(Read Daniel 5)
THERE is no doubt at all, my reader, why God has been pleased to record the scene that we have in this chapter. He has put it down, as a New Testament Scripture tells us, " For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, " that men and women, you and I, whoever and whatever we may be, may learn first to what a length in impiety, idolatry, and wickedness a man may go. I am not going to charge you, my unconverted reader, with Belshazzar's sins in particular, but I shall ask you presently whether there is not a strong similarity between that king and you. The strong point of this chapter is, that we have a most distinct and solemn warning in it from God to Belshazzar, but he paid not the slightest heed to it.
Now let me take you back to that scene. There was a huge banquet prepared, and one thousand lords were there. Would not you have been proud to have had an invitation? I can imagine the brilliancy of that scene, the luxury and wealth, lit up with all the splendor of an Eastern court; and they feasted and drank wine, and God was not a bit in their thoughts. I ask you, Is He in yours? Well, the feast goes on, and the impiety and idolatry. Belshazzar all the time knew what had happened to his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar; and you know, sinner, how judgment has been executed, and how the earth was covered by the flood; but the devil delights to make men forget these things. But see, the feast goes on, and Belshazzar, to crown his impious audacity, commands the sacred vessels which had been dedicated to the service of the Lord God to be brought in, and they drink out of them to their idols.
But God looks on,—and on you too, sinner. I do not charge you with impiety or sacrilege, but what are your relations with God? Have you lived for Him? Do you ever think of Him? Your conscience tells you, Nor Now, I say, God looked on as they feasted, and drank, and praised the idols of gold, silver, and wood. But you say, Belshazzar was an idolater. I know very well that he was; but do not forget that God knows, and God hears, and God sees your heart as well as his. You are not a drunkard, I grant you; nor immoral, I grant you; but ah! sinner, is there no idol before you? Are you quite sure you have not got a golden idol? Let me hear what the world says of you. "He is the sharpest man I know; he is one of the cutest men about town; drives a hard bargain; and is making money fast, and keeps it.”
Come now, be honest; has it not been the one great desire of your life to make money, to get rich? You have got an idol, my friend, not stuck up in your house, —it has not taken that form, — but a golden idol you have. Is not covetousness an idol? You have one pound and would like to make it five pounds, and when you have got a ten-pound note you would like to make it twenty pounds; so you scrape, and struggle, and strive, that you may get it. Oh, you say, one must earn one's bread. Quite so; but earning your bread day by day is not having a golden god; but your god is a golden god. You may deny it, but nevertheless is it true, and what is the end? It governs you; and the thing that governs you is your God.
Possibly you may not have gold for an idol, perhaps pleasure is your object, you want to enjoy life. Everything else gives way to that. Pleasure is your goddess. And where, in your thoughts, is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Left out entirely. But He will not always be left out. He does not forget that you are a responsible creature, and some time or other He will deal with you.
So in this scene, at the very climax of their impiety, in the same hour, came forth fingers of a man's hand and wrote on the wall. In plain language, God steps in. I know a thing that would spoil the brightest banquet in the world, or the sweetest strains of music, or the ball, or racecourse, or any other worldly scenes of merriment. All enjoyment there is destroyed at once, if God steps in.
At the banquet only the hand of God is seen, the fingers of a hand; and the king saw it. God arrests that idolater; and is not His desire to arrest you, my reader? Yes, most truly. Mark His grace. He warns, He arrests that man; He does not strike him dead. Would not you have supposed that, as he raised his cup to drink to the senseless idol, God would have struck him dead? But no; God gives a warning word, that the sinner may have time to repent. And if you feel just now that God is dealing with you, let us see what will be the next thing.
“The king's countenance was changed." The face gets serious, the eye droops, the heart beats, —what is the matter? Why, something marvelous has happened! God has drawn near to you, and your countenance may well be changed, as Belshazzar's countenance was changed. Why, you say, he is a thorough coward. Well, what are you? Have you confessed Christ? have you owned His name? have you taken a stand for Him? You see He is a Saviour, but have you confessed Him? have you let the world know that you are a Christian man or woman? Have you done that? If not, then you are a coward.
Who heads the list, in Rev. 21., of those who go down to the lake of fire? "The fearful," the cowards; those who know the truth intellectually, but who have never seen what they are really before God, and have never confessed Christ as being far more precious, and of far more worth, than all that this world can give. They are cowards. But the king was frightened; his thoughts troubled him so, that "the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another"; for the man was conscious that it was God speaking to him. And who is speaking to you? Is not God? You say, I would like to know what He has got to say to me. Are you seeking salvation? have you decided to flee from the wrath to come? are you in earnest? The king was anxious; he sent for the astrologers and wise men, but they could tell him nothing. Then the queen comes in and tells of Daniel; he is able to interpret dreams, and “show hard sentences," and "dissolve doubts” and that is just what the Gospel does.
There are some sentences very hard indeed. Here is one, —"All have sinned." Another, —" The wages of sin is death." Another,—"He that believeth not shall be damned." But the Gospel explains all these, and dissolves all doubts. My beloved friend, if you get simply to Christ, all will be clear. Jesus died for you. The way into the presence of God is free, and opened and made clear, through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, do not let the “hard sentences" keep you back, but listen to the sweet words of Christ. It is perfectly plain that you are a lost man until you come to Jesus, and equally plain that you are a saved one if you do come to Him.
Belshazzar knew how God had dealt with Nebuchadnezzar (see chapter 5., verse 2), and yet he had not humbled his heart. Now, I ask you, beloved friend, has your heart been humbled before God? You know what God has done with others before you, and how He has dealt in judgment with men before you. Have you humbled your heart? I will not charge you with Belshazzar's impiety; but he forgot God, and so have you.
And you think you can go on carelessly to the end of your days; but the day will come when God will deal with you, and that quickly. Christ was humbled, and God exalted Him. You say, Why should I humble myself? I do not go into the details of your life. God knows them all; and you have not humbled yourself; and “the God in whose hand thy breath is, thou hast not glorified." Ah! sinner, have you a lease of your life? You have of your house, very likely, but not of your life.
Again, no honest soul can say he has glorified God. Only the Lord Jesus could say, “I have glorified Thee." Have you glorified God to-day? Let us go over to-day. Where was God in your thoughts? Did you think of the Lord? My dear friend, you and the Lord are total strangers,—that is the truth; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, you have not glorified. What a solemn charge is this! If Belshazzar had been wise, he would have fallen on his face before God and owned his guilt. You too, sinner, have lived without God,— heedless of God, careless of Him, regardless of Him. Oh that you may be led to repentance.
The handwriting was sent as a warning to the king, and he neglected it. Belshazzar, it is all over with your Sinner, do I speak prophetic words? I know not. Will it be this night that your soul is called? for God has surely "numbered thy days.”
Christian, what do you say? If I go to-night, I go to meet Jesus, my blessed Saviour! But where would you go, sinner? Oh, arouse thee! The hour is drawing near when the last bit of Gospel shall sound in your ear; and what then? eternal condemnation You will recollect the warnings and entreaties which you put off with, " It cannot mean me; I feel well, perfectly well." Do you ever take up the newspaper? What do you see? So-and-so died suddenly.
“Oh," you say, "I hope I shall not die suddenly.” Your hope makes no difference, my friend. Do you think Belshazzar believed his warning? No, not a bit; he was as unconcerned as you are; his after-conduct shows it. He was " weighed in the balances and found wanting; " and so are you and I. Who is fit for God, but His own blessed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? He has been put in the balances, and He only is fit for God; but you and I are found wanting.
“But," say you, "I am religious." Your righteousness is only as filthy rags. Have you a heart like Christ? or is your life like His—your ways, your righteousness? No. But it must be. How can it be? How can I stand like that? Paul says in Philippians, that he counts all things but loss, that he may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having his own righteousness. Christ shall be my life, my righteousness, my wisdom, redemption, everything!
In the 29th verse Belshazzar commands that Daniel should be decked out and honored, and I suppose he went on with his banquet, but he was slain that night, and the city was taken, as history tells us now; and half-drunk, in the midst of their feasting, this impious king was judged.
Ah! beloved friend, God's word came to him that night. I charge you, sinner, to come to Jesus— come to the Saviour now. Do not do what Belshazzar did. Go down on your bended knees this moment, and say, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!" Belshazzar is dead, but could he speak, I feel sure, he would say, “Do not do as I did, and despise the warning of God. When you are warned as I was, do not do as I did, and not believe it.”
Young says, “All men think all men mortal but themselves." Do not do this. Your sin is deep, but deeper is the blessed river of God's grace. The Lord loves you and waits to save and bless you. Oh, come as you are! Come this very moment, and you will get salvation and mercy. He will whisper peace to your troubled soul. Do not drop this paper before coining to Christ. Decide for the Lord just now. Thy days are surely numbered. I beseech you to halt, tarry, pause, consider, turn round and own your guilt seek the Lord, and you will find Him, and He will bless you with an everlasting salvation. Come now, I do entreat you, repent and turn to God, and receive “the gift of God, eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." W. T. P. W.