Monday, March 18, 2019

The Stubbornness of Pride


In the Old Testament, the reigns of four powerful kings—Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus the Great—stand out as significant symbols during the Jewish people’s 70 years in Babylonian captivity. 



Although each of these kings came from a pagan background, all were ultimately used as instruments in God’s hand, with one king freeing the Jewish people through an unlikely decree. 




Daniel 5:1-31 NKJV
1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 



2 While he tasted the wine, 


Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, 


that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.





In the Bible, great-grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers are all referred to as fathers. 





3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.




They stole vessels that belonged to God and used them for themselves. 





4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. 




In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; 




and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.




6 Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 






7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. 



The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”




Belshazzar was the eldest son of King Nabonidus.   


Belshazzar ruled for him while he built pagan temples for the Bels throughout the kingdom. 



Belshazzar was the second ruler.  Therefore, the interpreter would be the third ruler.  



8 Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 





9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished. 






10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. 



The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 





11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. 



And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him;



and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 



The queen was the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar herself.  



She presented this advice very carefully to Belshazzar because she feared for her own life. 



Bel is in both names.  


Bel in their language means God. 



Belteshazzar, Daniel, means Bel protect the King's wife.  



Belshazzar means Bel protect the King.



They believed their kings were God.



Judah had worshiped Baals, too.  




The King's wife actually gets Daniel promoted. 




12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, 




whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.” 

    



13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, 



“Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 



This was like a put down calling Daniel a captive not even a free man.

   


14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 






15 Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 






16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. 



Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 






17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; 



yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 



Daniel relied upon God to provide for him and not the king's gifts. 

 


18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 




19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. 



Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 




Daniel reminded Belshazzar of his place.  He wanted to be the first ruler, but he was not. 




20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 






21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. 




They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, 



till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. 






22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 



Again, in the Bible, great-grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers are all referred to as fathers. 





23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. 


They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them.



And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, 



which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 




24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. 




25 “And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 




26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: 



God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 






27 TEKEL: 


You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 





28 PERES: 


Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.





29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, 



and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 



From the interpretation, Daniel realized that Belshazzar's kingdom would fall.



Therefore, Daniel took the position to influence the next kingdom. 




30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 



31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.






1. Belshazzar saw but he didn't look.  

Belshazzar never pursued a relationship with God even after seeing what God did to King Nebuchadnezzar.

  

Intimacy means "into me you can see".   We don't do this because of pride. 

  



2. He heard but he didn't listen.



Belshazzar heard about King Nebuchadnezzar eating grass, and Daniel interpreting dreams for him.  


It didn't impact him. 


That's called stubbornness. 




Deuteronomy 32:17 NKJV
17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God,To gods they did not know,To new gods, new arrivals That your fathers did not fear.




3. He knew, but he didn't learn.  


Belshazzar heard, but he didn't listen.

Stubbornness is your strong will turned to yourself and not to God.  


A strong will is not negative as long as it's surrendered to God.   






Job 42:5 NKJV
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,But now my eye sees You.






What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message?







Robert Morris, Gateway Church
http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/connect/events/the-kings-of-babylon-a-gateway-series/session/2019/03/16/the-stubbornness

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