Daniel - God’s Graffiti (notes)

Daniel - God’s Graffiti

This Is The End of an Empire

Belshazzar is the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar and it is now 25 years since the last episode was written.

A Wine Tasting Event

• Turns into a divine proclamation of judgment over a powerful Empire.
• It was the wrong thing to do with the gold and silver vessels from the temple of God in Jerusalem.
• It was an “in your face” gesture by the king of Babylon.

Daniel 5

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

(KJV)

Daniel 5

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

(KJV)

This Is An Open Vision

This was the very hand of God who came and wrote the judgment on the wall.

Daniel 5

• The queen knew about Daniel and talks about the anointing that was on Daniel to see into the spirit realm and give revelation to kings.
• Daniel had an excellent spirit, knowledge and understanding dreams and shewing of hard sentences and dissolving of doubts. Call Him and he will give the interpretation.
• Daniel stands before the king.

Daniel 5

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

(KJV)

Daniel 5

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. (KJV)

Daniel was known as a man of great wisdom and insight with God given ability to solve problems of his day.

Again We Find

• That the wise men, astrologers could not interpret the hand writing on the wall.
• The reputation of Daniel who could interpret dreams, and dissolve doubts.
• Daniel does not receive the gifts and honor of the king--keep your gifts to yourself and give your rewards to another.
• Daniel gives the king the testimony of his grandfather.

Daniel Tells The King

You used the sacred chalices to toast your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone; blind, deaf, and imbecile gods. But you treat with contempt the living God who holds your entire life from birth to death in His hand.

The Message

25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel Is Given

Another award and position. Third in the kingdom. But Daniel knows that this means nothing because that night God’s sentence is carried out and the king is killed and Darius (of the Medo Persian Empire) becomes king at 62 years of age.

What Can We Learn From These Events?

• God is the one who controls the world. He knows everything even before it happens.
• God is a jealous God and will not be mocked.
• God exalts those who humble themselves before God humbles those who exalt themselves.
• God is just and His judgments are right and when He makes a decision it is always the best one, the right one and the just one.