Daniel 5 describes what happened to Belshazzar. Who is Belshazzar? He is the son of Nabonidus, aka Nebuchadnezzar III, featured in Daniel 4. History shows that Nabonidus was not a direct descendant of Nebuchadnezzar but took on that name to lend weight to his reign. In the previous chapter, God taught him the danger of the sin of pride. For his arrogance, God made him live like a beast in the field for seven years till he realized that the sovereign God is the one who controls the world and not him. Only after this truth dawned on him did sanity return.
The scene in Daniel 5 shifted to Belshazzar, Nabonidus’ son. For
us readers, this is a déjà vu moment. Like the theme of Daniel 4, this chapter
also focuses on the danger of the sin of pride. Only this time, the main
character is Belshazzar.
The chapter opens with Belshazzar having a great feast and
drinking wine with a thousand of his nobles. At this point, he was co-reigning
with his largely absent father. Though not disclosed in the text, Babylon was
on the verge of being conquered by the Medo-Persian. Belshazzar, who would have
known of the impending attacks by the Persian army, showed careless disregard.
So nonchalant was he that he would rather live a self-indulgent life than be
concerned with the looming dangers.
What is more disconcerting was his contempt for the holy vessels
of God seized from the temple of Jerusalem by his predecessors. These gold and
silver vessels were consecrated unto God. Belshazzar had no regard for God when
he profaned them for his extravagant banquet and idolatry. They drank wine with
those vessels as they “praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron,
wood, and stone.”
Every believer must live life responsibly. We must see life as a
God-given sacred trust. Do not squander it by riotous and careless living.
Never treat consecration lightly. Do not treat God or holy things with
contempt. Be sure to live dedicatedly for Him.
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