1 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:06,000 Well, tonight, we continue through the Book of Daniel. 2 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:10,300 We now, reach Daniel chapter 5 and let's read verses 1 through 3 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:18,200 6, there of this chapter It talks about belshazzar. 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:20,700 We have a new king now here in Babylon. 5 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:24,600 And it says they're belshazzar, the king made a great feast for 6 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,300 a thousand of his Lords and drank wine and the presence of a 7 00:00:28,308 --> 00:00:32,800 thousand while he tasted the wine, belshazzar gave the 8 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,500 command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father 9 00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:39,800 Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in 10 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,500 Jerusalem that the king and his Lords, his wives, and his 11 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:45,600 concubines might drink from them. 12 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,400 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from 13 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,800 the temple, the house of God, which had been in Jerusalem, and 14 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,800 the King and his Lords, his wives, and his concubines drank 15 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:01,000 from them. They drank wine and praise the 16 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,700 gods of gold and silver bronze and iron wood, and stone. 17 00:01:05,500 --> 00:01:09,000 In the same hour, the fingers of a man's hand appear in wrote 18 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,700 opposite. The lampstand on the plaster of 19 00:01:11,700 --> 00:01:15,200 the wall of the king's Palace and the King saw the part of the 20 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,100 hand that wrote then the king's countenance changed and his 21 00:01:19,100 --> 00:01:22,200 thoughts troubled him. So that the joints of his hips 22 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,400 were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 23 00:01:27,500 --> 00:01:33,100 We're going to stop right there because we're going to see more 24 00:01:33,100 --> 00:01:37,900 of a climax to what is happening here and what this means for the 25 00:01:37,900 --> 00:01:41,200 king. At this time by Babylon, had 26 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,900 been a great ruling Empire and what he had done. 27 00:01:44,900 --> 00:01:48,900 They had taken God's people in captivity by means of God's 28 00:01:48,900 --> 00:01:52,600 punishment upon his people just simply because they chose not to 29 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,300 obey him. They had conquered other nations 30 00:01:55,300 --> 00:01:59,400 surrounding its borders and the City of Babylon itself was 31 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,500 indestructible. It was completely surrounded by 32 00:02:02,500 --> 00:02:07,600 a wall. That was 350, feet high, but not 33 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,699 only that but the wall itself was 85 feet thick. 34 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,600 And the and the the Euphrates River it ran right through the 35 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:21,100 middle of the city, but the way they had it set up where is that 36 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:25,900 the base of the walls rent right along the surface of the river? 37 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,100 And because of this, the even enhance a security there in the 38 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:33,600 city. They even built a gate right 39 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,300 underneath the city wall within the river, so that no one would 40 00:02:37,300 --> 00:02:41,200 even think about swimming underneath the wall because if 41 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,000 they they couldn't go anywhere because they would meet that 42 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,600 gate and they couldn't get past that And so it was a city which 43 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,200 no man could penetrate and it was a nation that no man could 44 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,600 stop. But, you know, even though it 45 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,200 was a powerful nation that had been for many years, truth of 46 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,000 the matter is, it will not be that way for very long. 47 00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:05,500 You know, back in Chapter 2, where Daniel gave the 48 00:03:05,500 --> 00:03:08,500 interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar's first Dream, he 49 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:12,900 told them at that time that his kingdom would fall to another 50 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:15,600 Empire that it was going to happen. 51 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,700 He didn't know when it would happen, but it was promised that 52 00:03:19,700 --> 00:03:23,400 promised that it would and later on in This Book of Daniel, we 53 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,500 also find the same I'm teaching stupid to a various visions that 54 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:32,300 Daniel has. And so the question remains when 55 00:03:32,300 --> 00:03:35,300 will Babylon fall and how will it fall? 56 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,600 And who will bring it to destruction? 57 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,000 Well, our answer lies here in the context of chapter 5 of The 58 00:03:42,008 --> 00:03:46,500 Book of Daniel, Now, as this chapter opens, as we read are 59 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:50,500 ready, we are introduced to a new ruler in Babylon 60 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:53,800 Nebuchadnezzar. He had been the rule ruler in 61 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,800 the previous part of this book but he has now gone. 62 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,400 And now we see in man named belshazzar who is now King. 63 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:04,000 Well, who was this man, belshazzar. 64 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:09,000 Well, just briefly about this man. there is really debate that 65 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,600 is circled about who this who his father was and his 66 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,800 relationship to Nebuchadnezzar because verse 2 does State along 67 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,899 with four other verses throughout this chapter it 68 00:04:20,899 --> 00:04:25,900 states that Nebuchadnezzar was his father But further Evidence 69 00:04:25,900 --> 00:04:29,300 has shown that Nebuchadnezzar was not really his immediate 70 00:04:29,300 --> 00:04:31,900 father. And there have been clay tablets 71 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:35,400 that have been found and they have been discovered that refer 72 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,100 to belshazzar as the son of navona Des and not 73 00:04:39,100 --> 00:04:42,200 Nebuchadnezzar. And this would thus make 74 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:46,800 belshazzar the actual grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. 75 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:51,100 Since navona, Des was married to Nebuchadnezzar's daughter. 76 00:04:51,300 --> 00:04:55,200 And in fact, it was quite common in Bible days for a and son, or 77 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:59,900 even a great-grandson to refer to some of his, his lineage 78 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:02,800 within his family as being his father. 79 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:07,000 And this is, this is quite common in the New Testament, for 80 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,500 example, because the Jews even though the Jews live 2,000 years 81 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:13,700 prior to Abraham, they still called Abraham. 82 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:17,300 Their father, even though we know for a fact that Abraham was 83 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:22,000 not there immediately their immediate father, But yet he was 84 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,700 part of the lineage. And so, this type of wording is 85 00:05:25,700 --> 00:05:29,100 quite common back, then that there's one other thing to make 86 00:05:29,100 --> 00:05:31,000 mention. While we talk about belshazzar 87 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,800 and his family and the bonus, the bonus. 88 00:05:34,900 --> 00:05:41,000 He reigned as king for Babylon, 4, total of 17 years and towards 89 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:46,200 the end of his reign as king. He then appointed, belshazzar 90 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:50,300 co-ruler, of Babylon. So we had two kings raining at 91 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:55,600 the same. Time in Babylon and so keep that 92 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,700 in mind because it makes sense. What belshazzar offers later on 93 00:05:59,700 --> 00:06:04,400 in this chapter, he offers if anyone who were to interpret the 94 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,500 writing that was written upon the wall that he would make him 95 00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:11,300 the through the third ruler in the kingdom. 96 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,600 And so belshazzar was real or number two, his father was 97 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,200 ruler. Number one and whoever made that 98 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:24,400 interpretation would be ruler. Number three, Now, so this is 99 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,900 what we know about him and his Rank and the kingdom, but 100 00:06:27,900 --> 00:06:30,600 there's something going on here in Babylon this night. 101 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:37,100 And apparently his father is not here in belshazzar is said to 102 00:06:37,108 --> 00:06:42,000 have a huge feast for thousand of his men 80s by means of 103 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,300 showing off and proclaiming a, how proud his position was 104 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:48,700 within the kingdom. And it was really when you look 105 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:52,700 at it and when you study it, it turned out to be one big drunken 106 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:58,800 party is what it ended up being. Now, he went too far this night 107 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,100 because during this party he did the unthinkable. 108 00:07:02,100 --> 00:07:08,000 As if he did have enough during this night, he had an idea and 109 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:12,200 he and so he remembered the vessels made of gold and silver, 110 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,900 which had been taken from Jerusalem, which is down there 111 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:19,300 in Judah when they were taken into Babylonian captivity. 112 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:23,200 But, you know, these vessels were no ordinary vessels. 113 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,200 That. He was calling for these. 114 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:29,200 These vessels, they had been used in the temple of the Lord 115 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:35,200 while they're in Jerusalem. And so he said, let's use those 116 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,400 vessels to celebrate and drink wine from. 117 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,500 And that's exactly what they did. 118 00:07:41,500 --> 00:07:45,200 And if we make a comparison, it's as if someone were to take 119 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,700 the emblems that we use on the Lord's supper and to take those 120 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,600 and use them for some other means other than using them for 121 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:56,200 the Lord's Supper alone. And that's exactly what happened 122 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:02,300 on this night, and even he, and, but if that wasn't bad enough, 123 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:05,800 they even Pro famed. These holy vessels even further 124 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:11,000 by dedicating these to their false gods and this is what 125 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,300 verse 4 says. He said they drank wine and 126 00:08:13,300 --> 00:08:16,500 praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood 127 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:19,300 and Stone. And that was a horrible thing 128 00:08:19,300 --> 00:08:22,800 that happened that night that they would simply disregard the 129 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:27,600 emblems of the Lord like that. And is defile them. 130 00:08:29,900 --> 00:08:31,900 Well, God knew what was going on? 131 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:34,900 And he knew what they were using. 132 00:08:36,299 --> 00:08:40,500 And Buddy he got fed up with it. He got fed up with it to the 133 00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:43,600 point that it says in verse 5, in the same hour, the fingers of 134 00:08:43,608 --> 00:08:46,400 a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite, the lampstand on the 135 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,900 plaster of the wall of the king's Palace and the King saw 136 00:08:49,900 --> 00:08:54,500 the part of the hand that wrote and just, you know, you just 137 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:56,900 just being in the midst of this party. 138 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,100 If you could just put your shoes there for just a minute. 139 00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:05,000 And you know, you're carrying on socializing do whatever that's 140 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,600 going on there that night. Now, all of a sudden, you see 141 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,400 this appearance just out of nowhere, just appear this hand, 142 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,100 does it have an arm and just a hand? 143 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,100 And just writing this on the wall. 144 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,400 The thing about that, you don't even know what it says. 145 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:25,800 Well, this got everyone's attention and it got the king's 146 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:30,800 attention because it says in verse 6, then the king's 147 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,100 countenance changed and his thoughts troubled him so that 148 00:09:34,100 --> 00:09:37,100 the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked 149 00:09:37,100 --> 00:09:40,900 against each other. Now, here's a man, here is a man 150 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,000 which was so full of Pride here a minute ago and now we find him 151 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:48,000 completely terrified after seeing what had just happened 152 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,200 with the writing on the wall and I yeah I don't know. 153 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:54,000 I just love How the scripted the Bible is here. 154 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,900 I'll know if it amuses, you as it amuses me here. 155 00:09:56,900 --> 00:10:00,700 But I'll have you've ever seen those old cartoons where maybe 156 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:03,500 one of the characters would get so afraid that all of a sudden 157 00:10:03,500 --> 00:10:06,000 his knees would start shaking against each other. 158 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,300 Well, that's what I pictured when the Bible describes us as 159 00:10:09,300 --> 00:10:11,600 his knees knocking against each other. 160 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,800 That's how terrified this King was after seeing what had 161 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,500 happened. And you talk about breaking up a 162 00:10:17,508 --> 00:10:20,100 party. Well, this party was broken up 163 00:10:20,100 --> 00:10:27,400 because of this And so he just in a panic now and so, he gave 164 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,100 the command to bring all the wise men in right away. 165 00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:33,300 So that they would be able to give the interpretation of this 166 00:10:33,300 --> 00:10:36,900 riding upon the wall. And he was so desperate to know 167 00:10:36,900 --> 00:10:39,400 what had been written. That he says, at the end of 168 00:10:39,408 --> 00:10:43,300 verse number 7, he says whoever reads this riding and tells me 169 00:10:43,300 --> 00:10:46,400 it's interpretation. There's going to be reward. 170 00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:49,700 And he said the reward is he shall be clothed with purple and 171 00:10:49,700 --> 00:10:51,600 have a chain of gold around his neck. 172 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,000 And he Shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 173 00:10:55,700 --> 00:10:59,500 And so, after this Council was given, after this, discrete 174 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:03,600 decree was a proclaimed, all of his wise, men were brought in to 175 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,500 see the writing on the wall, but there was a problem of all these 176 00:11:07,500 --> 00:11:13,500 wise men that were brought in Nobody had any idea to give the 177 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,500 interpretation or to even read what even said. 178 00:11:18,700 --> 00:11:21,200 Now, you thought belshazzar was trouble before? 179 00:11:22,700 --> 00:11:26,000 Well, verse 9 says that he is greatly troubled now because no 180 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,800 one could tell him. What it means. 181 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,100 Well, you know, word got around to the queen about what had 182 00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:38,200 happened. And it is quite obvious that she 183 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:42,300 had not been there to celebrate with the king, I don't know 184 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:45,700 where she was, but she heard what had happened and she 185 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:48,900 realized that no one could read the writing, but she comes to 186 00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:52,300 belshazzar. And you know, she has some words 187 00:11:52,300 --> 00:11:55,500 of Hope for him. And I want to read what it says 188 00:11:55,500 --> 00:11:58,200 is we pick up at the latter part of verse 10? 189 00:11:59,700 --> 00:12:05,000 Because it says the queen spoke saying O King live forever, do 190 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,300 not let your thoughts trouble. You nor late your countenance 191 00:12:07,300 --> 00:12:10,200 change? There is a man in your kingdom 192 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,000 in whom is the spirit of the holy God and the day and in the 193 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,300 days of your father liked and understanding and wisdom lack, 194 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:21,200 the wisdom of the gods were found in him and King 195 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:25,600 Nebuchadnezzar your father your father if the king made him 196 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,200 chief of The Magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and 197 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,000 soothsayers. In as much as an excellent 198 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:35,300 Spirit knowledge, understanding interpreting, dreams, solving 199 00:12:35,300 --> 00:12:39,700 riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this, Daniel whom 200 00:12:39,700 --> 00:12:43,900 the king called belches are now. Let Daniel be called. 201 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,800 And he will give the interpretation. 202 00:12:48,700 --> 00:12:52,100 Now, she had obviously known about Daniel's reputation and 203 00:12:52,100 --> 00:12:55,600 see know what he can do. And she knew why he can do what 204 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,300 he could do. And since Daniel did not fail in 205 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:00,100 the past, she thought, well, surely. 206 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,600 All these other men failed. Surely, Daniel would be able to 207 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,800 give us the interpretation because he's done. 208 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:11,900 So, in the past, And so belshazzar was all for this, I 209 00:13:11,900 --> 00:13:14,300 mean, what did he have to lose anyway? 210 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,900 Might as well give it a shot. He's pretty desperate here. 211 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,400 And so that's why he, that's what he does. 212 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,700 He calls her Daniel, and Daniel was brought in before the king 213 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:28,400 and the King said to him as I may paraphrase here. 214 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,900 You know, I've heard about you. I have heard that you have the 215 00:13:30,900 --> 00:13:33,100 spirit of God in you, and I've heard that, you have great 216 00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:36,900 understanding. You've got great wisdom to And 217 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:38,800 then he said, now here's the situation. 218 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:42,500 I have brought all these wise men before me, in order that 219 00:13:42,500 --> 00:13:44,700 they may read to me what the writing on the wall means. 220 00:13:44,700 --> 00:13:46,900 And they have all failed in doing so. 221 00:13:48,100 --> 00:13:53,400 And now I have heard that you can give interpretations and and 222 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,500 I'll tell you what, if you give the interpretation of what's 223 00:13:56,500 --> 00:14:00,000 written here on this wall, I'll give you something. 224 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:01,700 I will offer you something great. 225 00:14:01,700 --> 00:14:04,400 I will clothe you with royal purple, give you a gold chain 226 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:07,200 around your neck. And I'll tell you what, I'll 227 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:12,000 even make you third under me. As ruler in this Kingdom. 228 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,900 Well, Daniel stood there and he heard all this that was offered 229 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:21,200 to him. And of course, it was quite an 230 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,800 app, an offer? But it's interesting what Daniel 231 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:29,900 replied back to him. Because it says in verse 17, the 232 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:33,100 Daniel answered and said before the king, let your gifts before 233 00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:36,700 yourself. And give you rewards to another 234 00:14:36,700 --> 00:14:39,500 yet. I will read the writing to the 235 00:14:39,500 --> 00:14:45,100 king and make known to him the interpretation, and this is out 236 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:47,600 of it, strikes. You as it strikes me, but it's a 237 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,400 pretty noble thing that Daniel does here because he doesn't, 238 00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:53,100 he's not looking for her for possessions here. 239 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:58,000 He's not looking for power. He could have easily gained it 240 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,700 but he's not looking for that. That's not as course while 241 00:15:01,700 --> 00:15:05,400 they're in Babylon. He that he wasn't going to tell 242 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,400 him there. If the only the interpretation 243 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,600 just for his own personal gain here and he told him he was 244 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,200 going to tell him and he could just, you know, if he wants to 245 00:15:16,208 --> 00:15:18,200 reward someone reward someone else. 246 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,300 But he's going to be able to give the interpretation for free 247 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:27,000 and what a difference this is between Daniel and some of this 248 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:33,600 world who Proclaim God's word today, you know we see from time 249 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,100 to time, you know, televangelists they do this. 250 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:38,400 I mean, and others in denominations. 251 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,600 Have it a goal to preach in order that they may gain, 252 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,400 possessions it for some assistive business to them, it's 253 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:50,200 an easy living for them. And some would even use a means 254 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,900 of proclaiming God's word in order for power and these are 255 00:15:54,900 --> 00:15:57,600 all the wrong motives to Proclaim God's word. 256 00:15:57,900 --> 00:16:00,600 You know, when we proclaim the truth from the word of God, to 257 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,500 some person or some group of people, we should never have the 258 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:07,500 motive of trying to earn something from that. 259 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:12,500 God's word should be freely proclaimed to anybody and we 260 00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:16,000 should feel privileged enough to even have the opportunity to 261 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,700 tell someone about. Out how they could be saved to 262 00:16:18,700 --> 00:16:22,100 the Glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 263 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:24,600 And I'm telling you people should be put to shame for 264 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,700 having the wrong motives of proclaiming the gospel of 265 00:16:27,700 --> 00:16:33,600 Christ. And certainly God knows their 266 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,800 motives and they will be held accountable for their 267 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,900 intentions. We'll get him back to Daniel. 268 00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:45,100 He now tells belshazzar the reason for the writing on the 269 00:16:45,100 --> 00:16:48,100 wall. He begins by telling of what 270 00:16:48,100 --> 00:16:53,500 happened to Nebuchadnezzar and so he says in verse eighteen, O 271 00:16:53,500 --> 00:16:56,300 King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father 272 00:16:56,300 --> 00:17:00,200 Hakeem and Majesty glory and honor and because of the Majesty 273 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,700 that he gave him all peoples Nations and languages trembled, 274 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:06,500 and feared before him whomever. He wished. 275 00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:11,200 He executed whomever he wished. He kept alive whomever he 276 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,400 wished. He set up and whomever he wished 277 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:18,700 he put down. But when his heart was lifted 278 00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:21,599 up. And his Spirit was hardened and 279 00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:25,000 pride. He was deposed from his kingly 280 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,700 throne and they took his glory from him, then he was driven 281 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:32,900 from the sons of man, his heart was made like the beasts, and 282 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:35,100 his ruling was like the wild donkeys. 283 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:37,500 They fed him with grass, like oxen. 284 00:17:37,500 --> 00:17:39,600 And his body was wet with the Dew of Heaven. 285 00:17:39,700 --> 00:17:42,800 Till he knew that the most high God rules in the Kingdom of men 286 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,200 and appoints over at whomever he chooses. 287 00:17:45,700 --> 00:17:50,400 Now, we discussed this very thing this morning, Of what 288 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,500 happened to Nebuchadnezzar and really, this is something that 289 00:17:53,500 --> 00:17:56,600 happened 20 years. There's about a 20 year time 290 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:01,800 span between chapter 4 and now chapter 5, And surely belches 291 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,600 our new of what happened to his grandfather. 292 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:09,600 Nebuchadnezzar, according to what he says in verse number 22 293 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,600 and we all know you know God humbled him due to his pride. 294 00:18:14,100 --> 00:18:17,200 But the question is this, why in the world would Daniel called 295 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,400 the mind of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar? 296 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,700 When they're trying to discuss the in the writing and the 297 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:28,500 interpretation of the writing, I mean that is high priority here. 298 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:31,300 Why bring in Nebuchadnezzar at this point. 299 00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:36,800 Well, the reasons found a verse number 22 here. 300 00:18:39,300 --> 00:18:44,000 But you his son, belshazzar. Have not humbled your heart. 301 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:49,000 Although you do all this, and you have lifted yourself up 302 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,500 against the Lord of Heaven, they have brought the vessels of his 303 00:18:52,500 --> 00:18:55,400 house before you, and you, and your lord, your wives and your 304 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,200 concubines have drunk wine from them. 305 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,200 And have praised, the gods of silver and gold, bronze, and 306 00:19:01,208 --> 00:19:06,000 iron wood and stone, which do not see or hear, or know, and 307 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,900 The God Who holds your breath in his hand and owns all your ways, 308 00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:14,700 you have not, Fide. Now he makes a stomp strong 309 00:19:14,700 --> 00:19:18,200 contrast here, between the false gods and the almighty God here. 310 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,900 Daniel told him that he praised these Gods by using these. 311 00:19:21,900 --> 00:19:25,000 Holy vessels, from the Lord's House, and the fact of the 312 00:19:25,008 --> 00:19:29,300 matter was the gods, whom he was praising, they'd even see that 313 00:19:29,300 --> 00:19:32,500 even here, they didn't even know, they were being praised, 314 00:19:32,500 --> 00:19:35,700 you know why? It's because they didn't exist. 315 00:19:35,700 --> 00:19:43,300 That's why It was all in vain. But here's a striking contrast, 316 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:48,400 the very one whom they were not praising, was the one who was in 317 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:53,300 control of all things. He even helped belshazzar breath 318 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:57,100 in his own hand and since he had done this during this party, on 319 00:19:57,100 --> 00:20:01,200 this very evening, God wrote the god wrote on the wall, and 320 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,400 here's the meaning of that writing as Daniel goes on to 321 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,700 gives the interpretation. He says there in verse number 322 00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:11,300 25, and this is the inscription that is written many many Tech L 323 00:20:11,500 --> 00:20:17,900 you farce in. this is the interpretation of each word men 324 00:20:17,900 --> 00:20:24,600 a God has numbered your kingdom and finished, it Tech L you have 325 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:30,100 been weighed in the balances and found wanting Paris, your 326 00:20:30,100 --> 00:20:34,700 kingdom has been divided and given to the medes and Persians. 327 00:20:35,900 --> 00:20:39,300 And so, these words here, holds huge meeting and the key meaning 328 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:42,500 to each word is as follows. He gives the word many. 329 00:20:42,700 --> 00:20:46,800 And it's, and it basically means numbered and tech hell, 330 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,000 basically means Wade. And then when you get to Paris, 331 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,900 or this is, the Paris is actually the singular form of 332 00:20:52,900 --> 00:20:55,900 the word of you Farson here and it means division. 333 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:00,800 And so the message is It's to put it all into one lump. 334 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,200 Sum belshazzar's Kingdom have been numbered for Destruction. 335 00:21:04,300 --> 00:21:08,200 And the King himself is weighed and he is found wanting, and the 336 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,300 kingdom has to be taken away, and it is to be given to another 337 00:21:11,300 --> 00:21:13,700 outside force another outside nation. 338 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,100 And after giving the interpretation, they came did 339 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:21,500 just as he said, he would he gave the command to Claude 340 00:21:21,500 --> 00:21:24,500 Daniel and Royal Purple. He gave him a Golden Chain. 341 00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:27,700 That was hung around his neck and Daniel was then a pound. 342 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,400 Appointed third rank in the whole Kingdom. 343 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:36,200 Well, as we know, Daniel didn't want this. 344 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:40,200 But Daniel would just went along with it. 345 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,900 It meant nothing to him but here's the irony of though. 346 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:51,200 He was Daniel was appointed third in the rule of nothing. 347 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:57,400 You know, why? Well while all this was going on 348 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:02,900 that night while belshazzar was having this big drunken party, 349 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,700 there was something going on outside the city walls, 350 00:22:07,700 --> 00:22:12,500 something huge going on. The medes and the Persians had 351 00:22:12,500 --> 00:22:16,400 been camped out there for some time and they had their mindset 352 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,100 to conquer Babylon. And will this do not bring any 353 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:23,900 fair to belshazzar, the people or the, or even Babylon because 354 00:22:24,300 --> 00:22:27,400 they thought their walls could keep anybody out. 355 00:22:27,900 --> 00:22:30,000 And so they just didn't pay much mind to them. 356 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,100 After all, what harm could they do to us? 357 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:34,100 If they can't even get through all wall? 358 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,700 But what they didn't know was that the medes and the Persians 359 00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:40,900 had been working out a plan for some time. 360 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,900 You see, you remember the Euphrates river, which had 361 00:22:44,900 --> 00:22:46,800 flowed right underneath the walls of that City. 362 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,600 And they thought this they thought if we could just get in 363 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:56,300 that way, somehow And so what they did was this, by building 364 00:22:56,300 --> 00:23:00,600 upon that idea, they went Upstream for quite some distance 365 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,900 and they diverted the water in order to drain the flow water 366 00:23:03,900 --> 00:23:06,700 down into the riverbed of Babylon. 367 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:11,600 And when the flow of water had been stopped into Babylon, then 368 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,000 this then gave them the chance to March, right? 369 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,300 In underneath that City through that riverbed. 370 00:23:18,300 --> 00:23:23,100 And the conquered the city. And so this was their plan. 371 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:26,900 So while belshazzar was having this big party, sure enough 372 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:31,000 here, they came here, they came marching down that River bed and 373 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,100 they made their way underneath that wall. 374 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,100 Now remember, they had added security underneath that wall. 375 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,300 They had gate set up, so just in case anyone tried to swim 376 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:44,300 underneath their way into the city that they would be stopped. 377 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,900 But there was something that's very interesting Providence. 378 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:52,100 Well, that happened that night. As they made their way 379 00:23:52,100 --> 00:23:57,100 underneath that wall. Someone had let the gates open. 380 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,900 And the medes and the Persians March, right? 381 00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:03,000 In the city, and they overtook it. 382 00:24:05,100 --> 00:24:10,200 And you know, this is something that had been prophesied 175 383 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,600 years before it happened on this night. 384 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:19,000 In fact, Isaiah wrote about Cyrus in Isaiah chapter 45 verse 385 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:23,000 has one through five and told how he was anointed or he was 386 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,800 chosen for a special purpose, to subdue Nations to loose the 387 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,800 armor of Kings and the Lord would be behind him in this and 388 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:36,300 would make sure that the gates would not Shut when he does 389 00:24:36,300 --> 00:24:40,200 this. And so, this is all part of the 390 00:24:40,208 --> 00:24:45,200 Lord's work here. He used a human Nation to bring 391 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,600 Babylon to a fall. You know nobody thought it could 392 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,900 happen not even the king himself but it did happen this night. 393 00:24:52,900 --> 00:24:58,200 And it happened in the year, 538 BC, the follow Babylon. 394 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,500 Well, here's what happened to belshazzar because of this, and 395 00:25:02,508 --> 00:25:05,100 verse number 30 that very night. Belshazzar, the king of the 396 00:25:05,100 --> 00:25:09,900 Chaldeans was slain And as a result of the King's death, the 397 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:13,700 very next verse says and Darius the mede received the kingdom 398 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:19,100 being about 62 years old. And thus ends the reign of a 399 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:23,400 powerful Empire. God said he would do it and he 400 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,200 carried out his plan by proving he truly. 401 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,800 Does rule the kingdoms of men and Rises Kings up and takes 402 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:35,500 them down by his mighty power. But what can we learn from this 403 00:25:35,500 --> 00:25:40,600 last night here in Babylon? Well, I believe, we could 404 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,500 remember three things or learn three things from this. 405 00:25:44,300 --> 00:25:47,400 Number one, you will remember how belshazzar used the holy 406 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,900 vessels from the Lord's House and you filed them by drinking 407 00:25:49,900 --> 00:25:53,100 wine and praising other gods. Well, you know, the Bible 408 00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:57,900 teaches along the same line to make an application here that we 409 00:25:57,900 --> 00:25:59,600 are. We are vessels as well. 410 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:03,200 And those of us who have obeyed, the gospel, and are in, his 411 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,500 kingdom are considered vessels in the Lord's House. 412 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,800 I mean, consider what Paul wrote In what he wrote, Wrote to 413 00:26:09,808 --> 00:26:14,200 Timothy, because he wrote second Timothy Chapter 2, and we'll 414 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,800 read their verse 15 and skipped a verse 19. 415 00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:21,300 Second Timothy, 2, verse 15 says, be diligent to present 416 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:25,600 yourself approved to God a worker, who does not need to be 417 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,300 ashamed, rightly dividing, the word of Truth. 418 00:26:28,300 --> 00:26:31,600 And then verse 19 says nevertheless the solid 419 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:36,400 foundation of God stands having this seal the Lord knows those 420 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:41,400 who are his and let everyone who Names, the name of Christ depart 421 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,700 from iniquity, but in a great house there are not only vessels 422 00:26:45,700 --> 00:26:48,900 of gold and silver but also of wood and Clay, some for honor 423 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:53,500 and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses 424 00:26:53,500 --> 00:26:59,300 himself from the ladder, he will be a vessel for Honor Sanctified 425 00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:04,600 and useful for the master prepared for every good work. 426 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,700 You see here. Paul is telling Timothy that if 427 00:27:07,700 --> 00:27:10,000 you're going to be a vessel in the Lord's healthy and the 428 00:27:10,008 --> 00:27:13,000 Lord's House, you ought to be a vessel that is pure. 429 00:27:13,300 --> 00:27:15,600 You ought to be a vessel. That's holy, you ought to be a 430 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:20,800 vessel that's without iniquity and we and so we are vessels. 431 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:24,400 That should always seek God's ways and do them at all times 432 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:27,900 and we should be working instruments for the Lord after 433 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:32,300 all Paul stayed in verse 21 that we should be as a vessel that is 434 00:27:32,300 --> 00:27:37,400 useful for the master. And this requires action and it 435 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,500 requires effort and it requires work and it does not mean that 436 00:27:41,500 --> 00:27:43,800 we are idle in our Christian lives. 437 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,000 I mean, what kind of a vessel are we in the Lord's house? 438 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,200 If we simply don't do anything about it. 439 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,300 If we don't know our Bible, if we don't come to worship as 440 00:27:53,300 --> 00:27:57,200 often as we should, how can we be useful for the master if 441 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,300 we're Idols in these thing? And in these areas and in other 442 00:28:00,300 --> 00:28:06,200 areas as well, We have to be useful for the master. 443 00:28:07,700 --> 00:28:10,800 And remember how belches are defiled the vessels. 444 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:15,300 We too can do the same by defiling ourselves by allowing 445 00:28:15,300 --> 00:28:20,700 sin into our lives and simply not doing anything about it and 446 00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:25,100 just letting it dwell there. You know, the Lord was fed up 447 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:27,000 with belshazzar In This Very Act. 448 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,800 And I'm afraid he'll be fed up with this to if we're not 449 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,300 careful. And if we choose not to repent 450 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,600 of what we allow within our lives. 451 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,100 And so let us strive to be vessels which are christ-like in 452 00:28:40,100 --> 00:28:43,500 all that we do and make the most of our time and praise and 453 00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:47,100 admiration to him who has even allowed us to be his children. 454 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:51,100 But secondly, just as we learned this morning from 455 00:28:51,100 --> 00:28:56,100 Nebuchadnezzar, we find that Pride goes before a fall, and it 456 00:28:56,100 --> 00:29:00,800 is no different with belshazzar. He too thought everything was 457 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,700 going great. He was king of a great Empire. 458 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,700 And he thought things were going to last for a long time. 459 00:29:07,300 --> 00:29:10,100 And so, what more reason to celebrate, and the Puffs himself 460 00:29:10,100 --> 00:29:12,400 up by hosting a huge party for himself. 461 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,200 But the fact of the matter is, we saw already the Lord called 462 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:20,800 him on that night And his Reign would end and his kingdom would 463 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,200 fall. And certainly again the messages 464 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,400 Proclaim that certainly Pride goes before a fall. 465 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:34,600 Just as it did his grandfather. But then, thirdly and lastly. 466 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,600 As well as part of the writing on the wall, the King was 467 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:44,300 weighed in the balances. and the sad thing is he was found 468 00:29:44,300 --> 00:29:50,700 wanting You know, belshazzar's not the only one who will be 469 00:29:50,700 --> 00:29:55,000 weighed in the balances. Because we too will be weighed 470 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:58,300 by our life, in the balances of God's word at the judgment to 471 00:29:58,308 --> 00:30:01,800 come. And this is how listen how it's 472 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,900 going to be in 2nd Corinthians 5 and 10 for, we must all appear 473 00:30:05,900 --> 00:30:07,900 before the Judgment seat of Christ. 474 00:30:08,700 --> 00:30:11,400 That each one may receive the things done in the body, 475 00:30:12,100 --> 00:30:17,700 according to what he has done, whether good or bad, And then, 476 00:30:17,700 --> 00:30:21,800 Romans 14 and 12. So then each of us shall give 477 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:29,000 account of himself to God. We thank you for listening to 478 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:33,800 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 479 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:37,300 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 480 00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:40,600 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 481 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:46,100 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 482 00:30:46,100 --> 00:30:48,500 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 483 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:54,400 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 484 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,900 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 485 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,600 We would love for you to be our honored guest.