1 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:13,520 You know your brain takes just 2% of the average adults weight, 2 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:22,560 but uses 20% of your oxygen intake and it has more than 1000 3 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:27,880 billion nerve cells. Signals travel along these 4 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:33,680 nerves around 360 kilometres an hour, with a message from your 5 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:38,000 head to your toe arriving in 150th of a second. 6 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:45,160 Your heart muscle today will contract more than 100,000 times 7 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:50,480 every minute of your life. Your blood will make a complete, 8 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:54,200 full circuit of your circulatory system. 9 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:01,640 The combined length of all your arteries, veins and capillaries 10 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:08,960 is some 150,000 kilometres. You will breathe an average 18 11 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:15,480 times every minute. You'll spend doing that some 12 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:21,880 25,000 times in a day. You will spend a third of your 13 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,080 life asleep and I'm about to do that for you now. 14 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,080 You're a very busy person. You probably aren't aware of all 15 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,720 this happening behind the scenes and every day of your living 16 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,320 life. None of this you have any 17 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:43,840 control of. The Australian male has an 18 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:51,240 expected age mortality right now of 84.5 years. 19 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,960 The life expectancy of Australian women an expected age 20 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:04,480 at death of 87.3 years. So ladies you get 3 years of. 21 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:15,600 Finally, Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 27 says it is appointed unto men 22 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,560 once to die. There's no reincarnation, no 23 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:25,680 second time around, but after this judgement, more and more 24 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,040 people are looking for guidance for the future. 25 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:33,000 That's why the Antichrist is coming soon will be seen as the 26 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,680 light, the Messiah. Finally, someone who's fixing 27 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:37,840 things, guiding things, fixing things up. 28 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,120 There's only one book that dares to predict the future. 29 00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:47,040 Not once, not twice, but over and over hundreds of times. 30 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,200 That book is the Bible. More than 2/3 of Holy Scripture. 31 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:58,200 More than 2/3 is prophecy. 1/2 of the Bible's prophecies are 32 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,280 over. 1/2 have already been fulfilled thus far. 33 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,240 That means that 1/2 of the Bible's prophecies have occurred 34 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:12,160 exactly as God said they would. We're going to celebrate one of 35 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:17,080 those in 50 odd days called Christmas with that information 36 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:21,200 in mind, with those facts, I have no reason to doubt that the 37 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:26,760 remaining ones, prophecies will be fulfilled just as God's word 38 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,320 has predicted they will. So how do we live? 39 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,120 That's the series. And Daniel, how do we live as 40 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,560 Christians, as righteous people, godly people in a fallen, 41 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,080 violent world? How do we live as disciples of 42 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:47,600 Christ today, 2025? Back in chapter 1, we learned 43 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,680 from Daniel and his three friends that they had no 44 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:56,600 appetite for the whims and the ways of the world. 45 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,360 They said, no, we don't eat the King's food, drink the King's 46 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,000 wine. We'll eat what we we normally 47 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:11,680 eat and God will sustain us in chapter 2 when calamity comes. 48 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,200 Death was hungover. Each of their heads as the king 49 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:21,440 had a dream and in one of the interpretation, what did they 50 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,720 do? They went to prayer and God will 51 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:26,640 answer us. That's why they went to prayer. 52 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,160 Although either would have said just Oh well, we'll just sit 53 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,960 here and wait till we get to rest and we'll die. 54 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,880 No, they went to prayer because they knew God would answer them. 55 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,040 That's why you pray in chapter 3. 56 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,560 The king built the image, not just the head of gold, but all 57 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,720 of gold, didn't he? At the sound of the Babylonian 58 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:52,600 Philharmonic Orchestra, everyone bowed down the noise and there 59 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:57,600 were three standing Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 60 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:00,560 And I said we will not compromise. 61 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:04,200 We won't bow down. We won't go the ways of the 62 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,640 world. I won't go the the way of the 63 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,760 rest of my class. I won't go the way the rest of 64 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,920 my my sporting team. I won't go the way the rest of 65 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,320 my family. I won't bow down to the ways of 66 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,800 the world. We'll stand for Christ no matter 67 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,640 what the cost. A fiery furnace waited. 68 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,040 We will place our lives at God's disposal. 69 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:32,560 We will sacrifice. He's able, but whatever He wants 70 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,760 to do, I I'm happy with that. They did that. 71 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,600 They were living sacrifices, standing, then they're thrown 72 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,400 into the fire and they had Christ join them. 73 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:51,160 In chapter 4, we witnessed the grace of God as Daniel shared 74 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,240 another dream with Nebuchadnezzar said and said, 75 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,800 basically, King, please, God's given you a warning. 76 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,240 Change what you do, change the way you live. 77 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:09,280 And so Daniel, who loved the king, served the king, but also 78 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,640 said, I've got to tell you the king, king, I've got to tell you 79 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,000 the truth of the matter. You know, as a brother and 80 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:19,120 sister in Christ, you need to tell the truth of the matter, 81 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:20,920 but you need to tell it in love, not say. 82 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,720 And then a lot of people say, well, you know, you know, I love 83 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,080 you. And then they they hit you on 84 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,640 the head with a, a meat cleaver. You know, I do this in the name 85 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:29,520 of Christ. No, you're not. 86 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,760 You do it because you just like telling me off. 87 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:38,080 There's a way to do it. There's words, there's care, and 88 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:39,560 it's got to be backed up by prayer. 89 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,440 When you share the truth, you can't live together anymore. 90 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,760 I know that the two of you are living together. 91 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,880 You're still coming to truth. Listen, you can't do that if 92 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,040 you're serious about one another. 93 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:54,080 Separate, live apart, plan to get married, seek God. 94 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,000 Is this what God's will is? If God's will is not that you 95 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,440 live together, God's will is that you worship him and serve 96 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,360 Him and follow His Word. So if you do love this person, 97 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:09,440 separate, live apart and plan to get married, then do the right 98 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:13,720 thing. We had a witness of God. 99 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,880 Daniel did that in chapter 4. To whom we work with, to whom we 100 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,760 serve and to whom we share our everydays with. 101 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,320 When we see the signs of the times around us showing, for 102 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,360 instance, that the Antichrist could rise to the political 103 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:33,120 stage at any time, we know the return of Jesus is even closer. 104 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,120 He's coming to call his church called the rapture, take us out 105 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,360 of trouble, and then seven years of judgement to fall upon the 106 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,680 world, the tribulation. I want to ask you a question 107 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,120 this morning. Yes, we'll get into chapter 5. 108 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,160 Don't worry. Where is your life heading? 109 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,560 You know, people come up. Just caught you on the street. 110 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,360 Tell me, where's your life heading today? 111 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,280 What do you make right at this moment? 112 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,280 What do you make of the world events that seem to be just 113 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:10,280 reeling through our news outlets? 114 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,520 Do our homes World Economic crisis. 115 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,960 It's $1,000,000 to buy a house. Now think about that. 116 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,560 You got to be a millionaire to buy a house in Australia. 117 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,880 It's a crazy massive unemployment. 118 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:31,680 Islam is growing more and more throughout the western world. 119 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:37,080 You can go to church today and not hear Jesus mention it all. 120 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,280 Not you don't need a Bible when you go to certain churches don't 121 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,920 need a Bible. We don't use it because there's 122 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,534 lots of more relevant, new, pertinent, up to 123 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,200 That's not church. It's not what church is about. 124 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,520 Church is about you coming to know what Christ has done, what 125 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,480 he wants to do with you, and how your life can change. 126 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,560 And the bonus of that is Jesus says I have come to give you 127 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:33,680 life that more abundantly. Listen carefully. 128 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:39,320 Jesus Christ is not an add on. He's not a religious icon. 129 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,280 He's not an accessory, he's not an option. 130 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,840 He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. 131 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,480 He's the alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. 132 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:55,840 I like watching the programme This is Your Life. 133 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:57,680 Anyone seen that programme? This is your life. 134 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,280 Kids are going. I don't know what you're talking 135 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:01,800 about. Those of you old enough know 136 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,720 this is your life. You know, they get someone out 137 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,240 famous, they sit them down and they open this book and then 138 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:08,840 they start calling out all these people. 139 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:14,120 And as we see, we see their life unfolded includes the tragedies 140 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,520 they went through, times of depression and sadness. 141 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,520 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have your life 142 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:23,840 unveiled? Perhaps you come to church 143 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:24,960 today. We get your name. 144 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,040 We've got all the info, we've delved in it, We've got all the 145 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,840 research. And next minute come up on 146 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,280 stage. This is your life. 147 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:40,240 Oh no. To let everyone peep into the 148 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,440 essence of who you are, what you are, where you've placed all 149 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:48,640 your efforts, your passions, your dreams, your desires. 150 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,560 There was a man called Hezekiah. He was the king of Israel. 151 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,560 And in Second Kings chapter 20 verse one, the Lord came to 152 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:02,240 Hezekiah. He was sick, he was dying, and 153 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,720 the Lord sent the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, to him. 154 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,600 And this is what the prophet said, oh, I'm going to heal you. 155 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,360 God says I want to heal you. Can you imagine going to the 156 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,360 hospital being sent by the Lord? Great. 157 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:22,640 This is what the Lord said. Set your house in order where 158 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,800 you're going to die and not live. 159 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,200 This is from the Lord. Oh, OK. 160 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:38,680 You know, we this morning, everyone in this room, we're all 161 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:43,360 terminally ill. We have a disease. 162 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:46,520 It's passed down from generation to generation. 163 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:52,400 It come from our great, great, great, great, great Adam and Eve 164 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,760 and the disease that each and every one of us have. 165 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,680 It's called sin and it goes through all of our blood 166 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:02,480 vessels. It's in our every being and 167 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:07,040 we're all dying from it. Let's look at chapter 1. 168 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:12,400 Chapter first one of chapter 5. Belshazzar, the king, Crown 169 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:18,280 Prince, he's 3rd and rule, made a great feast for 1000 of his 170 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:21,000 Lords and drank wine in the presence of the 1000. 171 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,080 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to 172 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,240 bring the gold, the silver vessels in which his father, 173 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,880 actually it's his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from 174 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:36,600 the temple in Jerusalem that the king and his Lords, his wives, 175 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,120 his concubines, gives you what sort of an evening it is, might 176 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,560 drink from them. Then they brought the gold 177 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:45,160 vessels that have been taken from the temple of the House of 178 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,200 God, which had been in Jerusalem. 179 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,560 And the King and his Lords, his wives, his concubines, drank 180 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:52,920 from them. They drank wine. 181 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,560 Praise the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron and wood 182 00:12:56,560 --> 00:13:01,600 and stone. It was the year 538 BC, 23 years 183 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,720 after the death of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar. 184 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:10,640 Nebuchadnezzar's son is in Rule, and Belshazzar is third in Rule. 185 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:17,760 He's the Crown Prince outside of the walls at that time. 186 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:23,520 And Belshazzar knows this is the mighty army of the Medes and the 187 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,560 Persians. They're outside at that moment. 188 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:31,120 They've gone up to the river Euphrates further upstream, and 189 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,800 they are diverting the river Euphrates because the river 190 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:38,400 Euphrates went straight through the middle of Babylon. 191 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,760 And at each end of whether Euphrates came in and went out 192 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:49,360 were great brass gates down which stopped people coming in 193 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,120 and going and they could survive with this massive walled city, 194 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:57,400 the river flowing through. But the Medes and the Persians, 195 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:03,360 this massive army camped had diverted the Euphrates and the 196 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,760 the soldiers. And everyone's drunk. 197 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,200 All the soldiers are drunk because they think our place 198 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,880 where we staying, Babylon, it's unassailable. 199 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,520 So everyone's drunk and they don't notice that the water 200 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:26,040 level is dropping because the walls of Babylon were 24 201 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:31,480 kilometres long. They were at a height of 106 202 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:33,200 metres. Now this is 9 metres. 203 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:40,120 So think how big it is. It had 250 towers again on top 204 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:45,320 of those walls. Going up further the wall it was 205 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:53,560 26 plus metres thick and around Babylon was a Moat surrounding 206 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,480 the whole city. It's safe. 207 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,320 It's like the guy who said when they launched the Titanic even 208 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:08,680 God couldn't sink this boat. It was October 12th, 539 BC. 209 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:15,160 We know precisely the night that Belshazzar is life would end. 210 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:18,520 Belshazzar decides to throw a party. 211 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,240 Thousands are invited. He knows the needs and persons 212 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:22,840 out. He throws this party because 213 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:25,360 they can do what they're like. They weren't going to get in. 214 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:27,880 We're invincible. Let's have a party. 215 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:34,680 Showing his pride, his arrogance had learnt from his grandfather. 216 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:42,240 So the wine is flowing, the women are everywhere, and it's 217 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,360 in honour of the gods of Babylon, of the gods of gold, 218 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,760 silver and brass. The evening Revs up. 219 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:50,840 Belshazzar asked for the vessels. 220 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,720 Hey, let's, let's bring in all the stuff that my grandfather 221 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:56,240 took from Jerusalem. You can imagine. 222 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,360 Bring it all in, give it to everybody. 223 00:15:58,360 --> 00:15:59,960 We're going to drink out of this stuff. 224 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,520 They're drinking out of all the implements taken from the temple 225 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,240 in Jerusalem. In verse 4, they continue their 226 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,240 drinking and praising of the gods. 227 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,680 This is the life, isn't it, man? They're outside. 228 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,320 This is what we did in the past. We're drinking out of this. 229 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,560 Yeah. Gods of gold, brass, silver, and 230 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,720 everything is cruising. So he thinks. 231 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,200 Verse 5, notice in the same hour. 232 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:31,920 Notice that preciseness. In the same hour, the fingers of 233 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,800 a man's hand appeared. God's graffiti and rode opposite 234 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:41,280 the lampstand on the plaster of the wall, gouging the wall of 235 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:44,560 the King's palace. And the king saw part of the 236 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:49,160 hand that wrote. The King's countenance changed 237 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,640 his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were 238 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:57,560 loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 239 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:03,040 He was shivering in fear. The king cried aloud To bring in 240 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,040 the astrologers, the Chaldeans, the suicides. 241 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:09,560 The king spoke. He said to the wise men of 242 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:11,440 Babylon. Whoever reads this writing and 243 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,800 tells me what it means shall be clothed with purple, purple with 244 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,800 royalty, have a chain of gold around his neck, and he shall be 245 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,079 noticed. The third ruler of the Kingdom, 246 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:24,839 because he's the second. His dad is the first. 247 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,359 Now all the King's wise men came, but they could not read 248 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,360 the writing or make known to the king. 249 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:34,800 It's interpretation sounds a similar story, doesn't it? 250 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,280 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled. 251 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,360 This is not going good. His countenance was changed and 252 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:47,480 his Lords were astonished. I'm taken back by the words in 253 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:51,760 the same hour. You know, God is precise. 254 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:58,560 It's not like, Oh, roundabout, I believe my life and your life is 255 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:04,920 directed by God in minutes. In minutes, actually, the 256 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:10,000 proverb says God's got my life and he guides it in steps. 257 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,080 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. 258 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:19,840 Actually, Daniel 5 tells me that God directs my life in breaths. 259 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,440 He holds the very breath that I breathe. 260 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,360 We sang about it today. He can stop it at any moment. 261 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:33,720 Think of how many times in Scripture God uses the phrase of 262 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:40,520 time, the term, the hour. John chapter 2 verse 4. 263 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:44,080 Jesus said unto the woman, woman, His mum, what have I to 264 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:46,400 do with you? My hours not yet come. 265 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,640 Matthew 2450 The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when 266 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,760 he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of it. 267 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,400 John 1223 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour has come, 268 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:02,200 The Son of man should be glorified. 269 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,600 Matthew 2442. Watch therefore, for you know 270 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,920 not what hour your Lord does come. 271 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:16,320 Verse 10, the queen, that is his grandmother, because of the 272 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,120 words of the king and his Lords, came to the banquet hall. 273 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,240 They could hear, she could hear the commotion. 274 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:23,000 So she comes down. What's going on? 275 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:25,400 The queen spoke. Oh King, live forever. 276 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,400 Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countless 277 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,040 change. There is a man in your Kingdom 278 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,800 in whom is the spirit of the Holy God, and in the days of 279 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,560 your father, this is his grandfather lied in 280 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,120 understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods were 281 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:42,480 found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your 282 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:46,760 father, your father the king, made him chief of the magicians, 283 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,480 astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers. 284 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,240 In as much as an excellent spirit, knowledge and 285 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,720 understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, 286 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:00,200 explaining enigmas, were found in this Daniel, whom the king 287 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,360 Belshazzar. Named Beltashazza. 288 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:08,600 Now let Daniel, she calls him Daniel be called and he'll give 289 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,240 the interpretation. I reckon she she knew Daniel 290 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,880 pretty well. Then Daniel he's brought in. 291 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:22,640 The king spoke, said to Daniel, You that Daniel, which is one of 292 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,760 the captors from Judah, whom my father king brought from Judah. 293 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:29,240 I've heard of you and notice this. 294 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,280 You need to remember this because this is important to why 295 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:37,560 what happens at the end. I have heard of you that the 296 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,720 Spirit of God is in you and that light and understanding or 297 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:43,400 excellent wisdom are found in you. 298 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,120 Now the wise men, the astrologers have been brought in 299 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:48,560 before me. They should read this writing, 300 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:50,880 make known to me it's interpretations. 301 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,360 But they couldn't give me the interpretation. 302 00:20:54,320 --> 00:21:00,760 And I have heard of you. He's he's heard of what Daniel 303 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,760 did. He's heard of the things that 304 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,520 happened between Daniel and his grandfather, that you give 305 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,200 interpretation and explain enigmas. 306 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,400 Now, if you can read the writing and make known to me it's 307 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,560 interpretation, you'll be clothed with purple chain of 308 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,320 gold around your neck. You shall be the third ruler in 309 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,720 the Kingdom. So Daniel enters the room. 310 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,240 He's an old guy now. He's about 80. 311 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,880 Between 80 and 90. He refuses any of the King's 312 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,000 offerings. It is said that the mercenary 313 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:37,000 spirit does not govern the life and labours of God's ministers. 314 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,680 Here, in the middle of this raging party, now brought to an 315 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,760 abrupt halt, stands a man of God. 316 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,200 Talk about party poopers just arrived. 317 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,240 Talk about the discos just turned off. 318 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:53,440 Here's a guy you know when you turn, you know your friends at 319 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,120 work were telling you a joke and you walk out. 320 00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:57,400 They know you're a Christian. They go, you won't like this. 321 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:00,960 Everything stops. You've had that. 322 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:10,480 Tell me quickly, in whose shoes do you wish you could have been 323 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,560 in the king who is living a life guided by his passions, 324 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:21,920 partying, having the time of his life literally, or before him, a 325 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,440 man who was still a stranger in a foreign land? 326 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,080 Because Paul says, actually, the writer of Hebrew says, you and 327 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,760 I, what, we're strangers, pilgrims. 328 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:34,480 You ever wondered why you don't fit? 329 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,040 You know, you're the square peg in the round hole. 330 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,760 Since you became a Christian, you don't fit. 331 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,240 I remember when I became a Christian and Helen, we, we 332 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:48,000 became, you know, and our families, we had their, their 333 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,840 functions, their dude. We were the square pegs in the 334 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,600 round. Not that we did anything, but we 335 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:55,560 did it. Just it. 336 00:22:55,720 --> 00:23:01,280 Everything changed. Daniel had never dropped his 337 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,600 guard. He was still living as if he was 338 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,480 in Jerusalem. That's the aim of parents, of 339 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,160 you raising your children. So when they go off to serve in 340 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,520 the defence forces or go to work on a mining site or somewhere, 341 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:21,440 they still live as Christians. They don't have a Doctor Jekyll 342 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,840 and Mr Hyde. That's the aim. 343 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,800 Daniel was still meeting with God three times a day. 344 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,720 Remember he did that. How often he prayed 3 times a 345 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,040 day. That was the time and he's still 346 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,200 living on the the Jerusalem calendar. 347 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,960 His clock went by Jerusalem, hours, hours of prayer. 348 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,560 He was still facing the temple. He would still face Jerusalem, 349 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:50,640 taking up Solomon's words at the dedication of Solomon's temple, 350 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,040 about facing the temple when you prayed. 351 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,680 He did that even though he's in a foreign land and no one knew 352 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:02,800 about him, even though as the temple would have been razed to 353 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,080 the ground, it's still stood in Daniel's heart. 354 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:13,720 Daniel chose to honour God with his life, every day of it, right 355 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:18,200 into his later years. I want you to examine your heart 356 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,920 this morning. Ask yourself, be realistic. 357 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:27,760 In whose shoes would your feet have been the most comfortable 358 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:32,000 at that moment, Belshazzar or Daniel? 359 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:37,640 It is interesting that as Daniel stood there, his actions and his 360 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,160 words were to be as powerful as they had ever been and as 361 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,480 straight. He hadn't changed. 362 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,640 Let's read them verse 17. Daniel answered and said before 363 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,840 the king, Hey, let your gifts be to yourself. 364 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:55,320 I don't want any of your stuff. I don't want any of your stuff. 365 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:01,880 Give your rewards to another interesting you know, I will 366 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,040 read the writing to the King and make known to him the 367 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:08,040 interpretation. O King, the Most High God gave 368 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:12,400 Nebuchadnezzar, and he gives him again a lesson in what he 369 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,840 ordering you. He's telling Belshazzar what he 370 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:18,920 ordering you. O King, the Most High God gave 371 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,520 Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a Kingdom, majesty, glory and 372 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,600 honour. And because of the majesty that 373 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,880 he gave him, all peoples, nations and languages trembled 374 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,080 and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed. 375 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:36,200 Whomever he wished he kept alive, whomever he wished he set 376 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,600 up, and whoever he wished he put down. 377 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:44,280 But when his heart was lifted up, when he became proud and his 378 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,520 spirit was hardened in pride, he spoke specific. 379 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:53,000 He was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory 380 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,040 from him. Then he was driven from the sons 381 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,320 of men. His heart was made like the 382 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,920 beasts. His dwelling was with the wild 383 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:05,720 donkeys, they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wept 384 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:10,880 with dew of heaven. 7 years remember, till he knew that the 385 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:16,080 Most high God rules in the Kingdom of men, and appointed 386 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:19,760 over whomever he chooses. Now notice verse 22. 387 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:26,440 But you, his son Belshazzar, and here's the problem. 388 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:32,760 You have not humbled your heart. And here's the real problem. 389 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,800 Although you knew all this, you know all this. 390 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,000 You see, here's the great danger. 391 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:46,400 In Luke chapter 12, verse 48, Jesus says these words. 392 00:26:48,840 --> 00:27:06,200 Luke, 1248. But he you did not know yet 393 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,960 committed these things deserving of stripes shall be beaten with 394 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:13,040 few. For everyone to whom much is 395 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:18,760 given from him much will be required, and to whom much has 396 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:22,840 been committed of him they'll ask the more. 397 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:29,040 So the deal is this, You know, someone says, well, is it, You 398 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,920 know, if a Christian sins, is it bad? 399 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:36,000 It's worse. It's worse than an unbeliever 400 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:47,760 because we know, we know. In verse 17 to 22, Daniel speaks 401 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:52,000 powerfully and freely. He could do this because as a 402 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,800 young man he had set the cause in his life. 403 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,360 He chose to honour God with his life. 404 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:03,320 He knew his life and its very existence rested in God's hand. 405 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,080 Daniel stood in front of Belshazzar. 406 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:08,960 A living proverb. Proverbs 22. 407 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:11,560 Six parents, you need to know this one. 408 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:18,840 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he 409 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:24,320 will not depart from it. King David didn't train up his 410 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:30,080 sons, and Absalom and Solomon sadly followed paths, reflecting 411 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,840 their lack of fatherly training by David. 412 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:39,360 But Timothy had a Gentile father, unbelieving, they 413 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,960 believe. But Timothy had a godly mother 414 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:49,720 and a godly grandmother and they both trained and trained Timothy 415 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:53,840 as a child and as he grew, he did not depart from their 416 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:58,960 blessed example. Teach, this is what you're to do 417 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:04,200 with your kids. Teach, Dedicate discipline. 418 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,840 And I mean discipline. That means when you say 419 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:11,040 something, it means what you say. 420 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:15,960 I often watch kids in shopping centres and mum goes, stop that. 421 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:18,600 I'm telling you to stop that kid. 422 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:20,600 Just go stop. I'm telling you to stop that 423 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:21,320 kid. Just carry on. 424 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,160 I'm telling you, the last time stop it, nothing's happened. 425 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:26,800 The kid knows nothing's going to happen. 426 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,640 And I'm thinking you don't love that child. 427 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,560 I saw a little girl, hell, and I saw this little girl running, 428 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:35,760 running down the road, running across the road. 429 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,160 No, actually we're walking to school and this kid ran across 430 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,480 the Rd little girl cross across the roads and then and busy 431 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,400 streets. My mom said stop, stop, don't do 432 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:46,880 that, stop, stop. And then when they got to 433 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,040 school, put a harm around her and said go on, we're going to 434 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,040 find it. I'm thinking you got to let the 435 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:56,720 kid get run over. Where's the love for that child? 436 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:58,840 Oh, I do love my child. No, you don't. 437 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:02,800 You're abusing that child by not caring for that child. 438 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,400 Here's what you're going to do. Bible says admonish. 439 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:09,920 Do it with love. But you got to do that. 440 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,760 Teach, dedicate, discipline. Guide your child on the things 441 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:22,040 of God on the things of God your impact as a father, as a mother 442 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:25,560 on your child should be about the things of Oh man, dad taught 443 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:28,400 me how to dig a hole and I'm the best hole digger around. 444 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:37,400 Awesome. The things of God In Deuteronomy 445 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:43,680 chapter 6, verse 6, God orders the children of Israel, the 446 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:50,200 fathers of Israel, to teach, admonish, instruct and minister 447 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:54,680 to your children as you go about your daily business, as you 448 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,600 walk, as you sit, as you stand, as you walk them to school, as 449 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:02,440 you drive into the shop, as you tying your shoelaces, as you 450 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:05,920 walk down the beach, as you're going for a surf, as you you're 451 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:09,600 mowing the lawn. You should be talking about the 452 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,280 things of God. They're the moments, then the 453 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,640 moments, then the great instructive times that you can 454 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,640 minister the wonders of the grace of God. 455 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,240 I love walking the kids grandkids to school. 456 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,360 Now you always ask this, OK, Pennsylvania, give us a story, a 457 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,200 Bible story. So we get a Bible story on the 458 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:32,320 way to school. You see, you say, well, I don't 459 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:34,160 have time. No, you do have time. 460 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,640 You have time for all the other stuff that you think is 461 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,640 important in their lives. God has got to be the most 462 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:43,400 important thing in their lives and father's your first. 463 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:47,640 It's your responsibility if your dad, if your father isn't, if 464 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:51,120 your husband isn't a Christian and mums, you can do it because 465 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:58,520 Timothy Lois Eunice trained and trained and Timothy became the 466 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:04,880 great man of God that he did Deuteronomy 66 read it, learn 467 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,400 it, apply it. Daniel reminded Belshazzar of 468 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,960 the pride of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar and the judgement 469 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:15,520 that God laid upon him in graphic detail in verse 21. 470 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:19,640 Why did Belshazzar, why did he tell Belshazzar this? 471 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:21,600 Why didn't he just tell him what the story? 472 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:25,560 Why did he go back and say you, you know about what happened to 473 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,240 your grandfather? Why did he give this background? 474 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,480 He knew all about it. Why did he repeat it? 475 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,200 Because he was saying to the King, you knew all about this, 476 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:42,400 but still you lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. 477 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:46,320 Your sin is greater than Nebuchadnezzar's. 478 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:50,520 You see, there's the difference. Your sin is greater each time 479 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,640 you come to church, each time you sit under the Word of God, 480 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,600 and each time you ignore what God instructs you to do. 481 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:05,160 It's not good. It's not good each time you hear 482 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:08,040 it and you don't apply it, it's not good. 483 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,080 I was reading through Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah 484 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:18,560 through this week through the minor prophets and in those 485 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:23,280 things, I think Israel, really cops are flogging by God because 486 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,880 they sinned and you know what God says directly and it mean 487 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:28,400 really, they really got hammered. 488 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:36,360 And you know what God says, Israel, your sin was worse, your 489 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:39,120 sin was worse. I've chosen you, you're my 490 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:41,760 chosen people. Your sins are worse. 491 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:44,960 Sins are worse than a heathen, than a Pagan. 492 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:49,880 Read it yourself. So each time I listen to the 493 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,920 word, Word of God, I come to a greater accountability and a 494 00:33:53,920 --> 00:34:00,600 greater responsibility to obey. He told Belshazzar that his sin 495 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,920 was greater because verse 22, you knew all this and your sin 496 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,320 was against ample knowledge. And since the greater knowledge 497 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:13,840 calls forth a more severe judgement, Matthew 1120, Jesus 498 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:16,719 did the same. Jesus began to denounce the 499 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:20,000 towns where He had done so many of his miracles. 500 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,040 Why? Because they hadn't. 501 00:34:23,159 --> 00:34:24,920 Jesus is the greatest preacher ever. 502 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,840 They hadn't repented of their sins and turned to God. 503 00:34:28,679 --> 00:34:32,040 He said this. What sorrow awaits you, Corazan 504 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:35,440 Bethsaida? For if the miracles I did in you 505 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:40,280 had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have 506 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:45,719 repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap 507 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:48,600 and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 508 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,280 I tell you, Jesus, reentify re emphasises. 509 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:56,480 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on Judgement Day 510 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:58,480 than you. But there's worse. 511 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,520 He goes on in verse 23. And you people of Capernaum. 512 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,240 Capernaum is one of my favourite spots when we go to Israel, 513 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:10,640 people of Capernaum, Jesus lived there, moved from Nazareth to 514 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,000 Capernaum. Will you be honoured in heaven? 515 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,000 No, you will go down to the place of the dead. 516 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,800 Why? For if the miracles I did for 517 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:23,840 you had been done in wicked Sodom, what a comparison it 518 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:29,080 would still be here today. Wow, I tell you, even Sodom will 519 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,960 be better off on Judgement Day than you. 520 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:34,160 Isn't that? That's pretty dramatical, isn't 521 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:37,560 it? Romans chapter one, verse 21, 522 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:40,880 Paul says. Because although they knew God, 523 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:48,120 you know they did not glorify him as God, nor we're thankful, 524 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,160 but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish 525 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,840 hearts were darkened. The young foolish king is 526 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:57,560 stunned, knees still knocking, jaw dropped. 527 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,720 Listen to him every word. This is his life. 528 00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:05,280 It's been revealed Belshazzar knew all about how God humbled 529 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:08,440 his grandfather, yet he dared to defy the Most High. 530 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:10,280 But there was more. There's 23. 531 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:12,920 You have lifted up yourself against the Lord of Heaven. 532 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:15,440 You have brought the vessels of his house before you. 533 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,760 And your Lords, your wives and your concubines have drunk from 534 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:22,560 them, and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, 535 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:26,880 of iron, wood and stone, which you do not see or hear or know. 536 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:32,080 And the God who holds your breath in his hand, the reason 537 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:37,120 you're alive and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 538 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:40,680 That's a damning report on a life wasted. 539 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:46,640 Daniel tells the king, You worship dumb gods, and at the 540 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,920 same time you've insulted the one true living God. 541 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:53,320 No man or woman holds the lease on their life. 542 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,240 In Isaiah chapter 42, verse 5, the Lord says Thus says the Lord 543 00:36:57,240 --> 00:37:01,080 God, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread 544 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:04,520 forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath 545 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,680 to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it. 546 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:13,960 We are each and every one of us, totally and utterly dependent 547 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:19,680 upon God for our very existence. Belshazzar had utterly denied 548 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,680 this great truth. He'd lived as a fool. 549 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:27,720 Foolishness is ignoring God. Daniel now reads the words 550 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:30,840 gouged in the plaster on the wall and interprets them for the 551 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:32,760 king. The message on the wall was 552 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,480 brief. You know life can be summed up 553 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:39,960 quite succinctly, can it? In every word carried a note of 554 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:42,280 unquestioned authority. Verse 24. 555 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:45,560 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from him, and this 556 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,400 writing was written and this is the inscription that was 557 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:50,920 written. Many many tickle you fasten. 558 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,240 This is the interpretation of each word. 559 00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:59,920 Many God has numbered your Kingdom and finished it tickle 560 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,720 you have been weighed in the balanced and found wanting. 561 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:08,920 Perez, your Kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes 562 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:14,280 and Persians many verse 26 God has numbered your Kingdom and 563 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,680 finished it. To number means to fix or limit 564 00:38:17,720 --> 00:38:21,600 its duration. As to time, the repetition of 565 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:25,800 the word is emphasising many many that there would be no 566 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,520 extension of time, no second chance. 567 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:30,800 His number. You heard the term. 568 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:35,400 His number was up from here. The word many means calculation. 569 00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:40,240 It tells us that God's decisions are not carelessly arrived at, 570 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:46,360 but are carefully calculated. God knows exactly how long it 571 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:49,240 will be until Jesus returns for His church. 572 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,520 The repetition of the word was for emphasis. 573 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:56,360 There's no extension here. Belshazzar, your number is up. 574 00:38:57,040 --> 00:39:02,240 Tackle the scales of God. Why accurately and because God 575 00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:05,600 deals with exactness, He deals in justice. 576 00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:09,960 God weighs every man, every woman's life with perfect 577 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,280 accuracy. One Samuel chapter 2 verse 578 00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:16,760 three, Samuel said talk no more so very proudly. 579 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,880 Let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God 580 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,680 of knowledge, and by him actions await. 581 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:30,480 Psalm 62 nine says, surely men of low degree are a vapour, Men 582 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:33,640 of high degree are a lie. If they are weighed on the 583 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:38,000 scales, they're all together lighter than vapour vapour. 584 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:44,000 Job 31 six Job said, Let me be weighed on honour scales, that 585 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:47,080 God may know my integrity. God, you know who I am. 586 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:52,120 Proverbs 16 two. All the ways of a man are pure 587 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:57,240 in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits on the 588 00:39:57,240 --> 00:40:01,680 perfect scales of God. Belshazzar did not weigh enough, 589 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,720 fell short to escape divine judgement. 590 00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:10,200 You fasten, Perez. You asked rightly why the word 591 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:13,000 you fasten is changed to Perez. That's a good question. 592 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:20,120 Daniel changed the plural Paris to the singular Peres. 593 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:25,400 Because Belshazzar's Kingdom was to be broken up, divided, and 594 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:27,560 given to the Medes and the Persians. 595 00:40:28,240 --> 00:40:32,000 Apparently Daniel intended to play on words for a change in 596 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,960 the vows, and Perez gives the word Persian. 597 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:37,880 Judgement came quickly that night. 598 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,880 Empires do not stand by human might. 599 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:46,080 I wish our Prime Minister would learn that man's technology or 600 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,520 weaponry. There is a last night for an 601 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:53,920 empire, and there is a last night for every individual on 602 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:57,360 this planet. Thousands of years ago, God 603 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:01,240 spoke to this rebellious King Belshazzar by writing an 604 00:41:01,240 --> 00:41:04,320 inscription gouging it on the wall of the palace. 605 00:41:04,760 --> 00:41:08,320 The prophet Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall and said 606 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:12,160 that it read You've been weighed in the balance and found 607 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:16,000 lacking. Verse 27 preceding the 608 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:20,040 interpretation Daniel gave the reason for the waste of life, 609 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:23,320 you've lifted it yourself up against the Lord of heaven. 610 00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:29,040 You have not glorified him. And so the root of the problem 611 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:33,320 was that he had failed to glorify God in his living. 612 00:41:34,720 --> 00:41:37,880 He'd failed to choose to honour God with his life. 613 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:41,360 You see, to glorify God means this. 614 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:45,400 It means that you choose to honour him where whenever you 615 00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:50,800 can has that whenever you succeed in your endeavours, be 616 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:56,000 they in ministry, business, sports, even family, you don't 617 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:59,160 take the personal credit. You give the glory to God. 618 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:03,440 I love it when the basketball is the the football is the NFL. 619 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:05,200 Especially say I want to give glory to God. 620 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:08,480 First of all, because they know the only reason they have any 621 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:10,200 gift or talent, it comes from God. 622 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:18,760 This morning as we read this text, it's time for a weigh in 623 00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:22,920 Belshazzar's life in the great Way. 624 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:26,720 And it was light and the scales fell short. 625 00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:31,760 You know everyone is weighed up in the scales of life by God. 626 00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:36,320 You know there is handwriting against every man and woman on 627 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:40,640 the planet earth. But Jesus made salvation 628 00:42:40,640 --> 00:42:43,080 possible for every man and every woman. 629 00:42:44,240 --> 00:42:47,640 Did you know the finger of God was written against your life 630 00:42:47,640 --> 00:42:50,320 too? If you're an unbeliever, it's 631 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:54,360 still there, it's still written. So where does that leave us as 632 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:56,840 believers today? Paul wrote about that in 633 00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:01,840 Colossians chapter 2 verse 13, and he said you being dead in 634 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:05,840 your sins, we remember communion and the uncircumcision of your 635 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:08,600 flesh. He has quickened or made a life 636 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:13,240 together with him having forgiven you all trespasses. 637 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:20,240 Verse 14 cautions 2 Blotting out handwriting of ordinances. 638 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:23,800 That was against us. Where we fell short, where was 639 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:26,360 written down? Keith, you fall short on this, 640 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:30,920 which was contrary to us. He took it out of the way. 641 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:33,960 What did he do with it? Nailed it to his cross. 642 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:37,920 Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery. 643 00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:44,000 The law said she should be bound, placed in a pit 3 feet 644 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:49,720 deep, stoned until dead. Master, what do you say where 645 00:43:49,720 --> 00:43:52,960 all those who brought her caught in the ACT all got stones in 646 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:54,840 their hands? They want to catch Jesus out. 647 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,080 So Jesus stooped down and he wrote in the ground. 648 00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:00,760 We don't know what he wrote in the ground, but I hazard a 649 00:44:00,760 --> 00:44:03,560 guess. The same finger that wrote You 650 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:07,480 shall not commit adultery. The same finger that carved on 651 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:11,640 that Great Wall and that feast that night in Babylon. 652 00:44:12,640 --> 00:44:15,320 The same finger carved in the ground by everyone who was 653 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:18,200 looking around with stones ready to throw at that woman. 654 00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:28,200 Jesus wrote their names, 1 by 1, and their sins got to go. 655 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:32,480 I'm just calling. Left the car got to go. 656 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:36,920 They took off until what? There was none. 657 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:46,640 Then Jesus said to her, Go your way and sin no more, freeing you 658 00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:49,200 to sin no more. We get freed to sin no more. 659 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:53,520 You see, you and I, as we wrap this up, are living in the last 660 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:55,520 days of this world as we know it. 661 00:44:56,680 --> 00:45:01,400 It's coming to an end. God has revealed the future. 662 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:06,360 In Isaiah chapter 45, verse one, one of the greatest verses in 663 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:10,600 the Bible, it says this. Thus says the Lord to his 664 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:16,400 anointed, to Cyrus his right hand I have held to subdue 665 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:21,160 nations before him, to loose the armour of kings, to open before 666 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:26,200 him the double doors, and to break the blast brass gates, 100 667 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:30,000 years before Cyrus was even born. 668 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:35,880 He tells of Cyrus in charge of the Medes and the Persians. 669 00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:38,640 The gates. You know what they did with the 670 00:45:38,640 --> 00:45:41,120 gates over the Euphrates? They left them up. 671 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:46,400 I forgot to close them. I diverted the the river 672 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:50,360 Euphrates and Cyrus just walked in. 673 00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:54,600 You know why he walked in? Because 100 years before, before 674 00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:56,880 he was even born, God said Cyrus. 675 00:45:57,040 --> 00:45:59,760 He gave him his name. You're going to do this? 676 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:06,920 It shows that God is in control. There is a day yet to come, but 677 00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:10,520 it's fast approaching. There'll be another time of 678 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:12,240 lives being weighed in the balance. 679 00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:17,040 Did you know that they'll also be on that day writings? 680 00:46:17,960 --> 00:46:19,840 But these writings won't be on a wall. 681 00:46:19,840 --> 00:46:24,520 They'll be from all the books opened in heaven of every 682 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:30,000 unbeliever. The Bible says every detail and 683 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:32,960 everyone who has raised up at that judgement day. 684 00:46:33,200 --> 00:46:36,480 It's called the Great White Throne Judgement Revelation, 685 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:40,400 chapter 20. The dead, the sea, hell, 686 00:46:40,560 --> 00:46:43,000 everywhere, all the dead will be raised up. 687 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,640 This is the second resurrection. And each one will be stand 688 00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:50,000 before God and the books will be open and you'll be judged 689 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:55,640 according to everything where you didn't glorify God because 690 00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:58,360 everyone in the second resurrection is found guilty. 691 00:47:00,320 --> 00:47:03,880 But for you and I and for those of you here today who have 692 00:47:03,880 --> 00:47:07,520 received Christ, who have glorified him with your living, 693 00:47:08,640 --> 00:47:12,600 you will not receive a judgement but a great reward. 694 00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:16,440 You will not take part in the great white throne judgement, 695 00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:19,160 you'll take part in the rapture of the Church. 696 00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:24,480 Paul said in one Corinthians 4. Let a man so consider us as 697 00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:28,240 servants of Christ, stewards of the mysteries of God. 698 00:47:29,160 --> 00:47:33,000 Moreover, it is required and stewards that one be found 699 00:47:33,560 --> 00:47:36,320 faithful. So this morning as the worship 700 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:44,720 team comes forward, you have heard the word of God, you now 701 00:47:44,720 --> 00:47:49,160 have knowledge. So that places you into a place 702 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:51,440 of accountability, responsibility. 703 00:47:54,160 --> 00:47:55,480 You can't say, well, I didn't know about it. 704 00:47:57,240 --> 00:48:03,920 And so I invite you this morning as we stand to worship, at the 705 00:48:03,920 --> 00:48:07,840 end of the worship time or during the worship time, if you 706 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:11,320 don't know Christ, to come forward to receive Christ 707 00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:14,400 because God doesn't want you at the great white Throne 708 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:17,320 judgement. God wants to call you up at the 709 00:48:17,320 --> 00:48:21,040 rapture. He wants you to receive Christ 710 00:48:21,040 --> 00:48:22,680 now. He wants you to be forgiven. 711 00:48:22,680 --> 00:48:24,200 That's why He sent his Son for you. 712 00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:27,200 He wants to remove the things that are written against you 713 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:30,920 today because the Bible says today is the day of salvation. 714 00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:36,360 Maybe you've walked with God and you're in church today, but 715 00:48:36,720 --> 00:48:39,240 you're wondering you're from a distance, you're a prodigal. 716 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:42,120 And today I want you to come forward as well. 717 00:48:42,560 --> 00:48:46,800 We will pray for you and pray with you because repentance is 718 00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:50,680 need constantly by all of us. If you're here today and God has 719 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:52,880 spoken to you and you need to repent. 720 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:56,760 And today I want you to come forward as we stand and worship 721 00:48:56,760 --> 00:49:00,040 the Lord and repent before God. We'll pray with you. 722 00:49:02,120 --> 00:49:05,520 You've wandered from him. Come now, be forgiven. 723 00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:11,040 The writing is on the wall. What will you do with it?