IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Honor God Who Holds Your Life in His Hand

Date: Jan. 10, 2020

Passage

Daniel 5:22-31 (ESV)

22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 5:23b

but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

1. Daniel rebukes King Belshazzar (22-24)

King Belshazzar didn't humbly learn anything from history, that is, from King Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance and pride (20). Rather, he defied God by using the sacred goblets and praising lifeless idols. He didn't honor God who holds all our lives and ways in his hand. So God sent the king a rebuking message. Now Daniel would interpret it for him.

2. The meaning of the handwriting (25-31)

The scary handwriting on the wall was from God: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. Mene: The king's reign was numbered and now over; Tekel: the king did not weigh up to God's standard; Parsin: Babylon is divided and given to Media-Persia. Daniel was rewarded for the interpretation. But that very night the king lost his life and his kingdom.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord God, forgive my arrogance and pride. Help me to walk humbly and acknowledge and honor you in all my ways. In Jesus' name. Amen.

One Word: Honor God in all your ways

Daily Bread

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