I am glad to be able to once again post the sermon this week. I hope that you are all safe and well and having a good week.
For the last several weeks, we've been looking at some of the events from the life of Daniel the prophet and what we can learn from them . Today's message focuses on the events recorded in Daniel chapter 5
Chapter 5 begins with a party. Belshazzar has been placed in charge of Babylon after the death of Nebuchadnezzar. The new ruler decided to have a celebration with his top nobles and officials. While they were feasting, Belshazzar ordered that the golden cups and goblets taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought out. The king and his guest filled the cups with wine and drank to their false gods.
While this was going on, a hand appeared out of nowhere and wrote a message on the wall. Belshazzar was terrified. At this point, the queen reminded the king of Daniel's service in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was brought in to interpret the message. He informed the king that the message was from the True and Living God. God was bringing the king's reign to an end. He had been weighed on the scales and found wanting. God would cause the Babylonian Empire to fall to the Medes and Persians. That same night, the words on the wall were fulfilled.
There are two applications that I want to make from this story. First of all, we should respect that which is holy. Belshazzar didn't, and it contributed to his downfall.
In our lives, I believe that we can treat that which is holy with disdain when we use the Lord's name in vane. The name of Jesus is precious, and it should never be used as if it is a curse word.
Another way that people can improperly treat what is holy is by not taking sin seriously. We sin willfully expecting God will forgive us. This attitude shows a lack of respect for the blood that Jesus shed so that we might be redeemed.
Now I want to focus on leaders being weighed on the scale and found wanting. The scale is the scale of God's justice, and God expects all leaders of nations to measure up. God is watching what the leaders of this world are doing, and He will bring judgment as He sees fit. Every leader that has opposed the things of God has fallen sooner or later.
We have leaders in this world today who have been weighed according to God's word and found wanting. These leaders only care about themselves and their own power. They don't care that thousands in their nation are currently dying of a disease sweeping the planet. The aren't concerned about the fact that millions of their people don't have access to proper and affordable healthcare. They are uncocerned with the thousands who sleep on the streets of their cities every night with no place to call home. God requires that leaders take care of the poor and the oppressed. Those who fail to do so, and those who oppress others will be judged just as Belshazzar was judged. May we all pray that God would raise up those who would love justice and mercy and would walk humbly with their God. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters.
As we go to prayer this week, we have something to be very thankful for. We've been praying a long time for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Congo. I heard today that the WHO believes that Ebola is at an end in Congo. Praise God.
I would like to ask for your prayers in a matter. There are storms predicted for my area for the next few days. Please pray that the storms will not be bad.
Let us continue to pray that the coronavirus will stop spreading. Thank God that some countries now have very few cases. Many other nations still have many getting sick and dying. Pray that the sick will recover.
Continue to pray for peace. Syria and Yemen really need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries, let 's pray for Japan and Botswana.
Next week we will continue in Daniel. The verses will be posted on Monday with a book review on Wednesday. May God bless you all.
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