The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Daniel 5:22-24,
"But you, Belshazzar, his [Nebuchadnezzar's] son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
As successor to Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar was found guilty of not heeding the truths that his predecessor had to learn the hard way. He "did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways." Verse 23. What Nebuchadnezzar learned was that the "Most High" is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes, Daniel 4:25.
Rather than acknowledging what Nebuchadnezzar eventually learned, Belshazzar, who knew what he had learned, set himself up against the One who both seats kings on their thrones and deposes them as well. This night Belshazzar would lose his kingdom to Darius the Mede, and would be put to death.
The handwriting on the wall was God's judgment of him. Belshazzar's days were at an end, he was "weighed in the scales and found wanting" and his kingdom would now be broken up and given to the Medes and Persians.
How frightening this must have been to Belshazzar! We are told, "His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking." Daniel 5:6.
Today we are told we all are weighed in the balance and found wanting, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. However, the good news is, "Whoever hears my [Jesus'] word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24.
"But you, Belshazzar, his [Nebuchadnezzar's] son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
As successor to Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar was found guilty of not heeding the truths that his predecessor had to learn the hard way. He "did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways." Verse 23. What Nebuchadnezzar learned was that the "Most High" is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes, Daniel 4:25.
Rather than acknowledging what Nebuchadnezzar eventually learned, Belshazzar, who knew what he had learned, set himself up against the One who both seats kings on their thrones and deposes them as well. This night Belshazzar would lose his kingdom to Darius the Mede, and would be put to death.
The handwriting on the wall was God's judgment of him. Belshazzar's days were at an end, he was "weighed in the scales and found wanting" and his kingdom would now be broken up and given to the Medes and Persians.
How frightening this must have been to Belshazzar! We are told, "His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking." Daniel 5:6.
Today we are told we all are weighed in the balance and found wanting, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. However, the good news is, "Whoever hears my [Jesus'] word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24.
Just as Belshazzar faced the judgment of God, so we do, with eternity in the balance for each of us. We do not, however, have to face God's judgment if we would but embrace him in faith.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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