Text: Daniel 5

Dear Brethren,

DEADLY WORLDLY WAYS
Daniel did not record the death of Nebuchadnezzar. He didn't have to, for he was not chronicling the life of the king. He was only singling out certain important aspects of Nebuchadnezzar's life insofar as it reflected the glory of God.

A new king had arisen. Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar had ascended the throne. Apparently, he had not learned the lessons that his father had learned in his lifetime. Belshazzar was taken up with deadly worldly ways.

Belshazzar was very much taken up with feasting. On one occasion he had a thousand guests. In a drunken state, he asked for

"The gold vessels that had been taken
from the Temple of the House of God which
had been in Jerusalem…" Daniel 5:3

Without any regard for the sacred vessels,

"The king and his lords,
his wives, and his concubines
drank from them.
They drank wine, and praised the gods
Of gold and silver, bronze and iron,
Wood and stone."
Daniel. 5:3,4

How deadly are worldly ways! Wine had intoxicated the king of Babylon. He had taken leave of his senses. He was mocking the God of the Jews, whom his father had recognized and acknowledged (Daniel 4:36)! Are we caught up with deadly worldly ways?

THE WRITING ON THE WALL
The King of Babylon must have reveled in the might of his inherited kingdom. It was a rich and powerful kingdom. Surely his gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, etc were so powerful no one could ever defeat them. What a wonderful reason to celebrate!

In the midst of the revelry, something happened that frightened the wits out of the king,

"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. Then the king's countenance changed…" Daniel 5:5,6

Only One Person could have stopped Belshazzar in his tracks! God - whom the king had despised and mocked had stopped him cold! How foolish to mock God!

Prayerfully,                                                                             

Pastor Charlie

First released 24 June 2001, © Bethany Independent-Presbyterian Church, Singapore