WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.879 Mountain Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. A special welcome 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:09.259 if you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here 00:00:09.259 --> 00:00:12.640 not just because we're, or not because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:18.379 Jesus together as one community. And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's 00:00:18.379 --> 00:00:23.580 no one so good, they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad they can't have it, which is why we 00:00:23.579 --> 00:00:30.339 come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word. This week we're continuing 00:00:30.339 --> 00:00:34.719 our study in the book of Daniel. We're going to be in Daniel chapter 5, and you'll remember that the 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:41.280 book of Daniel takes place in the 7th and 6th century BC, and it tells the story of a man named 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:47.759 Daniel who was a faithful Israelite living in exile in Babylon. And this book for us has two main points. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:55.079 First, it reminds us, it encourages us that no matter how bad things seem, God is still in control. 00:00:55.859 --> 00:01:02.320 He rules and He reigns over the nations. Not only is this book here to encourage us, though, it's also 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:09.000 to instruct us how it is that we live faithful lives in a foreign land. Now, at the beginning, 00:01:09.099 --> 00:01:13.719 we looked more at instruction last week, and this week we're going to look, we've been looking more 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:19.780 at encouragement. Last week, we looked at the fact that there are wicked rulers, and we live in a 00:01:19.780 --> 00:01:26.379 wicked world. And so we asked that question of how we can stay away from doubt and cynicism and fear. 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:32.480 We're going to look at a similar situation this morning. We're continuing that theme. We're going 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:38.299 to look a little bit less at wicked rulers and more at wicked kingdoms. We're going to ask less about 00:01:38.299 --> 00:01:44.879 doubt and cynicism. We're going to ask more about fear. How is it when we look at the power and the 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:50.239 wickedness of the nations around us, which Chris mentioned in his prayer this morning, how do we 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:57.539 maintain hope? And not only how do we maintain hope, how do we keep going and moving? How do we continue 00:01:57.539 --> 00:02:07.340 to be people of peace rather than people of violence? It's with that question of how we maintain that hope 00:02:07.340 --> 00:02:13.319 in the midst of a world filled with wickedness that we come to Daniel chapter 5 this morning. I invite 00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:19.319 you to turn there with me now in your worship guide or your phone or in your Bible. No matter where you 00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:25.080 turn, remember that this is God's Word. And God tells us that His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:31.360 to our path. In other words, He has not left us to stumble alone in the dark, but instead He's given us 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:37.580 His Word to show us the way to go. And so that's why we read now, starting at chapter 5, verse 1. 00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:44.960 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:50.880 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar, 00:02:50.920 --> 00:02:56.100 his father, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, be brought, that the king and his lords, 00:02:56.200 --> 00:03:01.380 his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had 00:03:01.380 --> 00:03:07.220 been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:13.539 and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, 00:03:13.740 --> 00:03:21.460 iron, wood, and stone. Verse 5. Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the 00:03:21.460 --> 00:03:27.479 plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:33.659 Then the king's color changed and his thoughts alarmed him. His limbs gave way and his knees 00:03:33.659 --> 00:03:39.460 knocked together. The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:45.319 The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, whoever reads this writing and shows me its 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:50.019 interpretation shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck, 00:03:50.259 --> 00:03:56.800 and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:03.199 read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:10.560 and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed. Verse 10. The queen, because of the words of the 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:16.560 king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, O king, live forever. Let not 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:22.740 your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of 00:04:22.740 --> 00:04:28.319 the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:34.879 gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, made him chief of the 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.279 magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and 00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:45.800 understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:53.060 the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. Verse 13. 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:59.139 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, You are that Daniel, 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:04.259 one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king, my father, brought from Judah. I have heard of you, 00:05:04.379 --> 00:05:09.000 that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:14.199 found in you. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:19.379 and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 00:05:19.379 --> 00:05:25.540 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing 00:05:25.540 --> 00:05:31.060 and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around 00:05:31.060 --> 00:05:38.939 your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Verse 17. Then Daniel answered and said before 00:05:38.939 --> 00:05:45.159 the king, Let your gifts be for yourself and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the 00:05:45.160 --> 00:05:50.460 writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. O king, the most high God gave 00:05:50.460 --> 00:05:56.660 Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness 00:05:56.660 --> 00:06:02.640 that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:10.840 and whom he would, he kept alive. Whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:16.279 heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:23.699 throne, and his glory was taken from him. Verse 21. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his 00:06:23.699 --> 00:06:30.199 mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:36.879 body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the most high God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:43.560 whom he will. And you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this. But you have 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:49.240 lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his house have been brought in before you. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:55.920 And you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:02.920 gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know. 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:08.160 But the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. 00:07:09.060 --> 00:07:12.379 Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.439 And this is the writing that was inscribed. 00:07:16.259 --> 00:07:20.819 Many, many, tekel, and parson. This is the interpretation of the matter. 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:24.879 Many, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. 00:07:25.700 --> 00:07:29.200 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:34.719 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. 00:07:35.599 --> 00:07:38.779 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple. 00:07:39.039 --> 00:07:46.120 A chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:50.599 That very night, Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:55.959 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about 62 years old. 00:07:55.959 --> 00:08:01.099 So, I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:07.659 Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word, which comforts us and instructs us. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.240 And we ask for your help again this morning. 00:08:10.379 --> 00:08:15.319 We know that without it, we will not be able to know or see or hear or understand. 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:22.639 And so, we ask that you would send your spirit now to be at work in us as we hear the truths from your word. 00:08:22.719 --> 00:08:29.120 That we would be able to believe and see and hear and understand everything written about you and your word. 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:31.600 We ask these things in Jesus' name. 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:32.399 Amen. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:32.519 Amen. 00:08:36.620 --> 00:08:44.179 About last summer, not quite a year ago, I decided I was going to join a very exclusive club. 00:08:44.679 --> 00:08:45.899 Some of you have heard of this club. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:47.600 It's Costco Wholesale. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.980 And I am mostly a big fan of Costco, although I have a few complaints. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:56.199 And one of my main complaints is this. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:00.639 I buy a lot of eggs, and I buy now the 18-pack of eggs at Costco. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:03.580 And if you've been there, you know what I'm about to say. 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:07.100 The egg carton is plastic. 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:11.220 Now, if you go to Walmart, you'll also see this as well. 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:14.360 This is sort of an affront to the way the world should be constructed. 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:19.919 Egg cartons should never be plastic, especially when they're an 18-pack, because they kind of bend and give. 00:09:20.179 --> 00:09:21.120 So, they're unreliable. 00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:24.639 And in fact, the barcode is on the top of the carton. 00:09:24.700 --> 00:09:27.340 So, when you're checking out, you have to hold and you have to flip. 00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:31.300 And so, I always get a little bit nervous when I'm holding and flipping. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:35.720 I have made it this far without sending 18 eggs onto the floor of Costco. 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:41.879 But I have to play this game when I'm at home, getting the 18-pack out of the fridge and putting it back in. 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:44.560 And I've been doing great for months. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:52.559 Until this last week, I did not have the support I needed around all the elements of the 18-egg carton. 00:09:52.619 --> 00:09:54.059 I was putting it back into my refrigerator. 00:09:54.659 --> 00:09:58.579 And I had, I believe, three eggs just drop down and splat all over the kitchen floor. 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:00.979 It was great. 00:10:01.079 --> 00:10:01.739 It was a sad day. 00:10:02.859 --> 00:10:03.699 Now, what did I do? 00:10:04.339 --> 00:10:07.319 Of course, I cleaned it up with a paper towel. 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:11.100 But I want you to imagine with me for a second. 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:14.480 What if instead of cleaning it up with a paper towel, it was this morning. 00:10:14.560 --> 00:10:15.400 I was dressed for church. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:16.960 And I took off my suit jacket. 00:10:17.140 --> 00:10:19.140 And I just got in there and just wiped it up. 00:10:20.040 --> 00:10:21.420 And then the remainder was there. 00:10:21.460 --> 00:10:22.600 And I took my tie off. 00:10:22.620 --> 00:10:24.460 And I finished it up to make sure it was done. 00:10:25.040 --> 00:10:25.220 Okay? 00:10:25.940 --> 00:10:27.360 Now, go a step further with me. 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:29.160 I'm in the, we're not at my house. 00:10:29.420 --> 00:10:31.200 We're in the kitchen here at the church. 00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:33.300 I have my Costco of 18 eggs. 00:10:33.300 --> 00:10:34.380 And I drop three on the floor. 00:10:34.379 --> 00:10:36.899 And I ask for your suit jacket. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:40.639 Unsuspecting, you give it to me. 00:10:41.439 --> 00:10:44.700 And I use it to wipe up every single one of the eggs off the floor. 00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:47.299 What's the feeling that you have? 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.419 Ugh, right? 00:10:50.700 --> 00:10:51.059 Why? 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:53.240 Well, there's a couple reasons, right? 00:10:53.259 --> 00:10:54.340 It's your coat jacket. 00:10:54.419 --> 00:10:55.039 It's not mine. 00:10:56.299 --> 00:10:59.159 Of course, if it was your kitchen rag, you'd probably be fine with it, right? 00:10:59.220 --> 00:11:00.100 So, it's something else. 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:03.259 I'm using it for a purpose it was never intended for. 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:10.899 And I'm using something that is precious and sacred and valuable for this sort of everyday profane use. 00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:12.539 I mean, it's just disgraceful, right? 00:11:12.939 --> 00:11:16.620 That I would take your suit jacket and I would use it to wipe up eggs on the floor. 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:19.720 Now, you're probably wondering where I'm going with this. 00:11:19.779 --> 00:11:22.980 This is exactly what we see at the very beginning of this chapter. 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:26.240 We've seen a transition from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:30.060 Belshazzar has decided he is going to have this great feast. 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.060 And it is beyond what we normally expect. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:36.460 He is drinking wine in front of the thousand. 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:37.639 There's a thousand of his lords. 00:11:37.740 --> 00:11:38.539 This is verse 1. 00:11:38.980 --> 00:11:41.480 And he's not drinking it privately like we might expect. 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:43.000 He's doing it in front of everyone. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:45.340 There's this public debauchery that's going on. 00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:47.940 We can expect here that Belshazzar is getting drunk. 00:11:47.940 --> 00:12:00.180 And then, verse 2, he commands that the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, 00:12:00.500 --> 00:12:04.360 that the king and his lords and his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 00:12:05.280 --> 00:12:10.080 Now, you'll remember chapter 1, verse 2, this was what happened at the very beginning. 00:12:10.280 --> 00:12:11.820 Remember, Nebuchadnezzar came. 00:12:11.900 --> 00:12:13.020 He took the vessels of the temple. 00:12:13.019 --> 00:12:18.879 Even Nebuchadnezzar did not dare to use God's vessels for his drinking party. 00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:21.620 And so what's the feeling that Israelites would have here? 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:25.399 Remember that feeling you had when I told you about wiping up the eggs with your suit jacket? 00:12:26.259 --> 00:12:30.240 That is the feeling the Israelites are having as they're hearing this passage read to them. 00:12:30.620 --> 00:12:35.179 Who would dare use something so sacred for something so profane? 00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:37.699 There's probably a visceral reaction among them. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:42.879 Hearing about the vessels of God's temple being used for a drinking party. 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:48.279 And in fact, it's emphasized here by the author here that tells us verse 2. 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:50.319 We're told they're from the temple. 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:53.059 And in case we missed it, it's repeated again in verse 3. 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:57.139 They're from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem. 00:12:57.319 --> 00:13:00.039 Now, of course, everyone knows the temple is the house of God. 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:01.639 Why is it emphasized here? 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:05.779 To remind us how awful this is. 00:13:06.439 --> 00:13:08.480 How inappropriate this is. 00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:11.440 What an affront to God this is. 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:14.159 That his vessels would be used in this way. 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:16.500 And then we find out something even more. 00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:20.460 Remember I told you this morning we're not looking just at wicked rulers but wicked kingdoms. 00:13:21.700 --> 00:13:23.800 Nebuchadnezzar is not the only one involved here. 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:29.299 We see in both verse 2 and verse 3 who is participating. 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:33.919 The king, his lords, his wives, and his concubines. 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:35.819 Verse 3, it's repeated. 00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:38.599 His lords, his wives, and his concubines. 00:13:39.599 --> 00:13:43.839 Verse 1, we hear the word thousand, not once but twice. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:45.620 The point is this. 00:13:46.040 --> 00:13:58.960 It is not just that King Belshazzar is the one who is insulting God to his face, but that the entire elite of Babylon have become wildly corrupt. 00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:06.720 The entire elite, everyone who's in command here, the thousand rulers, all of them are complicit in this. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.960 It's not just that we have a bad king. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:11.840 We have elites who have gone wrong. 00:14:12.060 --> 00:14:16.639 All of them are blaspheming God by what they're doing. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:19.460 The ruling class is corrupt. 00:14:19.620 --> 00:14:23.460 There is no fear of God in this kingdom. 00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:31.120 Now, we're going to have to use our imaginations here because, of course, in America we know nothing about our ruling class being completely corrupt. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:36.259 So you're just going to have to pretend, kind of imagine what that might be like. 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:42.319 But that feeling of having that eggs wiped up with a suit, that's what they're seeing here. 00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:45.379 It's sort of like a child, right, playing with his father's gun. 00:14:45.439 --> 00:14:46.860 He has no idea what he's doing. 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:51.059 These people have no idea what it is they're playing with. 00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:53.259 And so it's highlighting for us their wickedness. 00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:58.539 If they're willing to do this, what else are they willing to do? 00:14:58.539 --> 00:15:05.599 And you may remember from chapter 4, when this condemnation came down for not Belshazzar but Nebuchadnezzar, 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:09.539 one of the things he was told is he needed to stop practicing wickedness. 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:17.899 Remember 4, verse 27, break off your sins by practicing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:22.059 Now, these rulers are making it much worse. 00:15:22.059 --> 00:15:27.079 And so the question they would have is this, what is God going to do? 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:37.299 What is God going to do that these people are so profane that they would use his suit to wipe up their eggs? 00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:42.459 Now, that question is one for us as well. 00:15:43.139 --> 00:15:50.419 We also live in a world filled with places where the ruling class, the kingdom, is corrupt to its core. 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:52.479 We don't have to think hard to go there. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:56.559 We know places and people whose wickedness makes us cringe. 00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:59.620 We have a visceral reaction to it. 00:16:00.199 --> 00:16:03.579 We can think right now, the Chinese government, right? 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:05.199 There is an ongoing genocide. 00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:08.159 I could list other places around the world. 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:09.279 It's easy to talk about. 00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:13.620 Other people in other places, of course, we can turn very quickly to our own country. 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:21.259 Just this January, the 117th Congress was opened up by a prayer to a pagan god, the pagan god Brahma. 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:28.519 And we can look around and quickly see celebration among our elites of all kinds of sexual perversion 00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:32.340 and practices that lift up the powerful at the expense of the weak. 00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:35.080 And so this question is not far off for us. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.860 What is God going to do? 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:41.000 What hope do we have? 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:46.360 And are these people going to get away with this? 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:53.279 We know from the last chapter, chapter 4, that God raises leaders up, gives us all our leaders. 00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:57.940 Is he also going to tear them down? 00:16:59.340 --> 00:17:02.299 And so that takes us straight into the next section of our passage. 00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:05.619 We see verse 5 starts out with this word, immediately. 00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:06.720 That's not a coincidence. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:13.259 We're being told that God's response comes right away to this affront that he's given by these pagan rulers. 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:17.460 There's a direct connection between what they're doing with the vessels of his temple 00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:19.839 and the handwriting that appears here on the wall. 00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:24.759 And in case we forgot, verse 6 tells us that the handwriting appears right by the lampstand. 00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:26.759 This would be the lampstand. 00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:31.779 Most likely, that's one of the instruments, the vessels from the temple that they're using. 00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:36.359 So they're using God's lampstand to light up their drinking party. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:42.000 So God decides he's going to use this lampstand to write up, to highlight his writing, 00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:46.279 reminding us that they're abusing the vessels of the temple. 00:17:46.420 --> 00:17:50.259 And then we're going to have in verse 6 an interesting phrase. 00:17:50.379 --> 00:17:52.019 We're told the king's response. 00:17:52.879 --> 00:17:55.059 Belshazzar has a dramatic response in verse 6. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:57.059 His color changed and his thoughts alarmed him. 00:17:57.059 --> 00:18:01.359 And then we have this interesting phrase here, his limbs gave way. 00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:06.980 Now, in Hebrew, this literally means his knots were untied. 00:18:08.159 --> 00:18:14.659 And Hebrew scholars would tell us what this means is that Belshazzar went to the bathroom. 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:17.839 But he wasn't in the bathroom. 00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:23.220 Remember, Belshazzar is having this great drinking party. 00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:26.059 He's drinking in front of everyone. 00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:28.960 I didn't make that up, by the way. 00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:29.639 Okay. 00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:31.879 The point is this. 00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:38.319 As we think about how we have hope in this world, as we look at wicked rulers and wicked kingdoms, 00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:42.619 the author of Daniel in this story is reminding us that as we look at them, 00:18:42.679 --> 00:18:45.440 no matter how powerful and great they may seem, 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:52.839 God's power is so much greater that he can make the rulers of this world poop their pants. 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:57.480 That laughing is appropriate, right? 00:18:57.539 --> 00:19:00.119 Because that is the reaction that the author wants here. 00:19:00.339 --> 00:19:01.740 These people have this fear. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.199 They're looking at the rulers of the world. 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:09.220 God is using potty humor to help them get some perspective. 00:19:09.419 --> 00:19:13.539 Remember, we talked last week about the heavenly perspective on the earthly reality. 00:19:13.879 --> 00:19:18.099 These people may seem powerful, not compared to God. 00:19:18.099 --> 00:19:21.539 Now, kids, don't get me in trouble, okay? 00:19:22.719 --> 00:19:26.939 This does not mean you get to run around all the time talking about people pooping their pants. 00:19:27.339 --> 00:19:29.659 If you do, remember this. 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:33.579 I'm about to have been a pastor here for four years. 00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:35.960 I've only said this once. 00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:39.960 You, therefore, can say this once every four years, okay? 00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:45.240 So when you get to be 18, you can have racked up a total number of four times. 00:19:46.619 --> 00:19:48.339 Keep that in mind. 00:19:49.299 --> 00:19:53.039 I say this because that is the way this story works. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:58.240 He wants us to begin to have some humor, to laugh at these kings, right? 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:05.120 We're supposed to think of them as being powerful, and now we see how fragile they are. 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:11.519 The rulers of this world are a joke compared to God and his power. 00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:17.220 The rulers of this world are a joke compared to God and his power. 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:17.960 Don't fear them. 00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:21.440 Don't fear them in their blasphemy. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.640 Don't fear them in their wickedness. 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:31.120 God is so much bigger and greater compared to God. 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:33.160 They're so small. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.680 They're only men. 00:20:38.780 --> 00:20:41.200 The same is true for us. 00:20:41.280 --> 00:20:44.380 We don't shake in fear at the kingdoms of this world 00:20:44.380 --> 00:20:51.320 because we know how great and powerful our God is. 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:56.700 So that's the first reminder to these people and to us as well. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:00.259 As they look at the power, the rulers and the kingdoms around them, 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:04.379 as they look at their wickedness, they're tempted to fear and give up hope. 00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:07.859 They remember the greatness of our God. 00:21:07.859 --> 00:21:15.539 We continue in verses 7 through 12 as they scurry around to try to find an interpreter. 00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:18.059 And the queen remembers Daniel. 00:21:18.679 --> 00:21:23.199 By the way, when the queen talks about Daniel and tells of his powers, 00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:24.759 she uses the same phrase here. 00:21:24.859 --> 00:21:28.419 She tells Belshazzar that he is able to untie knots, 00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:31.319 which I'm sure Belshazzar did not appreciate. 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:34.419 But the queen remembers Daniel. 00:21:34.779 --> 00:21:37.899 And so Daniel shows up and he tells the story. 00:21:38.059 --> 00:21:40.480 He summarizes chapter 4 for us. 00:21:41.919 --> 00:21:45.419 He reminds us that God brings down earthly kingdoms. 00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:48.939 He reviews Nebuchadnezzar's story in verses 13 through 21. 00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:52.319 And I just want you to notice there, verse 18, 00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:58.500 he notes that the glory here all belongs to God. 00:21:58.500 --> 00:22:02.740 Verse 18, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship 00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:04.400 and greatness and glory and majesty. 00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:06.319 Why was Nebuchadnezzar great? 00:22:06.380 --> 00:22:08.500 Because God decided he was going to be great. 00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:10.279 Exactly what we talked about last week. 00:22:10.660 --> 00:22:13.640 God raises up, he gives us all our rulers. 00:22:13.859 --> 00:22:18.460 And so Nebuchadnezzar, or Daniel, reminds Belshazzar of this. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:24.660 And then he provides the final verdict here in verses 22 through 23 00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:27.759 after reminding them of the lesson that Nebuchadnezzar learned 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:31.400 he tells Belshazzar, but you ignored that lesson. 00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:32.079 Verse 22, 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:34.519 And you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, 00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:36.000 though you knew all of this, 00:22:36.460 --> 00:22:40.019 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. 00:22:41.179 --> 00:22:43.419 And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, 00:22:43.439 --> 00:22:45.439 and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines 00:22:45.439 --> 00:22:46.539 have drunk wine from them. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:49.139 And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, 00:22:49.199 --> 00:22:50.939 of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, 00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:53.619 which do not see or hear or know. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:55.980 But the God in whose hand is your breath 00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:58.539 and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. 00:22:58.539 --> 00:23:04.420 At the root of the wickedness of the Babylonian empire is this, 00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:06.359 they will not worship and honor God. 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:11.159 He has not learned the lesson he needed to. 00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:13.220 He rebelled against God. 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:14.759 He worshiped idols. 00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:18.019 And so it's at this point that Daniel provides for us 00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:23.399 the interpretation in verses 25 through 28. 00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:26.960 And there we see something very simple. 00:23:29.300 --> 00:23:33.340 God numbers the days of kingdoms. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:38.300 God judges kings. 00:23:39.580 --> 00:23:43.680 And God raises up and brings down kingdoms. 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:47.120 God has numbered the days of every kingdom. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:53.139 God will one day ultimately judge every earthly king. 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:58.159 God is the one who establishes kingdoms and brings them down. 00:23:58.239 --> 00:24:00.719 And so for us, we also take comfort. 00:24:00.899 --> 00:24:06.139 Not just that God is the one who causes kings to be incontinent, 00:24:06.239 --> 00:24:10.299 but also that he numbers the days of the kingdoms of men. 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:15.019 No matter what wicked empire we are talking about, 00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:17.019 God has numbered their days. 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:19.099 They will persist in evil for a time. 00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:23.480 They will not persist in evil forever. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:28.440 God brings down the nations that will not honor him. 00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:30.740 He may not do it today. 00:24:31.399 --> 00:24:33.019 He will do it. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.240 Remember what I've mentioned before. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:40.660 There is no nation in the history of the world that has or will be a superpower forever. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:46.220 And on top of that, there is no evil nation that will persist forever. 00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:49.740 God numbers the days of every evil empire. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:50.980 And I'll just give you one example. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:55.839 Some of you are old enough to remember the Berlin Wall. 00:24:57.700 --> 00:25:00.259 The Berlin Wall came up in 1961. 00:25:01.259 --> 00:25:03.339 It came down in 1989. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:07.000 That's less than 30 years. 00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:10.079 Less than half a lifetime. 00:25:11.420 --> 00:25:11.559 Right? 00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:13.299 It would have been painful. 00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:18.240 It was painful to be a Christian living during that time under that empire 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:21.019 with the oppression and persecution of communism. 00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:21.420 Right? 00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:24.900 And God numbered their days. 00:25:26.059 --> 00:25:28.200 The same is true for us. 00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:35.279 No matter what evil kingdom we may see or live under, God has numbered them. 00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:38.840 There is a time when he will cause them to fall. 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:40.519 It is true now. 00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:43.680 It will ultimately be true in the future. 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:53.480 And so as we're tempted to fear, as we're tempted to give up hope, we remember that God is the powerful one. 00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:56.539 We do not shake or tremble at the nations. 00:25:56.539 --> 00:26:02.659 But instead, the nations should shake and tremble before God. 00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:06.559 He is the one who can untie their knots. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:13.539 I've heard a couple people recently, I don't remember who, have said this. 00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:21.519 They say, you know, if someone's afraid of the Christian right, they should actually really be afraid of the non-Christian right. 00:26:21.579 --> 00:26:22.759 We could say the same for the left. 00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:24.660 The reason is this. 00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:29.599 Because we as Christians, when we think about kingdoms and nations and powers, when we think about politics, 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:32.119 we always remember that God's in control. 00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:32.960 He has a plan. 00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:40.779 That means, on a practical level, we don't have to resort to violence about anything because we trust God. 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:47.539 Imagine what the world looks like when there are people who see wickedness and they don't trust in God. 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:50.579 They believe it's up to them. 00:26:50.579 --> 00:27:01.179 Daniel is able to remain faithful and peaceful and serve this kingdom because he knows God is the one who's in control. 00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:07.720 What it means that we don't shake or tremble at the kingdoms also means we're able to be like Daniel. 00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:10.799 We're able to be bold and speak the truth when we need to. 00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:15.699 Many people think that the way Belshazzar talks to Daniel is mocking. 00:27:15.899 --> 00:27:19.599 He mentions that he's from Judah multiple times, which many people think is a racial dig at him. 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:28.719 Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who said that he knew Daniel could do these things, Belshazzar says he's heard that he can, if he can. 00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:30.699 There's all these little insults that he's giving him. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:33.799 It's dangerous for him to tell the truth to this man. 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:40.199 And Daniel says what's true because he doesn't fear the powers of this world. 00:27:41.159 --> 00:27:42.240 So we take hope. 00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:44.259 We remain peaceful. 00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:47.460 We don't have to shake or tremble. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:52.839 Daniel knows who's in charge, and so he's able to take Belshazzar to task. 00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:55.379 Remember I said before he's quiet at times? 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:55.759 Yes. 00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:57.420 He's also bold. 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:00.879 And this is again where we return to the question. 00:28:01.940 --> 00:28:04.680 It's how we dare to be a Daniel. 00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:10.740 Those who know how powerful God is are not afraid to speak the truth. 00:28:12.820 --> 00:28:18.920 Those who know how powerful God is are not afraid to speak the truth. 00:28:19.340 --> 00:28:24.660 We don't dare to be a Daniel in a moralistic sense, in the sense that we just pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. 00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:32.840 We dare to be a Daniel in the sense that Daniel knew how powerful God was, and that enabled him to be faithful and obedient and bold. 00:28:33.040 --> 00:28:42.180 We also know how powerful God is, and so that enables us and empowers us to be faithful, obedient, and bold. 00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:48.539 Now, a non-Christian could say these things, right, about speaking the truth. 00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:57.920 It's we as Christians who know the power that we have to be able to do it, because we know it is our God who does it. 00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:03.240 And so that's our hope and our confidence as Christians. 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:12.640 If you're not a Christian, remember from this passage that God is the one who is so powerful that he can untie knots. 00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:20.920 When Belshazzar saw him for who he was, his color changed and he shook and trembled. 00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:24.160 That is how powerful God is. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:32.120 You can choose to shake and tremble before him now in repentance of sins and following after faith in Jesus Christ, 00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:37.859 or you can choose to shake and tremble before him later when he comes and returns to this world in judgment. 00:29:38.819 --> 00:29:45.339 You cannot escape the shaking and the trembling, because that is how powerful and great God is. 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:49.119 And so the question that Mark Bates asked you from chapter 2 is the same today. 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:51.139 Which kingdom are you a part of? 00:29:51.919 --> 00:29:55.899 The kingdom of God or the kingdoms of this earth? 00:29:55.900 --> 00:30:05.860 We began by asking how do we maintain hope when we look at the wickedness of this world and the kingdoms in it. 00:30:05.900 --> 00:30:10.120 We maintain hope because we know that God numbers the days of kingdoms. 00:30:10.980 --> 00:30:16.400 He judges their kings and he raises them up and he tears them down. 00:30:16.600 --> 00:30:20.920 He is the one who is powerful enough to untie their knots. 00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:24.600 And of course we see that fulfilled by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:30.940 We're told by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 22 and 23. 00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:34.200 Especially in 23 and 24. 00:30:35.300 --> 00:30:38.700 Christ the first fruits, then it is coming those who belong to Christ. 00:30:39.060 --> 00:30:40.220 Those who belong to his kingdom. 00:30:40.340 --> 00:30:40.960 Verse 24. 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:48.279 Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:52.059 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:55.559 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:59.740 God numbered the days of kingdoms in the time of Daniel. 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:05.279 He ultimately and finally numbers the days of all the kingdoms in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:08.740 Who is coming to establish his kingdom. 00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:10.619 As we prayed this morning. 00:31:11.059 --> 00:31:13.359 On earth as it is in heaven. 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:19.639 And so we fear him and not the kingdoms and rulers of this world. 00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:20.500 Let's pray. 00:31:22.379 --> 00:31:28.199 Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word which gives us great encouragement and great comfort. 00:31:28.339 --> 00:31:31.259 We ask that it would work into our lives. 00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:36.479 That we would abandon the fear of those who seem so powerful right now. 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:45.980 And we would instead have confidence and hope in you knowing how great and how much more powerful you are than any earthly kingdom or ruler. 00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:52.920 And we ask that we would have this hope because of your work especially through your son and our Savior Jesus Christ. 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:54.519 And it's in his name that we pray. 00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:55.339 Amen. 00:31:55.339 --> 00:31:55.480 Amen. 00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:55.500 Amen.