As we have studied the book of Daniel, we have noticed some wonderful men of God who really lived a godly life in an ungodly world. It must be readily admitted that Daniel chapter five leans more towards a gospel application. What a message it beings to lost souls.
A
man who treated the things of God with contempt, one who knew all about God and
his power, a man who was told that his number was literally up. No wonder his knees knocked together and
that night he was slain. A message that carries many warnings to those without
Christ. As I study this Chapter I want you to note some more guidance on living
a godly life in this ungodly world.
We
want to see the need to avoid that which the world worships.
These
verses, although written some two thousand five hundred years ago, are very
applicable to the day in which we live. Today we find the world still
worshipping these gods, perhaps unconsciously at times. Let’s try and capture
the scene here at Belshazzar’s great feast.
Babylon
was under siege at this time. Already the King Nabonidus had been captured.
Most of the kingdom had fallen to the Medes and Persians; only the capital city
was left and the enemy’s troops where literally at the gate of the city.
Belshazzar was quite sure that this city was impregnable. Around the city was a great wall; some say it was three hundred feet high and eighty feet wide. Chariots could actually ride around the city walls; it would make Derry’s walls look like a little stone hedge. One hundred great bronze gates were in the walls and around the top there were over one hundred watchtowers.
It
is said that within the city they had enough food stockpiled to keep them going
for twenty years and the technology to produce more food. Around the outside of
the walls was a moat fed by the great river Euphrates that actually ran under
the city walls and kept them with a supply of water.
No
wonder they had no fear. They looked at the walls they had built, they looked
at the city’s defences, they looked at their supply of food and in spite of the
fact that the enemy was at the gate, Belshazzar throws a party. One thing they
had totally disregarded was God’s word, remember our studies from Daniel two,
how Babylon would fall.
Daniel 2:38-39 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. [39] And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
This
is a story of a complacent people written two thousand five hundred years ago,
but we could write it about this day in which we live. God’s word has declared
that judgement will fall on sinful man but instead of preparation we have
parties.
Daniel
5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great
feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
A thousand of his lords were there. When archaeologists excavated Babylon they discovered banqueting halls, which could hold ten thousand people. The lords, their ladies and their servants were all present, what a night, what a party. Wine, women and song. Dancing, drinking and all kinds of debauchery. It’s like reading the daily newspaper. While judgement looms on this world many sadly like Belshazzar turn a blind eye to the danger and live as if nothing is going to happen.
Let’s
notice the world worshipping here and lets make sure as God’s people we avoid
that which the world worships.
1.
Indulgence.
We
live in a pleasure crazy world, fun, fun, fun and more fun, party after
party. How many if asked the reason for
living would say, “we live for the weekend.” One survey revealed in the U.S.A.
that giving to churches was three and a half billion dollars. Money spent on
pleasure was one hundred and fifty billion dollars.
Someone
has said, “It now costs more to amuse a child than it once did to educate his
father.”
What
does God’s word say about the last days? Look at second Timothy.
2
Tim. 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
It
should read lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god. Men will have no love for God they will only
be living for pleasure. What a selfish, self-centred attitude. We must examine
our own hearts and ask is there real love for God in our hearts? Are we as God’s people not also becoming
pleasure-seeking individuals?
The
choice often is a good programme on TV or the prayer meeting? If we have a busy
week, we need a night in. Let’s forsake the place of prayer but not the place
of pleasure? We fail to remember real pleasure is found in putting God first,
that is putting Christ first. Many
churches have become pleasure centres to try and get people in or to keep them.
We find many activities creeping into Churches, yoga classes, keep fit, musical
evenings and entertainment galore.
Are
we lovers of God? Test yourself with the following.
Is
his word a delight?
Psalm
1:2 But his delight is in the law of
the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalm
119:16 I will delight myself in thy
statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Is
his will our delight?
Psalm
40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my
God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Does
his warmth delight us?
Song
2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the
sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet
to my taste.
Can
we truly sing, just to be near the dear Lord I adore, that will be glory for
me?
Does
his willingness delight us?
Psalm
94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts
within me thy comforts delight my soul.
In
all our confused thoughts do we delight in his comfort?
Does
the wonder of him delight us?
Psalm
37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of
thine heart.
Are we lovers of God or
are we lovers of pleasure?
Are we yielded to God? That will bring pleasure to him.
Are we yielding to the
god of pleasure?
2.
Intoxication.
We are told in verse one that Belshazzar ‘drank wine before the thousand.’
There
are many contentious subjects, which from time to time have to be dealt with.
If you like touchy subjects, something that you know will upset some people for
instance, divorce. It is hard to believe that alcohol, in some churches is a
contentious subject. For a Pastor to speak out against alcohol and say for the
child of God it is a ‘no,’ in some churches he would find himself bearing the
brunt of much criticism.
Should
Christians drink alcohol?
Let’s look at verse two.
Daniel
5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the
wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father
Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the
king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
We
can see from the words, ‘whiles he tasted the wine,’ Belshazzar had what the world calls Dutch courage. He did something he normally wouldn’t, but
under the influence of alcohol he was a big fellow. Should that not warn
Christians away from alcohol?
We
are told to walk as children of light.
Ephes.
5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as
children of light:
That
involves having no fellowship with certain things.
Ephes.
5:11 And have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Paul
also said in Romans.
Romans
12:9 Let love be without
dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Here
in Romans Paul is saying, shudder away from anything evil, dangerous or
harmful. Be honest, is alcohol a force for destruction misery and horror?
Consider some of the following statistics.
Alcohol is the main
factor in the death of one thousand children each year.
Alcohol is the main
factor in the death of half of drivers under twenty-five who are killed.
Alcohol is implicated in
half of all recorded crime, including half of all murders.
Alcohol is implicated in
half of all child abuse cases.
Alcohol is implicated in
half of all wife battering.
Could
it be called evil or dangerous?
What
does God’s word say?
Proverbs
23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow?
who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who
hath redness of eyes?
Look
at the language used here, woe, sorrow, and wounds without cause. How many suffered from a night of boozing,
and it felt like someone has given them a beating. What is the writer talking
about? Just to be sure look at the next verse.
Proverbs
23:30 They that tarry long at the wine;
they that go to seek mixed wine.
Now
consider how the product is sold to us. Look at verse thirty one.
Proverbs
23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in
the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
It
is sold as being attractive and very appealing. Now look at verse thirty two for the results of drinking.
Proverbs
23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
It
bites and stings; it is Satan’s beverage. It can lead to all sorts of Lust and
profanity. Drink can make a man do that which he wouldn’t normally do, it can
make a man say that which he wouldn’t when sober. That’s what verse
thirty-three teach us.
Proverbs
23:33 Thine eyes shall behold strange
women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
It
causes men and women to be sick.
Proverbs
23:34-35 Yea, thou shalt be as he that
lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
[35] They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have
beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
It
can become addictive, look at the end of verse thirty-five. “When shall I
awake? I will seek it yet again.”
Proverbs
20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Should
Christians drink? Let’s not worship the god of intoxication. Much of the
information I have used here I read in Peter Masters book of the self-same
title. Should Christians drink?
In his book he describes alcohol as,“Satan’s fermented river of false hope, false consolation, false happiness, false courage and it is his way of binding millions to the world”
Royal college of psychiatrists stated, “Alcohol our favourite
drug, it is potentially a dangerous and addictive drug, the danger is vastly
greater than that caused by heroin addiction.”
In
1867 Fred Charington, a millionaire heir to a brewery business, was passing a
public house. He saw poor raggedly
clothed woman with two little children clutching on to her skirt, crying with
hunger. The woman went to the pub door
called out for her husband, suddenly the man rushed out and battered his wife
and two children to the ground. On
seeing the Charington family name on the door Fred Charington said, “You have
knocked me out of the business,” and he renounced his fortune.
Should
Christians be any different today?
3.
Irreverence.
As
we continue to consider that which the world worships let’s examine again verse
two.
Daniel
5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the
wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar
had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his
princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
We live in an irreverent world. The only way that comedians seem to be able to get laughs is to curse the very God of heaven. The more outrageous the pop stars the more they are esteemed.
Belshazzar
took things that were precious in the sight of God and used them in a
diabolical manner. He was mocking the God of heaven, little realising that he
had signed his own death notice. God’s word clearly teaches:
Galatians
6:7 Be not deceived; God is not
mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
This
Old World mocks God. They just want to be as irreverent as possible. Things
that are special to the Lord that are treated with contempt. His name, his word
and even the Lord’s Day. There is
something else that is precious to God
and yet treated with contempt by the world. There are some vessels that
God really loves that God cares about and provides for.
2
Tim. 2:21 If a man therefore purge
himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for
the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
God’s
people can be vessels unto honour for him; his people are precious in his
sight.
How
his precious peoples can be subject to the hatred of this world system.
We
are thinking of avoiding that which the world worships.
4.
Immorality.
Again
let us look at the verse number two.
Daniel
5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and
silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple
which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his
concubines, might drink therein.
You
can see that the wives were mentioned in verse two. Women in the east were not
supposed to be at the feasts. History
records all sorts of lewd behaviour at these feasts. Immorality is rife in this
world, especially sexual immorality
that which is precious, that which is a gift from God has been dragged into the
mire and filth of this world.
Hebrews
13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and
adulterers God will judge.
Marriage
is not honoured. It is God’s design that the sexual relationships between men
and woman should only be satisfied within the marriage bond. God’s word clearly
warns against sexual immorality.
1
Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Romans
13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the
flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Don’t
make provision; don’t make it easy for the devil.
Let
us notice finally as we consider that which the world worships:
5.
Idolatry.
Daniel
5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of
iron, of wood, and of stone.
As
you read the list of God’s in verse four, we are surely reminded that Satan has
a god to meet every class and creed, Gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and
stone. Praise God. We have been
delivered from such to serve the true and living God.
Let’s
follow Daniel’s example, look at verse thirteen.
Daniel
5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said
unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity
of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
Daniel
obviously wasn’t at the party. May we not party with this indulgent,
irreverent, intoxicated, immoral and idolatrous world.
We want to avoid
that which the world worships.
We
want now to “Acknowledge that the writing is on the wall.”
Some
people are killjoys; you are having a
bit of fun and along comes this sour, and miserable and long faced person and
the fun ends. This party was about to
come to a sudden end, but it wasn’t a killjoy, it was the God of heaven. Let’s
look at verse five.
Daniel
5:5 In the same hour came forth
fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the
plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the
hand that wrote.
Notice
it says, “In the same hour.” At that moment, the music was at its loudest the
dancing was brilliant and the drink was flowing. [It probably tasted better out
of these holy vessels] What fun, what a feast, what a frolic, but oh, what fear
struck the heart of the king.
The fingers of a man’s hand appeared and were writing a message on the wall. God had to take drastic measures to get the men and women to listen. How they sat up the party stopped and the music stopped. On the titanic the music played while the ship sank, here the music stopped, for the party was over!
Oh,
dear child of God, learn this lesson well. God has a way of speaking and making
us listen. Perhaps the Lord has challenged you, rebuked you and corrected you,
but it’s in one ear and out of the other. It is never allowed too affect your
heart. God has a way of making us listen, perhaps he will have to take drastic
measures to get you to listen.
Torches
on the walls would light this banqueting hall so the Lord wrote on the wall
near the lampstand, the place of greatest light. There was no mistaking this was God’s word, there was no claim of
ignorance. Look at verse six.
Daniel
5:6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so
that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against
another.
What
a fright the King received. His very countenance was changed. His thoughts
troubled him, his very knees knocked together. Let’s read verse seven.
Daniel
5:7 The king cried aloud to bring in
the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and
said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me
the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of
gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
There
is saying, not a very scriptural one, third time lucky. Well for these wise men it certainly wasn’t
for the third time in this book, we find them hopelessly lost with no answer.
Belshazzar does what the ungodly do; he throws money at the problem. A problem is never a problem if money will solve it. He offers a chain around their neck, scarlet robes. When you see the scarlet robes and chains in Papist circles you know where they came from don’t you? Way down in the idolatrous capital of the world, Babylon.
Just
in passing, notice he promised to make them third ruler in the kingdom.
Remember what we said in our opening study how that Nabodinus was the king and Belshazzar
was acting in his
absence, this is a wonderful book. Let’s move on to verse eight.
Daniel
5:8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing,
nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
They
could read it but they couldn’t understand it. It’s the same today wise men may
read God’s word but they don’t understand it.
When it comes to understanding God’s word, it doesn’t matter what degree,
diplomas or titles ,one may have, if they are not born again, they just cannot
understand it. Paul explains why in first Corinthians.
1 Cor. 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The
wise men failed once again. Look at verse nine.
Daniel
5:9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed
in him, and his lords were astonied.
Actually they only made matters worse. The music, laughter and dancing all seemed so insignificant now. The fingers of God appeared and had written a message on the wall.
Lets
just consider the finger of God and this writing that appeared. I wonder is
there a lesson for believers as we consider the finger of God?
Let’s
go back to Exodus eight.
Let’s see how
God silenced the pretenders.
God
send the first plague upon Egypt and rivers turned into blood.
Exodus 7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
The
magicians were able to copy God as we can see from the next verse.
Exodus
7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's
heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.
Then
came the plague of frogs.
Exodus 8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
The
magicians again were able to do the same.
Exodus
8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon
the land of Egypt.
Then
God sent the lice.
Exodus
8:17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote
the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of
the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
The
magicians tried again but this time things were different look at verse
eighteen.
Exodus
8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but
they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
What
conclusion did they come to?
Exodus
8:19 Then the magicians said unto
Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he
hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
God let them go so far and no further. They acknowledge that this is the finger of God. Here we see their limits but we see also the unlimited power of God. The world can go so far, but God has no limits. May this assure us that God is for us and his power is unlimited. Surely there has been times when God has brought us out of difficult circumstances and we had to bow down and acknowledge this was the finger of God.
When the world says its
over, the master says no we’ve just begun.
In the darkest of night,
whether rain or in sunshine, don’t be afraid.
Next we can see the
finger of God reminds us of the solemness of his precepts.
Let’s
look at Exodus thirty-one for another reference to the finger of God.
Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Here
we discover that the commandments were written with the finger of God. Perhaps
the finger of God is not needed for our assurance but for our censure.
One of the lessons
we learn as children is that it is bad manners to point.
Perhaps
Gods’ finger is pointing at some believer because you haven’t obeyed his word?
Is
God’s finger pointing because we have broken his commandments?
When
man points, its cheeky, when God points it’s conviction.
When
man points you’re raging, when God points it’s repentance he wants.
.
Moses
was given the tablets of stone written with the finger of God. How solemn
anything written with the finger of God is.
Let’s consider another example indicating the source of his power.
The
lord was accused by his enemies of casting down demons in the power of
Beelzebub. The lord turned the argument
around and said:
Luke
11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of
God is come upon you.
Such
were the works of Christ that it couldn’t be the work of Satan.
Luke
11:17-18 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house
falleth. [18] If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom
stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
The
Lord explains how he was destroying Satan’s kingdom; it was by the power of
God. God’s fingerprints were all over the Lord’s work.
Is
God’s fingerprint on our work?
Is
it such that we could say, this is the finger of God?
Let’ see the finger of
God stopping the professors.
John 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
The
Pharisees bring along this woman to accuse her of adultery.
John
8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus
stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them
not.
Here
again is the finger of God. We know not
what was written, but the Lord’s question probably gives us some idea.
John
8:7 So when they continued asking
him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among
you, let him first cast a stone at her.
Look
at the result.
John
8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out
one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left
alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
The finger of God exposed their hypocrisy. They were false professors, and they didn’t really know God. Let’s make sure there is no hypocrisy in our lives. The finger of God will expose it. The finger of God cannot be ignored.
We see the finger of God involved in the saint’s pardon.
Col.
2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of
the way, nailing it to his cross;
The
handwriting was against us we were condemned by the law of God, and destined
for hell. The handwriting was against
us and God must punish our sin.
Christ
took it out of the way, took it out of the midst and nailed it to the cross.
The
writing that was against us is gone.
The writing, in the book of the record of our sin is clear. The Lamb’s
book of life has our names written there.
The
finger of God has written our names in The Lamb’s Book of Life.
What
does the finger of God teach us in Daniel?
The seriousness of the
problem.
The
writing is on the wall for this old world and for every lost soul. Oh how we need to pray, how we need to
preach, how we need to live and witness to God’s glory. Out of the sleeve of
the night came the finger of God the party was over the doom was sealed, God is
not mocked.
Why
did Belshazzar not think this was a message of success? His conscience
condemned him.
If
we want to live a godly life in this ungodly world, we must this world is
doomed, damned and destined to perish. May we truly set our affections on the
things that are above. Let us acknowledge that the writing is on the wall.
We want to avoid
that which the world worships.
We want now to “Acknowledge that the writing is on the wall.”
Let
us also “ appreciate the wisdom of the woman.”
We
next see a remarkable lady with great wisdom, look at verse ten.
Daniel 5:10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
The queen was probably
the queen mother; in fact there is a good chance that this could have been
Nebuchadnezzar’s wife. She wasn’t at this affair either but she arrived when
she heard the uproar. Perhaps even the silence arrested her attention, in she
comes with words of wisdom for the king.
Daniel
5:11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and
understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom
the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of
the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
She
begins by telling them about Daniel. There is a man, hallelujah for such a man,
a man in whom is the spirit of the holy god’s.
That was a pagan way of saying he had the Holy Spirit within him.
We
should understand between chapters four and five a period of twenty three years
had elapsed. There was a new king on
the throne, one who obviously had demoted Daniel, and one who didn’t think much
of this man of God. This lady had the
wisdom to direct her troubled grandson to a man of God.
Daniel
5:12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit,
and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard
sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the
king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the
interpretation.
Notice
what she says about Daniel. He could be used in the dissolving of doubts. The word for doubts is the word in the
original for knots, only a man full of the holy ghost, saved by God’s grace has
any answers for the knots the world gets into.
Let’s
appreciate the wisdom of the woman.
There is a challenge to our hearts, sooner or later, perhaps in your
work, in your home or in your neighbourhood; someone will need a man or woman
of God. Will any one think of you?
Think
again about what she said regarding Daniel.
Daniel
5:11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods;
How
does the world know an apple tree? By
apples.
How
do we know a pear tree? By pears.
How
do we know a man who has the spirit of God in him? By the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. [24] And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Daniel
was now about eighty six years of age, and yet he was still displaying the fruit
of the Spirit and still being used of God.
Psalm
92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and
flourishing;
Avoid that which the
world worships.
Acknowledge that the
writings on the wall.
Appreciate the wisdom of the woman.
We
have now reached verse thirteen. Daniel
is brought in before the king at this great feast, this orgy of all sorts of
vice but now it was a silent party. They awaited this man of God. Again we praise God that Daniel wasn’t at
this gathering.
There
may have been other Hebrews there, perhaps some of the other captives but no
one sent for them. The world will send for a believer who is different, who is
separated, and who has not gone with the flow of this world.
Belshazzar
explains the situation from verse thirteen to sixteen. When we come to verse
sixteen we find a lucrative offer.
Daniel 5:16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
What
riches Daniel is offered if he can tell the king the interpretation of the
writing on the wall. Here is another lesson we need to learn if we want to live
godly lives in an ungodly world, the worthlessness of wealth in the spiritual
realm.
We can see Daniel’s response in verse seventeen.
Daniel
5:17 Then Daniel answered and said
before the king, 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.
In
other words, Daniel was saying, “Keep your money.” There is no way that Daniel
was going to be influenced by money, whatever he had to say, would be
said. Daniel wanted all to know that he
was giving an unprejudiced view. Daniel
was saying, “I am not for sale.”
At
a church reunion dinner on one occasion a millionaire was present. He was asked to give a few words and he told
very piously, that when he was young all he had was a silver dollar, he held it
tightly and cherished it. One Sunday
when a missionary made an appeal, he said, “I gave all I had, that’s why the
Lord has blessed me.”
One
old man listening said, amid all the admirable sighs of the congregation, “I
dare you to do it again!”
Money
can be a real test of character especially for the servants of the Lord.
Notice
the word for rewards in verse seventeen, it could be translated,” fee.”
Daniel
turned down the fee, he didn’t want anything, and he didn’t want his message to
be tainted by any other motive other than faithfulness to God.
A
good test of any man of God is his attitude to wealth. Some great men of God have stood out in
scripture for the correct approach.
Moses
could point to his integrity when faced with the rebellion of Korah and his
allies.
Numbers
16:15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their
offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
Samuel,
when feeling rejected by his people could again claim to be untainted by greed.
1 Samuel 12:3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
Elisha
rejected Naaman’s offer.
2
Kings 5:16 But he said, As the Lord
liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it;
but he refused.
Paul
speaking to the affluent Ephesians said this.
Acts
20:33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
These
men of God all recognised the danger of being associated with greed for this
world’s wealth. They realised it would ruin their witness, and it could ruin
yours or mine. The correct attitude to money is a requirement for an Elder too.
1
Tim. 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient,
not a brawler, not covetous;
1
Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight
thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready
mind;
The
problem is not being wealthy or successful but trying to use the Lord as a
means of making financial gain. Oswald Smith has said, “Money is not the
measure of a man but it is often the means of finding out how small he is.”
This
is a great danger and could ruin a man of God.
Look
at Genesis fourteen for another example. War had broken out and as a
consequence Lot was taken captive.
Genesis
14:12 And they took Lot, Abram's
brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Abraham
was now going to try and recover Lot. As we can see from verse sixteen he was
successful.
Genesis
14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother
Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
We
now see Abraham being met by the King of Sodom.
Genesis
14:17 And the king of Sodom went out
to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the
kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
The
King of Sodom reminds us of the devil who often meets us after a victory. But
there was another king and Abraham met him first.
Genesis
14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem
brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Melchizedek
we know from the book of Hebrews was a wonderful type of our great high priest
the Lord Jesus Christ. The bread and
wine remind us of the cross and that great victory. Abraham after the battle found refreshment from the priest of the
most high. That is where we find refreshment at the feet of the saviour. Oh what joy as we remember Calvary, the body
given and the blood shed. How we are reminded that in all our successes, Christ
must have the Glory.
Now
look at the offer from the King of Sodom.
Genesis 14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
Just
like Satan who says, “Take you the goods I’ll take the souls.” How sad it is
when men of God get their eyes of the souls and get their eyes on the silver.
Abraham, however, had had that time of refreshing and he refuses the offer.
Genesis
14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will
not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram
rich:
Abraham
was not for sale; he was able to escape the temptation. We too can be strong in
this area if we spend time with our great high priest. In fact spending time
with the Lord means that we think more about giving that getting. That was
Abraham’s experience look at verse twenty.
Genesis
14:20 And blessed be the most high God,
which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of
all.
Christians,
who don’t give, generally don’t spend much time with the Lord.
Gehazzi
was a terrible example. Remember that Elisha refused Naaman’s gift but Gehazzi
runs after Naaman and makes up a story to receive a gift from Naaman. Look at
the story he tells in second kings chapter five.
2
Kings 5:22 And he said, All is well. My
master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount
Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a
talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
Gehazzi
became a notable man but for the wrong reasons.
2
Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy
seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Gehazzi
would be known everywhere for his greed and not his godliness. A man of greed and not a man of God.
Are
you for sale? Abraham, Paul, Elisha
and Daniel were not for sale. What
about us?
Daniel
would have known from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that Babylon was going to fall, he
would have known that the offer meant very little. A man who spends time in the
word of God will understand the worthlessness of wealth.
Avoid that which the
world worships.
Acknowledge that the
writings on the wall.
Appreciate the wisdom of
the woman.
Accept the worthlessness
of wealth.
Let
us notice also the need to announce the
words of warning.
Looking at verses eighteen to thirty.
Daniel
5:18-19 O thou king, the most high God
gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
[19] And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages,
trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he
kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
Belshazzar
is reminded of the prerogative
of God. God is in control. Notice the use of the word, “gave,” on two
occasions.
Belshazzar
is reminded of the pride of Nebuchadnezzar in verse twenty.
Daniel 5:20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was
deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
Belshazzar
was reminded of the punishment Nebuchadnezzar received in verse
twenty one.
Daniel 5:21
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the
beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever
he will.
Also
in verse twenty one Belshazzar was reminded of the purpose of God in it with the words, “ Till he knew that the most
high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever
he will.”
Belshazzar
to summarise is reminded by Daniel of Nebuchadnezzar’s pathway to the Lord.
Then
in verse twenty two Belshazzar was reminded of something personal.
Daniel 5:22
And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though
thou knewest all this;
This is point blank, faithful, fearless and
frank preaching. “Though thou knewest
all this,” Daniel hits him with this stark reality. He knew all about Nebuchadnezzar
and how he found the Lord. But Belshazzar despised the light in his home. This
reminds us of that verse in James.
James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is
sin.
Belshazzar
knew all this but he never humbled his heart, now it was too late.
We
are thinking about the need to announce the words of warning. Look at verse
twenty three.
Daniel 5:23
But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have
brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy
wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the
gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor
hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy
ways, hast thou not glorified:
Belshazzar
had looked to gods who could do nothing and ignored thee God who can do all
things. Look at verse twenty five.