Dedicated To The Men of God
Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
The Party's Over
TEXT: Daniel 5:1-3
INTRO: Babylon was a beautiful city. It had been built
into a fortress that was second to none. It was
surrounded by a huge wall that some say was 87 feet wide
and estimated to be over three hundred feet tall in
places. Six chariots could run abreast on top of the
wall. It was encircled by a large moat and the Euphrates
River ran through the midst of the city. The Babylonians
were trusting the security of the city. But as is the
case anytime we trust man's wisdom and ability, they were
trusting in a false security.
There came a night when King Belshazzar threw a great
feast for a thousand of his Lords\leaders. He even had
the vessels of the temple brought that were taken away by
his father when he over ran Jerusalem, and had wine
served in them. The party was going just great, they were
living it up... until suddenly, out of the sleeve of the
night, he received a message from God. The message, in
effect, said, "The Party's Over!"
I want to speak to you on that thought today. You see in
America and around the world, people are in the same
state of mind that these people were. God and eternity is
the most remote thing on their minds. It seems sometimes
that the whole country is just one big party. From the
white house to the school house to the church house, the
majority of people are just living it up, doing their own
thing, their own way. One day soon, America will also get
a message from God that: "THE PARTY'S
OVER."
Let's examine this message from God:
FIRST:
I. NOTICE THE NATURE OF THE MESSAGE. V-5-8
God sent messages in various ways. By
prophet, written form, visions, voices etc. But this
message was not from a prophet! Not from a book. It was
not a voice! Not a vision! Look at it:
A. Message was unusual.
V-5 "fingers of a man's hand wrote..on the plaster
of the wall.
(1) No fire, lightening, thunder...... but suddenly,
(2) Out of the sleeve of the night, a man's hand!
(3) This was NOT part of the program.
B. Message was untimely.
V-1-5 They were partying! V-5 says, "They drank wine
and praised the gods of gold and silver."
(1) Isn't that just like God? His appearance is often so
untimely. (Rains your parade, crashes party)
(2) I've walked in on people drinking. Some hide it some
offer it. Bad to get caught in your sin. Worse it God
catches.
C: Message was unreadable.
V-8 "Then came in all the king's wise men, but they
could not read the writing, nor make known to the king
the interpretation thereof." Nothing more disturbing
than to have a message and not be able to read it!
(1) It was a message from God. They needed the man of
God.
[That's why God calls preachers to expound word]
(2) King Belshazzar was "greatly troubled." V-9
(3) Queen came and made a suggestion: V-11-12 She had
heard of Daniel and how God was using him to interpret
dreams and visions. Daniel was sent for and promised a
scarlet robe and chain of gold, and the position of third
ruler in the kingdom. Daniel said, [paraphrase]
"keep your gifts, and give the rewards to someone
else, but I'll interpret your message." V-17
Now, before we get to the meaning of the message, I want
to say
something about:
II. THE REASON FOR THE MESSAGE. V-18-24
God had a good reason for breaking up
this party! He always does. The King's father had been a
powerful man, but "when his heart was lifted up, and
his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his
kingly throne and they took his glory
from him." (V-20). He ended up with the animals
eating grass like
oxen. Now look at his son King Belshazzar:
A. Pride of life. V-22
"And thou his son, O Belshazzar hast not
humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this."
He hadn't learned a thing from the bad example and
downfall of father.
(1) He had knowingly disobeyed God! This will always get
God's attention.
(2) When you knowingly disobey God, it's like shaking
your
fist in God's face. This is serious!
B. Plunder of the temple.
V-23 "..they have brought the vessels of
His (God's) house before thee..." These were vessels
that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem when it
fell.
C. Pollution of the vessels.
V-23 "..and thou and thy lords and thy wives and thy
concubines have drunk wine in them."
(1) They had defiled the holy and sacred: no respect.
(2) Churches have dances, drinking now days. (One church
used
to have a coffee house in basement for youth dancing and
a friend of mine drove garbage truck & picked up beer
cans.)
(3) This too, gets God's attention. (Might see fingers)
D. Praise of Idols. V-23
.. "thou hast praised the gods of gold,
silver, brass, wood, and stone." People today live,
eat, and breath
sports, their job, their man made idols and then give God
the left overs of their time, talent, and treasures.
(Party about over in USA) When you survey the national
scene.. Party about over.
III THE MEANING OF THE MESSAGE. V-26-31
The king had to call for the man of God to learn what the
message was
saying to him. Here is what he learned from Daniel:
A. "God had numbered &
finished his kingdom." V-26
(1) The end had come! You never know when that last day
will
come. He had reached the height of success.
(2) Would like to have known earlier, end was near.
B. "Thou are weighed and
found wanting." V-27
(1) Would be bad enough to have to stand before HIM
suddenly,
but much less to be found short!
(2) Didn't say, "you've done good job..."
C. All thy kingdom is given to
someone else. V-27 "Thy kingdom is divided
and given to the Medes and Persians."
(1) Left it all behind!
(2) So did Sam Walton.
(3) So will you......
CONCLUSION:
If your life is like that of Belshazzar.. Wrapped up in
everything
except God.... Remember, the hand writing is on the wall.
One day, God will say, "the party's over."
INVITATION:
Then, it will be too late... now is the day of salvation.
Christians: It will be too late to right wrongs! Do it
now.
SERMON FROM CECIL LOVELACE- GOODE'S CREEK BAPTIST
CHURCH- USA
Site created by
Tom Walker