_Belshazzar the king made a great feast._ BELSHAZZAR This feast is, like how many other events, rescued from oblivion by the interposition of a Divine hand. The presence of God in history is its salt, and keeps it from perishing. When does credible history begin, but with the exodus of Israel from... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand._ THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL 1. There are many Belshazzar’s in the world, even at this present moment. There is, in human nature, an evil rebelling principle against the God who made us; and men are to be found whose wills are in violent opposi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And his thoughts troubled him._ THE PROBLEM OF LIFE AND ITS SOLUTION Poor king! He was not the first, nor is he the last man whose “thoughts” have troubled him. We only want to know that a man can think at all, to know that at some time the current of his thoughts has been disturbed. Some find th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then was Daniel brought in before the king._ THE PREACHER’S OPPORTUNITY How the prophet always clears a space for himself; how on great occasions men distribute themselves into proper classes. When the occasion is little, one man is as good as another; there is a general hum of conversation, and i... [ Continue Reading ]
_And dissolve doubts._ THE DISSOLVING OF DOUBTS Doubts and questions are not peculiar to Nebuchadnezzar, but they are the common lot and heritage of humanity. We live just now in a specially doubting age. Science puts everything in question, and literature distils the questions, making an atmosphe... [ Continue Reading ]
_And made known to him the interpretation._ THE TRUE INTERPRETER OF LIFE I. THAT IN NO NATION IS THERE A TOTAL ABSENCE OF DIVINE RULERSHIP. The people of Israel assumed that their God was their own private property. They knew God by the name of Jehovah. He was superior to other national gods, but H... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this._ THE PROPHET’S INDICTMENT It included three counts. 1. The teaching of God had been disregarded. The sovereignty of Nebuchadnezzar had been from God. That dependence had been forgotten, and so pride had been chastened by insanity. 2. G... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the God in whose hand thy breath is._ Providence, when it pleases, can soon humble the haughtiest, and alarm the boldest sinner. I. Let us CONSIDER THE ACCOUNT GIVEN OF OUR DEPENDENCE UPON GOD: “In his hand our breath is, and his are all our ways.” We cannot imagine that this was particular to... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this writing was written._ WRITING ON THE WALL AT BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST I. THE SCENE IN WHICH IT OCCURRED. An eastern palace. 1. It was a scene of drunkenness and revelling. The narrative makes their drinking wine a very prominent feature in this feast. The king and all around him are gay and j... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting._ WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING I. BELSHAZZAR WEIGHED. 1. By his conscience. “His thoughts troubled him.” 2. By his fellow-men. Confronted by Daniel. 3. By God (v. 24-28). II. BELSHAZZAR FOUND WANTING. 1. Because he humbled not his heart. 2. Be... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy kingdom is divided._ THE LAST WARNING In the words of our text, we have a warning addressed to a guilty monarch, in a manner too open and public to be ascribed to delusion on his part, or to imposture on that of others--a warning which silenced in a moment the roar of impious mirth. I. SOME... [ Continue Reading ]
_In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain._ THE LAST NIGHT OF BABYLON I. THE JUDGMENT OF THIS NIGHT HAD BEEN LONG THREATENED. Upwards of one hundred and sixty years before this, the taking of Babylon by Cyrus had been predicted. Ages before the deliverer was born, his very name... [ Continue Reading ]