Title: Rebuking Belshazzar (Daniel 5:22-24)
Lesson 56 Rebuking Belshazzar (Daniel 5:22-24)
5:22-24
Belshazzar, the king became his son, and he knew all this, but he did not humble himself. Rather, he exalted himself and disobeyed the lordship of heaven, and brought the sanctuary before the king, and the king, the nobles, the queens, and the poor all drank from it. They drank, and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood and stone, which the king neither saw nor heard nor knew, but did not glorify God, who ruled over the king's breath, and who ordained all his ways. came out and wrote this article
Let's look at verse 22. “O Belshazzar, the king has become his son, and knows all these things,” he said. King Belshazzar said he knew everything that happened to King Nebuchadnezzar in those days. What did God do to break the pride of King Nebuchadnezzar? When King Nebuchadnezzar was sleeping, he took a human heart to break his pride, and instead put the heart of an animal in it, causing him to suffer from mental illness for 7 years. Only when King Nebuchadnezzar surrendered before God's absolute sovereignty and bowed his head, God restored his heart and restored his health. King Belshazzar knew all this. He knew what the Most High God hates and what he wants, and he knew everything that God required.
How would Belshazzar know what had happened to King Nebuchadnezzar? Of course, it could be said that he knew through rumors. However, in Babylonian history, there is a record that Belshazzar was in a high office in the city of Babylon when it was two years after Nebuchadnezzar died. So we can see that in the last years of King Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar was already of a considerable age. And according to history, Nabonidus, the father of King Belshazzar, was a public official in the city of Babylon at the time of King Nebuchadnezzar. Therefore, it can be inferred that King Belshazzar was of an age when King Nebuchadnezzar was suffering from a mental illness while he was in the city of Babylon and was able to directly see and perceive what was happening in the city of Babylon. In other words, Belshazzar did not know what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar from records or rumors, but was a man who had seen it with his own eyes.
Nevertheless, he said, "Rather, do not humble yourself, but rather exalt yourself." How did Daniel define human pride? Pride is not to humble your heart, but rather to exalt yourself. I have to humble myself, but others should exalt me, and God should exalt me. But King Belshazzar was arrogant and did not humble himself, but exalted himself.
To what extent were you proud? "Disobeying the sovereignty of heaven." He was so proud that he ascended to a position that defied the sovereignty of heaven. Who is the ruler of heaven? Who is the master of heaven who rules the sky? He is God. God created man. It is God who sits high on the throne in heaven and rules all things in the universe. It means that we have reached the point of disobeying God, that is, refusing to acknowledge God's sovereignty and challenging God's authority.
Three specific examples of how King Belshazzar rebelled against God are recorded. First, "Bring the old vessel before the king, and the king, nobles, queens, and the poor all drank from it." They trampled on the holy vessels belonging to God. It was blasphemy. It's not God's will. Second, "And the king praised the gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which he neither saw nor heard nor knew." praised idols. worshiped idols. The things that we cannot see, hear, or know are idols. They are also made by human hands. praised these idols. Third, "But he did not give glory to God, who ruled over the king's breath, and decreed all his ways." Compared to the idols, the eternal God, the living God, and the true God are described. King Belshazzar did not glorify the living God, the true God, who insists on human breathing and orients all human paths. King Belshazzar rebelled against God in three ways:
Then look at verse 24. "For this reason." This means that King Belshazzar was arrogant and disobeyed the rule of heaven. "In front of him." Who is he talking about here? God. It means "this finger came out before God". So where do the fingers come from? It was God who sent the finger. "This finger came out and wrote this writing." God sent his finger to write the writings, so how can those who worship idols, that is, wise men of Babylon who worship idols that they do not see, hear, or know, read and interpret the writings? Only Daniel, a man of God, a servant of God, can read and interpret the text.
What we need to learn today is Daniel's boldness. How great is Daniel? In front of the king who could kill or save him, he boldly exclaimed, "You have taken the glory of God who claims your breath and directs all your paths." We should have the same courage as Daniel.
How could Daniel be so bold? He was not afraid of people because he had faith to fear only God, who should be feared. When we do not fear God, we fear people. I hope today will be a day to live boldly and proudly as people of God while fearing only the one and only God.
I also want all of you to live a life opposite to that of King Belshazzar. You just need to have the opposite of King Belshazzar. What does it look like? King Belshazzar did not humble himself. I hope you will humble yourself. King Belshazzar exalted himself. You want to humble yourself. Then God will exalt you. Others will exalt us. King Belshazzar disobeyed the rule of heaven. I hope that you will have a day where you can bow your head in obedience to God's authority and God's sovereignty without rebelling against the Lord God in heaven.
King Belshazzar ignored God's things. They have defiled and blasphemed the holy vessels. May you love and honor the things of God. I hope that you will love God's temple, love God's Word, the Bible, and know how to value God's people. King Belshazzar also worshiped idols. He said that idols are those who love more than God. Love of material things is an idol. I hope that you will not worship idols, but only love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, with all your soul.
Also, I pray in the name of Jesus that you have a blessed day that pleases and gives great glory to God, who asserts our breathing and directs all our paths.