him" (Daniel 5:11).

Once again, after many years, Daniel, now perhaps nearly 80 years old, stepped upon the stage of empire as he represented a greater and ageless kingdom. He had not rushed in like the other wise men, only to be stymied. Daniel wanted to be sure all knew his interpretation had no bias. The outcome was too great to slant the news!

Beware the heart lifted up!

The aged interpreter began to offer perspective in verses 18-22 as he informed the foolish ruler that "the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your [grandfather] a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor."

He described how the great ruler's "heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride." Therefore "his heart was made like the beasts" until "he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses."

Yes, Nebuchadnezzar had in a sense been "benched" for seven years till he understood who is boss. Now with this stated, Daniel directly confronts Belshazzar. He indicts him for his lack of humility and refusal to learn the lessons of history visited upon his grandfather. As George Santayana, the philosopher, so aptly put it: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Daniel made it plain as to what motivates God's activity. It is not the size of the walls around us, but the size and condition of our heart within us that makes the difference. The prophet Isaiah grants us perspective regarding the God of Daniel—our God—when he writes, "Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales" (Isaiah 40:15).

Belshazzar was condemned because he lifted himself up. Daniel told him, "The God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified" (Daniel 5:23).

The four little words

Now, Daniel identified the author of the handwriting on the wall. The unsigned signature of this startling message that transformed the king's body into quivering Jell-O is none other than God Almighty.

It is here that four little words, brief and to the point, shake a kingdom and define the future. Everybody's eyes focus on the wall. It says, "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN."

Daniel boldly interprets it. "Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it." Mene is repeated twice for emphasis. "T ekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; P eres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

During Belshazzar’s party, suddenly “the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote...[on] the wall.”

It is of note that in societies of antiquity such as ancient Egypt, there are murals depicting the dead being set before scales to be measured. What is intriguing here is that Belshazzar becomes the "living dead" before the judgment seat of God.

It didn't take long for those four little words to rumble in the annals of history. Verse 30 tells us "that very night" the king was slain. Wow, what happened? The Persian general Ugbaru, King Cyrus's clever military strategist, recognized that he could not go over the walls, so he went under by diverting the Euphrates River into an old channel dug by a previous ruler. This reduced the water level well below the river gates. The rest is history, as the Persians and Medes waded thigh deep into a city that was caught asleep.

What do the words mean for us?

But what does this mean for us in the 21st century? Prophecy is often dual in nature—or what might be defined as "layered" as it builds toward a future climax. The Babylonian king who was removed from his throne as he spoke (Daniel 4:31) and that king's grandson who was "in the same hour" admonished by God (Daniel 5:5) and was "that very night slain" (Daniel 5:30) foreshadow a scenario yet to occur between God Almighty and what He reveals as a Babylonian-type system yet to arise.

Again, there'll be three key ingredients: 1) God, 2) a worldly ruler and 3) an end-time "Babylon." Revelation 13:1, Revelation 13:4-6 identifies this system as "a beast," just like the original head of the golden kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar, who became like a beast when God removed his kingdom from him.

Just like ancient times, people are going to be amazed at this future system. They are going to marvel, "Who is like the Beast?" (Revelation 13:4), just like mankind did long ago when they gawked at the immensity of Babylon's nine-story walls and said, "What's the use? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

It is of note that God further defines this future system with its mix of political and religious power as "Babylon" in Revelation 17:1-6. In verse 4 the politico-religious system is identified as "having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations." Note that a religious vessel is being used in a wrong fashion just like long ago on that night before Babylon fell.

"In one hour your judgment has come"

What's truly amazing is that in its foolish arrogance this future Babylon is going to fight against God. Just imagine that for a moment. Humans are going to have the pride and the false security that comes with it to fight their very Creator! Revelation 19:19-20 plainly states that this Beast system identified with Babylon is going to gather "together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army." Utterly incredible, isn't it? But God has seen the future and brings it to us.

Jesus Christ not only brings us these troubling tidings, but encourages us that this system is going to be as swiftly destroyed as ancient Babylon. Consider how similar the language in Revelation 18:9-10, Revelation 18:15-19 is to that of Daniel's prior experience. This future system, seemingly safe in its own vaunted opinion, will likewise discover "in one hour your judgment has come" (Revelation 18:10). It is repeated for effect in Revelation 18:17: "For in one hour such great riches came to nothing." Then, as now, God will not be mocked.

So what do we learn?

What lessons may we learn from these four little words with a big meaning?

Lesson one: There is an "hour of judgment" visited upon all humanity, not just Belshazzar. All nations and peoples, then and now and in the future, will be "measured and weighed" on the same common scale. That scale is found in Revelation 14:6-7, which defines an everlasting gospel in which we are to 1) fear God, 2) give Him glory and 3) worship Him.

Why? "For the hour of His judgment has come." The lesson of the four little words is that God did not just wind up the universe and let it go. He chooses to intervene when, where and how He chooses. Ask Belshazzar!

Lesson two: We need not be afraid. God grants us the same "excellent Spirit" that guided Daniel. It is identified in the same passage (Daniel 5:11-12) as being the Spirit of the Holy God. Yes—the Holy Spirit is at work in us as well to guide us with understanding in the emergence of any system or society that confronts the sanctity of God. A scripture is great, but Daniel's story gives us something to hold on to. "We read to know we are not alone," as C.S. Lewis said.

Lesson three: Babylon and its mighty bulwarks reminds us it is not the size of the walls in front of us, but the size and condition of our hearts inside of us that is the ultimate strength that God centers on. Solomon spoke to this when he focused on how our Righteous Judge "weighs the hearts…and keeps your soul" (Proverbs 24:12).

Yes, God is a God of judgment, and He weighs and measures nations and people alike—past, present and future. The good news is we do not have to be weighed and "found wanting."

Perhaps the encouragement found in Isaiah 30:21 of "this is the way, walk in it" is best realized in the words of Daniel when He reminds not only kings, but us, to remember that it is "God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways."