Sermon Daniel Chapter 5

[2] The title of the sermon today is “DANIEL CHAPTER 5.”

Quick Summary Of Daniel Chapters 1 Through 4

In Daniel Chapter 1 we learn about Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
King Nebuchadnezzar comes and takes Jerusalem the capital city of JUDAH.
God allows that to happen. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are children when this happens.
The best children are brought back to Babylon with King Nebuchadnezzar.
They take Daniel and his friends. They are raised up in the Babylonian ways.
But they don’t defile themselves with these false ways. God takes care of them.

[3] Daniel 1:19-20 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

In Daniel Chapter 2, we see King Nebuchadnezzar have a dream that troubled him.
He forgets the dream, but he wants his wise men to tell him the dream and the interpretation.
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego along with Daniel PRAY to God for help in this dream.
If no one can tell the king this dream and the interpretation, he’s putting all of them to death.
God helps them and shows Daniel the dream and the interpretation of the dream.

[4] Daniel 2:17-19 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

The dream Nebuchadnezzar had was about the 4 KINGDOMS in the great image he saw.
And then we learn about an everlasting kingdom that comes when JESUS CHRIST arrives.
Because Daniel tells the king his dream and the interpretation, he makes Daniel a ruler over Babylon.

[5] Daniel 2:48-49 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

So we now see that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are setup as rulers as well.
But Daniel is a greater ruler as he sits in the gate of the king.
In Chapter 3, we see Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stand up for God.
They won’t bow down to a false god. They don’t compromiser when it comes to God.

[6] Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The king is ANGRY. He throws them into the fiery furnace.
We see the SON OF GOD show up and save them from that fiery furnace.

The Form Of The Fourth Is Like The Son Of God

[7] Daniel 3:24-25 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

They aren’t hurt at all. They didn’t know God was going to save them. But they stood up for God anyway.
In no way, should you EVER support the worship of a false god.
That’s what they did right there. They didn’t compromise for ANY REASON.
In Daniel Chapter 4, we see the king humbled by GOD ALMIGHTY.
He sends him out into the wilderness for 7 years and until he realizes GOD IS GOD and he’s not.
He realizes he only has the power because God put him in power.

[8] Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

And that brings us to Daniel Chapter 5. That ends King Nebuchadnezzar.
Now, we’re going to see a new ruler in the kingdom of Babylon.

[9] Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

Belshazzar is the name of the King of Babylon at the time of Daniel Chapter 5 verse 1.
Notice the beginning of his name. BEL. And remember, Daniel’s Babylonian name is Belteshazzar.
So their names are very close. “BEL” or “BAAL” is a false god.
They name their people after the false god BAAL. We learn that about Daniel in Chapter 4.

[10] Daniel 4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

Bel is the false god of the Babylonians. Any false god is Satan himself. That’s what he wants.

[11] Jeremiah 51:44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

So Belshazzar is named after the false god BEL.
Belshazzar wasn’t the next king of Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 4.
So there’s a gap in time from the end of Chapter 4 to the start of Chapter 5.
There’s at least one king between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar.
His name was Evil-Merodach. And let’s find some Scripture on him.

[12] 2 Kings 25:27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

So we have King Nebuchadnezzar, then Evil-merodach, then maybe some other kings, then Belshazzar.
I just wanted you to see the timing here and realize there’s a gap of time between Chapter 4 and 5.

[13] Jeremiah 27:6-7 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. 7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

Realize that Belshazzar is the VERY LAST KING of Babylon. Babylon falls to the Medes and Persians.
If you remember the great image from Daniel Chapter 4, the head of the image was Babylon.
The arms and chest are the next kingdom and that is the Medes and Persians.
So, let’s read Daniel 5:1 again.

King Belshazzar Makes A Great Feast

[14] Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

So, this king is about to lose Babylon and he’s making a great FEAST.
He doesn’t know what’s about to happen. There’s 1000 of his lords there.
And they’re drinking wine at this great feast. And something big is about to happen.
They are partying, eating, drinking, and are merry. That reminds me of this passage in Matthew 24.

[15] Matthew 24:42-44 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

[16] Matthew 24:45-48 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

[17] Matthew 24:49-51 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In Matthew 24 right there, Jesus gives us a warning. He says to make sure you’re watching.
Don’t forget about Him . Don’t party, get drunk, and do whatever you want.
Jesus says, “I’ll be coming back at an hour you won’t realize is coming if you aren’t watching.”
And that’s exactly what happens to Belshazzar. Let’s keep going.

[18] Daniel 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.

King Nebuchadnezzar took all the gold and silver out of the temple in Jerusalem.
Do you remember when we first learned that all of that stuff would be carried away to Babylon?
We look to the book of 2 Kings as all of these stories are related.

[19] 2 Kings 20:12 At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

So this time period in 2 Kings is about 100 years before King Nebuchadnezzar carries the gold and silver away from the temple in Jerusalem.
Let’s continue in 2 Kings 20 verse 13.

[20] 2 Kings 20:13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

In the letter that the King of Babylon had sent, he must have asked to visit.
So he visits and King Hezekiah of Judah shows the King of Babylon all their riches.
That wasn’t a very smart thing to do. Watch what the great PROPHET ISAIAH says to him next.

[21] 2 Kings 20:14-15 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. 15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

King Hezekiah tells Isaiah that he showed them everything.

[22] 2 Kings 20:16-17 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. 17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

In Daniel Chapter 5, Belshazzar is about to eat and drink from that gold and silver that Hezekiah showed to a previous King of Babylon.
Isaiah prophesies about King Nebuchadnezzar carrying all of that away about 100 years before it happens.
Now we’re about 150 years or so after Isaiah prophesied in the Book of Daniel Chapter 5.
So, you can get all these extra details from all these other books. They all fit together.
Let’s read Daniel 5 verse 2 again.

Wives And Concubines

[23] Daniel 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.

The king is having a feast with 1000 lords in his kingdom. But he also has wives and concubines there too.
I just want to go over quickly wives and concubines. What is a concubine?
It’s a good question because we don’t really call women concubines around here.
Concubines are like SECONDARY WIVES that aren’t good enough to be the PRIMARY WIFE.
The first concubine mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis Chapter 22.

[24] Genesis 22:23-24 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

That’s the first time the word concubine is used. They were wives but like a secondary wife.
Nahor was Abraham’s brother and Nahor’s concubine is REUMAH.
A concubine is a wife but is usually used to bare additional children.
And this is just like the story of Abram and Sarai with Hagar.

[25] Genesis 16:3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

So, I stopped there in Daniel 5:2 to talk about concubines. They were wives but secondary wives.
They weren’t good enough to be the first wife.
Well, look, that’s not God’s design. ONE HUSBAND, ONE WIFE is God’s design.
So, we don’t usually have multiple wives at the same time in today’s world in this country.
But we do have people that live together without ever getting married. That’s not God’s design.
That’s called fornication and God HATES fornication. Let me show you what He says.

[26] 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

If someone calls themselves a CHRISTIAN and fornicates, we’re not supposed to even eat with them.
We need to be telling them that they need to get married.
If a man doesn’t want to get married but wants all the other benefits, he’s saying you’re like a concubine.
You’re not good enough for him to marry. So you need to get out of there. You deserve more than that.
Same thing the other way around for me. The man wants to get married but the woman doesn’t.
She’s saying, “Hey, you’re my male concubine. You aren’t good enough for me to marry.”
“I’m waiting for something else better to come along. But I’ll take the other benefits for now.”

No Benefits Without Marriage

NO, NO, NO!!! If you’re not good enough for someone to marry, YOU NEVER GIVE THEM ANY BENEFITS.

No one ever teaches this because people are scared to offend someone.
Well, guess what? God teaches it over and over and over again within the Bible.
Are we too good not to teach it here? We’ll teach it here BECAUSE GOD says to teach it.

[27] 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

If you’re saved and fornicating or having a sexual relationship outside of marriage, NOT GOOD.
Why is it not good? You’re sinning against your own body.
When you’re saved, you have the HOLY SPIRIT within you. God is there.
He bought you. He purchased you and gave you eternal life. And He lives within you.
And you’re FORNICATING. He hates fornication.

[28] 1 Corinthians 7:2-3 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

ONE WIFE, ONE HUSBAND. Stay that way for life. There is no other option in the Bible.
The husband and wife should render DUE benevolence to each other. What’s that mean?
It means you should ALWAYS do good to your spouse, be kind, loving, and always do what’s best for them.
And of course we all know what doing best for someone else means. That’s loving them.
And what does that mean? FOLLOWING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS IS LOVE.
That’s how you love your husband or your wife. LOVE GOD and follow His commandments.
When you do, that’s what will ALWAYS be best for your spouse.

For example, if your wife COVETS after things and wants you to make her feel so very special for Valentine’s Day by purchasing her a HUGE diamond ring, you DECLINE.

God hates covetousness!!! Your wife should love you by not WANTING ANY MATERIAL things.
Material things are of the world, and we don’t need them.
You don’t feed her FLESHLY DESIRES by giving her anything and everything she wants.
That’s NOT LOVE. The world says that is love. GOD SAYS IT ISN’T. I’ll go with God.

[29] Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

God says right there: “Hey, once you’re saved, DON’T FORNICATE. DON’T COVET.”
If you decide to do it anyway, God can make your life here on earth a LIVING HELL.
He will punish you because you are one of HIS CHILDREN and He takes care of HIS CHILDREN.

[30] Proverbs 23:13-14 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

God wrote that SCRIPTURE. He’ll do the exact same thing to you for fornication. He’s serious.
GET MARRIED. Don’t be a concubine. Don’t be a second class live-in husband or wife.
I teach this today because I don’t want to see you get punished by GOD ALMIGHTY.
That’s loving. Not teaching what God says is HATING YOU. It’s easier on me to not teach it.
That’s called loving myself because it’s easier for me not to offend someone.
Let’s go back to Daniel 5 and continue in verse 3.

[31] Daniel 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.

They brink these golden vessels out and they begin to drink the wine in these vessels.
These vessels are from the HOUSE OF GOD.
So you have this king who worships a false god drinking in the vessels from the house of God.
He’s having a party, going to get drunk on wine, and using God’s stuff to do it.
He clearly doesn’t understand who GOD ALMIGHTY happens to be. He’s watching.
And then watch what he does. BAD MOVE.

[32] Daniel 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

They praise the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.
They’re praising gods who can’t even breathe.
For example, the god of Lebron James is sports. That’s NUMBER ONE to him.
The MLB commissioner recently said that the World Series Trophy is just a piece of metal.
And everyone in the world of sports just goes off. But the MLB commissioner is correct.

False Gods Haven’t Taken One Breath

But they all praise and worship sports. Sports is a false god that doesn’t even breathe.

It’s a game that doesn’t even have a body, it has no flesh, it doesn’t breathe.
Put sports first in your life, and you’ve made SPORTS your god.
So you have all these people worshipping false gods in Daniel Chapter 5.
Sounds just like our world today. Even the churches have false gods.
They create their very own VERSION of the God within this Bible that fits them and all their desires.
Let’s see what happens next in verse 5.

[33] Daniel 5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

As Belshazzar is drinking wine and having his party using God’s vessels, he sees something.
It’s within the same hour. So keep in mind, this man is getting drunk on wine.
The fingers of man’s hand show up. Not the entire arm. Just the fingers of a man’s hand.
Picture this. There’s a candlestick upon the wall and you’re in the king’s palace.
You’re sitting at the table having a great time.
You look over and you see the part of the hand writing on the wall.
You’re like: “Whoa! Maybe I drank too much wine.” You shake it off and look again. It’s still there.

[34] Daniel 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.

So, the king’s countenance or the look on his face changes. He gets a troubled look on his face.
And he becomes scared and fearful. He’s so scared that his knees start knocking together.
We’d all be the same way if we saw a hand writing on the wall and the message is to us.
Imagine how scared you are when your legs are shaking and your knees knocking together.
That reminds me of little T when she was getting swim lessons and jumping off the diving block.
Her little legs were shaking and hitting together. She’s an amazing little thing.

[35] Daniel 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 shew 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.

The king cries out to the so-called wise men. The astrologers and soothsayers.
He wants to know the interpretation of what was written on the wall.
Whoever can read it and interpret it will be raised up in his kingdom.
They shall be the THIRD ruler in the kingdom. Why the THIRD RULER?

Was There A King Nabonidus?

Some people think that there was another king Nabonidus that was away for a while.

They believe that Belshazzar was reigning as king while he was away.
They say that Belshazzar was his son.
They say he spent most of his time trying to restore order in the kingdom.
And that he moved to Tema and left the kingdom to his son Belshazzar.
But the Bible doesn’t say any of that.
It could mean the KING was first, the queen was second, and then the THIRD RULER would be whoever interprets the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar.

[36] Daniel 5:8-9 Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

As expected, none of the so-called wise men could read the writing on the wall.
Then the king is really troubled. He wants to know what it means. I would too. He’s not giving up.

[37] Daniel 5:10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

So the queen arrives to help her husband.
“O KING, LIVE FOR EVER.” This is how the king’s were usually greeted.
But King Belshazzar sure isn’t going to live forever. Let’s see what the Queen has to say.

[38] Daniel 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;

There is a man who has the spirit of the holy gods. She doesn’t understand there’s ONE GOD.
She says, “In the days of THY FATHER light and understanding and wisdom was found in him.”
Understand that King Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t his FATHER. But he was in his line.
The Bible uses that terminology all throughout. For example, Abraham is the father of all saved.
He is our father since we’re saved through faith.

[39] Romans 4:16-17 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

And being the father of many is within the Bible everywhere.

[40] Genesis 4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

So just keep in mind that Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t Belshazzar’s actual father but he was in that line.
He was most likely his grandfather or great grandfather.

The Queen Remembers Daniel

[41] Daniel 5:12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing 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 shew the interpretation.

The queen mentions Daniel. And look, Daniel must be pretty old now. Let’s see what happens.
They are going to call for Daniel. If anyone can do it, it must be Daniel.

[42] Daniel 5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

It appears that the king doesn’t know Daniel at all but has heard about Daniel from the queen.
He asks, “Are you THAT Daniel that I’ve heard about?”

[43] Daniel 5:14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

Now he needs Daniel. He’s trying to puff Daniel up now because he needs something from him.

[44] Daniel 5:15-16 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

He tells Daniel that he will raise him up in his kingdom.
Belshazzar doesn’t realize he’s about to lose the kingdom anyway.
“I’ll give you a chain of gold. Scarlet clothing.” Do you think Daniel cared about that stuff?
Let’s see what Daniel says. I love this part.

[45] Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Daniel says, “Hey, you can keep your gifts. Give them to yourself. Give the rewards to someone else.”
He says, “But, I’ll still read the writing to you and give you the interpretation. I’ll do it for nothing.”

Daniel Preaches To King Belshazzar

[46] Daniel 5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Daniel starts telling the king what he wants to know. He gives the king some background information first.
THE ONE TRUE GOD gave King Nebuchadnezzar his power. It came from God and not anyone else.
Understand that today. If you have power, money, health, wisdom, knowledge, glory, honor:
All of these things you have come from GOD ALMIGHTY. He can take it away any time.
He did that with King Nebuchadnezzar. He did it with Pharaoh. He’ll do it to you and I if needed.
He can take your job away, your home away, your money, your health, your family.
GOD ALMIGHTY does what He needs to do and He has a reason for all things that He does.

[47] Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

In other words, don’t mess with THE ONE TRUE GOD. He’ll break you down.
He’ll humble you if you won’t do it yourself. He’ll break you down. He’ll raise you up.

[48] Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

God appoints your time to be born. Your time to die. Your time to be broken down.
And your time to be builded up. He’s in control. Understand that today. HIS WAYS ARE HIGHER.
That’s what Belshazzar wasn’t understanding so Daniel is teaching him here. He’s preaching.
Let’s continue in verse 19 of Daniel Chapter 5. Daniel is preaching. Let’s hear how he preaches.
Notice and see if he’s always so very nice and loving like the world teaches today.

[49] Daniel 5:19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

God gave King Nebuchadnezzar his power. People trembled before King Nebuchadnezzar.
Why? Because he slewed who we wanted. He kept alive who he wanted. He setup who he wanted.
He put down who he wanted. Why? Because God gave him that power.

[50] Daniel 5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

This is what we see in Daniel Chapter 4. King Nebuchadnezzar was made like an animal in the wilderness.

[51] Daniel 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

In other words, Daniel is preaching to this king that GOD IS IN POWER and He does what He wants.
No man has ANY power unless God allows HIM to have that power.
God can knock you out any time He wants.
And now let’s see if Daniel is scared to preach the truth to King Belshazzar.
Notice throughout the Bible that GOD’S PROPHETS aren’t afraid to preach the truth.
That’s what we need to be like. Don’t be scared that someone might get mad at you.

[52] Daniel 5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

Daniel tells the king that he knew all of this and he didn’t humble himself.
Daniel states the truth. Do you think this offended the king?
Oh yeah, you better know it did because he was lifted up with pride. That’s why he’s saying this.
Watch what Daniel says next in verse 23.

[53] Daniel 5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

This king has lifted himself up AGAINST the LORD OF HEAVEN. Do you understand what that means?
THE GOD IN HEAVEN!!! He is there. Don’t lift yourself up against HIM.
That’s like saying: “Hey, I know fornication is wrong but I’ll do it anyway.”
That’s called lifting yourself up against the GOD OF HEAVEN. He’ll knock you down.

God Holds Your Breath In His Hands

Notice what it says on the last part of verse 23:

“AND THE GOD IN WHOSE HAND THY BREATH IS.”
Understand that God has your breath in HIS HANDS. He can let go of that breath any time.
He can squeeze it away from you slowly or take it with force all at once.
That’s God. We better start to understand who He is and realize He is in control.
That’s what Daniel is preaching to this king, and that’s why this Daniel Chapter 5 is here for us to see.

[54] Daniel 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

Daniel tells King Belshazzar that the PART OF THE HAND was sent from GOD ALMIGHTY.
GOD ALMIGHTY wrote the writing on the wall. Imagine if you were hearing that for the first time.
You might not want to know what that writing says if you’ve been worshipping false gods.
You took the vessels of God’s house and have lifted yourself up against Him. Not good.
You might want to take off running. You can run, but you can’t hide from God.

[55] Jeremiah 23:22-24 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. 23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? 24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

God teaches us what He wants in this Bible. He says, “HEY, TURN FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS!!!”
GOD FILLS the heaven and the earth. He knows. He sees. He is THE LIVING GOD. We better wake up.
Let’s see what the writing on the wall was and what it means. Verse 25.

[56] Daniel 5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

The Babylonians couldn’t read the words. But Daniel could.
MEN-AY, MEN-AY, TEK-AL, U-PHAR-SIN.
And keep in mind that Daniel Chapter 5 is originally written in the ARAMAIC language.
It’s not written in the Hebrew language.
MEN-AY means NUMBERED.
TEK-AL means BE WEIGHED.
U-PHAR-SIN means to split up or divide.

So, the words read: NUMBERED, NUMBERED, BE WEIGHED, DIVIDE.

But Daniel is going to give the interpretation of what all this means.
Let’s see what this all means in verse 26.

[57] Daniel 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

That’s a fearful thing to hear for a king. You’re FINISHED.

[58] Daniel 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

When God weighs you, you don’t want to be found wanting.
You want to be made whole. You want to be SAVED by grace through faith.
In other words, this BELSHAZZAR is in BIG TROUBLE.
Without a doubt, this is the WORST DAY of HIS LIFE.
Imagine the sinking feeling he gets when he hears this.

Be Saved Today And Don’t Be Found Wanting

You don’t want to get that same feeling one day. Make the decision today to BE SAVED.

And then make the decision to OBEY GOD and do what He asks for the rest of your life.
If you do, God will take care of you in this life and for eternity. Don’t you want to be safe?
You don’t want to end up like Belshazzar.

[59] Daniel 5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

The prophecy from Daniel Chapter 3 is being fulfilled. Daniel spoke of this to King Nebuchadnezzar.
God gave King Nebuchadnezzar the dream and warned him over and over again.
King Belshazzar knew the warning. Daniel just told him he knew about it and didn’t care.
The Babylonian kingdom is NOW going to be divided and given to TWO.
The MEDES and the PERSIANS will now be taking over.

[60] Daniel 5:29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel said he didn’t want anything, but the king did what he said.
They clothed Daniel with scarlet, put a chain of gold around his neck, and made him 3^rd ruler in the kingdom.
But as we know, Daniel won’t be the third ruler in the kingdom for very long.
He just said, “You’re kingdom is FINISHED!!!” So, let’s see how long it takes for this to come true.

[61] Daniel 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

So, Belshazzar was killed that same night.

[62] Daniel 5:31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

We see Darius the MEDIAN taking the kingdom from Belshazzar.
Let’s see how it was done from the prophet Isaiah. And realize this was all prophecy.
Remember, Isaiah said it would happen this way long before it ever happened.

[63] Isaiah 13:17-19 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. 18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

And then watch this next verse from Isaiah because it’s still the exact same way.

[64] Isaiah 13:20-21 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

What saith the SCRIPTURE? The SCRIPTURE says that land shall NEVER be inhabited.
Who is this DARIUS THE MEDIAN that we see at the end of Chapter 5?
Just keep in mind that there are 2 kings named DARIUS in the Bible.
One is from the Medes and one is from the Persians.
The Darius in the Book of Daniel in Chapter 5, 6, 9, and 11 is Darius the Median.

[65] Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

So this Darius is the son of Ahasuerus. He is the one who takes over after Belshazzar is killed.
Along with Darius the Median, you’ll see King Cyrus of Persia ruling as well.
Remember, the Medes and the Persians split the kingdom of Babylon.

[66] Daniel 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

So God took care of Daniel throughout the reign of the Babylonians. Look back to Chapter 1 of Daniel.

[67] Daniel 1:20-21 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

Daniel continued in the kingdom of Babylon until it was finished.
So now, in the Book of Daniel, we finish Chapter 5 and we’re at the FIRST YEAR OF KING CYRUS.
And of course, Daniel continues to prosper in every kingdom that God places Daniel.
Why? Because HE FOLLOWED GOD. He walked with God. He obeyed God.
God can do the same thing for you. Let’s do what God asks us to do.

Let’s pray.