s * Ä = w s M S K?S Ü f ®$ 1 SÌ s a i B S K M H G 9 t t ó e t í a n toil l i t us not only go unto the have me to do?" BELSHAZZAR: HIS I Lesson Vii. Dan OUTLINE. I. Belshazzar. II. Babylon. FETE AND FATE. November 12. 5.
flowed, and the trinity of the pleasures Of the flesh, wine, women, and song, reigned. This picture seen through inspired story is needful to enhance the moral and spiritual lessons, and the recklessness and folly of godless devotees of the world, dancing on the crust between life and the hell of fire. (Rev. 18:16-24; 19:20). 2. "Belshazzar the kinq made a feast," at what an unseemly time' His father Nabonidus was a captive; his armies and people were overcome by the enemy; himself and his lords were in a state of seige. But (1), youth in pursuit of pleasure, particularly wine and women, "sowing their wild oats," reck little of duty, whether to business or parents. Absalom broke his father's heart (2 Sam. 18:33), the prodigal rioted while his-father mourned him as dead; Nero "fiddled" while Rome burned. Perhaps (2) Belshazzar felt so safe in his stronghold that he revelled in self-confidence; as the dissolute plunge into excesses confi- dent t h at place is secure, fortune inexhaust- ible, health infallible. But "when they shall say, Peace and safety, peace and safety, sudden destruction cometh upon them, 1 Thes 5-3. Or, (3)' he may have been in the desperation of despair. The enemy was at his gates, and he said, "Let use eat, dHnk and be merry, for tomorrow we die, Hcc. 8 15. Contrast Daniel and Belshazzar. Dan- iel believed in God, applied himself to duty; ruled his own soul and appetites, and lived to rule in the kingdom after Belshazzar and his Babylon had come to an ignoble 1 This was the crowning sin of Belshaz- zar, and the immediate cause of his awful vision and doom. Not that it was so par- ticular with him, but because he and his kingdom were types of antichrist and his world kingdom, their spirit, wickedness, and doom. 2. It was wine, strong drink, that led him on. This is clear from its frequent mention, vv. 1, 2, 3, 4, .23. Strong drmlt is the immediate cause of four-fifths of the crimes committed. And wine is the symbol of the spirit of godless pride which intoxi- cates and emboldens man to defy God and "worship the creature more than the Cre- ator," Rom. 1:25. "When the wine is in the wit is out"; and the conscience is out; moral restraints are paralyzed; and there is no folly, crime, or sin to which a man is not liable. I knew a pastor's assistant, a stu- dent for the ministry, who in wine said to his comrades, "If you want to see a shoot- ing come with me!" He staggered home, pursued his wife from room to room, and pierced- her with three bullets. Consider: Noah, Lot, Nadab and Abihu, Nabal, Ahasuerus, Belshazzar, Herod (Gen. 9:21; 19: 32; Lev. io :l, 2, 9; .1 Sam. '25:36-38; § § § 110, 11; Dan. 5:; Mk. 6:21, 32). (3) "Belshazzar whilst he drank the wine com- manded." The sacred chalices (2 Chron. 36:7) consecrated to Jehovah were filled with end. (Dan. 6:3.) V. BLASPHEMY.
III. Besieged. IV. Banquet. V. Blasphemy. VI. Banned. 1
Like Mrs. Gamp, who did not believe there ever was a "Mrs."'Arris, the sceptics long denied any- Belshazzar. But Babylonian tablets, which mention his name, royalty, and "business transactions, have silenced them, who are so ready to believe "any- thing but the Bible." 2. He was son of Nabonidus, the son-in-law, or grandson, of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Chaldeans, which title also belonged to Belshazzar, vice- roy, or second ruler in the kingdom (Dan. 5:7, 31) who reigned at Babylon. II. BABYLON. Ì The walls of B., the world's metropo- lis," the pride of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:29, 31), were 14 miles around, 300 feet high, 85 broad; and had 100 great gates. The banks of the Euphrates, which bisected the city, were also walled, and the river bridged. The palace, a stronghold protected by three lofty towered walls, the outer being 7 miles m circumference, has been partially , excavat- ed and the location and form of its banquet hall described where in an alcove Belshaz- zar had his throne. Babylon was regarded as impregnable, but "except the Lord keep the city the watchman watcheth but in vain " Psa. 127:1, and battlements and bata'lions are no refuge. 2. Babylon, its wealth, pride, magnificence, godless debauch- ery, self-confidence, and sudden destruction, was in all this typical of the world and its fate, especially of the restored and finally destroyed Babylon of the end-time,, described in Rev. 18, which gives, no doubt, a very true picture of the ' Babylon of Belshazzar. Read it! III. BESIEGED. 1 Nabonidus defeated by Cyrus submit- ted, was spared, and died a natural death. 2 Belshazzar, besieged, held his carousal m •the palace and was slain in a night assault. A clay tablet reads, according to Dr. Driver, " T he 11th of Marchesvan, during the night Gubaru (Cyrus' general) made an assault and the son of the king died." This agrees with the Bible: " t h at night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain," and wit|h ancient historians, who say t h at it was on a festive night, and t h at the king rushed from his palace sword in hand "and was slain. IV. BANQUET. . 1. Read Esther 1:1-7. Imagination can scarce overdraw the splendor of the banquet, the assembly, and the king's state. Baby- lonish lords and ladies, magnificently array- ed abandoned themselves to the sensual pleasures Of the occasion. The music re- Sounded (Dan. 2:4-7; Psa. 137:3), the wine
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