Hear Pat s Messages at www.standingfm.org The Book of Daniel Daniel 5:1~31 Message #5 May 30, 2018 Taught by Pat Shaughnessy I. For the Medes and the Persians to become a world empire, that meant that there had to be an end to the world empire of! A. That is what we see happening in. B. Daniel is approximately years old at this time. C. At this time we ve actually got kings in Babylon. 1. One of them is named Nabonidus and according to secular records he is the king of Babylon. 2. He is not in Chapter 5, probably because he s out of the city. 3. But his co-regent is and his name is. 4. So, we have Belshazzar reigning over in Chapter 5. II. Last time we talked about Babylon s. A. We talked about that wall which was feet thick. 1. Actually, it was a double wall with a mote in between and it was about feet high. 2. And there were approximately 100 gates all the way around. B. So, when the armies of the Medes and the Persians sieged the city the Page 1 of 6
Babylonians didn t really because they knew the enemy couldn t get inside those walls. 1. And furthermore they had enough food stored-up to last them as long as years. 2. No problems with either because running through the city was the Euphrates river. C. So...as Chapter 5 opens the city of Babylon is under. III. Verse 1 introduces us to BELSHAZZAR S. A. As a rule, monarchs in those days dined. B. But...on special occasions the king was known to provide food and drink for as many as guests. C. Now... is not at the party. D. King Nebuchadnezzar had been dead for years. E. And Daniel s influence had probably at this time. IV. Next, beginning in Vs. 2, we see BELSHAZZAR S. A. He ordered those vessels...the ones that had been used in the in Jerusalem and had been taken as spoils when Nebuchadnezzar defeated King Jehoiakim. B. Belshazzar ordered that those holy vessels of the Most High God were to be used as vessels. C. So, we have a deliberate act of on the part of Belshazzar against the God of Israel. 1. Secular historians tell us that this was really a party. 2. In his FOLLY Belshazzar is and the Most High God! Page 2 of 6
V. God pays Belshazzar a little visit and so we see GOD S. A. Right in the middle of all the toasting, the debauchery and the revelry, a huge appears on the wall all by itself and starts writing. B. And this is where that old expression THE HAND ON THE WALL came from. VI. Now...if you don t think this was a frightening experience, look at BELSHAZZAR S in Vs. 6. A. Belshazzar was the ruler. 1. His father was the ruler. 2. And whoever could interpret this handwriting on the wall would be made ruler in the land. B. He is now alarmed and his face grew even. VII. Now...we see DANIEL S. A. Apparently, Daniel has been by this new king. B. But the of Nebuchadnezzar reminds him of Daniel s and that he is still around. VIII. Beginning in Vs. 17 we see DANIEL S. A. Daniel wasn t a man of God who could be. 1. You can imagine what a audience Daniel had at this point. 2. So...Daniel takes this opportunity to preach a little. B. Someone has said that man is religious. C. The human being that God created has always something. Page 3 of 6
D. God had been more than with Belshazzar. E. Now...God has something to and to you Belshazzar. IX. Now...we see BABYLON S! A. MENE: God has your kingdom and put an end to it. 1. The days of your kingdom have been numbered and you took your step when you brought in and dishonored the vessels used in the worship of God in the Temple in Jerusalem. 2. Because...in doing that, you God and your kingdom is over at this point and God s judgment is even as we speak! B. TEKEL: You have been on the scales and found. C. PERES: Means To divide. 1. Your kingdom is being divided even as I speak and I am giving it over to the Medes and the Persians. 2. At that very moment the armies of the Medes and the Persians are into the city and the king didn t have a clue it was happening. 3. Did Belshazzar get the?! 4. Apparently Belshazzar thinks he is still in of the kingdom. X. The history pictured by the head of the image ended that night of October 12 th, B.C. A. And the history of the breast and arms of silver begins with the and the. Page 4 of 6
B. Historians tell us that even as Daniel was speaking the armies of the Medes and Persians had been digging a for months leading from the Euphrates River around the city to a lake. C. Now...what is there for us to from Daniel 5? XI. First...the sermon that Daniel preached to Belshazzar could and should be preached to today. A. Our own Declaration of Independence states: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are equal, that they are endowed by their with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness That to secure these rights, are instituted among men... B. Like the people of Babylon...in our of the gods of, Gold, silver, iron, brick and stone...we have the testimony of our forefathers. C. Preachers in many of the pulpits of America s churches, not many years ago, were men of and. 1. Today...many of our churches are being led by men who are filled with and. 2. And if America refuses to repent, THE IS ON THE WALL!! XII. Second...We need to learn from the experiences of. A. What was Belshazzar s problem? He had learned absolutely from the experiences of his forefathers! B. You and I need to learn about the great Old Testament characters like and others. 1. And see how God blessed them when they Him. 2. And how God them when they were disobedient to the truth. Page 5 of 6
C. God wants you and me to learn from the experiences of men and women in the. 1. And when God says do that! He s not saying that because He doesn t want us to have any! 2. He says it because He us and He knows it s going to bring pain and and affect the lives of those around us. 3. When God says, Seek me first and all these things shall be added unto you... or What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?...what s He doing? He s trying to save us from. 4. If we don t learn anything else from Daniel 5 we ought to learn that God holds our very life in His hands...just like He held the breath of that king, 2,500 years ago. XIII. There s something else to be learned here: Our days are. A. That s one of the great lessons to be learned from. B. When we go to a funeral God says there will be an of every man and we ought to take that to and do something to ourselves for eternity. Page 6 of 6