Introduction
Belshazzar, the new king of Babylon, was throwing a party, and he messed up when he ordered the stewards to retrieve the gold and silver vessels taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem so they might drink from them.
Within that same hour of them drinking from those vessels, a hand wrote a statement on the wall that the wise men of Babylon could not read or interpret. The king is upset, and his grandmother hears the commotion in the Grand Ballroom and enters to check out what is occurring.
When told what had occurred, she told Belshazzar to call Daniel and he will give the interpretation.
Daniel is asked to come to the palace, and he agrees, and he meets the new king for the first time. And let’s us listen in on their first conversation and see what lessons we can learn.
Scripture
Daniel 5:13–23 (NKJV)
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory, and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. 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 rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.
Lesson #1
There are people in this world who do not have a relationship with Christ but are satisfied with their life just like it is because they know someone who has that relationship with Christ.
In Daniel 4:18 Nebuchadnezzar the king says about Daniel that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you. But Nebuchadnezzar never asked Daniel how can I get the Spirit of the Holy God in me?
In Daniel 5:11: The queen mother said to her grandson that there is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. But nowhere in Daniel Chapter 5, do I see the queen mother knowing what she knows about Daniel that she seeks him out to see how she can get the Spirit of the Holy God in her life.
In Daniel 5:14 Belshazzar says I heard of you that the Spirit of God is in you and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. But in Daniel 5, Belshazzar is only concerned about what is written on the wall. With all the great attributes Daniel possessed in addition to having the Spirit of God, nowhere does it say that Belshazzar asked Daniel how can I have that for my life?
It seems to me that Nebuchadnezzar, the queen mother, and Belshazzar were satisfied with knowing Daniel who knew God but were not interested in knowing God themselves.
That same type of thinking still exist today. In my ministry, I have asked many people if they know Christ as their Lord and Savior and let me share with you some of the answers I got. A young man told me; my mamma is a great Christian lady. She is always talking to God for me and reading her Bible.
Another young man told me that his grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher.
Another young man told me I am friends with the youth ministry at a local church in town.
And the question is why do people do that? Why do people who don’t know God have this false sense of security because they know someone who knows God?
Daniel 5:22 (NKJV)
22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
The mentality is that you may need Him, but I don’t. But if I happen to need Him, I can get what I want from Him through someone who knows God.
Lesson #2
Don’t get tempted by the world because the world cannot give you anything of lasting value, only God can.
Daniel 5:16 (NKJV)
16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Belshazzar gives Daniel what the king thinks is a tempting offer to read the handwritten on the wall for him. But let me tell you all the world can give you in temporary pleasure and empty promises.
In this case, it was an empty promise. Daniel has already served as number two under King Nebuchadnezzar for many years. He served as number one when King Nebuchadnezzar was sent to live in the field as a wild animal for seven years. And now this was an empty promise- I will make you number three in the kingdom.
If I have been number one and number two offering me to be number three is an empty promise. It is also an empty promise because the kingdom will be taken away from him that very night.
Let me tell you, the devil is a master at offering empty promises.
Matthew 4:8–9 (NKJV)
Third Temptation
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
I want you to realize it was not the devil’s to give. He does own the kingdoms of this world, God does.
Psalm 24:1 (NKJV)
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
And God’s people fall for it all the time. Ministers fall for it. A church comes visiting offering more money a nice parsonage, but they don’t tell you that no one in the church gets along with one another; that you are coming to a war zone. Men and women leave a perfectly good job because someone comes along and say I can add this to your compensation but don’t ever deliver.
Daniel didn’t take the king’s offer, but Daniel did tell the king the interpretation on the wall because God wanted him to.
That’s a pretty good question to ask yourself: “does God want me to or am I being persuaded by temporary pleasures and empty promises?”
Lesson #3
I cannot look at what God has done in someone else’s life and assume that He is going to do the exact same thing in my life.
In Daniel chapter 4, God issues a warning of judgment to King Nebuchadnezzar and God graciously gives him about eleven months to repent. He doesn’t, and God carries out the judgment by sending Nebuchadnezzar to live in the field as a wild animal for seven years.
His grandson, Belshazzar, received a warning from God but instead of God awaiting judgment, He demanded the judgment that very night.
So, I cannot look at what God is doing in someone else’s life and say that He will do the same thing for me.
That is why He tells us. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV)
2 For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
And boy that hit home with me this past week.
At 5:55 pm on June 30, I received this message on Messenger. “Doctor Dave: Man I have a real issue. I’m feeling like I have a demonic attachment that will not leave. I need your hand of anointing.”
I saw the message at 6:34 pm and wrote back. “I will be happy to pray for you and anoint you with oil.”
I received this message back. “Okay, thank you, when can we handle this.” I replied, “Tomorrow if you like. I would like my Associate Pastor to help. Let me see when he is available?”
He replied, Okay that sounds good to me. I texted back a little later.” How about 1:30 pm tomorrow at Bala Chitto Baptist Church. You know where it is..”
His reply, “alright good deal.”
On July 1st I received this message. “this is Angie B. My son said he had to come see you at 1:30 today. He’s not going to make it there’s been an accident. He is dead.”
Listen, when God says today is the day of salvation, He means it. You might not have tomorrow. Her son didn’t have to 1:30 pm on July 1st.
Conclusion
Salvation, your personal relationship with God, is a serious matter. Make sure that you have that resolved with God today. This young man, age 24, didn’t and now he cannot.
Bless the Lord, you still have breath and can make sure that you are in right relationship with Jesus. Don’t leave church today without doing that.
