The Handwriting On The Wall - Brian Osburn 6/29/08

Well, tonight, we continue through the Book of Daniel.

We now, reach Daniel chapter 5 and let's read verses 1 through

Daniel 5 · chapter mention

6, there of this chapter It talks about belshazzar.

We have a new king now here in Babylon.

And it says they're belshazzar, the king made a great feast for

a thousand of his Lords and drank wine and the presence of a

thousand while he tasted the wine, belshazzar gave the

command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father

Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in

Jerusalem that the king and his Lords, his wives, and his

concubines might drink from them.

Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from

the temple, the house of God, which had been in Jerusalem, and

the King and his Lords, his wives, and his concubines drank

from them. They drank wine and praise the

gods of gold and silver bronze and iron wood, and stone.

In the same hour, the fingers of a man's hand appear in wrote

opposite. The lampstand on the plaster of

the wall of the king's Palace and the King saw the part of the

hand that wrote then the king's countenance changed and his

thoughts troubled him. So that the joints of his hips

were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.

We're going to stop right there because we're going to see more

of a climax to what is happening here and what this means for the

king. At this time by Babylon, had

been a great ruling Empire and what he had done.

They had taken God's people in captivity by means of God's

punishment upon his people just simply because they chose not to

obey him. They had conquered other nations

surrounding its borders and the City of Babylon itself was

indestructible. It was completely surrounded by

a wall. That was 350, feet high, but not

only that but the wall itself was 85 feet thick.

And the and the the Euphrates River it ran right through the

middle of the city, but the way they had it set up where is that

the base of the walls rent right along the surface of the river?

And because of this, the even enhance a security there in the

city. They even built a gate right

underneath the city wall within the river, so that no one would

even think about swimming underneath the wall because if

they they couldn't go anywhere because they would meet that

gate and they couldn't get past that And so it was a city which

no man could penetrate and it was a nation that no man could

stop. But, you know, even though it

was a powerful nation that had been for many years, truth of

the matter is, it will not be that way for very long.

You know, back in Chapter 2, where Daniel gave the

interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar's first Dream, he

told them at that time that his kingdom would fall to another

Empire that it was going to happen.

He didn't know when it would happen, but it was promised that

promised that it would and later on in This Book of Daniel, we

also find the same I'm teaching stupid to a various visions that

Daniel has. And so the question remains when

will Babylon fall and how will it fall?

And who will bring it to destruction?

Well, our answer lies here in the context of chapter 5 of The

Book of Daniel, Now, as this chapter opens, as we read are

ready, we are introduced to a new ruler in Babylon

Nebuchadnezzar. He had been the rule ruler in

the previous part of this book but he has now gone.

And now we see in man named belshazzar who is now King.

Well, who was this man, belshazzar.

Well, just briefly about this man. there is really debate that

is circled about who this who his father was and his

relationship to Nebuchadnezzar because verse 2 does State along

with four other verses throughout this chapter it

states that Nebuchadnezzar was his father But further Evidence

has shown that Nebuchadnezzar was not really his immediate

father. And there have been clay tablets

that have been found and they have been discovered that refer

to belshazzar as the son of navona Des and not

Nebuchadnezzar. And this would thus make

belshazzar the actual grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.

Since navona, Des was married to Nebuchadnezzar's daughter.

And in fact, it was quite common in Bible days for a and son, or

even a great-grandson to refer to some of his, his lineage

within his family as being his father.

And this is, this is quite common in the New Testament, for

example, because the Jews even though the Jews live 2,000 years

prior to Abraham, they still called Abraham.

Their father, even though we know for a fact that Abraham was

not there immediately their immediate father, But yet he was

part of the lineage. And so, this type of wording is

quite common back, then that there's one other thing to make

mention. While we talk about belshazzar

and his family and the bonus, the bonus.

He reigned as king for Babylon, 4, total of 17 years and towards

the end of his reign as king. He then appointed, belshazzar

co-ruler, of Babylon. So we had two kings raining at

the same. Time in Babylon and so keep that

in mind because it makes sense. What belshazzar offers later on

in this chapter, he offers if anyone who were to interpret the

writing that was written upon the wall that he would make him

the through the third ruler in the kingdom.

And so belshazzar was real or number two, his father was

ruler. Number one and whoever made that

interpretation would be ruler. Number three, Now, so this is

what we know about him and his Rank and the kingdom, but

there's something going on here in Babylon this night.

And apparently his father is not here in belshazzar is said to

have a huge feast for thousand of his men 80s by means of

showing off and proclaiming a, how proud his position was

within the kingdom. And it was really when you look

at it and when you study it, it turned out to be one big drunken

party is what it ended up being. Now, he went too far this night

because during this party he did the unthinkable.

As if he did have enough during this night, he had an idea and

he and so he remembered the vessels made of gold and silver,

which had been taken from Jerusalem, which is down there

in Judah when they were taken into Babylonian captivity.

But, you know, these vessels were no ordinary vessels.

That. He was calling for these.

These vessels, they had been used in the temple of the Lord

while they're in Jerusalem. And so he said, let's use those

vessels to celebrate and drink wine from.

And that's exactly what they did.

And if we make a comparison, it's as if someone were to take

the emblems that we use on the Lord's supper and to take those

and use them for some other means other than using them for

the Lord's Supper alone. And that's exactly what happened

on this night, and even he, and, but if that wasn't bad enough,

they even Pro famed. These holy vessels even further

by dedicating these to their false gods and this is what

verse 4 says. He said they drank wine and

praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood

and Stone. And that was a horrible thing

that happened that night that they would simply disregard the

emblems of the Lord like that. And is defile them.

Well, God knew what was going on?

And he knew what they were using.

And Buddy he got fed up with it. He got fed up with it to the

point that it says in verse 5, in the same hour, the fingers of

a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite, the lampstand on the

plaster of the wall of the king's Palace and the King saw

the part of the hand that wrote and just, you know, you just

just being in the midst of this party.

If you could just put your shoes there for just a minute.

And you know, you're carrying on socializing do whatever that's

going on there that night. Now, all of a sudden, you see

this appearance just out of nowhere, just appear this hand,

does it have an arm and just a hand?

And just writing this on the wall.

The thing about that, you don't even know what it says.

Well, this got everyone's attention and it got the king's

attention because it says in verse 6, then the king's

countenance changed and his thoughts troubled him so that

the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked

against each other. Now, here's a man, here is a man

which was so full of Pride here a minute ago and now we find him

completely terrified after seeing what had just happened

with the writing on the wall and I yeah I don't know.

I just love How the scripted the Bible is here.

I'll know if it amuses, you as it amuses me here.

But I'll have you've ever seen those old cartoons where maybe

one of the characters would get so afraid that all of a sudden

his knees would start shaking against each other.

Well, that's what I pictured when the Bible describes us as

his knees knocking against each other.

That's how terrified this King was after seeing what had

happened. And you talk about breaking up a

party. Well, this party was broken up

because of this And so he just in a panic now and so, he gave

the command to bring all the wise men in right away.

So that they would be able to give the interpretation of this

riding upon the wall. And he was so desperate to know

what had been written. That he says, at the end of

verse number 7, he says whoever reads this riding and tells me

it's interpretation. There's going to be reward.

And he said the reward is he shall be clothed with purple and

have a chain of gold around his neck.

And he Shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

And so, after this Council was given, after this, discrete

decree was a proclaimed, all of his wise, men were brought in to

see the writing on the wall, but there was a problem of all these

wise men that were brought in Nobody had any idea to give the

interpretation or to even read what even said.

Now, you thought belshazzar was trouble before?

Well, verse 9 says that he is greatly troubled now because no

one could tell him. What it means.

Well, you know, word got around to the queen about what had

happened. And it is quite obvious that she

had not been there to celebrate with the king, I don't know

where she was, but she heard what had happened and she

realized that no one could read the writing, but she comes to

belshazzar. And you know, she has some words

of Hope for him. And I want to read what it says

is we pick up at the latter part of verse 10?

Because it says the queen spoke saying O King live forever, do

not let your thoughts trouble. You nor late your countenance

change? There is a man in your kingdom

in whom is the spirit of the holy God and the day and in the

days of your father liked and understanding and wisdom lack,

the wisdom of the gods were found in him and King

Nebuchadnezzar your father your father if the king made him

chief of The Magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and

soothsayers. In as much as an excellent

Spirit knowledge, understanding interpreting, dreams, solving

riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this, Daniel whom

the king called belches are now. Let Daniel be called.

And he will give the interpretation.

Now, she had obviously known about Daniel's reputation and

see know what he can do. And she knew why he can do what

he could do. And since Daniel did not fail in

the past, she thought, well, surely.

All these other men failed. Surely, Daniel would be able to

give us the interpretation because he's done.

So, in the past, And so belshazzar was all for this, I

mean, what did he have to lose anyway?

Might as well give it a shot. He's pretty desperate here.

And so that's why he, that's what he does.

He calls her Daniel, and Daniel was brought in before the king

and the King said to him as I may paraphrase here.

You know, I've heard about you. I have heard that you have the

spirit of God in you, and I've heard that, you have great

understanding. You've got great wisdom to And

then he said, now here's the situation.

I have brought all these wise men before me, in order that

they may read to me what the writing on the wall means.

And they have all failed in doing so.

And now I have heard that you can give interpretations and and

I'll tell you what, if you give the interpretation of what's

written here on this wall, I'll give you something.

I will offer you something great.

I will clothe you with royal purple, give you a gold chain

around your neck. And I'll tell you what, I'll

even make you third under me. As ruler in this Kingdom.

Well, Daniel stood there and he heard all this that was offered

to him. And of course, it was quite an

app, an offer? But it's interesting what Daniel

replied back to him. Because it says in verse 17, the

Daniel answered and said before the king, let your gifts before

yourself. And give you rewards to another

yet. I will read the writing to the

king and make known to him the interpretation, and this is out

of it, strikes. You as it strikes me, but it's a

pretty noble thing that Daniel does here because he doesn't,

he's not looking for her for possessions here.

He's not looking for power. He could have easily gained it

but he's not looking for that. That's not as course while

they're in Babylon. He that he wasn't going to tell

him there. If the only the interpretation

just for his own personal gain here and he told him he was

going to tell him and he could just, you know, if he wants to

reward someone reward someone else.

But he's going to be able to give the interpretation for free

and what a difference this is between Daniel and some of this

world who Proclaim God's word today, you know we see from time

to time, you know, televangelists they do this.

I mean, and others in denominations.

Have it a goal to preach in order that they may gain,

possessions it for some assistive business to them, it's

an easy living for them. And some would even use a means

of proclaiming God's word in order for power and these are

all the wrong motives to Proclaim God's word.

You know, when we proclaim the truth from the word of God, to

some person or some group of people, we should never have the

motive of trying to earn something from that.

God's word should be freely proclaimed to anybody and we

should feel privileged enough to even have the opportunity to

tell someone about. Out how they could be saved to

the Glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And I'm telling you people should be put to shame for

having the wrong motives of proclaiming the gospel of

Christ. And certainly God knows their

motives and they will be held accountable for their

intentions. We'll get him back to Daniel.

He now tells belshazzar the reason for the writing on the

wall. He begins by telling of what

happened to Nebuchadnezzar and so he says in verse eighteen, O

King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father

Hakeem and Majesty glory and honor 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. But when his heart was lifted

up. And his Spirit was hardened and

pride. He was deposed from his kingly

throne and they took his glory from him, then he was driven

from the sons of man, his heart was made like the beasts, and

his ruling was like 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 at whomever he chooses.

Now, we discussed this very thing this morning, Of what

happened to Nebuchadnezzar and really, this is something that

happened 20 years. There's about a 20 year time

span between chapter 4 and now chapter 5, And surely belches

our new of what happened to his grandfather.

Nebuchadnezzar, according to what he says in verse number 22

and we all know you know God humbled him due to his pride.

But the question is this, why in the world would Daniel called

the mind of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar?

When they're trying to discuss the in the writing and the

interpretation of the writing, I mean that is high priority here.

Why bring in Nebuchadnezzar at this point.

Well, the reasons found a verse number 22 here.

But you his son, belshazzar. Have not humbled your heart.

Although you do all this, 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 lord, your wives and your

concubines have drunk wine from them.

And 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, Fide. Now he makes a stomp strong

contrast here, between the false gods and the almighty God here.

Daniel told him that he praised these Gods by using these.

Holy vessels, from the Lord's House, and the fact of the

matter was the gods, whom he was praising, they'd even see that

even here, they didn't even know, they were being praised,

you know why? It's because they didn't exist.

That's why It was all in vain. But here's a striking contrast,

the very one whom they were not praising, was the one who was in

control of all things. He even helped belshazzar breath

in his own hand and since he had done this during this party, on

this very evening, God wrote the god wrote on the wall, and

here's the meaning of that writing as Daniel goes on to

gives the interpretation. He says there in verse number

25, and this is the inscription that is written many many Tech L

you farce in. this is the interpretation of each word men

a God has numbered your kingdom and finished, it Tech L you have

been weighed in the balances and found wanting Paris, your

kingdom has been divided and given to the medes and Persians.

And so, these words here, holds huge meeting and the key meaning

to each word is as follows. He gives the word many.

And it's, and it basically means numbered and tech hell,

basically means Wade. And then when you get to Paris,

or this is, the Paris is actually the singular form of

the word of you Farson here and it means division.

And so the message is It's to put it all into one lump.

Sum belshazzar's Kingdom have been numbered for Destruction.

And the King himself is weighed and he is found wanting, and the

kingdom has to be taken away, and it is to be given to another

outside force another outside nation.

And after giving the interpretation, they came did

just as he said, he would he gave the command to Claude

Daniel and Royal Purple. He gave him a Golden Chain.

That was hung around his neck and Daniel was then a pound.

Appointed third rank in the whole Kingdom.

Well, as we know, Daniel didn't want this.

But Daniel would just went along with it.

It meant nothing to him but here's the irony of though.

He was Daniel was appointed third in the rule of nothing.

You know, why? Well while all this was going on

that night while belshazzar was having this big drunken party,

there was something going on outside the city walls,

something huge going on. The medes and the Persians had

been camped out there for some time and they had their mindset

to conquer Babylon. And will this do not bring any

fair to belshazzar, the people or the, or even Babylon because

they thought their walls could keep anybody out.

And so they just didn't pay much mind to them.

After all, what harm could they do to us?

If they can't even get through all wall?

But what they didn't know was that the medes and the Persians

had been working out a plan for some time.

You see, you remember the Euphrates river, which had

flowed right underneath the walls of that City.

And they thought this they thought if we could just get in

that way, somehow And so what they did was this, by building

upon that idea, they went Upstream for quite some distance

and they diverted the water in order to drain the flow water

down into the riverbed of Babylon.

And when the flow of water had been stopped into Babylon, then

this then gave them the chance to March, right?

In underneath that City through that riverbed.

And the conquered the city. And so this was their plan.

So while belshazzar was having this big party, sure enough

here, they came here, they came marching down that River bed and

they made their way underneath that wall.

Now remember, they had added security underneath that wall.

They had gate set up, so just in case anyone tried to swim

underneath their way into the city that they would be stopped.

But there was something that's very interesting Providence.

Well, that happened that night. As they made their way

underneath that wall. Someone had let the gates open.

And the medes and the Persians March, right?

In the city, and they overtook it.

And you know, this is something that had been prophesied 175

years before it happened on this night.

In fact, Isaiah wrote about Cyrus in Isaiah chapter 45 verse

Isaiah 45 · chapter mention

has one through five and told how he was anointed or he was

chosen for a special purpose, to subdue Nations to loose the

armor of Kings and the Lord would be behind him in this and

would make sure that the gates would not Shut when he does

this. And so, this is all part of the

Lord's work here. He used a human Nation to bring

Babylon to a fall. You know nobody thought it could

happen not even the king himself but it did happen this night.

And it happened in the year, 538 BC, the follow Babylon.

Well, here's what happened to belshazzar because of this, and

verse number 30 that very night. Belshazzar, the king of the

Chaldeans was slain And as a result of the King's death, the

very next verse says and Darius the mede received the kingdom

being about 62 years old. And thus ends the reign of a

powerful Empire. God said he would do it and he

carried out his plan by proving he truly.

Does rule the kingdoms of men and Rises Kings up and takes

them down by his mighty power. But what can we learn from this

last night here in Babylon? Well, I believe, we could

remember three things or learn three things from this.

Number one, you will remember how belshazzar used the holy

vessels from the Lord's House and you filed them by drinking

wine and praising other gods. Well, you know, the Bible

teaches along the same line to make an application here that we

are. We are vessels as well.

And those of us who have obeyed, the gospel, and are in, his

kingdom are considered vessels in the Lord's House.

I mean, consider what Paul wrote In what he wrote, Wrote to

Timothy, because he wrote second Timothy Chapter 2, and we'll

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

read their verse 15 and skipped a verse 19.

Second Timothy, 2, verse 15 says, be diligent to present

2 Timothy 2:15

yourself approved to God a worker, who does not need to be

ashamed, rightly dividing, the word of Truth.

And then verse 19 says nevertheless the solid

foundation of God stands having this seal the Lord knows those

who are his and let everyone who Names, the name of Christ depart

from iniquity, but in a great house there are not only vessels

of gold and silver but also of wood and Clay, some for honor

and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses

himself from the ladder, he will be a vessel for Honor Sanctified

and useful for the master prepared for every good work.

You see here. Paul is telling Timothy that if

you're going to be a vessel in the Lord's healthy and the

Lord's House, you ought to be a vessel that is pure.

You ought to be a vessel. That's holy, you ought to be a

vessel that's without iniquity and we and so we are vessels.

That should always seek God's ways and do them at all times

and we should be working instruments for the Lord after

all Paul stayed in verse 21 that we should be as a vessel that is

useful for the master. And this requires action and it

requires effort and it requires work and it does not mean that

we are idle in our Christian lives.

I mean, what kind of a vessel are we in the Lord's house?

If we simply don't do anything about it.

If we don't know our Bible, if we don't come to worship as

often as we should, how can we be useful for the master if

we're Idols in these thing? And in these areas and in other

areas as well, We have to be useful for the master.

And remember how belches are defiled the vessels.

We too can do the same by defiling ourselves by allowing

sin into our lives and simply not doing anything about it and

just letting it dwell there. You know, the Lord was fed up

with belshazzar In This Very Act.

And I'm afraid he'll be fed up with this to if we're not

careful. And if we choose not to repent

of what we allow within our lives.

And so let us strive to be vessels which are christ-like in

all that we do and make the most of our time and praise and

admiration to him who has even allowed us to be his children.

But secondly, just as we learned this morning from

Nebuchadnezzar, we find that Pride goes before a fall, and it

is no different with belshazzar. He too thought everything was

going great. He was king of a great Empire.

And he thought things were going to last for a long time.

And so, what more reason to celebrate, and the Puffs himself

up by hosting a huge party for himself.

But the fact of the matter is, we saw already the Lord called

him on that night And his Reign would end and his kingdom would

fall. And certainly again the messages

Proclaim that certainly Pride goes before a fall.

Just as it did his grandfather. But then, thirdly and lastly.

As well as part of the writing on the wall, the King was

weighed in the balances. and the sad thing is he was found

wanting You know, belshazzar's not the only one who will be

weighed in the balances. Because we too will be weighed

by our life, in the balances of God's word at the judgment to

come. And this is how listen how it's

going to be in 2nd Corinthians 5 and 10 for, we must all appear

before the Judgment seat of Christ.

That each one may receive the things done in the body,

according to what he has done, whether good or bad, And then,

Romans 14 and 12. So then each of us shall give

account of himself to God. We thank you for listening to

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