Belshazzar’s Banquet
Belshazzar is the king of Babylon. The Medes had surrounded the city and all the country had fallen but the city was virtually impregnable. Belshazzar, in defiance threw a riotous Banquet … to should he had no fear.
Compare Esther 1:3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
As the party progressed, the wine flowed, immorality was in order as the women were brought in and then the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem. He and his drunken co-horts used these dedicated vessels for praising their gods.
Compare 2 Chronicles 36:10And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. Then, when all is going well, A HAND STARTED TO WRITE ON THE WALL! …Just a hand, no body attached.
It wrote 4 words “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN”!
FEAR struck the heart of Belshazzar, the evil king.
His knees knocked so bad, they thought someone was at the door.
5:6-10 Finally, in fear, the king called for his wise mem. But even with the promise of reward, third highest in the kingdom, these men could not read or interpret the message. Terror struck their hearts … Fear ripped their souls!
5:11-17 And then Daniel is called for. With the same rewards promised the King pleaded with Daniel.
5:18-23 Daniel replied “Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation”.
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN is Numbered, Numbered, Weighted, Divided!
5:24-28 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
5:29-31 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
As we read the story, we are aghast at the king. The nerve of him, using God’s golden vessels for his riotous party. BUT how many are guilty of the same thing?
The world is besieged by Satan, the devil. And we are having a banquet!
Those around us are dying, going to hell, and we are using God’s vessel for our own pleasure.
God’s Vessels? … Yes, our bodies!
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; …
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1 Corinthians 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
1 Peter 1:19-20 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Believers who drink, dance, attend evil movies, worry, gossip, speak filthiness, foolishness, covet, are hateful, serving our own lusts etc. …
Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: …
2 Timothy 3:2-7 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, …
The handwriting is on the wall (actually in the Scripture)!
Our days are numbered! Our actions are weighted and we are found wanting.
Romans 2:1-6 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Before we think too harshly about Belshazzar’s Banquet …
How’s yours going?
Continue Daniel 6 Lions den
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