Daniel 5:27, commentary and pictures

TEKEL declares that Belshazzar had been weighed by God in character, life and conduct and found deficient against the divine measure. The sentence fell during his luxurious feast of wine and blasphemy, when a bloodless hand wrote doom on the palace wall, and that night he was slain and his kingdom given to the Medes and Persians. The same weighing goes on now in the sanctuary, where every person's character, motives, works and course of action are weighed with nothing hidden. The standard in one scale is God's holy immutable law requiring perfect obedience and supreme love to God and love to neighbor, against which each life in the opposite scale fixes doom for eternity. To be found wanting is to lack sincerity, love to Christ and to His brethren, and obedience to the commandments, yet deficiency can be met only by repentance, confession and laying hold on Christ's merits and blood, whose perfect obedience imputed to sinners brings justification and transformation.

Feast Setting and Sentence

TEKEL means Belshazzar himself was weighed by God in character, life, conduct and actions and found deficient, failing to meet the divine measure. The weighing found him guilty and lacking, pronouncing his true condition wanting as his permanent record.

The verdict followed pride and refusal to humble himself though he knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar for pride, bringing him low. He defied the Lord of heaven, profaned the sacred vessels from God's house by drinking from them, praised lifeless idols of silver and gold, and failed to glorify the God in whose hand his life and ways were held. He chose pleasure and self-glorification instead of learning truth and obeying, extolled his own wisdom as if wise without God, took honor to himself and led others to forget God, forgot God and credited human achievement in prosperity, and disregarded heaven-sent light, lessons, opportunities and instruction given through Daniel.

The writing announced his doom and the finish of himself and his kingdom in the midst of his feast, declaring the kingdom ended and given to the Medes and Persians. That night the king was killed as the Medes and Persians took the kingdom.

The setting was his great sacrificial feast with his thousand lords in luxury, wine, sacrilegious mirth, music, dancing, sparkling wine and blasphemy, with reason and reverence gone. An unseen divine Watcher was present, God Himself witnessing the unholy scene and the profaning of consecrated vessels, making a history to testify against the revelers to the close of time. A bloodless hand traced terrible mysterious characters upon the palace wall facing the king, testifying to his true condition. Words and acts and deeds of the careless passed into the books of heaven and the books of final account, to be searched by the great Judge. King and courtiers were filled with terror as doom was pronounced, their consciences recognizing condemnation.

The words belong to the doom written on Belshazzar's palace wall marking the end of the Babylonian kingdom. The same bloodless divine hand that wrote that judgment rent the strong temple veil in two from top to bottom at the moment Christ died. That rending exposed the most holy place to common gaze, showed God's presence would no longer overshadow the earthly mercy seat, declared the Jewish nation unchurched, and opened access to God for all people without priest or ruler.

Presumption like his can persist in defiance until crossing the limits of God's forbearance and exhausting His patience, when God intervenes to end insolence and disobedience. The hand writing the condemnation represents a witness recording false statements and misrepresentations, which will appear in their true character in the judgment.

Heavenly Weighing and Standard

TEKEL declares that guilt had reached the point where judgment could no longer be withheld, so Babylon's judgment was deserved and Belshazzar stood accountable before God. The same weighing goes on now in the sanctuary, where the Lord weighs characters while deeds of the careless and indifferent who rush on in sin are registered in the books of heaven. There God and Christ weigh every person's character, conduct, motives, purposes, disposition, consecration, works and course of action, with nothing hidden from Him, and when the course is wrong the person is found wanting. God is present as silent witness in that weighing, and human conduct even in social gatherings is under His eye.

The standard placed in one scale is God's holy, everlasting, immutable law, the transcript of His character. That law is the standard of trial defining duty in its Thou shalt and Thou shalt not, summed in supreme love to God with all heart, mind, soul and strength in the first four commandments and love to neighbor as self in the last six, without subtracting one atom. It demands perfect continuous unswerving obedience, while each individual character is placed in the opposite scale with its sin, folly, deception, unclean thoughts, unholy actions and years of careless selfish indulgence and forgetfulness, rebellion and self-pleasing. By that just comparison heaviness or lightness fixes doom irretrievably for eternity for weal or woe, so many living carelessly and regarding sin lightly are found light and lost, and few will be prepared for meeting the law in the great day of judgment.

God as silent witness weighs motives, character and secrets of the heart, not outward profession, human approval, human balances, learning, riches, talents or worldly success. Human balances may declare a person of right weight and full measure, and worldly policy and business custom may pass him, while God's measurement by the mirror of His law declares the same person wanting and shows how far short the life falls. Pleasant self-measurement is not God's estimate, for self-confidence, self-sufficiency, selfishness and putting others down reveal a character found wanting before God, and gifts do not make a person useful without taking self in hand and having the Spirit of Christ. His searching gaze sees every heart and deed including sins hidden from human view and records the result in heaven's books, and that verdict by One who never makes a mistake should fill the soul with terror.

Words, works, spirit, thoughts and deeds pass into the books of heaven, angels observe the development of character and weigh its moral worth, and what God testifies in the golden scales of the sanctuary stands fast forever. Being never detected in deception or fraud does not make one less guilty before God, for deception remains guilt even when undiscovered by others. The decision of wanting with the result written opposite the name remains unless it is changed by soul-repentance and transformation of character, when pardon is written and God gives a new heart. To be found lacking in love and obedience before the Redeemer who died to draw people to Him is fearful, and to be found wanting at the final judgment and reward is irreversible loss.

Every person is now on trial in the great antitypical day of atonement while Christ stands before the Father as Advocate, Intercessor and representative, with each individual case pending in the heavenly courts and everything depending on the outcome. The weighing tests completeness in Him with only two results, to be found complete in Him or to be found wanting, and provision has been made by the Son of the infinite God for everyone to be saved and found complete. Each is therefore called to put himself in God's scales to learn how character measures, with the standard being compliance with the commandments and a heart and life answering to God's justice, mercy and love in ordinary business contracts, negotiations of loans, honest and just dealing in all payments and private transactions, and loving others as self in actions toward those who differ. This requires inquiring day by day how it is with the soul, laying aside garments of self-righteousness, humbling self daily before God, confessing individual sins, seeking pardon, taking Christ's yoke, cooperating with Christ in preparing the soul to reflect the divine image, and entering the sanctuary above by faith and working out salvation with fear and trembling, for faith-union with Christ keeps from condemnation while fixing on little points and defects of others instead of looking to Jesus brings failure. The verdict of wanting may stand written against names in the heavenly record with no injustice and no mistake when judgment sits and books are opened, yet it is not yet final while probation and preparation continue, and every question about the work is to be assessed by the sanctuary's divine standard.

Meaning of Found Wanting

Weighed against God's holy, perfect, unchanging law every person is by nature found wanting, enlightened by its precepts yet unable to be justified by them, and altogether wanting if uncleansed by Christ's blood. Sincerity and earnest effort do not remove sin, and no one however earnestly striving can truthfully say he has no sin. Years of forgetfulness, selfishness, rebellion and self-pleasing leave the scale light, for the law demands continuous, unswerving obedience. Partial belief, outward religious practice, or observing some Bible teachings does not ensure eternal life when essential Christian character is lacking. Indifference to God's warnings and cherishing or excusing sin leave a person wanting when weighed, and trusting in religious profession and good works while disobeying God and acting wrongly ends in being shown spiritually deficient when Jesus reveals the true character, then too late to be made good.

A person can be sincere and yet greatly deceived and weighed and found wanting. So it was with Saul of Tarsus, sincere in ignorance while persecuting the church of Christ until Christ revealed Himself to him, rooted in ignorance and later renouncing what he had counted as gain.

To be wanting means to be wanting in sincerity and true love to Christ who died to give life and peace and hope to the lost, and wanting in brotherly kindness and love to His brethren redeemed by His blood. Abuse and maligning of His saints is abuse of Christ Himself in the person of His saints. More generally it is lack of love and obedience to the Redeemer, transgression of the commandments, moral deficiency with a diseased soul offensive in God's sight and a spoiled record in the books of heaven, disappointing the Saviour who gave His precious life. It includes failure to love one another as Christ loved and little love for those in darkness needing the revelation of Jesus' love, and no one can escape by pointing to the sins of leading brethren, for each must answer for himself. Pleasant self-measurement and favorable human judgment count for nothing, for respectable sinners who avoid open sin yet refuse godly sorrow, true repentance and confession of faults will be found lacking when God weighs them by the Bible standard of what is innocent, virtuous, true and excellent.

The whole life record kept in heaven's ledger is weighed, with all weakness and defects of character exposed before the Judge of all the earth. The condemned person himself speaks the verdict over himself, explaining the deficiency as reaping corruption from sowing to the flesh. This brings pale terror, open confession of where his feet first turned toward perdition, and bitter self-blame for trusting his own judgment and wisdom, rejecting God's voice and the warnings of His servants, and persisting in pernicious ways by which truth was evil spoken of and souls were lost who might have been saved. Being found wanting on examination of life's account is an awful judgment, and souls trembling in the balance face a decisive choice for time and eternity, when a missed opportunity to accept Christ may leave the case decided. An unseen witness records every action, Christ who walks among the candlesticks knows all works, what opportunities were slighted, and how untiringly God as a shepherd sought to bring wanderers back to safety and peace, yet those who keep jesting along the broad road until probation ends are declared deficient, justly and equally, with nothing to say in defense.

Character weighed in the balances of the sanctuary exposes glaring inconsistencies, and to be pronounced wanting in the great day of God is a calamity not now comprehended, with the record kept standing fast in the heavenly courts. Many seem honest and true but are like whited sepulchers, fair without but corrupt to the core, with hearts spotted and stained with sin through a hardening process that makes them callous and past feeling. Outward honesty cannot make a stained heart and corrupt character sound, form of godliness without its real power leaves men deficient before God despite false confidence, and profession without sanctification deceives self and others. Deception and dishonesty stain the inner character even when a person appears honest outwardly, and precious untarnished truth must become a part of the character to meet the weighing.

Being weighed and found wanting means failing to measure up to what God calls one to become, and heights of Christian character and service remain unreached when self is cherished and evils such as covetousness are not surrendered. The way is straight, and each person must understand his own heart and not deceive himself about his true state. Danger lies in excusing faults and persuading oneself one is about right, being shut up in self, darkness and deception and rejecting light until Jesus leaves the sanctuary, failing to live by received light, pride of opinion, and neglect of watchfulness over unholy impulses. A man may proclaim the truth from his lips and work earnestly to present it while the truth has no sanctifying, constraining power upon his heart and character, with thoughts and affections engrossed by worthless things and the heart defiled. Unless supreme love and confidence in self is broken up, unless there is a deeper work of cleansing the soul temple, studying the law of God, looking in the mirror and bringing the heart to its searching, far-reaching principles, and overcoming, he will be weighed in the balance and found wanting, the salvation of the soul will not be secured, and he will not have the overcomer's reward. The verdict stands unless repentance and a transformed character bring pardon and the gift of a new heart, for even those who have improved may still fall short when measured against the standard of character.

Escape Through Christ Alone

Escape comes only by looking to Christ, who at infinite cost covenanted to be man's representative in the heavenly courts and mediator and advocate before God. Weighed against God's holy, perfect, unchanging law, which demands continuous unswerving obedience, every person is by nature found wanting, enlightened by its precepts but unable to be justified by them, and altogether wanting if uncleansed by Christ's blood, since sincerity, earnest effort, and the claim to have no sin cannot remove sin. Christ's perfect obedience imputed to sinners makes law-keeping possible, so that accepting Him as Saviour brings justification by faith and peace with God, and despite past years of forgetfulness, selfishness, rebellion and self-pleasing the obedient may receive the welcome of a faithful servant. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of faith keeps from the mistakes that bring the verdict of wanting, as Saul of Tarsus learned when Christ's revelation exposed his sincere but ignorant persecution and led him to renounce former gain, and those who follow the divine Leader now will be with Him in the city of God and dwell with Him on the renewed and beautified earth where Eden is restored. When the Spirit reveals the full meaning of the law the sinner recognizes guilt as Belshazzar understood the writing, and is awakened to seek mercy in Jesus.

The deficiency must be met by closely examining motives, purposes, character and actions by God's holy immutable law, which requires supreme love to God with all heart, mind, soul and strength and love to neighbor as self without subtracting one atom, against which each character is placed in the opposite scale to fix doom for eternity. Every transgression must be repented of, sin confessed with genuine repentance, wrongs to a brother seen, confessed and made right by all possible restitution rather than measured by worldly policy or business custom, and as sinners men must lay hold on the merits and blood of Christ alone to supply the deficiency. What God testifies in the golden scales of the sanctuary stands fast forever, so that never being detected in deception or fraud lessens no guilt, and the decision of wanting remains unless changed by soul-repentance and transformation of character, when pardon is written and full abundant forgiveness is granted. This is the warning about disobedience, calling those separated from truth and God's people to confess and show genuine repentance, and warning the unfaithful steward who will not repent while mercy's sweet voice is still heard that he will be weighed and found wanting in the judgment.

God's remnant people who profess Christ's name have their moral character weighed, and to avoid being found wanting they must closely examine themselves, make full and thorough confession of all wrongs, go beforehand to judgment so that pardon is written opposite their names, improve the precious golden moments of mercy, arouse with zeal in repenting, humble themselves daily, confess sins, seek pardon and cooperate with Christ in the sanctuary rather than trusting self-righteousness. Self-examination must test whether faith remains genuine and whether obedience to men has become rebellion against God. If present opportunity for repentance is refused and these moments are not improved there will be no excuse, probation will pass, and later agonizing cries for help will be of no avail.

In that sanctuary weighing Christ stands as man's representative, yet His precious blood cannot save anyone who refuses to be converted and transformed, purified and made complete in Him without spot, wrinkle or blemish. The verdict of lacking falls on one only half given up and half consecrated, whose will is not swallowed up in God's will, and to be fitted and escape requires full consecration, greater devotion, present cleansing from all impurity, sanctification, and earnest attention to soul salvation and eternal interests in view of Christ's coming. Neglecting God-given talents and refusing to bring the will under Christ's will leaves a person wanting and risks eternal life, making the sacrifice vain for him, while letting God shape, beautify and polish character in His workshop fits for the heavenly mansions and for standing with the white-robed throng through the gates into the city. Which outcome occurs depends on personal course of action, for God cannot take into His kingdom those dead in trespasses and sins who have lost all sense of sin's offensiveness, who confuse minds by mixing truth and error, who treat outwitting fellow workers as virtue and divert means from new fields to ambitious schemes, or who deliberately harbor pride, vainglory, avarice, ambition, murmuring, bitterness, evil-speaking, lying or slandering.

Prophecy and Final Judgment

TEKEL is the sentence the Judge of all the earth pronounces when a life is weighed in judgment and found wanting, and that sentence may come suddenly while people are absorbed in business, worldly pleasure, fashion or outward adornment, unaware that judgment has come upon them. It warns that in the day of reckoning when the account of life is examined, each person may be found wanting, and to be found wanting on that examination is an awful judgment. Whoever has had the privilege of God's Word yet disregards its precepts is weighed and found wanting whatever the calling, profession or influence, and if death ends life without holiness the same verdict falls, so it is better to lose everything on earth than to lose heaven.

The verse shows the sentence pronounced on the guilty when the work of the investigative judgment closes and the destiny of all is decided for life or death. Probation ends a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven, when mercy is finally withdrawn and the decision made irrevocable in the sanctuary above. It is spoken silently and unnoticed as the midnight thief, while righteous and wicked still live mortal life on earth planting and building and eating and drinking, unconscious that judgment is fixed, as after Noah entered the ark the ungodly continued careless pleasure-loving life for seven days. It can come in the hour when watchfulness grows weary and souls turn to the world, while the business person is absorbed in gain, the pleasure lover in indulgence, and the daughter of fashion in adornment.

It describes the fate of the wicked at the literal appearing of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Those who have been taught that His coming is only spiritual, who reject prophetic warning as fanaticism, who give themselves to pleasure, moneymaking, self-indulgence, skepticism and false science, who strive not to retain God in their knowledge while saying tomorrow will be greater, will have their deception broken by the shout of the archangel and the trump of God. In that moment divine judgment measures their lives and exposes their moral deficiency.

At the great white throne, when every life's work appears as it is and the books are opened with the record of every life made known, the sentence falls with startling distinctness on the unprepared. It falls on those who had God's Word plainly setting forth duty yet did not obey its teachings, heed its voice as the voice of God, or search the Scriptures, and who not only ruined their own souls but by pretensions to godliness misled others, especially parents in their charge over children for this life and the next. To them the Judge declares they have no part with Him and bids them depart, opposite the approval given to those who trust in Christ despite a sense of unworthiness and who by faithful earnest labor have obtained a fitness for heaven. Many will be measured in God's judgment according to deeds done in the body and shown lacking what God requires, and when that weighing exposes them they will be willing to confess openly and make restitution if by doing so they can save even one soul, but that final weighing has not yet come, for now is the time before God's judgment seat when Jesus serves as Intercessor who loved each person individually and gave His own precious life as though there were no other soul.

The verse is the final judgment sentence written in large characters on the garments of a company seen howling in agony after the saints are delivered by the voice of God and the 144,000 triumph. It means they were weighed in judgment and found lacking because after once keeping the Sabbath they gave it up and trod it underfoot, drinking deep waters and fouling the residue with their feet. Even belief in Christ's coming and energetic teaching of it did not make up for abandoning the Sabbath, and when their eyes fall on the writing they wail aloud in anguish of spirit.

It describes God's final verdict on a person who has received sufficient repeated warning and disregarded it, following three warnings little regarded plus a further warning, falling unless there is a speedy move out of a critical situation. It means it becomes forever too late because God will not bear always but gives the person up to an unsubdued unsanctified will to follow personal ways and be filled with them, and the handwriting on the wall marks a peril the sleeper fails to recognize until the message becomes clear only when too late to repent. Those who refuse light because they expect every difficulty to be made clear will face judgment and be found wanting, as when some received and rejoiced in the light given at Minneapolis and the General Conference while others held back encouraging unbelief. The heavenly record of those who resisted light at Minneapolis is that their failure is registered and self and passion developed hateful traits, leaving them less discerning, submissive and loving than before, to be tested again on the same points.

In the day of God those who oppose His law will be found wanting even if they profess love for God and display religious zeal, for the law as a mirror reveals defects of character and hostility toward it rejects the light that exposes sin. Lives are weighed in the balances of the sanctuary where all words, acts and even motives pass the trying test of Him who knows the heart, and a life of self-gratification chasing pleasure and worldly dissipation loses both worlds because the reckoning day is just upon us when the spirit that governed life is tested. Souls not prepared for what is coming on the earth must speedily get ready or they will be weighed and found lacking, so God's messengers must sound Prepare, Prepare with energy and the Spirit to arouse the stupid and those off watch to awake before the great day of wrath when few shall stand, themselves awake and standing between the living and the dead with all who believe the third angel's message setting a holy lively example showing they look for the appearing of the great God and Saviour.

It means being measured by the true standard in the sanctuary and exposed as deficient in the coming review of every youth, mature and aged professor claiming to keep God's commandments, when thoughts, words and actions recorded in the books, especially of those with much light and opportunity, are examined before the throne. Great numbers are then judged deficient and know the exact sins for which they are condemned, because of lack of virtuous character while base passions, licentiousness and lust cloaked from human eyes but seen by the Lord control them, including teachers of truth without holy endeavor and without boldness toward God. Their names are blotted out of the Book of Life, and escape now requires obtaining the white robe of character by humbling before God and confessing and forsaking sin with contrition so sins are blotted out and names retained in the Lamb's Book of Life.

God weighs people in the balance and those found wanting will be utterly slain by the destroying angel soon to pass against old and young, men, women and little children. To not be found wanting parents must do all their part to save their children by correcting them in love and not in passion, correcting tempers and disobedience, making them mind so that the word is law, and above everything guarding them on the Sabbath, since letting children play on the Sabbath makes parents Sabbath-breakers and commandment-breakers.

One may understand truth and God's law yet be weighed in the sanctuary and found wanting when warnings and reproofs are not heeded and conduct not changed, with inconsistent example, lack of steadfast purpose and worldly influence revealing unfitness for trust and leading others away from Christ. A case like Bro. B is inexcusable because he had enough evidence to recognize the character of the work God committed to the church yet chose to oppose it, and his case is weighed in the balances of the sanctuary in the day of God.

Warnings to Churches Institutions

The commandment-keeping church, the Seventh-day Adventist church, is weighed in the balances of the sanctuary by the light, privileges, benefits, blessings and opportunities Christ has bestowed upon her. If her spiritual experience, moral character and spiritual state, and the work entrusted to her, do not match those advantages, if her blessings have not prepared her to do that work and bear the rich harvest God expects, but she reaches only the low standard of worldly measurement with unused talents and imperfect fruit, found wanting is written upon her record. Her profession of knowing God and believing the truth does not outweigh deeds that oppose truth and righteousness, and light that has become darkness leaves her wanting. Only as she believes and works out the grand principles of the gospel and uses God-given capabilities in His service, reaching higher and still higher for power from on high to be recognized as God's peculiar people zealous of good works, sanctified and holy and communicating light, will she enjoy the fulness of the promise whereon she has been called to stand. The absence of spiritual fruit means God is not glorified.

God's people are weighed and found wanting when moral character and spiritual state do not correspond to blessings, privileges and light received, and the safe measure is not other people, the world, or former selves, but the faithful progress that could have been made by continually advancing onward and upward since first professing Christ, as reported by angels. If spirituality does not correspond with benefits and privileges conferred, the verdict is wanting, whereas the path should have grown brighter and brighter bringing forth much fruit to the glory of God. Christ weighs those professing to be His people in the sanctuary and pronounces them wanting when works are not perfect before God, in carnal security, pride, contempt for His holy law and service, disobedience, transgression and lukewarm self-satisfaction offensive in His sight. This belongs to the present time and to the churches, especially those in the Sardis condition of having a name to live while dead, fallen from first love and zeal, neglecting to strengthen what remains, to hold fast received truth and share it with souls ready to die, with faith unmatched by works of love and duty. Outward homage, Christian profession and a form of godliness without loyalty of heart expose estrangement from Christ, and unless they repent the Lord will punish them.

The Jewish nation was found wanting because despite spiritual and temporal blessings and stewardship of sacred truth and grace it used the Lord's gifts selfishly for gratification instead of cooperating with God and failed to help those in need. Pride in being Abraham's descendants could not compensate, and when the crisis came trust in Abraham showed separation from God and refusal of His Son sent to warn them. God has weighed educators and students trained at Battle Creek in the sanctuary above and found them deficient in education and unfit to teach properly, because gathering youth there is contrary to His will, the spiritual atmosphere unwholesome, and unbelief instilled unfitting them to give the warning message and prepare a people to stand in the terrible conflict ahead. The same applies to students completing years yet deficient in preparation to teach, whose defects must not be passed on to others.

God weighs health institutions in the balances of the sanctuary by the living principles of His law, requiring both teaching those principles and bringing actions into strict conformity to them. An institution has value in His estimation only when He is allowed to preside in its management; when His plans and devisings are regarded as inferior to plans of men He counts it of no more value than institutions established and conducted by worldlings and pronounces upon it Unaccepted, weighed and found lacking. Those responsible for managing sacred institutions whose principles and practices are under His reproof have the sentence written against them in heaven, warning them to stop rather than try to repair the record by reorganizing or consolidating other institutions, pointing to the coming day of God when every person will be known as God knows them. Likewise leaders in medical missionary work who aid apostasy as Aaron did, though once used and corrected by God, spoil their record and are declared deficient when they do the enemy's work by seeking to destroy confidence in His messages of reproof and warning and making His word of no effect, proving untrustworthy and betraying His cause to scorn.

Many who have received great light, great knowledge and continual instruction are placed on His scales and judged deficient for failing to use that light in practical labor for others, remaining inactive and selfish, holding back from inviting unbelievers to come and see, neglecting to teach and work with those who could learn and impart good, and failing to communicate present truth and win souls despite ability. Their lives and work do not measure up to what they have received, and neglecting the work assigned to those who bear Christ's name leaves them weighed and found wanting in heaven's record. Each believer is to use abilities faithfully and intelligently not for human praise but to bring divine light to the world, with a greater measure of Christ's grace joined to human effort. Failure to enter earnestly into the work in the cities brings the same verdict, linked to self-interest hindering the work in contrast with being Christ's light to the world.

Being weighed in the balances and found wanting follows failing to do the work God has given; the weighing takes place in the great antitypical day of atonement when judgment and the Intercessor's work go on in heaven, first with the dead and then very soon with the living, when every case passes in review. For those professing to wait and watch and long for Christ's appearing, neglecting assigned work while putting off the day of God brings this verdict, and neglecting even the least duty is recorded, for every believer has work that neglect harms. Missionary work is measured in the sanctuary against best representing the Saviour's work, most closely copying His methods, and best promoting His glory, and work falling short is recorded in heaven as defective and found wanting. For physicians this requires subordinating everything to life saved unto life eternal where there is no sin, suffering, pain or death, doing all to save body and soul as Christ would, bringing the leaf of the tree of life and bread of life into the sickroom and directing minds to Christ as great Physician of soul and body.

Those who withheld the book carrying vital truth were weighed by unfaithful stewardship and found wanting for failing to heed warning and make the message available. When judgment sits and books are opened, those who received sacred gifts and great light but hid it from those God intended to reach will be weighed in the golden balances of the sanctuary and found wanting. God weighs His servants by righteous demands requiring full obedience in proportion to what He entrusted, His claims being reasonable and just, and those entrusted with great light and sacred responsibility are found wanting when words, spirit and actions tested against His holy law, the standard of character, do not match that responsibility. Jesus watches human workers with deepest interest and tenderest pity for infirmities, failures and discouragements, yet failures could be far less, and if they move in harmony with heaven ministering angels will work with them and crown efforts with success. The measuring requires laying aside idols, abstaining from injurious stimulants that becloud the mind, laying aside willful differing with brethren and independent judgment, and seeking peace and union, without which one fails in the thorough sifting.

Those responsible for shepherding are weighed and found wanting and unfit to be entrusted with souls when they lack discernment and burden for the flock, exalt self, judge and direct others while breaking promises and seeking power with selfishness, cruelty and injustice contrary to Christian principles. They must recognize others' souls are not theirs to control and stop using God's cause as excuse for selfish, covetous conduct. The same applies to taking the shepherd's position without burden and to unfaithful shepherding recorded in heaven, requiring change of work lest God's cause and souls suffer. The verse is God's sentence on ministers and shepherds who fail, weighing those spiritually blind, content with a form of righteousness, unable to discern heavenly things and fruits of righteousness in meekness, long-suffering, patience and love, unless they reach higher experimental godliness, realize destitution, call sinners to Christ and feed people starving for pure truth. Ministers' labors will be weighed in the investigative judgment soon to close, and must be earnest and devoted, declaring all God's counsel with thoroughness.

God weighs lives and finds the unready lacking, so all must get ready now under the urgent, repeated, loud angelic call to get ready in order to avoid deficiency. Neglecting necessary preparation, remaining inactive amid calamities and signs of Christ's coming, and failing to awake, unite and become active preachers brings the verdict. God measures professed Sabbath-keepers and finds them lacking when profession is not carried out practically and harmoniously, when they love truth in word but do not exert themselves to advance it, follow their own course, hang on and weigh down those who would be right, and fall far behind. Unless thorough reform brings sacrifice, systematic benevolence and decided obedience to the commandments and truths connected with the third angel's message, with saving transforming influence elevating life to the gospel standard and continual advancement toward perfection, the divine weighing leaves them deficient and a burden and curse to the cause.

The image of being weighed applies to schools when students exalt science above God and neglect prayer, communion with God, self-examination and wisdom from Him, so learning without spiritual life is deficient however wise they consider themselves. It applies to managing school funds where misusing money, neglecting oversight or careless unwise expenditure exposes deficiency in integrity and obedience, calling principle into question and leaving accountability before God. The Lord weighs people by His sanctuary standard of righteousness and authority, to which all must bow, to see whether lives and work bear fruit He can accept, with present truth now testing character for the final examination in the day of final accounts in light of His law. Fathers, ministers, physicians, men in authority and all in responsibility are strictly accountable for influence over other minds, and those in sacred trust whose example, words and influence harmed the flock instead of glorifying God fail that weighing, especially those following men who do not follow Christ, trusting own righteousness and refusing to submit to God's will.

The passing of the expected time tested Christ's professed followers, exposing many who claimed to be Christians but failed to follow Christ and were found wanting. God measures His people in the furnace of trial to reveal weakness and strength, and without deeper religious experience they will be judged deficient as trials thicken upon those who had great light but did not improve it, giving heed to seducing spirits, departing from the faith and going out from among His people. Many citizens of Oakland will be weighed in the balances and found wanting for lack of genuine Christian faith, warned against being mere professors. They must show in life and character the Gospel's sanctifying power and genuine faith in Christ's soon coming in power and great glory, showing by works that life here is only a sojourn while seeking a better, heavenly country, instead of lavishly spending God's treasure to glorify self. The weighing gives cause for fear and trembling with judgment following judgment in calamities such as the destruction of San Francisco and danger to Oakland, unless they examine themselves and show that faith.

The family professing to serve Christ is weighed by God's sanctuary standard and found lacking when selfishness, love of the world, inaction and failure to care for others reveal defects requiring thorough conversion to unselfish devotion with sympathy and love. Unless they begin doing the work God has given them, with the Spirit of Christ and willingness to do His works, they will be found wanting, for God's word provides the picture against which thoughts, feelings and intentions are compared with Christ's. Men, women and children are measured by what home life reveals, so conduct at home matters in heaven's assessment. Professed believers are weighed to test fitness for God's service, weighing past and present course, and are pronounced wanting when they refuse to be subdued and sanctified through belief of the truth, persist in own judgment in wrong work and support others in it, and retain selfishness without practical godliness at home. This shows inability to endure the test and danger of being placed fully on the enemy's side and losing the soul, calling for immediate response while mercy calls, humbling in repentance, emptying self and making thorough work for eternity. God weighing professed believers in the sanctuary finds many deficient when measured by Christian principle, profession of knowing Christ, conditions of acceptance, assurance, love of self, deeds honoring or dishonoring His name, keeping His word and walking even as He walked.

Testing of Personal Life

TEKEL means people are weighed by the Lord's record of how they use entrusted means, talents and wealth, and are found deficient when they spend them on self-display, embezzle tithes and offerings, act from covetousness, treat others selfishly in transactions, wrong a brother without restitution, misuse means and influence, neglect the needy and destitute fields, or use what was entrusted for display instead of laying up heavenly treasure.
The weighing takes place in the heavenly courts and sanctuary where unerring wisdom investigates plans and means employed, and worldly policy and business custom do not pass with God, for the unfaithful steward who guards his master's goods yet deals closely and selfishly even for his master's advantage, or who will not see error, confess wrong and make restitution while mercy still speaks, has those words written opposite his name.
Every case comes before the great Ruler in the day of examination, and TEKEL is written against the steward who does not identify interests with his Master, deal justly and love mercy, but hurts and wrongs others in business, and the unrepentant one with TEKEL against his name will not pass the gates of the city of God.
Every transaction great or small departing even slightly from truth, righteousness and strict equity is recorded in heaven and condemned, and pursuing institutional success does not excuse oppression or selfish dealing.
God weighs the stewardship of men in responsible positions and finds them wanting when management is dishonest, lax and lacking integrity, scheming to turn means from destitute fields, avoiding work God would have done, giving only unwilling help and leaving others to make restitution, until wrongs are cured by Christ's blood through intelligent faithful cheerful work with a clean record.
He weighs how money entrusted to His institutions is used through heavenly intelligences keeping account, and large sums expended without sufficient reason are condemned in heaven's record as failing the divine test.
A person's actions and vows are weighed in divine justice, a pledge to the cause is a vow to God, keeping pledged money for self is sacrilege and robbing God, and breaking or seeking release from a vow is as binding and guilty as breaking a legal bond, heinous though no visible displeasure follows now, surely to be visited in the Judgment day and even felt as curse in this life.
God weighs motives, words, plans and actions by perfect justice and truth and finds them wanting when character has fatal defects, including how entrusted money and abilities are used and whether tenderness, love, courtesy and compassion are shown, recording both self-denial and selfishness and holding people accountable for use or abuse, and seeing and judging motives of those using means to take advantage of poorer neighbors.
He weighs character and motives not as men judge, and finds wanting when selfish interest governs actions and the sacredness of His work is neglected, exposing whether people are faithful trustworthy stewards especially when tested by financial need and opportunities for service.
Being weighed and found wanting means failing the test of faithfulness for those who once kept the Sabbath but later abandoned and trod it underfoot, since past belief in Christ's coming and energetic preaching do not compensate.
God examines beyond outward claims of competence, and after testing and trial one neglecting lesser duties is found wanting with destiny fixed for eternity, while many professed Christians now measured in the sanctuary are judged deficient because words are not shaped by truth and neglect of small things connected with great interests exposes great defects.
The weighing tests whether a person controls spirit and words, does justice to everyone, shows kindness and consideration for fellow workers, and holds principle in every business transaction, condemning harsh domineering unkind conduct instead of Christlike kind pitiful noble generous character.
Those wasting opportunities through idleness and failing to use God-given abilities including to help children gain an education are found wanting, and slack careless unfinished work in ordinary business exposes corresponding lack in religious life, brings reproach on faith, and displeases God unless labor is honest thorough and fit for His inspection.
God examines character more deeply than outward appearance and after testing finds wanting when unfaithfulness in small duties reveals unfitness for greater responsibilities, keeping from grace power and strength of character that come through complete surrender, and He finds deficient those slack and negligent in little and large matters and wise use of time.
Those misusing probationary opportunities and privileges, persisting in own way without support in God's word, acting from unsanctified spirit and letting unsanctified passions eclipse Christ's love, are judged unworthy with words works and spirit recorded in heaven despite high self-estimation.
When limits of long-suffering mercy grace are reached the heavenly record finds deficient those receiving great light yet rejecting Christ and voiding God's law, and the Lord will intervene to vindicate His honor and restrain bold unrighteousness, while the stubborn persisting in evil without repentance lose His prospering hand and reap their own course.
Belshazzar knew how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar yet did not humble himself but defied God, profaned vessels from His house, praised lifeless idols without glorifying the God holding his life and ways, warning that knowledge and examples do not excuse persistent wrongdoing and resistance to correction.
God declares wanting one with large knowledge of truth but far less spiritual understanding, lacking humble Christian grace, full of self-confidence self-exaltation and trust in own foolish wisdom, leaving duty, closing the door to the Spirit, criticizing reproving brethren, disparaging fellow ministers and undermining influence, interrupting prayer confession unity work, grieving the Spirit and turning should-be victory into defeat out of sympathy with God and angels.
Christ who judges everyone according to works speaks the sentence against one continuing in sin as morally deficient with diseased soul offensive to God and spoiled heavenly record disappointing the Saviour, and none escapes by pointing to sins of leading brethren since each answers for himself and is not compelled to sin because others sinned.
To be weighed and found wanting is to be on losing ground grasping thistles with Satan playing life's game for the soul and winning unto eternal loss if life were taken, applied to one taught truth yet indulging worldly amusements and appetites, committing sins weakening resistance, associating with the unconsecrated, left weak in moral power without physical soundness or spiritual strength when a great work demands no moment lost.
A life failing God's standard through lack of real connection with God, yielding to wrong influences and failing to resist evil, is weighed and found wanting as failure facing just sentence, while only applying truth to soul brings life and character to divine standard to stand time and eternity.
Those outwardly godly but lacking real power, giving lip service without practicing Christ's words, with heart closed to Jesus unoccupied by Him and void of His attributes, are weighed in heaven's golden scales and found wanting and counted with unbelievers, and even great missionary zeal corrupted by selfishness is worthless while Christ's love alone makes truly rich.
The lukewarm selfish man whose piety and zeal do not match position must change or make shipwreck of faith, for it is better to lose everything on earth than lose heaven in the great day when life not meeting requirements is found wanting.
The verdict continues against one setting aside God's wisdom for wisdom of him fallen from covering cherub, uniting with the archdeceiver and receiving deceptive falsehoods, and against those following own desires, misrepresenting truth, oppressing brethren, placing difficulties, taking Satan's side instead of Christ's, remaining connected instead of coming out in obedience, perverting law, virtually denying Christ with no correct judgment of law's infinite claims, needing repentance confession and completeness in Christ before too late.
The dreadful verdict falls on those once prominent in God's work yet persisting in impenitence with fatal hardness and confirmed resistance to the Spirit's pleading, so that death overtaking them finds character lacking with outward homage profession and form exposing estrangement as name to live while dead.
God measures disposition character consecration and declares lack on one professing service yet grieving His Spirit by deficient consecration, planning without Him, bringing self and merely human elements ignoring His Word, speaking untrue unjust words with assurance to justify self, leaving wrong impressions misleading worldly minds, following a path contrary to everyday religion of Christ, calling for diligent earnest repentance and decided change lest His Spirit depart into increasing unlikeness.
Students devoting God-given powers to amusements rather than useful work producing good deeds mercy and lasting usefulness leave unfavorable record with no good recorded in heaven, as excessive games instead of practical duties wastes faculties, and speech must give grace rather than engage in evil or idle talk as Belshazzar dishonoring sacred vessels finished his kingdom warns.
Selfish cruel unjust dealings with business not strict pure considerate just, entangling schemes and objectionable plans leading others astray, make a man an unsafe religious guide, and the Judge will speak deficiency in the last day to one refusing decided change, dismissing God's Word to follow worldly maxims and cupidity, judging and directing others while breaking promises seeking power and using God's cause for selfish covetous control of souls not theirs to control.
Even high spiritual standing is not enough if self is cherished as pure and precious, for covetousness and evils must be surrendered and Christ abide within, a single conversion under the Spirit is not enough without cleansed soul wholly devoted to Christ, and heights of character and service remain unreached while self is cherished.
People entrusted with sacred responsibilities are weighed and found wanting when they fail to realize trusts and fulfill entrusted work, for good that could have been done with abilities and opportunities but was refused is charged to account, and those resisting Christ's appeals using influence in Satan's service as unfaithful stewards must answer for wasted opportunities and seek the Lord to serve as living channels of light.
God as unseen Watcher weighs every action and declares deficient all dishonoring Him by taking honor to self, leading others to forget God, or neglecting plain commands, as at Belshazzar's feast men praised gods of silver and gold drinking from sacred temple vessels, applied to physicians failing to direct praise gratitude thoughts to Christ as true Healer and Giver of life.
God's weighing finds wanting one educated under evil influences who when connected with God's work does not let light shine in clear bright rays and fails to give light to others.
God weighs a person's course by His judgment standard, as Littlejohn's and Belden's dealings are recorded as wanting like the Babylonian king's course marked by the heavenly Watcher, where positions or merits do not remove accountability.
Christ Himself weighs a person's work to see whether genuine, showing strong assurance in own propositions and repudiation of dissent cannot save without converting power humbling the heart, while taking His yoke learning meekness lowliness brings soul rest without which He declares life tested and lacking.
In final judgment those with names on church books may be weighed and found wanting since membership alone does not establish them as God's children, for God weighs men and doings in golden sanctuary scales, mere membership avails nothing in controversy, trouble will try pretenders, and claimants acting as sinners will be punished as sinners with severity proportionate to opportunities talents used to hinder God's cause.
God witnesses human conduct including social gatherings, every gathering through delegated angels, and each is accountable among those not fearing Him, so character and conduct weighed when wrong are found wanting, and each must be a light remembering conduct is seen by world angels and people.
Belshazzar's life and actions were weighed and did not meet measure, warning that God witnesses sacrilegious revelry and those treating sacred things with contempt are weighed and found wanting.
A person can be weighed in sanctuary balances and found wanting where serious unrecognized unovercome defects bring ruin and influence affects others' destiny, for each is either gathering with Christ or scattering.
A life judged successful by the world may be found wanting in sanctuary balances, as the ambitious gaining position honor power but pursuing vanity and earthly illusions faces eternal loss recorded in heaven with no time left to redeem failure.
Actions and work are weighed in God's sanctuary balances and found wanting when God is not recognized as source and goal, for work appearing supremely excellent or physically beneficial is not good unless done with earnest desire to do His will fulfill His purpose with God as Author and End, and work only promoting physical good without advancing His cause is judged lacking.
Those with so-called higher education can be judged lacking in practical business knowledge, making good use of time, and knowing how to labor for Jesus.
People are weighed and found wanting when minds absorbed by trivial things neglect eternal truth, repeating in last days the Jewish rejection by setting aside God's word which elevates sanctifies refines and prepares for immortality.
Teachers in responsible positions were weighed and found wanting for permitting frivolous worldly amusements giving the enemy victory, dishonoring God, marring record, grieving the Spirit, and allowing exhibitions merely to amuse at school opening leads minds to forget God as a species of idolatry repeating Aaron's failure in hilarity and commonness, encouraging students where Christ has not travelled.
A person is weighed by God's standard and found wanting when selfishness and covetousness define life, so the selfish covetous rich man trusting wealth despising the poor is found wanting in golden sanctuary scales while the poor depending on God for goodness is pronounced heir to eternal riches, for character not wealth or standing decides.
One is found wanting when selfish interest and gain lead from God's standard and worldly elevation or wealth does not make acceptable, as treating birthright as expendable for gain instead of using talents in His service with compassion love, for departure to enthrone self degrades moral nature sells birthright and counts unclean unholy though lifted enriched seated beside princes with record weighed wanting.
Neglect of duty is recorded in heaven and counted against one leaving him wanting in day of trial, and after receiving light and privileges failure to seek God's help against temptation leads astray, while those failing to heed warnings and overcome defects will be found wanting when God completes judgment, calling for confession humility cleansing without delay as judgment nears.
God weighs professed Christians and finds lacking those whose Christianity is only in name, for true Christianity is having Christ's mind submitting to God's will in all things bending set stubborn human will to God's glory studying to glorify God advance His cause do good to others, while those keeping unbending will going smoothly until crossed then losing self-control living for self-gratification, especially youth knowing no privation, have worthless religion failing God's test.
The last-day weighing will find wanting a faith staying as it has been without becoming more, for the Judge's final decision turns on interest in and practical labor for needy oppressed tempted, so passing them by while expecting to enter as redeemed sinners ends in deficiency, and religious activity is of little value when Christ is neglected in suffering afflicted people with selfish lack of mercy held accountable.
God weighs every soul naming Christ and registers verdict testing whether each lays hold of provision through the Son's humiliation death becomes spiritual manifests oracles, and Christ expects each high or low to do duty with best capabilities in workmanlike manner not for human praise, while neglect amid busy temporal interests failing to cultivate abilities serve others support God's work reveals faith without faithful deeds despite trusted position needing His wisdom blessing.
God weighs the heart and one can be found wanting so the way is straight only when each understands own heart undeceived, as Belshazzar understood the writing with conviction, and as the sinner when the Spirit reveals full meaning of law recognizes guilt awakened to seek mercy in Jesus.
Judgment by true standard of righteous law requiring love to neighbor as self in sanctuary balances showed the rich young ruler thinking himself perfect destitute of love alienated from God, regarding entrusted possessions as more valuable than heavenly treasure and selfishly wanting to retain them while following Christ, so he failed and went sorrowful.
Many will be weighed and found wanting because praise exalts them to trust own wisdom and lose balance, and exalting ministers through praise flattery applause fosters pride contributing to failure and ruin.
Those not guided by the Holy Spirit must be reformed or be weighed in sanctuary balances and found wanting, and those whose erratic counsel is not vivified by the Spirit are weighed unless reformed ceasing to follow and give unsanctified counsel confusing minds injuring God's cause, with no safety in following them.
God weighs character conduct in heavenly scales and finds self-exalting ambition wanting, placing lowest whatever profession those seeking greatness position relying on self rather than Spirit, while humility like a little child marks kingdom greatness necessary to enter heaven.
God weighs a life to test readiness for Christ's coming and to come short is lacking, falling on one only half given up half consecrated whose will is not swallowed in God's will, requiring full consecration greater devotion earnest attention to soul salvation eternal interests to be fitted prepared and escape.
God weighs each day's record and writes wanting when a professed servant serves only self-interest making farm business temporal gain first burden morning to night exhausting strength for earthly things failing missionary work where best known, with works disagreeing with faith, failing home reformation family influence charts prophetic history law sacredness and warning friends neighbors associates that end is at hand, proving unfaithful with houses lands valued above souls who will appear against him, for overdevotion to temporal concerns robs God and soul.
Professed believers are found wanting when conversion is superficial not deep thorough, neglecting weightier matters unable to give intelligent reason putting eternal interests second leaving stunted growth unable to enlighten strengthen others, and one professing Christ with no real experience bearing no fruit following selfish pleasure frivolity foolish talking builds on sliding sand needing thorough death-to-life transformation of motives affections loves hates into cheerful self-forgetful duty lest storms carry away circumstantial religion in God's trial day.
In final judgment people are found wanting when tested character proves unworthy of eternal life, works revealing character and dishonesty with God's trust leaving inability to stand guiltless, even undetected wrongdoing exposed at final reckoning.
Being weighed applies to God's testing of His people as He reads hearts giving time for excitement to pass proving whether they obey the True Witness from principle faith developing character or responded only with feeling fear.
God weighs words spirit sincerity devotion not merely skill intellect, so earnest purpose deep piety love of truth fear of God make even halting guileless faithful humble testimony precious, while eloquence large talents without truthfulness steadfast purpose purity unselfishness are found wanting lighter than vanity.
A. B. may be capable in speech but when moral fitness is weighed is deficient because heart is not right with God.
God weighs character and finds the self-important self-righteous Pharisee wanting, for rank talent education position outward religious appearance do not determine value, so proud prayer goes unanswered while humble contrite publican's plea is accepted and justified.
Critics condemning humble workers' self-sacrificing labor are weighed and found wanting even thinking criticisms come from the Spirit, while workers' faithful efforts are recognized in heaven with opposite reward of joy of the Lord to good faithful servants, for the same divine hand witnessing Belshazzar's profaning golden vessels in sacrilegious mirth before thousand lords keeps faithful record of injustice oppression, and tracing calumny falsehood against Christ's blood-bought servants is greater profanation than defiling soulless vessels to be punished as Belshazzar was.
God weighs a man's character and writes failure when unworthy of confidence, applied to one apostatized not honoring God nor believing truth whom God's people should not patronize merely because he pleases.
God measures people and can find deficient, warning against religion degenerating into heartless form losing moral courage, requiring experience in faith earnest prayer rejoicing in God's love and watching self even least unholy promptings not to betray high responsibilities as His agencies.
People are weighed and found wanting when continuing any known sin, calling for genuine conversion transformed character marked by love of purity holiness.
In solemn judgment thoughts interests motives words works use of time measured against neglected written word leave earthly interests vanity pride deficient, and unless repentant gaining living experience hope of heaven is vain.
God weighs in heaven's balances recording wanting when one misrepresents remnant people before world counts grand soul-testing message as weightless nothingness links arm in arm with prince of power of air molding mind exalts self as great power of God frames excuses when message warning unheeded and receives heaven's pronouncement false false.
Unless one takes hold in earnest to get right he will fail heaven weighed wanting, including redeeming past undoing home evil by passionate temper constant reproving censuring provoking children to wrath.
This life's trial weighs character proving fitness for future kingdom by spirit now cherished works now done, and those carrying envy jealousy evil surmising evil speaking strife-stirring hurting bruising souls instead of helping show lack of required peacemaker character as Christ's children unfit for heaven.
God weighs character moral worth accounting every thought word action, and to be found wanting is to lack fruits of godly life wholehearted service, applied to remaining in secret societies with divided loyalties, a terrible outcome fully known to God.
Every person believer or unbeliever belongs to the Lord by purchase given work stewardship of talents influence for good through atonement, and one ignoring sonship becoming enemy's child refusing trust resisting pleading Spirit rejecting lifted crucified Christ siding stubbornly with apostate serving Satan burying talents as unfaithful dishonorable steward wastes opportunity with all good undone charged and no excuse in weighing of impenitent.
Belshazzar condemned after weighing with bloodless hand recording judgment shows same divine scrutiny records neglect unfaithfulness so those failing God-given obligations face same condemnation.
The Lord weighs by His own standards finding wanting when character fails, as spreaders of unproved reports sowing distrust are weighed wanting with mischief-making barring from heavenly courts.
Those refusing light waiting for every difficulty cleared before accepting will face judgment and be found wanting.
God weighs a life declaring deficient under holy disapproval for carrying proudly oppressively setting wrong example in many ways.
God measures character declaring deficient when ruled by self-confidence self-esteem self-love cruel controlling oppressive spirit in home church lacking judgment foresight peace love Christlikeness sanctification by truth, requiring decided change softened refined elevated spirit reconversion melting purification from selfish dross.
God weighs work testing true worth where large numbers prove no success, as city restaurant work drawing many daily is found wanting when sowing truth is not first feeding many mistaken for advancement greatest good, gathering feeding cheaply employing helpers cheaply without encouragement as God's service, boasting numbers with no souls interested in present truth helpers indifferent no well-defined effort for salvation of helpers patrons, exerting influence against truth instead of fortifying against temptation and displacing special soul-saving work.
God measures influence finding wanting when one lives apart from Christ serves self withholds help fails to use entrusted abilities opportunities, reflecting lack of grace unfulfilled obligations fully known to God.
God will finally weigh believers not practicing holy principles finding lacking unless awake, instead of talking over others' acts sayings doings fussing over trifles, calling to dwell on hope love home for pilgrims be devotional square life by Word pray fervently frequently believing God will work.
People are weighed found wanting when lives lack virtuous character, for claiming to keep commandments or teach truth does not clear deficient record, hidden lust known sins leaving condemnation blotting names from Book of Life, since weighing tests not theory but life character fruit and hearts unrenewed bearing thorns briers without godliness temperance patience kindness love charity prove profession false unto final reckoning.
Managers neglecting individual cases through prejudice un-Christlike indifference are weighed in sanctuary found wanting recorded in book of remembrance as terrible judgment.
The verse depicts one judged deficient when weighed expressing searching sanctuary judgment exposing condition, applied to people whose errors sins require warning with accountability if warning is not given.
It shows final judgment on those expecting heaven treasure without self-denial sacrifice, weighing response to matchless love in atonement where Christ left glory veiled divinity meeting need purchasing at immense cost true unsearchable durable riches and all spiritual blessings for believers looking to unseen, so unwillingness to sacrifice in return is judged deficient losing heavenly treasure.
In heaven's assessment ambition and desire to supplant others when weighed do not count as God-given qualities.
God weighs in balance efforts for everlasting life, and feeble halfhearted efforts linked to love of world instead of separation faithful service are found wanting meaning failing everlasting life.
A person's life and work are weighed by truth with every work examined when secrets of hearts are revealed.
The world's human wisdom was weighed and found wanting for at Christ's coming it failed to lead people to know God, since true wisdom comes from God and spiritual things are understood through Spirit not natural mind, and human learning cannot replace sound knowledge of God.
Work for God will be weighed in investigative judgment already in session as close of time approaches.
One whose powers remain unused despite God-given advantages is weighed found wanting making him unsuccessful in this life costing future life.
Those misleading others through vain talk without repentance will be judged found wanting, though faithful reproof may save them.
The vacillating one without earnest effort holding fixed principles needed for purity Christlike character will be found wanting failing Christian perfection.
Being weighed and found wanting applies to failing to control the tongue, requiring complete transformation, for many are found wanting speaking or listening to evil about others.
People are weighed by moral character found wanting when conduct fails God's standard, daily business dealings testing character where honesty faithfulness in small matters reveal integrity while deceit unfaithfulness expose false profession, God weighing transactions in proving children and conduct toward others reflecting dealing with God.
One measured against God's moral standard is found wanting when character falls short, calling for receiving light humbling heart confessing sin.
Human actions character are weighed in heavenly sanctuary balances, as Nebuchadnezzar's conduct was tested twelve months after warning until self-exaltation trust in own power brought judgment, and those using God's cause for ambitious projects are likewise answerable, though repentance humility trust doing justice can bring forgiveness another trial.
People are weighed in sanctuary found wanting when acting selfishly unjustly, as begrudging fair payment for blind man's labor failing mercy love denies rights accountable to God.
God weighs character finding wanting for selfishness unfaithfulness, as Brother Lawrence reckoned unfaithful steward with recorded thoughts feelings repeated unfair dealings refusal to serve faithfully misuse of God's goods shaping character destiny hindering rather than helping God's cause unless converted transformed.
Those once advocating truth running well may turn crooked leading weak astray, and when weighed are found wanting with hopes of perfection sinking into darkness.
God measures those connected with His institutions judging deficient those refusing to see objectionable traits to be separated from His work, for time is short faith must rest on sound Bible truth and readiness is urgent as earth's last chapters rapidly fulfill.
God weighs every life rejecting all neglecting necessary preparation barring from heaven, which is being perfectly subdued by grace overcoming passion impatience learning to suffer more denying dying to self not loving ease having energy in daily labor and God's cause craving suffering part instead of complaining murmuring excusing personal sin, following innocent Sufferer enduring slight indignity spitting thorns cross without calling help to purchase immortal inheritance not earthly reward.
In the great day God measures each life declaring deficient those lacking required character unsanctified through truth without continual improvement spiritual health elevating refining continuing evil practices perverting God's Word, unready for Christ's coming or sudden death, calling for readiness now.
God weighs character finding deficient when heart poisoned with selfishness envy jealousy evil surmisings self uncrucified unhid in Jesus persisting in own thoughts plans excusing selfishness as conscientiousness unconverted without Christ's meekness lowliness spirit not right while thinking all right, wounding bruising cause by indiscretion hurting souls claiming to save creating variance strife dissension instead of harmony peacemaking diffusing spirit through family corrupting church needing transformation and strong church restraint rather than leading small church by own mind.
Being weighed in sanctuary balances and found wanting threatens very many among God's people when moral power is weak and very first principles ABCs of practical godliness are unlearned.
Those controlled by selfishness covetousness bribery are found wanting by sanctuary standard lacking conscientiousness honor integrity fidelity with moral judgment corrupted.
The proud self-sufficient will be weighed found wanting unless humbling repenting, calling in day of atonement to self-examination repentance.
One is warned as weighed found wanting in sanctuary balances deficient for setting aside God's wisdom failing to follow His Word.
God places each in heavenly scale measuring worth as books record cultivated virtue, where first surrender heart soul then diligent industrious labor builds character to stand, while useless idle dependent burdensome life leaves no virtue showing failure.
God weighs character conduct motives in infinite truth where to be found wanting is no trifling matter, and nothing is more grievous than a professed representative living in self-indulgence.
Character conduct weighed against God's law great moral standard of righteousness are found wanting when failing it, calling for humility receiving reproof confessing sin righting wrongs rather than relying on sympathy or false self-estimate.
God weighs people finding lacking when shut in self darkness devil's deception rejecting light refusing change until Jesus leaves sanctuary, then weighing declares wanting with no further opportunity.
Those settling for low standard despite opportunity ability to reach higher will be weighed found wanting, for weighing occurs in probationary time testing each giving work opportunities to develop Christlike character calling for diligent faithfulness to calling.
A person or claim is weighed found wanting when arguments conduct fail justice faithfulness, and promoters of own principles will have those principles applied revealing failure bringing loss confusion.
Ministers of Word by pen voice if unconverted self-sufficient not worked by Spirit will be measured in golden sanctuary scales judged lacking unready for Christ's coming unless soul emptied of self Spirit possessing.
God weighs by accurate standard finding wanting when conduct fails it, as board members whose way dishonored God need different spirit respecting one another roles refraining condemnation making room for others.
Every person now on trial will be weighed in sanctuary balances testing character fitness for heaven depending largely on teaching influences, especially whether youth with wise instruction continue sanctified through truth, with fully trained numbered with heavenly family above and those trained for disobedience punished with disobedient transgressors.
Lives are weighed in heaven's records and physicians workers shaping course for worldly recognition letting worldly ideas mold mind control actions are found wanting, thinking they succeed and seeming success outwardly to those ignorant of divine requirements yet lacking true success with perception blunted by homage to worldly influence, for laying aside Christ's yoke for world's brings entire failure.
Angels now watch character development weighing moral worth recording it, and to be weighed found wanting means very light on every worthy side of little worth anywhere unfit to bear family responsibilities alone telling nothing for others' good saving influence and heavy only in vanity folly, fixing eternal destiny unless determined persevering reform comes before too late.
Human sophistries deceptions are summoned before divine tribunal measured by eternal truth exposed deficient thrown back on spreaders of error for gain because truth is stronger and will overcome, as Wycliffe weighing persecutors' heresy accusations against eternal truth turned them back exposing mercenary use of grace.
Sin must be weighed by Heaven's standard not own estimate, and seeing its true nature reveals undone condition leading to grasp mercy in Christ, while regarding offenses small cannot comprehend Christ's perfection or rescuing sacrifice from bondage degradation.
Everyone claiming advanced truth acting part in God's work is weighed in scales of human discernment by watching world looking for fruit self-denial sacrifice keenly severely criticizing words deportment business transactions constantly impressing favorable or unfavorable views of Bible religion, therefore God's work must be presented in distinct holy lines showing by life Christianity's advantage over worldliness working higher plane by grace manifesting purity proving received obeyed truth makes sons daughters of heavenly King honest faithful true upright in small and great demonstrating heaven's principles superior to world's.
Earthly gifts possessions pleasures have no weight compared with eternity, life's chief importance is preparing for endless life insofar as earthly things help, God searches soul depths and people are accountable to use abilities possessions in His service doing right refusing wrong.
People are weighed by faithfulness to given light duties, and those failing to act for oppressed neglected despite grace opportunities are found wanting in sanctuary balances held accountable, profession not determining reckoning but works showing faithfulness.
One is found wanting when despite means opportunities lacking Jesus failing to represent His character which resources facilities cannot supply.
Failing God's weighing when judgment sits books opened calls for thorough work for eternity leaving no duty undone cultivating self-control patience meekness properly estimating encouraging using faithful helpers instead of unmerciful criticism causing loss of confidence courage.
God weighs individual character finding wanting all not making thorough work for eternal life, requiring earnest zeal strong efforts to overcome unlovely meddlesome talkative impatient exacting fault-finding disposition by strength from Mighty to Save imitating lovely Jesus Pattern, for slighters of salvation making no effort over carnal hearts will have no shelter when Jehovah's wrath pours.
Every person's words works character are being weighed in sanctuary balances with angels watching development weighing moral worth and each day's deeds passing into records to be read again where profession pretense count nothing.
God is true heavenly Watcher weighing every life work in true scales unlike false scales of self-deceived men, seeing unbelief opposition ridiculing scoffing contempt for Spirit's outpouring messages servants and time hindering work by quibbling doubts unsanctified judgment self-esteem in counsel, where entrusted talents influence used to block advance delay action weary workers fasten doubt infidelity are misemployed not meeting Well done when last decision is pronounced.
God weighs professed Christians by given light and those refusing reform from faultfinding fretfulness jealousy evil-speaking and other defects are found wanting, while escaping requires living by light bringing fruit meet for repentance overcoming every spot, for only faithful overcomer wins eternal life.
God weighs lives of those who should be patterns of good works declaring deficient when acting with selfishness covetousness keen sharp bargaining for gain erecting expensive buildings competing with world hindering work causing world to doubt loyalty proving love for worldly sharp practices leaving lost spiritual eyesight.
God judges each life finding deficient those neglecting freely offered great salvation choosing pleasure following own mind instead of duty, without excuse knowing way truth life yet indifferent serving self not rendering heart's best holiest affections, shutting heaven by half-hearted profession and by unfaithful stumbling influence leaving blood of souls on garments.
One may be found wanting weighed by God in day of God requiring prepared humbled believers not seeking superiority exaltation.
People are weighed found wanting in God's judgment and a work to overcome selfishness must be done or they will be found wanting in day of God.
God weighs in sanctuary balances finding wanting when disregarding requirements, as those making little of Christ's command to love God wholly neighbors as self are deficient for God accepts no divided heart.
Those professing truth are weighed found wanting when failing to practice it.
God weighs conduct finding unjust dealing wanting, so a Christian physician must not follow world's customs dishonest scheming in charges but depend on wisdom righteousness from Lord faithful to law dealing righteously since patients are Lord's property bought with infinite price, for injustice unfairness prepares him to be among weighed wanting as Lord countenances no wrong, and expecting Lord's cooperation requires cooperating with Lord in every line.
God weighs character finding deficient when firm integrity principle lacking in little everyday matters including close dishonest dealing constantly guarded against, exposing too-high self-estimate false when measured for fitness as heaven's heir to join angels above.
God weighs a man's course in sanctuary balances where excuses avail not and twisting testimony to justify self-chosen wrong position stands not, for to be found wanting is deceived deluded wrong-track not right with God gathering darkness grieving Spirit unless dying to self leaving voluntary position coming to light hid in God ready for every good work.
God weighs parents over managing children, and a mother loving unwisely letting tender feeling control sanctified judgment sound wisdom tying husband's hands counteracting restraint failing to restrain sin excusing covering passion unthankfulness disobedience headiness high-mindedness is remiss found wanting displeasing God.
Many professed Christians will be lost failing divine weighing because only hoping desiring to be Christians going no farther, for desire purposes alone avail nothing unless will resolutely exercised to be wholehearted love purity spirituality expand for higher attainments knowledge grow in grace truth, and those satisfied as spiritual dwarfs half Christian half worldly without delight in heaven's principles in probation cannot enjoy heaven.
One with serious responsibilities may be weighed found wanting unless examining self teaching heeding Scripture doing required work.
Every person right now on test trial for faith must be weighed deciding wanting or not in day of God, which is present preparation forming character for eternal life cutting away favorite vices every cause of offense for mercy Christ's sake with not a moment to lose or give to devil.
In judgment God weighs work of putting temptation to read fictitious novels before others finding wanting because evil results outweigh good hundredfold, so even thinking them good one must not recommend them for Christ's sake.
Those selling reason through alcohol and lawmakers permitting sale face heaven's judgment found deficient with conduct bringing distress misery violating God's commandments.
Fairfield is described as judged wanting in character conduct, and May's heavenly record finds her wanting for wasting time trusting own opinions not heeding counsel, a verdict standing through eternity unless she seeks different experience.
God's people must not be found deficient supporting His work but give generous sacrificial freewill gifts especially for educational centers missions rather than relying on large loans later causing hardship.
For physicians the sanctuary standard weighing missionary work records defective what falls short of best representing Saviour copying His methods promoting His glory, requiring subordinating everything to higher interest of life saved unto eternal life without sin suffering pain death doing all to save body soul as Christ would bringing tree-of-life leaf bread of life into sickroom never neglecting to direct minds to Christ great Physician of soul body alone accomplishing what physicians attempt.
God tries proving what is in heart weighing finding wanting when men are exalted Lord left out, as showing entrusted riches to strangers like Hezekiah showing riches and exalting men in Sanitarium testimonies, where pride causes God to leave removing wisdom and self-will leads to strange actions, and that leaving trying is the weighing.
God tests course finding deficient one spoiling record by outward show claiming unfitted work refusing given light, after blessing in humility taking self from God's hands under worldly fashionable influence to raise self but lowering in people's estimation becoming dazed unable to comprehend spiritual things viewing worldly lessening influence doing Satan's desire imperiling God's cause unless humbling letting God be helper sufficiency coming out humble grateful bright, else work endangered again.
God ever present silent witness at Belshazzar's godless sacrilegious feast tracing characters weighing finding wanting is present where sinners think unseen witnessing weighing secret sins of ministers hardening in sin, with judgments abroad Christ coming Judge at door every case in solemn review, so thorough revival confession repentance forsaking must be done while Jesus pleads Intercessor for no spotted stained soul can enter paradise.
One can be weighed in judgment found wanting with present case meaning eternal loss if failing to live as Bible Christian, for heaven's books daily record life whose examination should lead to seeking God, and true goodness alone gives true greatness.
Actions are weighed in sanctuary balances by Bible standard Thus saith the Lord standing judgment investigation, as unjust legal work hindering defrauding impeding God's work continuing in dishonoring blindness falsehood unrighteousness will be found wanting reacting to loss of soul.
God weighs motives actions spirit of every business deal in sanctuary balances, registering exaggerating value selling worthless stock taking neighbor's money without equivalent breaking refund promise as unlawful defrauding brother meeting one when judgment sits books opened each judged receiving according to deeds as he dealt, calling to tremble now not quake then by righting wrongs undoing fraud restoring taken letting confessed sins go beforehand to judgment where Christ cleanses.
Sanctuary weighing demands entire thorough transformation finding many wanting in tongue control, requiring bridling tongue speaking hearing no evil checking evil speaker refusing soft whispers sideways hints stabbing character in dark and carrying burdens only God's appointed way first alone then with friends then church never making church matters known to unbelievers enemies.
One trusting supremely in self will be weighed found wanting requiring broken self-confidence, for proclaiming truth is insufficient without sanctifying work in heart character.
In God's day one never making thorough reformation will be found wanting character spotted with imperfections sins corruptions, requiring humble thorough repentance dying crucified to self life showing truth's good work in consistent godly conversation honoring present truth coming to offered light instead of loving darkness with sensibilities benumbed conscience seared sacred dragged to common.
God weighs characters actions motives finding wanting those obstructing salvation seeing each deed consequences, with unfair dealings misuse of Lord's funds worldly investments holding back His work bringing judgment.
God weighs lives finding wanting when no daily experience in God's things, experience not deep fresh wisdom unto salvation unsought no safety in present position serving too much by impulse.
God weighs a man deciding trust with sacred responsibility finding wanting through lack of thorough repentance with murmuring fretting boyish littleness unput away, meaning God trusts not takes flock power to teach counting work unacceptable forbidding teaching, a low sensual devilish mind, yet mercifully humble penitent life may save own soul as greatest work.
God weighs character life declaring deficient when profession unmatched by conversion, testing temper control in family with brethren freedom from fitful hasty self-importance self-seeking at others' disadvantage care interest for brethren willingness to be reproved instructed noble generous meek quiet spirit following Jesus with visible fruits to God's glory, without thorough reformation failing divine measurement unable to prosper live in light or fellowship in peace union love.
Those acting against others while guilty themselves will be weighed found wanting unless transforming power makes overcomers.
Parents neglecting sacred duty to educate train children in God's ways are weighed found wanting leaving children vulnerable to rebellion answering in judgment, with found wanting written against father failing to protect tenderly care.
Professing Christians measured by sanctuary standard are found wanting when conforming to world in affections practices conduct instead of obeying God remaining separate from its influence.