Intro:
Belshazzar's feast is a picture of the party that the U. S. was
enjoying on September 11, 2001. On that Tuesday morning the American people
woke up to what they expected to be another normal day. Little did we know
that before the middle of the morning our lives and our country would be
changed forever. Let's look at this feast in Daniel 5 and make some comparisons.
I.
NOTICE THE FEAST:
A.
It was a party of Sinful Shame,
Daniel
5:1a ....
Dan 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords,....
1.
Evil Wine, Vs 1,
Dan 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
Cp.
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2.
Evil Women, Vs 2-3
Dan 5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Dan 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
3.
Evil Worship, Vs 4
Dan 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
1.
Their party revealed the depravity of humanity
2.
Their party revealed their disrespect for a Holy God
3.
Their party revealed their desecration of Holy things
(This
is what got them into trouble.) Explain:
In
America's party today:
1.
Nakedness is advertised
2.
Sin is glamorized
3.
Sex was merchandised
4.
People are hypnotized
5.
The Church is paralyzed
6.
God is demoralized
B.
It was a party of Self-satisfaction.
-Nebuchadnezzar
had conquered all the known world of that day and all that was left for his
son to do was live it up.
C.
It was a party of Self-security
1.
The city of Babylon was said to be unconquerable
2.
It was built four square to imitate the New Jerusalem
3.
It was 15 miles each direction
4.
The river Euphrates ran through the middle of it
5.
The walls of the city were 350 feet high
6.
The walls were 85 feet thick - so thick that four chariots could race
side by side on top of it.
7.
There was a 50 foot canal built outside the walls.
BUT
GOD KNEW HOW TO CRASH THEIR PARTY!!!
They
conquered the city by rerouting the river and entering in by the river bed.
II.
NOTICE THE FINGERS, Daniel 5
A.
The Period of the fingers- Vs 5 "Then"
-in the middle of the party
Dan 5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
B.
The Person of the fingers -
This
finger wrote three times in the Word of God:
1.
Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
2.
John 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
3.
Daniel 5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
C.
The Place of the fingers -Vs 5-Where it would get attention
Dan 5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
D.
The Proclamation of the fingers, Vs 26-27-You
are finished.
Ill.
NOTICE THE FEAR, Daniel 5:6-12
A.
Revealed by his appearance, Vs 6
Dan 5:6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
B.
Revealed by his announcement, Vs 7
Dan 5:7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
C.
Revealed by his actions, Vs 11-12 -Called for a Preacher
Dan 5:11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
Dan 5:12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
IV.
NOTICE THE FINISH, Daniel 5:25-30
A.
His days were numbered, Vs 26
Dan 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
B.
His deeds were weighed, Vs 27
Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
C.
His dynasty was finished, Vs 28
Dan 5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
D.
His death is sudden, Vs 30
Dan 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
His
death was Unexpected, Unnecessary, and he was Unprepared.
by
Bro. Stinnett Ballew
