Numbered, Weighed, Divided

Daniel 5

1.  Background to Daniel 5

a.  Chapter 4 we saw Nebs turn to “the Most High God”

b.  Nebs died in 562BC, and the kingdom fell apart quickly

i.  Father used in vs 2 and 18 means “ancestor” or “predecessor”.

c.  20 year gap between Chapters 4 and 5

i.  Daniel is now in his 80’s

2.  The King’s Party of Mockery (vs 1-4)

a.  “a feast for a thousand of his lords” vs 1

b.  “commanded the vessels of gold and silver that Nebs had taken from the temple be brought” vs 2 and 3

c.  “praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.” vs 4

3.  The Hand that Causes Trembling (vs 5-9)

a.  “Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace” vs 5

b.  “Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.” vs 6 and 9 (“color changed”)

c.  “all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.” vs 8

d.  He even promised that the interpreter would “be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” vs 7

4.  The Confrontation of Pride and Promise of Judgement (vs 10-28)

a.  READ vs 18-28

5.  The Justice of God (vs 29-31)

a.  “Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck” vs 29

b.  “That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom.” vs 30-31

What Can We Learn?

1.  Sin is not hidden

a.  “No creature is hidden from his sight…” Hebrews 4:13a

b.  “You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.” Psalm 90:8

2.  Confrontation is inevitable

a.  “But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13b

3.  Judgement is coming

a.  “’As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14:11-12

4.  There is a Savior! (Christ Alone)

a.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

b.  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17