Daniel (8)

Introduction: Once upon a time, there was a young college student preparing to graduate and start a career. They had put out several applications for engineering jobs, and had received a few interviews. Now, they were being offered a job by two major corporations, and the college student was seeking to determine which way to go. After having a lengthy conversation with parents, where they discussed all the different variables that weigh upon a decision, the father said, “I think the writing is on the wall”. What did he mean by such a statement? He meant that it is very clear which job they should take.

Transition: This little phrase, writing on the wall originates from Daniel chapter 5 which we will be focusing on today. In this chapter, we discover another example of how the Most High God is able to humble the proud. This is another outworking of Daniel’s prayer in 2:20-23, which says…

Approach: Working through the chapter pointing out 4 key observations and some corresponding applications. Start by reading Daniel 5:1-4

1. The Flaunting Feast 1-4

Explanation: A brief review of context.

Application: First, notice the pride of uncontrolled appetites.

Proverbs 20:1 tells us…

Proverbs 20:1 ESV

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

Being under the control of any substance is not a virtue. Submission of the body to anything that discolors the mind is foolishness, that is rooted in a proud heart that lacks self control. This foolishness should not be tolerated by a Christian, but should be driven from our hearts. Belshazzar’s drunkenness reveals something deeper about the condition of his heart, and so it is with us.

Also, The pride of false worship. The flaunting attitude of pluralistic praise. (Expound.)

Transition: We’ve observed the flaunting feast… now starting at verse 5 we see… (Read)

2. The Fast Fingers 5-9

Explanation: A brief explanation of how immediately God brings judgment. God is patient, but his judgment is swift.

Application: Beware of the pride of self sufficiency. Independence. I’ll figure out the situation on my own. My own way. Results in perplexed people with no real answers.

Transition: We observe the flaunting feast, the fast fingers.. now starting in verse 10 we see…

3. The Final Answers 10-28

Transition: In verse 10-28 we read answers from three different people. First..

10-12 The Queen’s. (Read) Maybe the only one sober enough to be a voice of reason? Her declaration is one of reminder. Kind of like moms on school day morning. Don’t forget to brush your teeth Put on your deodorant. Don’t forget your lunch. Remember your manners today. Honey, remember your picking up the kids today. However.. notice what the queen reminds..

She reminds the king of a lie. Live forever. (10)

She reminds the King of Daniel

She reminds the king of his father’s kingdom. This sure seems like a bit of a dig into the arrogant, uncontrolled king.

Transition: Belshazzar heads the queens recommendation as we see his answer starting in verse 13.

13-16 Belshazzar’s (Read) Belshazzar’s answer might be summarized like this.... “Your a slave from Judah. My dad brought you here. (13) I've heard about you and have been told you have something in you that I want. (14) You were not my first pick, but since I cannot get any answers, I’ll give you some cash and a high promotion if you can make any since of that writing on the wall.” (15-16)

Transition: I don’t think Daniel was mesmerized by the king’s invitation. Notice how he responds in verses…

17-23 Daniel’s (Read) Very straight forward. “This one is free. Keep your gifts and reward someone else..”

Application: Remember Daniel’s tone of truth and love with King Nebuchadnezzar? Full of love and compassion. Perhaps its because Daniel is older and wiser now, and he realizes the wisdom of cutting through fluff and flattery. For example, in verse 18-23 Notice Daniel cutting through the fluff as he Belshazzar’s “father”. What's significant about this comparison? Daniel is clarifying the difference between King Belshazzar’s hard heart and Nebuchadnezzar's teachable heart. Why? What’s the difference?

Our approach in sharing the gospel of Christ must always be the truth with love. But as we gain insight into people’s hearts… it is needful for us to be clear and direct. We live in a world of obscurity and uncertainty. We do not need to be illusive , certainly never manipulative… we must be clear and direct.

The Key Point: Daniel’s answer reveals the pride of unrepentant heart. Belshazzar’s unwillingness to humble himself to God reveals characteristics of An Unrepentant Heart is…

Inexcusable. (vs. 22) You knew= cognizant and aware of these facts.

It is rebellion against God. (vs 23a.)

It is dishonoring false worship.

The foolish worship of false god’s will be judged. (vs.23b) During the overview of the book of Daniel, we discovered there are many connections between this book and the New Testament book of Revelation. So much so, that often, Bible Teachers teach the two in the same class. Direct you to an example of Belshazzar’s unrepentant heart to what is recorded in Revelation 9:20-21 during the sixth trumpet of judgment in the last days. This is all, like Daniel’s answer to Belshazzar, a warning of judgment for the unrepentant.

Revelation 9:20–21 ESV

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Transition: From Daniel 5, we have observed the flaunting feast, the fast fingers, the final answers, and now in verses 24-31 we come to our last observation … (READ)

4. The Concluding Commands 24-31

First we see Daniel’s interpretation the writing on the wall …

24- The source of the writing ( the the sight of , presence of , Almighty) No pride goes unnoticed.

25- Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin

26- Mene= God has (numbered= determined and appointed) the amount of days for your kingdom, and put an end to it. Lesson: No kingdom will stand against God. Furthermore, there is an end to every kingdom.

27- Tekel= God has weighed (evaluated , judged) Belshazzar on God’s scale and found wanting (determined deficient) Lesson: This gospel truth is true of each one of us. We all lack what it takes to be right with God. Without Christ we each are weighed and found wanting. God’s scales never lie. He does not weigh our good works.. rather he puts us on the scales. He weighs our heart. Our attitude. Our unbelief. No one can tip the scales in their favor by doing good things. The only way in which any one of us can be found righteous, is through the righteous work of Christ. When our hearts are given life by God, and by His gift of faith we cry out to Jesus as Lord and Savior and are made right with God.

28- Parsin= Belshazzar’s kingdom is divided, broken up, and GIVEN to the Medes and Persians. Who are the next world super power represented as the chest and arms of silver in Nebuchadnezzar's dream from chapter 2. Notice the key emphasis to the kingdom being given. Again, to quote Job, The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. However, rather than blessing the name of the Lord, Belshazzar was guilty of profaning His name.

29- Belshazzar gives what very well could have been his final/ concluding command. He signed off by appointing this Jewish Exile as 3rd in the kingdom. It really didn’t matter much because the next verse tells us that… But here, as always, God gets the final command.

30- That very night, Belshazzar was killed.The consequence of sin is death. Both physical and spiritual. Those who die physically with an unrepentant heart, will now and forever, suffer the spiritual death of eternal separation from God and be forever consigned to a real and coherent punishment in the fires of hell. This reality of the what happens when unbelieving people die, should cause every one of us tho think soberly about the condition of our hearts.

Transition: This reality, provokes me to close this morning by pointing out the only hopeful solution that is clearly revealed in this chapter. Notice, the clear message of the gospel.

Conclusion: What does this chapter reveal about… About God… About Humanity… About Christ.... And our need to respond in faith.

God= is holy and will not be trifled with. He has a plan for His people that will not be thwarted. He is the Almighty giver of life and breath. He does not share His glory and is worthy of all honor, worship, and praise.

Humanity= is not holy. We are proud and seek to determine our own way. Everyone of us, have gone astray to worship other gods. We are guilty of breaking God’s laws and commands and attempting to set the course of our own lives according to our own standards. We have believed the lie that we will live forever on our own terms, and denied the reality that we will live forever after being weighed in the balance of God’s terms.

Christ= Jesus, is the true and final king. The cycle of God removing kings and setting up kings is culminated in the final King Jesus. Through the death of Jesus our sin is atoned for. Through the resurrected life of Jesus our sin is forgiven. Those who turn from their sin, and trust in Christ alone can be delivered from sin and death and placed on the pathway to heaven. This pathway is narrow, and the door is exclusive. Jesus is the only way to enter, and he is the only way to be reconciled to God. When our unrepentant hard hearts are made soft by the Holy Spirit, we call out to Christ the King from a heart of faith. This conversion changes us forever and every day until our last day; we grow to become more like Him. This is the good news of the gospel, the writing is on the wall...

I invite you to Humble yourselves before the mighty hand of God and be delivered from the judgment to come.

Approach:

In each section, ask good questions about different areas of the people involved.

31- And finally, we are prepared for the events of chapter 6 with the final statement of chapter 5. There is a new king in the kingdom. How will he fare ?

How does this text point us to Jesus?