Daniel 5- A king judged

There is a biblical principal and it is: God is going to judge the world and he will do so suddenly

1 Thess 5:3 “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

There is a time to repent

Some will miss it

If you have yet to repent, now is the time!

Learn from this king.

Warn your friends

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

We have before us today one of the saddest chapters in the entire Bible. We are given the opportunity to examine the life of a man named Belshazzar.

He was a man of great wealth and immense power. Yet, he was as poverty stricken in his soul as if he were a beggar.

He was a great ruler of a vast kingdom. Yet, he was a man who was unable to rule his own heart.

He was a man who commanded fear from his subjects; others bowed down before him. Yet, he had no fear of the Lord.

Belshazzar walked among the wisest men of the day. Yet, he was a man who ruled in ignorance of the most important things in life.

The King’s Pride

We find the king partying and drinking. Celebrating like nothing is amiss or wrong in his life.

In his drunkenness, Belshazzar is attempting to show the superiority of his gods by ridiculing the God of the Hebrews.

He treated the one true God as if He were nothing.

Belshazzar had the opportunity to know about God. His grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had been converted and Belshazzar knew all about that.

Daniel 5:14 “I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.”

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.”

Belshazzar knew about Daniel; he also knew about the Lord; he knew what God had done for his grandfather; but he was willfully blind to these things

Even though Belshazzar knew the truth, he refused to believe it. He lifted his fist toward the face of God in absolute defiance.

He ignored the clear Word of God. When this happens, there is nothing left but judgment

He rejected God.

What will you do?

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

A proclamation for the King

He is told of the punishment coming his way.

The Fact Of God’s Wrath – God is a God of love, 1 John 4:7-8. Thank God that He is!

But, He is also a God of wrath, Rom. 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Never think for an instant that God won’t judge sin!

The Focus Of God’s Wrath – God’s wrath is focused in on sin and rebellion. Belshazzar crossed the line and he had to face the wrath of God. God hates sin

The Finality Of God’s Wrath – Belshazzar is told that he has been numbered, weighed and divided. He has crossed the line with God and all that remains is certain judgment. Belshazzar is offered no options and no alternatives.

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

A Punishment for the King

Belshazzar Died A Sudden Death – “In that night” (29-30)

Death is coming. It is coming for you, Heb. 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

“Thou are weighed in the balances and found wanting

Don’t let this be said about you when you die.

Don’t let that happen to you! There’s not a person in this room that has to die without Jesus. You do not have to die in your sin. You do not have to go to Hell. Jesus died on the cross to make a way for you! Come to Him and be saved.

John 6:47 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”