Two Choices Part 2
Last week we looked at Nebuchadnezzar who was a proud man and who thought that his reign was succeeding on his will alone. He failed to recognize God’s authority in his life and that decision led him to become more like a beast than a man. It was only after Nebuchadnezzar had bowed his knee to God and realize that God works in the lives of unbelievers as well as those who belong to him, did Nebuchadnezzar regain his kingdom and all the honor that went along with it. We saw how God will use times when we are comfortable in our lives to send us situations that will either cause us to lean on Him or to turn from Him. This week we will look at another man who had a choice to follow after God, but instead of turning to Him like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar kept the idols that were in his heart.
Belshazzar was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, he had heard of the events that occurred in Daniel chapter 4 but did not take Nebuchadnezzar’s lesson to heart. Instead Belshazzar continued to be prideful and secure in his own castle. So sure, was Belshazzar, that he even held a feast for all his nobles while Babylon was under siege. He believed that there was no way that the Medes and Persians would break down the walls. He knew that Babylon was fortified enough to last several years under siege, so he was comfortable.
Not only did he hold an elaborate feast, Belshazzar also called for the gold and silver cups from Jerusalem that Nebuchadnezzar had brought to Babylon to be used (Daniel 5:2). Belshazzar and others who drank from the cup than began to praise false gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone (Daniel 5:4). Belshazzar then saw something that caused him to become pale and his knees to tremble (Daniel 5:6). A human hand appeared on the wall across from him and wrote out a message (Daniel 5:5). Belshazzar called for his advisors to see what they could make of the message, none were able to decipher it (Daniel 5:8). Belshazzar was then reminded of Daniel who had been able to help solve problems like this in the past (Daniel 5:12).
Daniel was indeed able to decipher the message on the wall, but it was certainly not good news for the king. Daniel reminded Belshazzar that even though he knew of what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar had not humbled his heart and instead had put himself against God when he drank from the sacred cups and praised false gods (Daniel 5:17-23). Daniel then continues to rebuke the king, Belshazzar had honored gods who do not “see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored” Daniel 5:23. Daniel then interprets the message for Belshazzar, “26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.””. Unlike with Nebuchadnezzar, God did not wait to carry out His sentence. That very night Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Mede took control of Babylon (Daniel 5:31).
Belshazzar can be used as an example for many in today’s world. Especially if you are an American Christian, you have heard at one time or another different aspects of the Bible. Just like Belshazzar who had heard of what had happened to his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, we know the stories but we often ignore them, and thus we have a false sense of security that we can do things on our own. We begin to build up idols in our hearts, and as is seen in Psalm 115:4-8 we become like our idols. “But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” We place our trust in idols of our own making, idols that have mouths, eyes, ears, and noses but all of that is worthless because these idols hold none of the power of the only true God who breathes life into His creations, ““The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4. Our idols offer us a false sense of security, just as Belshazzar had with the siege going on behind his walls. And just like Belshazzar, God will still reach us when we feel we are content in this world and who we are in it. In Belshazzar’s case, it was a literal writing on the wall, for those today it may be a worldwide lock down causing you to reflect on what is truly important to you.
Belshazzar had the opportunity to heed his grandfather’s lesson and humble himself to God, however, he chose not to. This choice resulted in God turning against him. Belshazzar’s kingdom was divided amongst the Medes and Persians, a fact that Daniel had predicted in Daniel chapter 2 (this was also why Daniel was not interested in being made the third ruler in the kingdom, he knew that the kingdom would be divided amongst the Medes and Persians, God had already shown Daniel this). Belshazzar’s false security failed him when confronted with God’s will. By failing to humble himself to God, God was against Belshazzar.
We all have the choice to humble ourselves to God or not. As we saw last week if we choose to humble ourselves, we will be saved just as Nebuchadnezzar was. But if we choose not to humble ourselves then we are choosing a path that goes against what God would will for us. God wants all to come to Him and acknowledge Him “3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” 1 Timothy 2:3-6. However, if we take on the attitude of Belshazzar then God will be against us just as He was against Jerusalem in Jeremiah 21. What is interesting about this passage is that God used Nebuchadnezzar to bring His people back to Him. We all have two choices we could make when the God breaks through our false sense of security. We can either turn to God like Nebuchadnezzar, or we can ignore him and be separated from God forever as Belshazzar was.
Seek the Truth and encourage one another,
Alex