How Many Christians to Change a Light bulb?
CHARISMATICS: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air.
PENTECOSTALS: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
PRESBYTERIANS: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
ROMAN CATHOLICS: None, they only use candles.
BAPTISTS: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.
MORMONS (non-Christian of course): 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.
JEHOVAHS WITNESSES: None, too busy knocking on doors telling everyone they have the wrong lights.
UNITARIANS (non-Christian of course): We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.
METHODISTS: Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or a dim bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service.
NAZARENES: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.
LUTHERANS: None - Lutherans don’t believe in change.
AMISH: What’s a light bulb?
JEWS: Where’s Jacob’s ladder when you need it?
UNBELIEVERS: None, they’d rather sit in the dark
Anyway you look at it…no on like change. In fact, one person said it this way!
"If you want to make enemies, try to change something. You know why it is: to do things today exactly the way you did them yesterday saves thinking."
Change is always difficult, but it can also be a good thing. Today in our story, Daniel faces 23 years of change. Yet in spite of fearing change or resisting change, Daniel stands steadfast, and finds out that God can be trusted and faith can be increased in these times of change.
Our Story picks up with the first change that affected Daniel’s life. We notice in Daniel 5…The Change of Time.
Dan 5:1 - Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
From the close of Daniel Chapter 4 till the open of Daniel Chapter 5 there is a gap of time for about 23 years that seems to highlight the changes going on in the life of Daniel.
Nothing changes things more than the passing of time. That is true for Daniel and it is true for us. I am reminded of the Story of Israel in Egypt. Ex 1:8 - Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. What happened here…Time. Time passed by and the story of Joseph was forgotten.
As the change in time happens, we must be careful not to forget about the Lord. This was the problem of with Israel in the book of judges. Israel would do well under the leadership of a judge, but with the passing of time, they would revert back to what was right in their own eyes.
This is exactly what happened in Babylon. At the End of Daniel Chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar was confessing the greatness of God after being humbled by God. But 23 years later, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson is living a life full of pride.
Which brings us to the second change we see in Daniel. There was a change in leadership. Actually there had been many changes over the past 23 years. Daniel had served under 6 different King of the Babylonian empire.
•Nebuchadnezzar 602 – 562 BC
•Amel-Marduk, 562 – 560 BC
•Neriglissar, 560 – 556 BC
•Labashi-marduk, 556 BC
•Nabonidus, 556
•Belshazzar, 556 – 539 BC
i. He was apparently a coregent with his father Nabonius.
ii. Was actually the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar
iii. Ruled in Babylon while his father was much further south.
iv. Was elevated in pride even though he knew of his grandfather’s
pride and humiliation.
No Matter who the leader was, Daniel had served faithfully. That is apparent because later on we will see that Daniel was specifically called on to interpret the writing. This brings us to an important point…No matter who the leader is the believer should respond in a godly way.
Did Daniel agree with all the things going on in Babylon? No, of course he didn’t. But did Daniel have to participate? NO, and he didn’t! And when called on to do his job, He did it, without complaint.
What should be the believer’s response when faced with ungodly leadership? First, Pray. Second, honor. Third, obey. Fourth, stand for righteousness. Fifth, when the laws of man are opposite the laws of God, follow God.
The Third area of change that confronts Daniel was the Change of spiritual temperature. I want to highlight the difference again between Daniel 4 with Nebuchadnezzar’s confession of God and Daniel 5 with Belshazzar drunken festivals. Let’s highlight just a few verses from Daniel five that show the depth of the Spiritual change.
Dan 5:1-4 - Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 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. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
Dan 5:18-24 - O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 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. 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: 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. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 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: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
We find here that Belshazzar was a very unrighteous person. His exploits include a drunken festival, disrespect for the vessels taken from the Jewish temple, and worshiping other gods. But Daniel highlights the main sin of Belshazzar was the sin of Pride.
Belshazzar’s heart was elevated in pride. But do you know the depth of his pride. Historians say that the Babylonian empire had been engaged in a serious conflict. In fact, on the night of this party, the Persian army in encamped outside the walls of Babylon. Unbeknownst to Belshazzar, the Persian army is digging a bypass canal for the Euphrates river. The river runs through Babylon and is well fortified with walls too large to attack. So the Persian army plans to reroute the Euphrates river and enter the city by walking on the river bed. In fact, most scholars believe that while this party was going on, the Persian army was already within the walls of the Babylonian army. Belshazzar felt safe and secure inside the walls that he thought were impenetrable.
His pride left his city unprotected while he partied the night away. This was a costly…arrogant move, and it happens to be his last. While he is partying, God shows up and cast the final judgment.
Dan 5:5-9 - 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. 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. 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. 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. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Dan 5:25-28 - And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 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.
This brings us to the last change for Daniel in our text today…A Change of Citizenship. The Babylonian was overthrown by the Medio-persian empire that very night.
Dan 5:30-31 - 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.
CONCLUSION:
This is really a story of two people, Belshazzar who allowed change to corrupt him and led him into pride, and Daniel who stood steadfast in the time of change. It is possible to stand fast in times of change. In fact, Daniel continues to serve the king even when the king is Persian and not Babylonian. Daniel allowed change to grow his faith, not corrupt it.
The only change missing from this story was a change in heart. Belshazzar needed to make a change. Why, well, let’s go back to the writing on the wall. What did God say? God judged Belshazzar and found that he was lacking. What was he lacking? He was lacking what Daniel had. He was lacking Faith in God…A faith that led to dependence upon God…A faith that led to discipline in life. Belshazzar had the testimony of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, the testimony of Daniel, but still decided to live a life of self indulgence. Now, time was up. It was too late to change.
