Rev. David Holwick I The Book of Daniel, #5
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 9, 2008
Daniel 5:1-28
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I. Wild parties.
A. I have never been a "party animal."
1) New Years Eve - watch TV alone (Celeste is usually working
at the hospital) and then go over and ring church bell.
Unless I have fallen asleep first.
2) Some people know how to "party hardy."
People like 16-year-old Corey Delaney.
He became famous around the world back in January.
You may not recall his name, but you may remember the
reason for his fame.
Corey's parents went on vacation a thousand miles away and
left him home alone in Melbourne, Australia.
So Corey used MySpace and telephone text messages to invite
some friends over.
500 of them showed up.
There was booze, dope, lewdness and brawling.
The first wave of police was driven off by the drunken revelers
hurling bricks at them and jumping on their cruisers.
In the end, 30 police officers, a helicopter and dog squad
were needed to subdue the crowd.
The near-riot caused $18,000 in damages.
Corey's comment was, "Best party ever, that's what everyone's
saying."
Corey was kind of hoping his parents would not find out, but
when it hit the papers, his parents flew right home.
Corey discretely left the house until they cooled off.
The fame has brought him a new career.
He has been hired as a party planner for home-alone teenagers.
He also has a magazine deal and a television offer.
A lot of young people consider him a hero and newspapers
describe him as a Generation Z poster-boy.
Others consider him an arrogant brat.
A website inviting people to "slap Corey down the street"
has had more than one million hits.
#21194
B. The last Babylonian king was a real Corey.
1) Belshazzar invited twice as many people - over a thousand.
2) He also had the booze and the broads.
3) It was the uninvited guest who made the party special.
a) God showed up.
C. How is your party going?
1) Your priorities in life have eternal consequences.
2) Have you accounted for God?
II. Belshazzar's banquet.
A. The obscure king.
1) Ancient historians did not know a Belshazzar.
They all agreed the last king of Babylon was Nadonidus.
Because of this, many modern commentators said this chapter
must be nothing more than a myth.
However, the discovery of cuneiform tablets in the last
century has brought Belshazzar to light.
He was the son of Nadonidus and was co-regent (co-king)
with him.
(Notice how he promises to make someone the third highest
ruler in 5:7. Two are already on the throne.)
His father moved down to Arabia, so Belshazzar was the
only ruler in Babylon at this time. [1]
2) How was Nebuchadnezzar his father? 5:11
A professor of Assyriology at Yale University determined
that Nabonidus was in all probability married to
Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar.
Therefore Belshazzar was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
Everyone agrees the word "father" could include grandfathers
and other relatives in this period.[2]
B. The ominous setting.
1) You would think that they wouldn't be in a party mood.
Historians tell us the mighty army of the Medes and
Persians had conquered all of Babylon except for its
capital.
They were camped right outside the city.
2) Maybe Belshazzar just feels confident.
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus tells the city
had 20 years worth of food stored up.
Their massive city walls were considered impregnable.
C. His arrogant mockery.
1) They drank their wine from goblets captured from the Jewish
temple.
2) Maybe they thought it was funny.
a) Apparently God did not.
D. Handwriting on the wall.
1) Archaeologists have found this palace.
It had several very large rooms.
They believe they have even uncovered this very one.
2) The handwriting was visible and in Aramaic.
a) No consonants, so could be taken several ways.
1> Diminishing amounts of money?
"Minas, Shekel, Half-shekel"
2> What would it mean?
b) Apparently the king is feeling guilty, because his
knees start to shake.
3) Reward offered for interpretation.
a) Once again, a Babylonian king turns first to his
astrologers.
1> Daniel is a second-thought, as usual.
2> Over 80, so semi-retired?
3> Nebuchadnezzar has been dead for 25 years.
b) The queen remembered him. (Nebuchadnezzar's wife?)
III. God's message.
A. Daniel reviews God's actions for an arrogant king.
1) Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled as an animal.
2) Belshazzar is not humble, though he should have known
better.
3) Daniel gives an interpretation for free, because God's
message should not be seen as a profit machine.
a) Some modern-day preachers forget this...
B. Daniel interprets the writing.
1) The three words are taken as verbs.
a) Numbered, numbered, weighed, divided.
b) The kingdom is maxed out, will be sundered.
2) The fulfillment is immediate.
Babylon was famous for being built right on the Euphrates
River. It ran under the walls of the city.
Herodotus tells us that the Persian army had spent almost
two years, far upstream and out of sight, digging a
canal.
The objective was to divert the river out into a large
swamp below the level of the river.
They finished the canal that night, and cut into the bank
of the river and the water started flooding into the
swamp.
Like somebody turning off a faucet, suddenly the water of
the mighty Euphrates River stopped flowing into the city.
When the water level sank below the walls, the Persian
soldiers walked in UNDER the walls on the riverbed.
Herodotus also tells us the Babylonians were so surprised
they surrendered without a fight.
The only casualty was Belshazzar, who when he saw he was
defeated, took his own life.
#35297
IV. Don't mock God.
A. Remember the lessons of the past.
1) Daniel had to remind Belshazzar. The Bible reminds us.
2) Remember the lessons you've learned in the past.
3) Remember how God has dealt with his people throughout history.
a) Galatians 6:7 - "God cannot be mocked. A man reaps
what he sows."
B. Living for today is not good enough.
1) Party! is not an adequate life motivator.
a) Our culture focuses on pleasure just like they did.
2) Judgment is coming to us all.
a) We are all being weighed.
b) Judgment is based on our actions, but salvation is by
God's grace alone.
C. Decide now.
1) As with Belshazzar, there may not be a tomorrow for you.
2) Where will you end up?
Back in 1979 the heavy-metal rock group AC/DC released its
"Highway To Album."
One of the songs was about the dangers of excess, which the band
was quite familiar with.
They were notorious for their wild parties, drinking, and girls.
A favorite saying of theirs was, "I'll never forget what's-her-name!"
One of their "roadies" was a guy named Barry Taylor.
He recalls that the wild performances on the stage were nothing
compared to what went on backstage after the show was over.
One night, an old friend called Taylor and began talking to him
about Jesus.
To prepare himself for further conversations with his friend, Taylor
bought a Bible and began reading it.
His plan was to poke holes in his friend's arguments, to draw him
away from the faith.
But instead, Barry Taylor found himself drawn to the love and power
of Jesus.
And one night, as Barry's fellow crew members were engaged in a
wild party, Barry sat in his room and prayed for salvation.
Today, Barry Taylor is the pastor of a church in Los Angeles.
#19976
Perhaps you need to make the same decision today...
=========================================================================
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] Bruce K. Waltke, "The Date of the Book of Daniel," Bibliotheca Sacra,
vol. 133, Oct 1976, p. 328. Dallas Theological Seminary. Galaxie
Theological Journal software.
[2] Gleason L. Archer, Jr., "Modern Rationalism and the Book of Daniel,"
Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 136, April 1979, p. 135. Dallas Theological
Seminary. Galaxie Theological Journal software.
#19976 "The Rocker Finds The Rock," Dynamic Preaching, amj01di.sup,
adapted from Barry Taylor in THE POWER BOOK, compiled by Stephen
Arterburn (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996).
#21194 "Party Hardy," by David Holwick, adapted from "Australian Party
Teen Turns Pro," http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/~
7206686.stm, January 25, 2008.
#35297 "How Invincible Babylon Fell," by Rev. David Dykes, pastor of Green
Acres Baptist Church; Tyler, Texas, Kerux Sermon #26378,
February 13, 2000.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
=========================================================================
Notes
I. Belshazzar's banquet. (The party's over)
A. Identity of Belshazzar.
1) Mistake or confirmation?
2) Grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
a) Shared kingdom with dad Nabonidus. co-regent
3) Support from Herodotus.
B. Mocking God. (use of vessels)
1) Praising their idols at same time.
C. Handwriting on the wall.
1) Visible.
a) (wall has been found by archaeologists)
2) Reward for interpretation.
3) He turns first to his astrologers.
a) Daniel is a second-thought, again.
b) Over 80, so semi-retired?
c) Queen remembered him. (Neb's wife?)
II. Issues of interpretation.
A. Daniel's review of God's messages.
1) Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled as an animal.
2) Belshazzar is not humble, though he should have known
better.
3) He does not honor God.
B. Were words understandable?
1) No consonants, so could be taken several ways.
a) Diminishing amounts of money?
b) What would it mean?
2) Daniel turns them into verbs.
a) Kingdom is maxed out, will be sundered.
b) As for money, he doesn't prophecy for profit.
1> contrast Simon Magus.
c) He gets the money anyway.
1> Note the "third of the kingdom".
2> He must share with the other two.
3) Why honor?
a) The words rang true to king?
b) He died that night.
1> Greek account of Persians stopping up river and
slipping in underneath massive walls.
III. Application.
A. Don't mock God.
B. Remember the lessons of the past.
1) Your own.
2) God's people's history.
C. Living for today is not good enough.
1) Party! is not an adequate life motivator.
a) Our culture focuses on pleasure too.
b) (scientists and prime motivation?)
2) Judgment is coming to us all.
a) We are all being weighed.
b) (common theme in all religions)
1> Egyptians and weighed heart, crocodile.
2> Greeks and blindfolded Justice.
D. Judgment is based on our actions, salvation is on God's grace.
E. Decide now.
1) As with Belshazzar, there may not be a tomorrow.
F. Party with Jesus.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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