To all of my friends around this planet, Let's get right into it!
Belshazzar was the king of Babylon when this story took place. Many believe he was the grandson, rather than the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Although "The Semitic use of the word in question goes far beyond the first degree of descent, and extends the appellation of "son" to the designation "grandson,"(biblos.com) and even of the most remote posterity."
So, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Belshazzar, decided to throw a BIG party! Daniel 5:1-4, " King Belshazzar held a great feast for his one thousand nobles. The wine flowed freely. Belshazzar, heady with the wine, ordered that the gold and silver chalices his father Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from God's Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so that he and his nobles, his wives and concubines, could drink from them. When the gold and silver chalices were brought in, the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, drank wine from them. They drank the wine and drunkenly praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone."
The vessels had been used in the Temple in Jerusalem as part of the sacred worship of Creator God, and Belshazzar knew this. Daniel 5:22 makes this clear, "But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.
So, this party, with hundreds attending, had the alcohol flowing freely, and reason was giving way to vanity, immorality and rebellion. Sexual perversion, profanity, and evil thoughts seemed to hold the partiers captive. Belshazzar and his "friends" had deadened their consciences. They weren't thinking about consequences, but reveling in the moment. Alcohol, beautiful women, idol worship, music and all of the attractions that Satan could throw at them, they were acting out.
Do you identify with what's going on here? Have you ever been in this spot? Are you in this spot now, in your life? So much pain, loneliness and guilt, that you stay with the party scene, trying to drown it out with alcohol, drugs, and/or immoral relationships? There are gods worshipped on every hand. Cars, houses, music, jobs, ministry work, clothing, intellect, reason, sports, illegal and legal substances, TV, movies, people, pornography, internet and whatever has the majority of your thoughts. Where is your life headed? Belshazzar had no idea that night, that it would be his last. He ignored God's repeated merciful attempts to bring him to repentance. He had opportunity to ask God for forgiveness, and to let God change his heart and life. He chose not to listen to Creator God, and that's why this story, for him, had a sad ending.
God has great plans for you. He wants to deliver you from the chains that hold you. That's why Jesus came, to save you FROM your sin! He wants to write His character on your heart! Please listen to His voice, as He pleads with you to accept His help!
Isaiah 61:1-3, "God's Spirit is on Me; He's chosen Me to preach the Message of good news to
the poor, sent Me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "This is God's year to act!" "He will give a crown of beauty for ashes a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.
In these words, Jesus was announcing to you that He is able to handle your circumstances, and to change your life. It does NOT matter where you have been, what you have done, where you are, and what you are doing right now, because Jesus loves you even more, and wants to capture your heart:-)
Please let Him! Don't be a Belshazzar.
Next post is about the handwriting on the wall!
God B in U & through U, Joy J
Belshazzar was the king of Babylon when this story took place. Many believe he was the grandson, rather than the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Although "The Semitic use of the word in question goes far beyond the first degree of descent, and extends the appellation of "son" to the designation "grandson,"(biblos.com) and even of the most remote posterity."
The vessels had been used in the Temple in Jerusalem as part of the sacred worship of Creator God, and Belshazzar knew this. Daniel 5:22 makes this clear, "But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.
So, this party, with hundreds attending, had the alcohol flowing freely, and reason was giving way to vanity, immorality and rebellion. Sexual perversion, profanity, and evil thoughts seemed to hold the partiers captive. Belshazzar and his "friends" had deadened their consciences. They weren't thinking about consequences, but reveling in the moment. Alcohol, beautiful women, idol worship, music and all of the attractions that Satan could throw at them, they were acting out.
Do you identify with what's going on here? Have you ever been in this spot? Are you in this spot now, in your life? So much pain, loneliness and guilt, that you stay with the party scene, trying to drown it out with alcohol, drugs, and/or immoral relationships? There are gods worshipped on every hand. Cars, houses, music, jobs, ministry work, clothing, intellect, reason, sports, illegal and legal substances, TV, movies, people, pornography, internet and whatever has the majority of your thoughts. Where is your life headed? Belshazzar had no idea that night, that it would be his last. He ignored God's repeated merciful attempts to bring him to repentance. He had opportunity to ask God for forgiveness, and to let God change his heart and life. He chose not to listen to Creator God, and that's why this story, for him, had a sad ending.
God has great plans for you. He wants to deliver you from the chains that hold you. That's why Jesus came, to save you FROM your sin! He wants to write His character on your heart! Please listen to His voice, as He pleads with you to accept His help!
Isaiah 61:1-3, "God's Spirit is on Me; He's chosen Me to preach the Message of good news to
the poor, sent Me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "This is God's year to act!" "He will give a crown of beauty for ashes a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.
In these words, Jesus was announcing to you that He is able to handle your circumstances, and to change your life. It does NOT matter where you have been, what you have done, where you are, and what you are doing right now, because Jesus loves you even more, and wants to capture your heart:-)
Please let Him! Don't be a Belshazzar.
Next post is about the handwriting on the wall!
God B in U & through U, Joy J
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