Praise With Out Purpose
Celebrating in the Time of Trouble
• Nebuchadnezzar dies after a 43-year reign
• His son, Evil-Merodach (described in 2 Kings 25:27-30 and Jeremiah 52:31-34) rules for only two years when he is assassinated by his brother-in-law Neriglassar, because his rule was arbitrary and licentious
• Neriglassar (mentioned as Nergalsharezer in Jeremiah 39:3; 39:13) rules for four years until he dies a natural death
• His son, Laborosoarchod, only a child and of diminished mental capacity, rules for only nine months when he his beaten to death by a gang of conspirators
• The conspirators appoint Nabonidus, one of their gang, to be king. He rules until Cyrus the Persian conquers Babylon
• The scene of partying while a hostile army surrounds the city reminds us of the spirit of our age. Many today carry the idea that the best response to the seeming danger of the times is to forget about it and escape into the pursuit of pleasure.
• i. God does not condemn having a good time, but can He be glorified in it? Can God be invited to your party?
And the God in whose hand thy breath is - Under whose power, and at whose disposal, is thy life. While you have been celebrating the praises of idol gods, who can do you neither good nor evil, you have been showing special contempt for that great Being who keeps you in existence, and who has power to take away your life at any moment.
Still young he made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and when heated with wine sent for the sacred vessels his "father", or grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from the temple in Jerusalem, and he and his princes drank out of them.
Jerusalem-"City of Peace"-"Possession of Peace"-"Foundation of Peace."- “House of God”.
The Babylonian Empire is spoken of as a "head of gold" because of its great riches; and Babylon was called by Isaiah (Isa 14:4) the "golden city"
He was confident because of Babylon’s impressive defenses and his enormous equipment.
The outer walls were 17 miles long
These walls were 22 feet thick and 90 feet high
The outer walls had guard towers another 100 feet high
The city gates were made of bronze
A system of inner and outer walls and moats made the city very secure
Golden Vessels – Had value to those who used them for there intended purpose, such as the priests, not pagans to mock God in their attempt to satisfy there flesh.
