'Appreciating God's Love'
A) Belshazzar Blasphemed God
Dan 5:1-4 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a 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, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his 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; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
King Belshazzar was so arrogant as to order the gold and silver vessels taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem to be use in his feast, which even his father King Nebuchadnezzar the great would not dare to do so.
His pride had blinded him that he had forgotten the decree of his father, who, for God's mighty works, had declared Him as indeed the Almighty God and Creator.
Dan 3:29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."
Courtiers Blasphemed God
The king's lords, wives and concubines took this opportunity to mock and blaspheme the name of the Lord. While they were drinking their wine from these golden vessels, which were dedicated for the use in the temple of God, they were mocking God for being powerless and His inability to protect the Israelites from defeats by the Babylonians led by their powerful idols made of gold, silver and wood.
B) Fear hit King Belshazzar
Dan 5:5-6 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw 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 and his knees knocked against each other.
While God's name was being blasphemed by the courtiers, a man's hand appeared to write on the wall. When the king saw the hand, great fear came upon him for he was shivering and his knees were knocking each other.
He must have realized that God would not tolerable the abuse of the gold and silver vessels by the courtiers. He feared for his life knowing that He had encouraged and made his courtiers to blaspheme His holy Name.
Immediately, he sent out the order that he would reward highly whoever could interprete the writings on the wall.
The king became more fearful when none of his astrologers, soothsayers and Chaldeans could interprete the writings on the wall for by then he knew for sure that the God of the Jews would punish him for blaspheming His holy Name.
Dan 5:7-9 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its 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 wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.
C) Removal of Belshazzar
Dan 5:18, 20 "O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor... But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him... But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
King Belshazzar knew how God gave the powerful Babylonian Empire to his father. He also knew that when his father was arrogant, God took the throne of the kingdom from him. He was like a madman eating grass as food.
Yet, King Belshazzar was proud and did not fear God but mocked Him by allowing his courtiers to drink their wine from His golden vessels and blasphemed God. He was killed that night and Darius the Mede took over his throne.
Note your physical body is the temple of God, so do not defile it by committing adultery, sexual immorality, idolatry and other abominable practices.
Dan 5:22-23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified."
