THE FULFILMENT OF AN UNCHANGEABLE PROPHECY OF JUDGMENT

Daniel 5:25-31

Belshazzar was ignorant of the true God and was also ignorant of the prophecies on his kingdom and on Babylon. In his ignorance, he disregarded and dishonoured God, his Creator. He lived carelessly without thinking of the end. “For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” (Deuteronomy 32:28,29). Belshazzar had no thought of his latter end, but his ignorance was inexcusable. The prophecies concerning the destruction of Babylon and the end of her king and mighty men were numerous and specific. “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, And Babylon shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isaiah 13:17,19). If only Belshazzar had read this prophecy of Isaiah, that day would not have come upon him unprepared. “For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 14:22). Could anything have been clearer? Only a man lacking understanding could have neglected such clear prophecy to his doom and damnation. “I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations” (Jeremiah 25:12). Belshazzar must have closed his eyes to these clear prophecies. There are many people in our day who deliberately close their eyes to divine prophecies and predictions concerning the judgment of all sinners. We must understand that man’s neglect of inspired prophecies from heaven does not stop their fulfilment. “Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that He hath taken against Babylon; and His purposes, that He hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely He shall make their habitation desolate with them” (Jeremiah 50:45). “Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, and the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant” (Jeremiah 51:28,29). These prophecies come forth with clear notes of certainty and finality. Belshazzar’s kingdom and life were to come to an abrupt, sad and miserable end. His final day came suddenly as he fell into the hands of “The king of terrors” (Job 18:11-14). His last day on earth came and he was found wicked, worthless and wanting. He was suddenly ushered into eternity to face the wrath of God. Without giving any thought to necessary preparation to meet the Lord he was violently taken from the earth to be plunged into an eternal existence of torments.

THE IRREVERSIBLE FATE OF AN UNRIGHTEOUS PERSON

Daniel 5:25-28; 4:24; Job 36:12-14, 17-21; Psalm 55:23; Proverbs 10:27; Ecclesiastes 7:17; Psalm 62:9; Proverbs 16:2; Isaiah 13:17-19; Jeremiah 51:11,28-30.

The wise men of Babylon could not read or interpret the writing on the wall; neither can the wise men of our modern world today read the prophetic writing nor interpret the prophetic signs on the horizon. Daniel was the only man in Babylon who could read and interpret the writing and his interpretation was “certain and sure.” He read the mysterious inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. Then he interpreted it. He was sure and definite, there was no uncertainty or doubt in his heart or in his tone. “MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.” The word, MENE, was repeated to show its certainty and impossibility of failure. It is “doubled because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass” (Genesis 41:32). Belshazzar’s kingdom, his glory and majesty, the years of his life on the throne and in the world were all numbered and finished. Does the sinner realize that his days are numbered by the decrees of heaven? Are we children of God wiser than the children of this world? Are the Benjamins (the sons of His right hand) wiser than the Belshazzars? Are saints wiser than sinners in this matter? Do we realize that our days of opportunity, days of probation on earth are not infinite but numbered? The years and days of Belshazzar’s stewardship were numbered. The day of his probation was now ended and the eternal Hand came out of its obscurity to indicate that fact.   “TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” What a terrible sentence to hear on one’s last day on earth! He was stript of all joy, satisfaction or hope as he faced an eternal future bereft of all commendation, honour or peace. The law of God is the test of human actions and when his life was placed in the balance of God’s eternal and unerring justice, he was found lighter than vanity. “PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” UPHARSIN is made up of two words: U, PHARSIN. U means ‘and’ and PHARSIN, the plural form of PERES means ‘divided’. The prophecies of Isaiah concerning the kingdom of Babylon written about 150 years earlier and the predictions of Jeremiah, spoken against Babylon more than 70 years before that time became fulfilled that night. Before the interpretation of the writing on the wall Daniel had rebuked Belshazzar but he never sought the counsel of the prophet. He sealed his doom with his silence.

THE IMMEDIATE FULFILMENT OF AN UNCHANGEABLE PROPHECY

Daniel 5:29,30; Psalm 76:5-7; Isaiah 13:17-22; 21:2-9; 47:10-15; Jeremiah 27:17; Acts 5:5-11; 12:20-23; Jeremiah 50:24-32; 51:39-42,56,57.

“Then commanded Belshazzar that Daniel should be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Belshazzar had a little time to repent but he did not. His last moments on earth were spent on administrative activities of his doomed kingdom. Daniel was promoted to the position of the third ruler. The day of Belshazzar’s dethronement was the day of Daniel’s enthronement. So shall it be on the final day. The day of the sinner’s condemnation shall be day of the saint’s coronation.  “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.” This came to Belshazzar and the Babylonians by surprise. For Daniel and all other believers who “searched the scriptures daily” the suddenness of this calamity did not take them unawares. Isaiah and Jeremiah had foretold it in clear details many years before (Isaiah 13:17,19; 14:4,22; 21:9; 47:1,5; Jeremiah 25:12; 50:29-32,35; 51:11, 31, 39, 57). Belshazzar and the Babylonians were void of understanding and they perished suddenly in their iniquity and idolatry. “A man of understanding” will take these things to heart and live with eternity in view. Belshazzar neglected the knowledge of prophecy and perished. The secular world and even the religious world are following the same path of neglect today. The final prophetic day is fast approaching. “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. As a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:32,35). In view of the imminent fulfilment of prophecy, what is Christ’s counsel to YOU today? “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:34,36).

THE INEVITABLE FUTURE OF ALL UNCONVERTED PEOPLE

Daniel 5:30,31; Hebrews 9:27; Psalm 90:12; Ecclesiastes 12:1-7,13,14; Luke 12:15-21; 13:23-30; 16:19-31; John 5:28,29; Jude 5-7, 11-16; Hebrews 2:1-3.

“In that night was Belshazzar slain.” “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Death is an awful thing to those who possess all things on earth but nothing in heaven. Though men do not think often about it but they must die. God will not give immortality to men in this life, to spend in disobeying, dishonouring and disregarding Him. Sinners live in constant fear of death yet they do not turn from their sins and receive forgiveness, salvation and eternal life from God through Christ. They put repentance far away from themselves but they cannot put death far from themselves. The ungodly may avoid Christ and His cross but they cannot avoid the grave.  Belshazzar was not ready when death came but he had no power to delay the day of death. Are you ready? It must come some day. You cannot live here for ever. You are nothing better than a tenant here. If death should come to give you notice to quit, are you ready? How can we be ready? Only those who have fled from sin to Christ for salvation are ready. All true believers in Christ, whose sins are forgiven by Christ, whose hearts are cleansed through the application of Christ’s blood by faith, who are born again, whose hearts are renewed by the Holy Spirit, whose affections are set on things above and not things on the earth, are ready. Belshazzar was not ready; are you ready? Babylonians were not ready; are you ready? Balaams are not ready; are you ready? Blasphemers are not ready; are you ready? Betrayers are not ready; are you ready? Backsliders are not ready; are you ready? Believers only are ready; are you ready? He that is ready has an eternal home ready for him in heaven. He that is not ready has everlasting horrors ready for him in hell. Are you ready?

If you are blessed by these bible study outlines, we' d like to hear from you.

You can email the pastor@deeperlife-liverpool.org.uk with your comments