Well, tonight, we continue through the Book of Daniel.
We now, reach Daniel chapter 5 and let's read verses 1 through
6, there of this chapter It talks about belshazzar.
We have a new king now here in Babylon.
And it says they're belshazzar, the king made a great feast for
a thousand of his Lords and drank wine and the presence of a
thousand while he tasted the wine, belshazzar gave the
command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father
Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in
Jerusalem that the king and his Lords, his wives, and his
concubines might drink from them.
Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from
the temple, the house of God, which had been in Jerusalem, and
the King and his Lords, his wives, and his concubines drank
from them. They drank wine and praise the
gods of gold and silver bronze and iron wood, and stone.
In the same hour, the fingers of a man's hand appear in wrote
opposite. The lampstand on the plaster of
the wall of the king's Palace and the King saw the part of the
hand that wrote then the king's countenance changed and his
thoughts troubled him. So that the joints of his hips
were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.
We're going to stop right there because we're going to see more
of a climax to what is happening here and what this means for the
king. At this time by Babylon, had
been a great ruling Empire and what he had done.
They had taken God's people in captivity by means of God's
punishment upon his people just simply because they chose not to
obey him. They had conquered other nations
surrounding its borders and the City of Babylon itself was
indestructible. It was completely surrounded by
a wall. That was 350, feet high, but not
only that but the wall itself was 85 feet thick.
And the and the the Euphrates River it ran right through the
middle of the city, but the way they had it set up where is that
the base of the walls rent right along the surface of the river?
And because of this, the even enhance a security there in the
city. They even built a gate right
underneath the city wall within the river, so that no one would
even think about swimming underneath the wall because if
they they couldn't go anywhere because they would meet that
gate and they couldn't get past that And so it was a city which
no man could penetrate and it was a nation that no man could
stop. But, you know, even though it
was a powerful nation that had been for many years, truth of
the matter is, it will not be that way for very long.
You know, back in Chapter 2, where Daniel gave the
interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar's first Dream, he
told them at that time that his kingdom would fall to another
Empire that it was going to happen.
He didn't know when it would happen, but it was promised that
promised that it would and later on in This Book of Daniel, we
also find the same I'm teaching stupid to a various visions that
Daniel has. And so the question remains when
will Babylon fall and how will it fall?
And who will bring it to destruction?
Well, our answer lies here in the context of chapter 5 of The
Book of Daniel, Now, as this chapter opens, as we read are
ready, we are introduced to a new ruler in Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar. He had been the rule ruler in
the previous part of this book but he has now gone.
And now we see in man named belshazzar who is now King.
Well, who was this man, belshazzar.
Well, just briefly about this man. there is really debate that
is circled about who this who his father was and his
relationship to Nebuchadnezzar because verse 2 does State along
with four other verses throughout this chapter it
states that Nebuchadnezzar was his father But further Evidence
has shown that Nebuchadnezzar was not really his immediate
father. And there have been clay tablets
that have been found and they have been discovered that refer
to belshazzar as the son of navona Des and not
Nebuchadnezzar. And this would thus make
belshazzar the actual grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
Since navona, Des was married to Nebuchadnezzar's daughter.
And in fact, it was quite common in Bible days for a and son, or
even a great-grandson to refer to some of his, his lineage
within his family as being his father.
And this is, this is quite common in the New Testament, for
example, because the Jews even though the Jews live 2,000 years
prior to Abraham, they still called Abraham.
Their father, even though we know for a fact that Abraham was
not there immediately their immediate father, But yet he was
part of the lineage. And so, this type of wording is
quite common back, then that there's one other thing to make
mention. While we talk about belshazzar
and his family and the bonus, the bonus.
He reigned as king for Babylon, 4, total of 17 years and towards
the end of his reign as king. He then appointed, belshazzar
co-ruler, of Babylon. So we had two kings raining at
the same. Time in Babylon and so keep that
in mind because it makes sense. What belshazzar offers later on
in this chapter, he offers if anyone who were to interpret the
writing that was written upon the wall that he would make him
the through the third ruler in the kingdom.
And so belshazzar was real or number two, his father was
ruler. Number one and whoever made that
interpretation would be ruler. Number three, Now, so this is
what we know about him and his Rank and the kingdom, but
there's something going on here in Babylon this night.
And apparently his father is not here in belshazzar is said to
have a huge feast for thousand of his men 80s by means of
showing off and proclaiming a, how proud his position was
within the kingdom. And it was really when you look
at it and when you study it, it turned out to be one big drunken
party is what it ended up being. Now, he went too far this night
because during this party he did the unthinkable.
As if he did have enough during this night, he had an idea and
he and so he remembered the vessels made of gold and silver,
which had been taken from Jerusalem, which is down there
in Judah when they were taken into Babylonian captivity.
But, you know, these vessels were no ordinary vessels.
That. He was calling for these.
These vessels, they had been used in the temple of the Lord
while they're in Jerusalem. And so he said, let's use those
vessels to celebrate and drink wine from.
And that's exactly what they did.
And if we make a comparison, it's as if someone were to take
the emblems that we use on the Lord's supper and to take those
and use them for some other means other than using them for
the Lord's Supper alone. And that's exactly what happened
on this night, and even he, and, but if that wasn't bad enough,
they even Pro famed. These holy vessels even further
by dedicating these to their false gods and this is what
verse 4 says. He said they drank wine and
praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood
and Stone. And that was a horrible thing
that happened that night that they would simply disregard the
emblems of the Lord like that. And is defile them.
Well, God knew what was going on?
And he knew what they were using.
And Buddy he got fed up with it. He got fed up with it to the
point that it says in verse 5, in the same hour, the fingers of
a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite, the lampstand on the
plaster of the wall of the king's Palace and the King saw
the part of the hand that wrote and just, you know, you just
just being in the midst of this party.
If you could just put your shoes there for just a minute.
And you know, you're carrying on socializing do whatever that's
going on there that night. Now, all of a sudden, you see
this appearance just out of nowhere, just appear this hand,
does it have an arm and just a hand?
And just writing this on the wall.
The thing about that, you don't even know what it says.
Well, this got everyone's attention and it got the king's
attention because it says in verse 6, then the king's
countenance changed and his thoughts troubled him so that
the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked
against each other. Now, here's a man, here is a man
which was so full of Pride here a minute ago and now we find him
completely terrified after seeing what had just happened
with the writing on the wall and I yeah I don't know.
I just love How the scripted the Bible is here.
I'll know if it amuses, you as it amuses me here.
But I'll have you've ever seen those old cartoons where maybe
one of the characters would get so afraid that all of a sudden
his knees would start shaking against each other.
Well, that's what I pictured when the Bible describes us as
his knees knocking against each other.
That's how terrified this King was after seeing what had
happened. And you talk about breaking up a
party. Well, this party was broken up
because of this And so he just in a panic now and so, he gave
the command to bring all the wise men in right away.
So that they would be able to give the interpretation of this
riding upon the wall. And he was so desperate to know
what had been written. That he says, at the end of
verse number 7, he says whoever reads this riding and tells me
it's interpretation. There's going to be reward.
And he said the reward is he shall be clothed with purple and
have a chain of gold around his neck.
And he Shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
And so, after this Council was given, after this, discrete
decree was a proclaimed, all of his wise, men were brought in to
see the writing on the wall, but there was a problem of all these
wise men that were brought in Nobody had any idea to give the
interpretation or to even read what even said.
Now, you thought belshazzar was trouble before?
Well, verse 9 says that he is greatly troubled now because no
one could tell him. What it means.
Well, you know, word got around to the queen about what had
happened. And it is quite obvious that she
had not been there to celebrate with the king, I don't know
where she was, but she heard what had happened and she
realized that no one could read the writing, but she comes to
belshazzar. And you know, she has some words
of Hope for him. And I want to read what it says
is we pick up at the latter part of verse 10?
Because it says the queen spoke saying O King live forever, do
not let your thoughts trouble. You nor late your countenance
change? There is a man in your kingdom
in whom is the spirit of the holy God and the day and in the
days of your father liked and understanding and wisdom lack,
the wisdom of the gods were found in him and King
Nebuchadnezzar your father your father if the king made him
chief of The Magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and
soothsayers. In as much as an excellent
Spirit knowledge, understanding interpreting, dreams, solving
riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this, Daniel whom
the king called belches are now. Let Daniel be called.
And he will give the interpretation.
Now, she had obviously known about Daniel's reputation and
see know what he can do. And she knew why he can do what
he could do. And since Daniel did not fail in
the past, she thought, well, surely.
All these other men failed. Surely, Daniel would be able to
give us the interpretation because he's done.
So, in the past, And so belshazzar was all for this, I
mean, what did he have to lose anyway?
Might as well give it a shot. He's pretty desperate here.
And so that's why he, that's what he does.
He calls her Daniel, and Daniel was brought in before the king
and the King said to him as I may paraphrase here.
You know, I've heard about you. I have heard that you have the
spirit of God in you, and I've heard that, you have great
understanding. You've got great wisdom to And
then he said, now here's the situation.
I have brought all these wise men before me, in order that
they may read to me what the writing on the wall means.
And they have all failed in doing so.
And now I have heard that you can give interpretations and and
I'll tell you what, if you give the interpretation of what's
written here on this wall, I'll give you something.
I will offer you something great.
I will clothe you with royal purple, give you a gold chain
around your neck. And I'll tell you what, I'll
even make you third under me. As ruler in this Kingdom.
Well, Daniel stood there and he heard all this that was offered
to him. And of course, it was quite an
app, an offer? But it's interesting what Daniel
replied back to him. Because it says in verse 17, the
Daniel answered and said before the king, let your gifts before
yourself. And give you rewards to another
yet. I will read the writing to the
king and make known to him the interpretation, and this is out
of it, strikes. You as it strikes me, but it's a
pretty noble thing that Daniel does here because he doesn't,
he's not looking for her for possessions here.
He's not looking for power. He could have easily gained it
but he's not looking for that. That's not as course while
they're in Babylon. He that he wasn't going to tell
him there. If the only the interpretation
just for his own personal gain here and he told him he was
going to tell him and he could just, you know, if he wants to
reward someone reward someone else.
But he's going to be able to give the interpretation for free
and what a difference this is between Daniel and some of this
world who Proclaim God's word today, you know we see from time
to time, you know, televangelists they do this.
I mean, and others in denominations.
Have it a goal to preach in order that they may gain,
possessions it for some assistive business to them, it's
an easy living for them. And some would even use a means
of proclaiming God's word in order for power and these are
all the wrong motives to Proclaim God's word.
You know, when we proclaim the truth from the word of God, to
some person or some group of people, we should never have the
motive of trying to earn something from that.
God's word should be freely proclaimed to anybody and we
should feel privileged enough to even have the opportunity to
tell someone about. Out how they could be saved to
the Glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And I'm telling you people should be put to shame for
having the wrong motives of proclaiming the gospel of
Christ. And certainly God knows their
motives and they will be held accountable for their
intentions. We'll get him back to Daniel.
He now tells belshazzar the reason for the writing on the
wall. He begins by telling of what
happened to Nebuchadnezzar and so he says in verse eighteen, O
King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father
Hakeem and Majesty glory and honor and because of the Majesty
that he gave him all peoples Nations and languages trembled,
and feared before him whomever. He wished.
He executed whomever he wished. He kept alive whomever he
wished. He set up and whomever he wished
he put down. But when his heart was lifted
up. And his Spirit was hardened and
pride. He was deposed from his kingly
throne and they took his glory from him, then he was driven
from the sons of man, his heart was made like the beasts, and
his ruling was like the wild donkeys.
They fed him with grass, like oxen.
And his body was wet with the Dew of Heaven.
Till he knew that the most high God rules in the Kingdom of men
and appoints over at whomever he chooses.
Now, we discussed this very thing this morning, Of what
happened to Nebuchadnezzar and really, this is something that
happened 20 years. There's about a 20 year time
span between chapter 4 and now chapter 5, And surely belches
our new of what happened to his grandfather.
Nebuchadnezzar, according to what he says in verse number 22
and we all know you know God humbled him due to his pride.
But the question is this, why in the world would Daniel called
the mind of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar?
When they're trying to discuss the in the writing and the
interpretation of the writing, I mean that is high priority here.
Why bring in Nebuchadnezzar at this point.
Well, the reasons found a verse number 22 here.
But you his son, belshazzar. Have not humbled your heart.
Although you do all this, and you have lifted yourself up
against the Lord of Heaven, they have brought the vessels of his
house before you, and you, and your lord, your wives and your
concubines have drunk wine from them.
And have praised, the gods of silver and gold, bronze, and
iron wood and stone, which do not see or hear, or know, and
The God Who holds your breath in his hand and owns all your ways,
you have not, Fide. Now he makes a stomp strong
contrast here, between the false gods and the almighty God here.
Daniel told him that he praised these Gods by using these.
Holy vessels, from the Lord's House, and the fact of the
matter was the gods, whom he was praising, they'd even see that
even here, they didn't even know, they were being praised,
you know why? It's because they didn't exist.
That's why It was all in vain. But here's a striking contrast,
the very one whom they were not praising, was the one who was in
control of all things. He even helped belshazzar breath
in his own hand and since he had done this during this party, on
this very evening, God wrote the god wrote on the wall, and
here's the meaning of that writing as Daniel goes on to
gives the interpretation. He says there in verse number
25, and this is the inscription that is written many many Tech L
you farce in. this is the interpretation of each word men
a God has numbered your kingdom and finished, it Tech L you have
been weighed in the balances and found wanting Paris, your
kingdom has been divided and given to the medes and Persians.
And so, these words here, holds huge meeting and the key meaning
to each word is as follows. He gives the word many.
And it's, and it basically means numbered and tech hell,
basically means Wade. And then when you get to Paris,
or this is, the Paris is actually the singular form of
the word of you Farson here and it means division.
And so the message is It's to put it all into one lump.
Sum belshazzar's Kingdom have been numbered for Destruction.
And the King himself is weighed and he is found wanting, and the
kingdom has to be taken away, and it is to be given to another
outside force another outside nation.
And after giving the interpretation, they came did
just as he said, he would he gave the command to Claude
Daniel and Royal Purple. He gave him a Golden Chain.
That was hung around his neck and Daniel was then a pound.
Appointed third rank in the whole Kingdom.
Well, as we know, Daniel didn't want this.
But Daniel would just went along with it.
It meant nothing to him but here's the irony of though.
He was Daniel was appointed third in the rule of nothing.
You know, why? Well while all this was going on
that night while belshazzar was having this big drunken party,
there was something going on outside the city walls,
something huge going on. The medes and the Persians had
been camped out there for some time and they had their mindset
to conquer Babylon. And will this do not bring any
fair to belshazzar, the people or the, or even Babylon because
they thought their walls could keep anybody out.
And so they just didn't pay much mind to them.
After all, what harm could they do to us?
If they can't even get through all wall?
But what they didn't know was that the medes and the Persians
had been working out a plan for some time.
You see, you remember the Euphrates river, which had
flowed right underneath the walls of that City.
And they thought this they thought if we could just get in
that way, somehow And so what they did was this, by building
upon that idea, they went Upstream for quite some distance
and they diverted the water in order to drain the flow water
down into the riverbed of Babylon.
And when the flow of water had been stopped into Babylon, then
this then gave them the chance to March, right?
In underneath that City through that riverbed.
And the conquered the city. And so this was their plan.
So while belshazzar was having this big party, sure enough
here, they came here, they came marching down that River bed and
they made their way underneath that wall.
Now remember, they had added security underneath that wall.
They had gate set up, so just in case anyone tried to swim
underneath their way into the city that they would be stopped.
But there was something that's very interesting Providence.
Well, that happened that night. As they made their way
underneath that wall. Someone had let the gates open.
And the medes and the Persians March, right?
In the city, and they overtook it.
And you know, this is something that had been prophesied 175
years before it happened on this night.
In fact, Isaiah wrote about Cyrus in Isaiah chapter 45 verse
has one through five and told how he was anointed or he was
chosen for a special purpose, to subdue Nations to loose the
armor of Kings and the Lord would be behind him in this and
would make sure that the gates would not Shut when he does
this. And so, this is all part of the
Lord's work here. He used a human Nation to bring
Babylon to a fall. You know nobody thought it could
happen not even the king himself but it did happen this night.
And it happened in the year, 538 BC, the follow Babylon.
Well, here's what happened to belshazzar because of this, and
verse number 30 that very night. Belshazzar, the king of the
Chaldeans was slain And as a result of the King's death, the
very next verse says and Darius the mede received the kingdom
being about 62 years old. And thus ends the reign of a
powerful Empire. God said he would do it and he
carried out his plan by proving he truly.
Does rule the kingdoms of men and Rises Kings up and takes
them down by his mighty power. But what can we learn from this
last night here in Babylon? Well, I believe, we could
remember three things or learn three things from this.
Number one, you will remember how belshazzar used the holy
vessels from the Lord's House and you filed them by drinking
wine and praising other gods. Well, you know, the Bible
teaches along the same line to make an application here that we
are. We are vessels as well.
And those of us who have obeyed, the gospel, and are in, his
kingdom are considered vessels in the Lord's House.
I mean, consider what Paul wrote In what he wrote, Wrote to
Timothy, because he wrote second Timothy Chapter 2, and we'll
read their verse 15 and skipped a verse 19.
Second Timothy, 2, verse 15 says, be diligent to present
yourself approved to God a worker, who does not need to be
ashamed, rightly dividing, the word of Truth.
And then verse 19 says nevertheless the solid
foundation of God stands having this seal the Lord knows those
who are his and let everyone who Names, the name of Christ depart
from iniquity, but in a great house there are not only vessels
of gold and silver but also of wood and Clay, some for honor
and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses
himself from the ladder, he will be a vessel for Honor Sanctified
and useful for the master prepared for every good work.
You see here. Paul is telling Timothy that if
you're going to be a vessel in the Lord's healthy and the
Lord's House, you ought to be a vessel that is pure.
You ought to be a vessel. That's holy, you ought to be a
vessel that's without iniquity and we and so we are vessels.
That should always seek God's ways and do them at all times
and we should be working instruments for the Lord after
all Paul stayed in verse 21 that we should be as a vessel that is
useful for the master. And this requires action and it
requires effort and it requires work and it does not mean that
we are idle in our Christian lives.
I mean, what kind of a vessel are we in the Lord's house?
If we simply don't do anything about it.
If we don't know our Bible, if we don't come to worship as
often as we should, how can we be useful for the master if
we're Idols in these thing? And in these areas and in other
areas as well, We have to be useful for the master.
And remember how belches are defiled the vessels.
We too can do the same by defiling ourselves by allowing
sin into our lives and simply not doing anything about it and
just letting it dwell there. You know, the Lord was fed up
with belshazzar In This Very Act.
And I'm afraid he'll be fed up with this to if we're not
careful. And if we choose not to repent
of what we allow within our lives.
And so let us strive to be vessels which are christ-like in
all that we do and make the most of our time and praise and
admiration to him who has even allowed us to be his children.
But secondly, just as we learned this morning from
Nebuchadnezzar, we find that Pride goes before a fall, and it
is no different with belshazzar. He too thought everything was
going great. He was king of a great Empire.
And he thought things were going to last for a long time.
And so, what more reason to celebrate, and the Puffs himself
up by hosting a huge party for himself.
But the fact of the matter is, we saw already the Lord called
him on that night And his Reign would end and his kingdom would
fall. And certainly again the messages
Proclaim that certainly Pride goes before a fall.
Just as it did his grandfather. But then, thirdly and lastly.
As well as part of the writing on the wall, the King was
weighed in the balances. and the sad thing is he was found
wanting You know, belshazzar's not the only one who will be
weighed in the balances. Because we too will be weighed
by our life, in the balances of God's word at the judgment to
come. And this is how listen how it's
going to be in 2nd Corinthians 5 and 10 for, we must all appear
before the Judgment seat of Christ.
That each one may receive the things done in the body,
according to what he has done, whether good or bad, And then,
Romans 14 and 12. So then each of us shall give
account of himself to God. We thank you for listening to
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