Truth Project: Daniel 5 - A Peculiar Message on the Wall

Welcome to truth matters with Dr. Gerald Dr. Davis continues reteaching journey through the prophetic book of today. She takes us to the fifth chapter of Daniel, the day King Belshazzar of Babylon sees the finger of God writing a peculiar message on the palace wall is the king watch the message being written became faint and anxious, not knowing the meaning he cried out for his enchanters, astrologers, diviners and wise men of Babylon to come to his side to work frustrated not knowing how to decipher this mysterious message on the wall but to their amazement, the king's wife knew of a wise man of the kingdom who had special abilities to interpret dreams and understand the great mysteries. Daniel was his day as he had been the Prime Minister of the Empire during the reign of Belshazzar's grandfather Nebuchadnezzar. Cheers, Dr. Davis, Belshazzar, having his way, and welcome to truth matters. Nine.

Dr. Cheryl Davis last ever said we ended with chapter 4 of Daniel and covering the humiliation of King Nebuchadnezzar and really how he lost it all to gain it all in a moment of pride within his palace and said, look at all I've done and then the prophecy spoken by Daniel and the interpretation of Daniel that he would be like a beast living on the outside happened to Nebuchadnezzar later.

At the end of chapter 4 we see where Nebuchadnezzar praises God.

He said now I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven. All of his works are truth in his ways, justice, and those who walk in pride he is able to put down the reason they be Knesset could say this is that he had first-hand experience of being put down because of walking in pride in chapter 4. Moving on to chapter 5 this is the infamous chapter in which we get the saying the handwriting on the wall. A lot of us are very familiar with chapter 5 through and I try to glean a lot of nuggets out of chapter 5 that many of us have heard the story numbers of times even as children. So let's get into chapter 5 will read first one therefore feels as though the king made a great feast for thousand of his lords and drank wine in the presence of the 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, the king and his lords, his wives and concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem, the king and his lords wives and concubines drank from them.

They drink wine and praise the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron wood and stone from the time of the beginning of captivity to the time of chapter 5, there had been about a 70 year time span. If you remember in Jeremiah 25, he predicted that in 70 years. I will punish the king of Babylon said moving over to Jeremiah chapter 25 verses 12 through 14, the Bible says, then it will come to pass, when 70 years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation the land of the Chaldeans for their iniquity, says the Lord, and I will make it a perpetual desolation so I will bring on that land.

All my words, which I have pronounced against it.

All that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall be served by them. Also, and I will repay them according to their deeds. And according to the works of their own hands. Also, Jeremiah predicts judgment. In Jeremiah 51 verse 24, and that state and I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion in your site says the Lord safely move over to Jeremiah 5111. Make the air is bright to gather the shields the Lord has raised that the spirit of the king of the Medes for his plan is against Babylon to destroy it because it is the vengeance of the Lord. Vengeance for his temple after King Nebuchadnezzar.

Many kings came after him. History tells us that King Nebuchadnezzar died in October of 562 BC, after having reigned 43 years going through history.

Belshazzar was the fourth king after Nebuchadnezzar is known as his grandson the Belshazzar that is mentioned in verse one, just to get to know him and his character was somewhat different from his grandfather. Belshazzar was addicted to wine to women and to music and the party that he throws in chapter 5 is famous for the handwriting on the wall. The notice in this first four verses Daniel is not on the scene based on history, all of the ministers were sent away from the throne he dropped out of sight for about 10 years.

Let's focus on verse three. Verse three says then they brought the gold vessels that have been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them. They drink wine and praise the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. This is really the worst sacrilege. It's the worst abomination that Belshazzar could make before the God of Israel, and if you remember these gold gauntlets were taken by King Nebuchadnezzar.

When the temple was rated and when he ultimately defeated the Israelites.

They were sent into captivity.

Belshazzar set for the gold goblets which is open defiance of these holy vessels. He taunted the Hebrew God with this act of desecration. Jeremiah talks about this in a lot of his writings seminary. Jeremiah chapter 50 verse one through three.

The word that the Lord spoke against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet declare among the nations, proclaim and set up a standard proclaim and do not conceal it, say Babylon is taken fail ashamed merit is broken in pieces. Vitals are humiliated or images are broken in pieces for out of the north, the nation comes up against her, which shall make her land desolate, and no one shall dwell therein. They shall move they shall depart both man and beast. Earlier I read Jeremiah 51 and 11. Make the air is bright, gather the shields the Lord has raised that the spirit of the kings of the Medes for his plan is against Babylon to destroy it because it is the vengeance of the Lord.

The vengeance of his temple, and it was this act of defiance by King Belshazzar that ignited the anger of God.

At this point. Their sin had come to fullness of measure and the Lord was ready to act in judgment so let's move on to the Lord's reaction to their desecration of the Golden goblets of the temple will read verses five through nine in the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster. The wall of the king's palace and the kings of 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 in his knees knocked against each other. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans soothsayers. The king spoke saying to the wise men of Babylon who ever reads this writing and tells me his interpretation shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Now all the king's wisemen came and they could not read the writing and make known to the king's interpretation then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled countenance changed in his lords were astonished and said, if you think about the context of these verses in which the written you. Currently, Belshazzar is throwing a great feast, as we know that he is addicted to wine and women so much that point did he get so intoxicated that he brings out gold goblets and starts praising the gods of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which these goblets were to be used in God's holy assembly, the gods action at this point things out a finger of a man's hand appearing to write on the wall opposite from the lampstand can immediately Belshazzar sobers up pretty quickly. That is how countenance changed to the point fear that sin on him. As far as the joints of his hips were loosened in his knees knocked against each other. But notice how Belshazzar reacts. He reacts the same way that we see Nebuchadnezzar acting early on in the first few chapters of Daniel. He cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans in the soothsayers and again they were useless to explain the current events and what he was witnessing you and we see that the inadequacy of the astrologers is really passed down from generation to generation.

Knowing that the ministers were driven away from the palace early on in the reign of Bill Shatzer moving onto Daniel 10 through 12. The Queen because of the words of the king and his lords came to the banquet hall. The Queen spoke saying oh king live forever to not let your thoughts troubled me, nor let your countenance change. There is a man in your kingdom, and whom is the spirit of the holy God and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him and King Nebuchadnezzar your father your father the king made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding and interpreting dreams, sobbing riddles and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel and the king named Bell to Shatzer now that Daniel be called and he will give you the interpretation. Can I just have to insert in here that often times, women do run to the rescue and this is a quick example of the Queen who may not have been within the banquet hall, but responded to the level of chaos that comes in with an immediate solution. Who knows that the spirit of the holy God rested upon Daniel and she witnessed his wisdom, his excellent spirit has knowledge, and suggested Daniel to be the remedy to Bill Shatzer's situation.

So of course Belshazzar had no other options because everything he had tried had failed very much like us whenever we get into situations. We often call on God.

Last and in this case Daniel was the last resort, when really got to be first resort in our lives. In this case he should have been called first, however, often times recalled in God is centered at the end of the issue. As humans we often wait to the very end the call on God for help when in fact we should've called on him first for directions. This was the case of King Belshazzar and the citizens of the royal court of Babylon that had been caught up in the nightlife of modern Babylon getting the goodness and benefits of God. Nebuchadnezzar's experience of putting cells before the Almighty. When we put God last instead of first.

It's a recipe for disaster. Is Belshazzar as he witnessed the mighty Babylon fall quickly into the hands of the Persian Bible clearly states the triangles before fall and the reproach to righteousness.

We turn from God. We turn off the power that keeps them pretentious from the tribes of perhaps you've been walking down the road of self-indulgence falling into Satan's booby-traps to self-destruction. If this is you, you can begin a new journey in life. Dr. Davis understands would like to share with you the life-giving message of Jesus you would like to contact truth matters. You can reach us by emailing Dr. Davis and Cheryl Davis project truth matters.com writer, PO Box 159 St. Paul's, NC 28348, you can connect with truth matters on Facebook or visit our website project. Truth matters.com truth matters with Dr. Cheryl this is a ministry of the project