Here to begin. Daniel five twenty five. And this is the writing that was written. Meaning, meaning, tequil, you farson. This is the interpretation of the thing.

Meaning, God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Tekel, thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting. Perez, thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Let's go to the Lord in prayer before we continue. Lord, thank you for this day.

Thank you for your word. Bless our service here together. Bless our nation. Help us, Lord, to be a light in our nation today. Help us to show others the way to Christ, the way that is right, to take a stand for that which is right, to honor you above all others.

Lord, I pray that you would bring revival to our hearts, to our church, to our communities, and Lord to our nation. Oh Lord, you are able. Lord, forgive us. Forgive us of our sins. Forgive our nation of its sins and Lord, may indeed we see revival and may it start with us.

Lord, I pray as we see the time of your judgment and your coming drawing near. That we who are your children would be more faithful and would shine more brightly in the day in which we live for Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus precious name, we do pray. Amen. Amen.

Is the writing on the wall while the party is in full swing? Is the writing on the wall while the party is in full swing? Today, we are dealing with a dangerous virus. And it's not the first time and it probably won't be the last time. We're dealing with violence in the streets of The United States that we haven't dealt with in quite this fashion in a long time.

We are facing financial instability, Thanks to the virus and the violence and other things. Unbridled immorality has become simply a way of life for many people in our country and society. Secularism is all but taken over. Our public institutions and God has been forced out of the picture. Is the writing on the wall?

While the party is still in full swing. Nobody seems really to be listening. Nobody seems to be standing up and when they do stand up, rarely does anybody stand with them. Nobody seems to be anticipating that the writing on the wall is coming. As we delve into Daniel five today, there are two lessons I want us to see.

The first one is this, a warning and the second one, a challenge. The first one, a warning and the second one, a challenge. So, we'll start with the warning first today. The warning is this, you are never too big to fall. You are never too big to fall.

Human civilization fell before the waters of the flood in Noah's day. They thought they were too big to fall. They thought God could not take them out in judgement and yet he did. You're never too big to fall. The kings who conquered Sodom fell before Abraham's army of just 200 men.

You're never too big to fall. Sodom and Gomorrah themselves fell before fire and brimstone. Pharaoh fell before Moses and the plagues and his army at the Red Sea. Jericho fell before Joshua and the people as they walked around it and shouted praise to the Lord. Canaan fell before Israel.

Midianites fell before Gideon's army of how many? 300 men. Goliath fell before David. Israel fell. Egypt fell.

Babylon fell. As we will see in our lesson today. You're never too big, too rich, too successful, to fall. Under Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon was the envy. And master of the world.

No one was richer, no one more powerful, no one with greater fame than Nebuchadnezzar. But as we saw last week from Daniel four, when Nebuchadnezzar got too big for his britches, not God knocked him down for a time. Until he humbled himself before the Lord. However, following his death, things began to go badly for Babylon. As the Medes and the Persians slowly began to chip away at Nebuchadnezzar's once seemingly invincible kingdom.

City after city, region after region began to fall before the Medes and Persians as they begin to win win decisive battles against Babylon until only the city of Babylon itself. The invincible city, the impenetrable city. Was left. Surrounded by 350 foot high and 87 foot thick walls. Nobody was getting into the city of Babylon.

Here, Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, still reigned on the throne as king and decided to hold a great feast to celebrate his unconquerable city. What he did not know was that while they were feasting and while they were celebrating the forces of Cyrus were working hard in secret to invade the city that very night. As they diverted the waters of the Euphrates and they came in under the walls of Babylon. And ended Belshazzar's reign. Let's look in verses one through four of chapter five.

One through four of chapter five. Belshazzar, the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken out of the temple, that's the temple in Jerusalem, which was in Jerusalem that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink therein. 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 princess, his wives, and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Here, Nebuchadnezzar has his party, Belshazzar, has his party. A party, a very large party, over a thousand people in attendance, a great hidden feast, fun, and debauchery were on the menu. Likely one of the reasons for the concubines being there. This world continues like his, to party and drink, to enjoy sin, to feel secure in it, even today, as they are drunk with sin. And fear no consequences.

In Romans three, we told, there is no fear of God before their eyes. And as God in heaven is watching, they are not seemingly not aware. And they go on in their sin and then their celebration of it. Without regard for the God who made them. Without regard for the day of judgement.

Much like the time of Noah, Matthew twenty four thirty eight and thirty nine say this, for as in the days of Noah, for as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. Noah for one hundred years had been preaching, the judgment is coming. The judgment is coming and nobody was what? Nobody was listening and nobody would heed God's words. There was room for them on the ark.

Like there was for the animals. That nobody cared. And they kept partying and having fun and thumbing their nose at God until the day that Noah walked into the ark and the door what? The door shut and who shut the door? God did.

Then the waters came and they were shut out. So, see the party of Belshazzar. Judgement is at the door. The flood waters are about to come in and city and the army of Cyrus. They're partying.

No fear. No fear of God. No fear of danger. They even provoked God to anger specifically. Nebuchadnezzar called for the utensils.

Most guys. That Nebuchadnezzar had robbed from the temple in Jerusalem to be brought so they could drink wine in the golden goblets made for the temple and the priest as they hailed and bowed and worshiped and sang praises to their idols. Making a mockery of the God whose vessels they employed. And their debauchery. It wasn't enough to sin.

They had to thumb their nose at God in doing it. Angering God by using those things made in his name for his worship in the worship of their hidden gods. Committing blasphemy and sacrilege thinking that the true and living God doesn't see or hear. Their gods couldn't see or hear. So, I guess they thought the true and living God couldn't see or hear either but the Bible tells us in Proverbs Proverbs fifteen three, it says, the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good.

Does God see? Yes, he does and they figured wrong. And it came back to bite them. Many provoke the same Lord to anger today, making the same woeful gamble that Belshazzar made. They mock him and without fear, even while the enemy lies without the gate.

They say, God is dead and we will not have this man to rule over us. They say, second Peter three four, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. They mock God in unbelief and say, he hadn't come yet. I don't think he's coming at all.

So, they dig their own graves. By their arrogant pride, by their blasphemy, and unbelief, and debauchery. And do they think God does not see? They will find out differently one day. Galatians six seven.

Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. God is clear. Don't be deceived by the God of this world, by Satan.

Don't be deceived into thinking that you can get away with it. Don't be deceived into thinking that you won't reap the consequences of your sin and ignoring almighty God. God is not mocked. He will not let it go. What you sow, you will reap.

The Bible is clear and we see an example of that in our passage today. If you would, look in verse five and we'll see now God speaks. Now, he doesn't speak audibly in this case. He writes something on the wall. Looking if you would in verse five.

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, 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. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers and the Chaldeans and the soothsayers and the king spake and said, to the wise men of Babylon, whosoever shall read this writing and show 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. Then came all of the king's wise men but they could not read the writing. More nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. Then the king Belshazzar was King Belshazzar greatly troubled and his countenance was changed in him and his lords were astonished or astonished.

They provoked God to anger didn't care, didn't fear, now they do. Because God has spoken. And as Belshazzar watched an unattached hand all by itself, riding on the top of his wall. His knees began to shake. His heart began to quiver.

Now, in fear, in fear. The Bible says in Hebrews 10 and verse 31, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But sadly for many people, when the fear comes, it will be what? It will be too late. There's a day.

The Bible says it's appointed on the man wants to die but after this, the judgment. You don't get a second try. After death. You get a second chance now. But not then.

And for many, it will be too late. The writing will already be on the wall. And then the terror will come. Like it did to Belshazzar. How quickly things change and how quickly they will when God intervenes and when the day of judgement comes upon the unrighteous.

Let me read from Revelation six. I read this in Sunday school too but stick with me here. Revelation six verse 15, the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and mighty men bondman and every selves and the rocks of the mountain Mountains and the rocks. On us. Hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and for the come and who be able to no one.

No one who is without Jesus Christ will stand in the day of judgement. Oklahoma. Only those who know the savior. Only those who have Christ will have peace. Only those who have Christ will have not a reason to fear.

But those who have rejected him. Will be terrorized. And they will for the end to come. But sadly, the end doesn't come when the rock for it is appointed unto man for this the what? The judgment.

So then the judgment comes. We see that same kind of fear, at least momentarily, in Belshazzar that will one day come to haunt him when he stands before God at the great white throne judgment. As the king sits upon the throne from whose faith the earth and the heavens flee over. So, men respond in fear when God finally steps in. Look, if you would, in Daniel chapter five and verse 17.

And we'll read the interpretation of the law by Daniel. Then Daniel answered of of the right. Verse 17. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, that thy gifts be to thyself and give thy rewards to another. Yet, I will read the writing under the king and make known to him the interpretation.

Exception. Oh thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom and majesty and glory and honor and for the majesty that he all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive and whom he would he set up and whom he would put down. And when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne. And they He was driven by the sons of men.

His heart was made like the beast and his dwelling found They fed him with grass like oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men had appointed over it whomsoever he will. That was from the previous chapter, Daniel four. Publishing process for you. Verse 22, and thou his son, oh shazzar, has not humbled thy thine heart. Though thou knowest all this.

But has lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought the vessels of his house before thee. And thou and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines have drunk wine in them and thou hast praised the gods of silver and of gold and of brass, iron, wood, and stone which see not nor hear nor know and the God in whose hand they thy breath is. And whose are all thy ways thou hast not glorified. Then, was the part of the hand sent from him and this writing was written.

This is the writing that was written. Meaning, meaning, equal, you far sin. This is the interpretation of the thing, meaning, God has numbered thy kingdom, finished it. People, thou art weighed in the balances and aren't found wanting or lacking. Perez, thy kingdom is divided and given to the needs in Persia.

Then commanded Belshazzar and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, put a chain around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night, was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the median took the kingdom being about three score and two years the writing on the wall. Writing on the wall to all those in attendance that God was the judge, that he had found the king deficient, and that he who raises up kings and brings down kingdoms was the one calling the shots. Not Belshazzar, not Cyrus, but the God of heaven, the creator of all, the true and living God, the holy God, our God.

And judgement did not come that night and judgement did that night and Belshazzar was propelled, slain, and the kingdom of Babylon came to its official end. Too big to fall? I don't think so. It fell. The United States Of America has been a shining city on a hill, so to speak, for several generations.

The envy of much of the world and pivotal in staving off unbridled totalitarianism in numerous places in the world, including Europe, at the hand of Hitler, at the hand of Russia, and ISIS. But we are not too big. We are not too wealthy or powerful to fail either. If we forget our heritage, no, not the slavery part, but the God honoring and God fearing part, which God blessed. If we forget, it was God who has blessed us.

If we forget, we are here by his grace. If we forget the principles of his word, if we forget who is God and Lord in heaven, who raises up nations and brings them down. Then I am afraid that the hand is prepared and the writing on the wall may someday come, maybe someday soon. God is more likely to be mocked in the public square today than worshiped as a holy and just God. And sometimes it is happening in the very places where once the Bible was taught.

This morning. In our schools. Know. And even in our churches. I swear to you.

Two of the universities in our country. You were wrong. That make the biggest mockery of God today. Our named Harvard and Yale and they were started seminaries to teach the word of God. And now God is mocked in their halls.

And in their classrooms. And thousands upon thousands of young people in institutions like them are being led to destruction and even in our pulpits today, in churches where once the gospel was preached, People call the word of God and fairy tale and teach huge stories and have abandoned the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are in trouble in our nation. No matter how much we love it or how much we have been blessed with the freedom of it. We are in trouble.

We do need revival. We do need to recognize and tell others that God is not mocked and whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. For we are not too big to fall either as Babylon was. One day, the writing will be on the wall. Will you be in the position of Belshazzar in his court or will you be in Daniel's position?

So, first of all, this morning, we've looked at the warning, the warning. If you ignore God, God will eventually speak up. Judgement will eventually come and it came to Belshazzar and that very night, he met his maker. I'm afraid he met him unprepared. And so did his king.

Let's look in verse 10. At Daniel, at Daniel, and the description of Daniel, we see here. We're going to read verses 10 through 16. In contrast, the self have the the Lord. Have the king and his lords came into the banquet house and the queen spake and said, oh king, Lord forever, let not thy thoughts trouble thee nor let thy countenance be changed.

In other words, don't be so so afraid. There is a man in thy kingdom. In whom is the spirit of the holy God? 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 so say, as much as an excellent spirit and knowledge understanding and understanding, interpretation of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Beltran. Now, let Daniel be called and the king spake and said unto Daniel, art thou Daniel?

Which are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the astrologers have been brought in before me that they should read this writing and make known unto me the interpretation of but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. And I have heard of thee that thou canst make interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now, if thou canst read the writing and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about thy neck and thou shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then, Daniel answered and said, before the king, let thy disheed of thyself and give thy rewards to another, yet I will read the writing under the king.

Make known to him. The interpretation. So, we see the testimony of Belshazzar. Wicked, blasphemous, arrogant came. He came to a sad end.

Now, let's look at the testimony of Daniel. Twenty years had passed between chapter four and chapter five. Daniel was no longer a child. Daniel was no longer a young man. He was a man, middle aged, or older than middle aged, and for twenty years, it would seem, he did not enjoy quite the position that he did in Nebuchadnezzar's court.

He was all but forgotten but by who? But by the means. He had not been completely forgotten and when the need arose, Daniel was remembered and not only him but his testimony as well. A testimony that for twenty years, he had kept clean and spotless. He had been faithful.

It is required in stewards of the man be found what? Faithful. And faithful Daniel was. Faithful when he was a young prisoner. Faithful when he was an exalted leader.

Faithful. As a forgotten elder statesman. With a godly reputation. His age and position did not change him. It did not change his outlook or his faith or his humble spirit.

How about you? How much do we allow our circumstances to change our outlook? Our loyalty our behavior These things did not affect Dan. Sometimes, they affect us. Far more than they should.

Daniel was unaffected by his circumstances. He was unaffected being or he's unaffected by the praise of men as a king's closest counselor. He was unaffected as forgotten statesman. He continued to keep a sterling testimony. And as the world grows darker, our light should what?

Shine brighter. And so it was with Daniel. How was he described by the queen? In him was the spirit of the holy but we know that in the spirit of Daniel, as we learned last chapter, the spirit of the living God, the true God, the same spirit that dwells where? And each and everyone of God has told you today but the queen said it because she saw it in his faith.

And in his action. She said he had an excellent spirit, a virtuous spirit. He was recognized as a man of integrity and trust. They could trust what he said to dissolve their what? To dissolve their doubts.

Because he was a man who could be trusted. The magicians and the astrologers couldn't be trusted and they knew it. Daniel all that we were a people, a neighbor, a friend, a relative who could be wise. One in which there was found an excellent spirit. That's the kind of Christian we ought to be.

People who can be trusted. We do honestly One who in which who was great insight, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Such wisdom comes from the Lord and you do not have to be a genius to receive it. The Bible says in James one five, if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God that give us to all men liberally and abrade him. He doesn't hold back and it shall be given him.

You need wisdom? Do what Daniel did. Ask him. Ask God. In Daniel two, he asked God.

In Daniel four, he asked God. Doesn't say it here but I'm sure in Daniel five, he asked who? He asked God. That was his pattern and God gave him wisdom. Like he can give it to us too.

How did he respond to the king's offer? He turned it down. Reminds me of Abraham who after his victory over the armies which bested Sodom and looted it, refused to keep any of the spoil for himself, lest his reputation be sullied by the rewards of a pagan king. Abraham said, no to the king of Sodom. I won't keep any of the spoil.

It's all yours except for that which belongs to who? God. Tithe he gave to Melchizedek but he said, I will keep none of it for myself because I will not have anyone to say that you made me rich. And so Daniel says to Belshazzar, you keep your rewards. I don't need them.

Not accept. I do not want to believe. Daniel prepared it. It was not for glory or position or wealth. But for the glory of God alone.

Maybe we could learn a thing or two today about serving rather than earning. Not only about keeping ourselves from being unequally yoked together. With the wicked but also in having us turn his life. There is a place and time to earn and there is another place and time to serve. A worldly wise person takes advantage of situation.

Situations to earn favor and rewards from others. While the godly wise man serves the Lord and others, seeking nothing which are you? Are you the good Samaritan who just sees somebody in need and helps expecting nothing in return? Are you the worldly wise man? Who helps because he thinks that he will gain a favor.

Earn a reward from somebody else. Which are you? Which was Daniel? Daniel was willing to stand and tell the truth, to serve when he was called upon, for the glory of God alone and not for his own personal gain. We are blessed Far more from God when we do things simply out of love, when we do things simply out of care, when we do things because it is right, not to receive something.

Thus, the example of that. This is the kind of man Daniel was. He wasn't at the party. They had to go get him. Wasn't taking They had to go find him.

He was a man of integrity. He was a man of righteousness. His message was true. He didn't soften the words to soften the blow for his own death. He was not ashamed of the God that he served who wrote the words on the wall.

Paul says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ power of God and the salvation. Everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. I'm not ashamed to stand with him. Neither was Daniel.

Neither should we. Daniel was promoted that night. More importantly, he was promoted by who? By God and by the way, when Belshazzar was off the scene and the Medes and Persians were on the scene, Belshazzar was gone but who was still there? Once again, the adviser is a breeze, and summer sailings are all your favorite brands.

Make things even easier. So freshen up the deck. Fire up the road. Summer's Jesus will. Which best describes you?

Daniel or Belshazz? If Daniel, you have nothing to worry about. If Belshazzar, you need to humbly bow before God before the writing is on. Represent private individuals. Law.

Case. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord. For this lesson from your word today, this chapter in the word of God. One maybe we're not quite as familiar with is lion's den or fiery furnace.

The one which we need to learn from today that we might be like Daniel, we might shine brightly as the world gets darker, that we might stand for the truth and stand for our God without fear and without shame. Weekday morning, six to ten. Secure the knowledge of our relationship with Christ. I'm Daria Auldinger. A spike in COVID nineteen cases shows no signs of letting up across to the South.

ABC's Mark Remillard says officials are Lord, we pray for our country. We pray for our neighbors. We pray for our relatives, our coworkers, and our friends that are like Belshazzar. They're partying. They're living it up.

Lord, I pray that we receive a a non A fear that would drive them to you. Go to stay at home and one of the first to reemerge, and we reemerged at zero to six. Hear the Lord you pray is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Lord, I pray by our actions and by our words. They would see who God really is.

They would fear him. That they would come to love and trust in him. In Jesus precious name we do pray.