Music... 00:00:04.30\00:00:25.25 Hello, once again we welcome you 00:00:25.32\00:00:28.06 to our study through the book of Daniel 00:00:28.09\00:00:30.43 called: Daniel All Access. 00:00:30.49\00:00:32.36 Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule 00:00:32.39\00:00:36.33 to meet with us 00:00:36.36\00:00:37.70 as we walk through this most fascinating of books... 00:00:37.73\00:00:42.34 it's companion book, the book of Revelation, 00:00:42.37\00:00:45.57 many of the things that are begun in Daniel 00:00:45.61\00:00:48.74 are concluded in Revelation, 00:00:48.78\00:00:50.38 some of the questions that are asked in Daniel 00:00:50.41\00:00:52.71 are answered in Revelation 00:00:52.78\00:00:54.12 and the two books go together, 00:00:54.15\00:00:56.12 we're very, very excited that somewhat later on 00:00:56.15\00:00:59.15 our Pastor and friend, John Lomacang 00:00:59.19\00:01:01.76 will be walking us through the book of Revelation 00:01:01.79\00:01:05.76 but for today, we are studying in the Book of Daniel, 00:01:05.79\00:01:07.80 Daniel All Access 00:01:07.83\00:01:09.66 seeking to ask the question not only what happened 00:01:09.70\00:01:12.63 but why it happened and who it happened to 00:01:12.67\00:01:16.37 and what does this marvelous book of prophecy 00:01:16.40\00:01:20.04 have to say to us, 00:01:20.08\00:01:21.51 we are coming down to the closing scenes 00:01:21.54\00:01:23.75 of the neo-Babylonian Empire 00:01:23.78\00:01:25.88 and you will note that 00:01:25.91\00:01:28.52 the Lord chose to spend a little more time 00:01:28.55\00:01:32.15 in Babylon or with Babylon 00:01:32.19\00:01:34.66 than He did some of the other kingdoms 00:01:34.69\00:01:37.63 until we come to an interesting beast 00:01:37.66\00:01:40.56 that speaks pompous words. 00:01:40.60\00:01:43.43 Then, the Lord really settles in 00:01:43.47\00:01:45.13 on that particular power and entity 00:01:45.17\00:01:48.90 but tonight, for our sitting tonight, 00:01:48.94\00:01:51.31 the title of the message is: eNIGMa 00:01:51.34\00:01:55.34 and we focus in on Daniel chapter 5. 00:01:55.38\00:01:58.31 Would you bow your heads now with me 00:01:58.38\00:02:01.28 as we seek the Lord in prayer. 00:02:01.32\00:02:03.49 "Father God, we do praise you 00:02:03.55\00:02:05.65 and thank you for the privilege that we have 00:02:05.69\00:02:10.26 of studying your Word. 00:02:10.33\00:02:12.06 When we open your Word with prayerful hearts, 00:02:12.09\00:02:17.03 there is always a message that comes to us 00:02:17.07\00:02:22.74 that can inspire, inform and encourage us 00:02:22.77\00:02:27.21 as we walk the road that leads to glory. 00:02:27.24\00:02:30.85 We ask, Father, that you give us your Spirit 00:02:30.88\00:02:34.42 for truly we cannot understand a word authored by the Spirit, 00:02:34.48\00:02:40.76 unless we are blessed by that same Spirit. 00:02:40.79\00:02:45.83 We thank you Father for sitting with us this day 00:02:45.89\00:02:49.56 in Jesus' name, amen. " 00:02:49.60\00:02:52.33 Pause. 00:02:52.40\00:02:59.04 On February 23rd in the year 1918, 00:02:59.07\00:03:05.48 a German Engineer by the name of Arthur Scherbius, 00:03:05.51\00:03:12.42 a brilliant man... 00:03:12.45\00:03:14.62 received a patent 00:03:14.66\00:03:16.76 for an electrical mechanical rotor cipher machine 00:03:16.79\00:03:23.47 it's a lot of words... 00:03:23.50\00:03:25.77 an electrical mechanical rotor cipher machine 00:03:25.80\00:03:31.94 that was later to be called: Enigma. 00:03:31.97\00:03:36.34 That is a picture of one of the early models 00:03:36.38\00:03:40.75 of the Enigma machine. 00:03:40.82\00:03:42.15 There were larger ones than that... 00:03:42.18\00:03:43.65 that is a portable one 00:03:43.69\00:03:45.49 but the Enigma machine enabled the German High Command... 00:03:45.52\00:03:53.40 that is... the military-grade Enigma machines... 00:03:53.43\00:03:56.97 it enabled the German High Command to communicate 00:03:57.00\00:04:00.50 with the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, 00:04:00.54\00:04:03.97 the other warring units of the Third Reich 00:04:04.01\00:04:07.71 without the Allied forces knowing the content 00:04:07.74\00:04:11.41 of their communication. 00:04:11.45\00:04:13.62 It was an ingenious machine 00:04:13.65\00:04:15.78 and early on, the Allies put much time and effort 00:04:15.82\00:04:21.89 in trying to decode the Enigma. 00:04:21.92\00:04:25.43 As early as December 1932, a Polish Mathematician 00:04:25.46\00:04:31.87 by the name of Marian Adam Rejewski... there he is... 00:04:31.90\00:04:37.34 he began working on a machine to crack the Enigma code 00:04:37.37\00:04:41.51 and that was the big thing across Europe and America 00:04:41.54\00:04:45.65 all of the Allied Forces were trying to crack the Enigma Code 00:04:45.68\00:04:51.95 so that they could understand 00:04:51.99\00:04:53.39 what the German High Command was doing. 00:04:53.42\00:04:55.92 So, Rejewski invested a machine 00:04:55.96\00:04:58.96 that he called: The Cryptologic Bomb 00:04:58.99\00:05:02.46 that was his personal name for his machine 00:05:02.50\00:05:05.43 and as the German Enigma machines 00:05:05.47\00:05:08.60 grew more and more complex, 00:05:08.64\00:05:10.67 the Polish Government 00:05:10.71\00:05:13.04 shared their work with the French Government 00:05:13.07\00:05:16.61 and the Polish and French shared their work 00:05:16.64\00:05:20.15 with the British Government 00:05:20.18\00:05:21.95 and it was left to a British Mathematician 00:05:21.98\00:05:25.89 by the name of Dr. Alan Mathison Turing 00:05:25.92\00:05:29.82 brilliant Ph. D. 00:05:29.86\00:05:31.69 there was actually a movie about his work... 00:05:31.73\00:05:34.80 Dr. Turing worked with a small team 00:05:34.83\00:05:40.17 of brilliant Mathematicians 00:05:40.20\00:05:42.20 and they realized that the key to cracking the Enigma code 00:05:42.27\00:05:45.71 was not knowing how to be an engineer, 00:05:45.77\00:05:49.98 but actually, it was a... a... a construct of math 00:05:50.01\00:05:53.82 and so, Turing and his group 00:05:53.85\00:05:56.82 worked to create an electro-mechanical machine 00:05:56.85\00:06:01.92 that was an improvement on the Polish Crypto bomb 00:06:01.96\00:06:06.46 and to create what was called the Turing Computer 00:06:06.49\00:06:11.67 which is what we call today "a user-friendly machine" 00:06:11.70\00:06:16.60 that completely cracked the German Military Enigma Code 00:06:16.64\00:06:21.48 and most scientists or rather, historians will say 00:06:21.51\00:06:24.45 that it was the cracking of the Enigma Code 00:06:24.48\00:06:27.42 that really led to the defeat of 00:06:27.48\00:06:30.79 the German forces in World War 2. 00:06:30.82\00:06:34.12 Dr. Alan Turing's machine 00:06:34.16\00:06:38.09 pause 00:06:38.13\00:06:40.40 was the first general-purpose computer 00:06:40.43\00:06:44.17 it is why... he is widely considered 00:06:44.20\00:06:47.87 to be the father of theoretical computer science. 00:06:47.90\00:06:51.91 Now, this is going way back to the 1940s. 00:06:51.94\00:06:54.74 His machine was considered the first general-purpose computer. 00:06:54.78\00:06:58.51 What is so interesting about the growth of computer science 00:06:58.55\00:07:01.88 there is... there is actually more computer technology today 00:07:01.95\00:07:05.25 in one of those little greeting cards 00:07:05.32\00:07:06.96 that you open up that plays the music 00:07:06.99\00:07:08.52 that has a little tiny computer chip in it... 00:07:08.56\00:07:10.59 there's more computer in that little greeting card 00:07:10.63\00:07:15.00 that you buy in the Pharmacy for maybe five dollars 00:07:15.03\00:07:19.33 than all of the computer science 00:07:19.40\00:07:21.54 that was in Dr. Turing's first machine. 00:07:21.57\00:07:24.11 Pause. 00:07:24.17\00:07:25.87 Dr. Turing is also considered the father of A I 00:07:25.91\00:07:30.35 which is Artificial Intelligence. 00:07:30.38\00:07:34.48 We understand that the word "Enigma" 00:07:34.55\00:07:38.39 is an obscure speech or writing... 00:07:38.42\00:07:42.19 something hard to understand or explain. 00:07:42.22\00:07:47.93 That's Merriam Webster's definition of Enigma 00:07:47.96\00:07:52.40 and so, it is quite interesting 00:07:52.43\00:07:55.90 that the Hebrew word for the mysterious and unearthly writing 00:07:55.94\00:08:01.74 that appeared on the wall of a Babylonian Banquet Hall 00:08:01.78\00:08:06.05 and traced by a bloodless hand, 00:08:06.08\00:08:09.22 the New King James uses a translation of the Hebrew word 00:08:09.28\00:08:14.66 "Qetar" 00:08:14.69\00:08:16.12 which means to untie a knot 00:08:16.16\00:08:21.06 but it uses the word, "Enigma. " 00:08:21.10\00:08:25.60 So, we're looking at the last days of the Babylonian Empire. 00:08:25.63\00:08:30.07 There in the midst of a riotous party, 00:08:30.11\00:08:33.58 a bloodless hand wrote on the wall 00:08:33.61\00:08:37.01 some words 00:08:37.05\00:08:38.91 that for those who were watching them... 00:08:38.95\00:08:43.12 they were an enigma. 00:08:43.15\00:08:46.39 Belshazzar was the king, 00:08:46.42\00:08:49.59 he was just hours away from the end of his life, 00:08:49.62\00:08:54.26 hours away from the end of the Babylonian Empire, 00:08:54.30\00:08:58.90 just hours away from the capture of the city 00:08:58.93\00:09:03.24 and just hours away from his earthly end. 00:09:03.27\00:09:07.51 Pause. 00:09:07.54\00:09:11.75 Daniel now, is told by Belshazzar, 00:09:11.81\00:09:15.48 "I need you to unwrap... to decipher... 00:09:15.52\00:09:20.09 to explain this enigma. " 00:09:20.12\00:09:23.43 He didn't know what the handwriting on the wall meant. 00:09:23.46\00:09:28.90 He knew that it was important and like Nebuchadnezzar, 00:09:28.93\00:09:34.37 he knew that it was not good 00:09:34.40\00:09:36.97 but he didn't know what it meant 00:09:37.01\00:09:40.91 and so, he turns to his... 00:09:40.98\00:09:44.51 his... confidante Daniel 00:09:44.55\00:09:48.08 just like his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had done 00:09:48.12\00:09:51.92 exactly 50 years before. 00:09:52.15\00:09:54.76 Now, Daniel was around a long time 00:09:54.79\00:09:56.96 and the Lord kept him as a spokesman... a long time 00:09:56.99\00:10:02.66 and so, now the grandson... a full half century later, 00:10:02.70\00:10:08.30 Daniel is again called to deliver a message 00:10:08.34\00:10:12.34 which this king knows, like his grandfather knew, 00:10:12.37\00:10:17.11 cannot be good. 00:10:17.15\00:10:19.58 He's called to decipher the message on the wall. 00:10:19.61\00:10:24.75 Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by both of his dreams. 00:10:24.79\00:10:29.86 Belshazzar was terrified by this writing. 00:10:29.89\00:10:37.33 Allow me to let Ellen White and the pen of prophecy 00:10:37.37\00:10:41.90 set the scene. 00:10:41.94\00:10:43.44 Let's go to that banquet hall 00:10:43.47\00:10:46.17 on the last night of the Babylonian Empire... 00:10:46.21\00:10:51.01 the last night of King Belshazzar's life. 00:10:51.05\00:10:55.78 The last night of this fabulous city some 2,300 years ago. 00:10:55.82\00:11:03.76 Pause. 00:11:03.79\00:11:09.50 It is 539 B.C.E. 00:11:09.53\00:11:14.27 and let's look at a couple of paragraphs 00:11:14.30\00:11:17.97 from the book, Prophets and Kings, page 523. 00:11:18.01\00:11:21.58 Again, Ellen White fills in the Biblical narrative 00:11:21.61\00:11:25.38 and lets us know 00:11:25.41\00:11:27.12 what is going on behind the scenes, 00:11:27.15\00:11:29.82 she gives us... all access. 00:11:29.85\00:11:31.92 We read, "Little did Belshazzar think 00:11:31.95\00:11:35.42 that there was a heavenly Witness 00:11:35.46\00:11:38.79 to his idolatrous revelry... " 00:11:38.83\00:11:42.06 you know, there's always someone who sees and who knows. 00:11:42.10\00:11:45.73 In the darkest of days, you can go down to the basement, 00:11:45.77\00:11:48.94 you can hide up in the attic, but you cannot hide from God. 00:11:48.97\00:11:52.11 There's always somebody who knows that's going on. 00:11:52.14\00:11:54.24 You think you're alone, 00:11:54.28\00:11:55.61 you think you're getting away with it, 00:11:55.64\00:11:57.45 but there's always somebody who sees and who knows. 00:11:57.48\00:12:02.28 and so, there was a witness to this idolatrous revelry; 00:12:02.32\00:12:07.06 that a divine Watcher, unrecognized, 00:12:07.09\00:12:10.43 looked upon the scene of profanation, 00:12:10.46\00:12:13.73 heard the sacrilegious mirth, beheld the idolatry. " 00:12:13.76\00:12:19.40 You know, God is... God is taking notes... 00:12:19.43\00:12:21.24 God... you know... what is it? 00:12:21.27\00:12:22.74 Galatians chapter 6 verse 7, 00:12:22.77\00:12:24.14 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: 00:12:24.17\00:12:27.81 whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also... 00:12:27.84\00:12:31.05 that shall he also reap. " 00:12:31.11\00:12:33.11 God knows and God sees. 00:12:33.18\00:12:35.12 "But soon the uninvited Guest made His presence felt. 00:12:35.18\00:12:40.16 When the revelry was at its height 00:12:40.19\00:12:44.16 a bloodless hand came forth 00:12:44.19\00:12:47.20 and traced upon the walls of the palace 00:12:47.23\00:12:50.77 characters that gleamed like fire... " 00:12:50.83\00:12:53.64 you know, they must have been scared... 00:12:53.67\00:12:56.10 "words which, though unknown to the vast throng, 00:12:56.14\00:13:02.38 were a portent of doom to the now conscience-stricken king 00:13:02.41\00:13:10.62 and his guests. " 00:13:10.65\00:13:12.52 You got over a 1,000 people, 00:13:12.55\00:13:13.89 everybody's drinking, everybody's partying, 00:13:13.92\00:13:16.06 and all of a sudden, on the wall... a hand appears 00:13:16.09\00:13:19.79 and the hand begins to write 00:13:19.83\00:13:22.53 and the hand begins to write in words that are glowing like fire 00:13:22.56\00:13:26.97 you don't know what it means, 00:13:27.00\00:13:29.07 you don't know what it's saying, 00:13:29.10\00:13:30.94 but you know it can't be good. 00:13:30.97\00:13:32.77 So, a minute ago, they were partying, 00:13:32.81\00:13:37.08 now, everyone is quiet and everyone is scared. 00:13:37.11\00:13:41.58 Pause. 00:13:41.62\00:13:43.99 "Hushed was the boisterous mirth, 00:13:44.02\00:13:46.76 while men and women seized with a nameless terror, 00:13:46.82\00:13:52.23 watched the hand slowly tracing 00:13:52.26\00:13:54.90 the mysterious characters. " 00:13:54.93\00:13:57.13 That would have scared me. 00:13:57.17\00:13:59.30 Pause. 00:13:59.33\00:14:01.40 "Before them passed, as in panoramic view, 00:14:01.44\00:14:05.64 the deeds of their evil lives. " 00:14:05.67\00:14:08.78 Have mercy. 00:14:08.81\00:14:10.35 You're staring at something on the wall, 00:14:10.41\00:14:12.38 and you're looking at your own life 00:14:12.41\00:14:14.48 and you know those words are not a party greeting, 00:14:14.52\00:14:19.72 there's something really bad about to happen. 00:14:19.75\00:14:22.06 "They seemed to be arraigned 00:14:22.09\00:14:24.66 before the judgment bar of the eternal God, 00:14:24.69\00:14:27.53 whose power they had just denied. 00:14:27.56\00:14:30.87 Where but a few moments before 00:14:30.90\00:14:34.14 had been hilarity and blasphemous witticism, 00:14:34.17\00:14:38.64 were pallid faces and cries of fear. " 00:14:38.67\00:14:43.08 You see, "when God makes men fear, 00:14:43.11\00:14:47.45 they cannot hide the intensity of their terror. " 00:14:47.52\00:14:52.42 Amen. 00:14:52.45\00:14:53.79 The Bible says, "Be sure your sins will find you out" 00:14:53.82\00:14:56.99 and when God calls you into judgment, 00:14:57.03\00:15:00.10 you can't pretend to be cool and dispassionate 00:15:00.13\00:15:03.03 because God is reading what's going on in your heart 00:15:03.06\00:15:05.97 and God knows what's going on in your heart 00:15:06.00\00:15:08.94 and what's worse, when God calls you to judgment, 00:15:08.97\00:15:12.41 you know that God knows 00:15:12.44\00:15:15.08 and as she said in that final line, 00:15:15.11\00:15:17.61 "When God makes men fear, 00:15:17.65\00:15:19.65 they cannot hide the intensity of their terror. " 00:15:19.68\00:15:25.75 Pause. 00:15:25.82\00:15:27.76 So, Belshazzar the king 00:15:27.82\00:15:32.03 was the most terrified of all. " 00:15:32.06\00:15:35.16 And isn't it interesting as you read this chapter, 00:15:35.20\00:15:37.53 we don't even get introduced to Belshazzar 00:15:37.57\00:15:40.10 till the very last 24 hours of his life. 00:15:40.14\00:15:42.30 Did you notice that? 00:15:42.34\00:15:43.67 We don't get a lot of history on Belshazzar, 00:15:43.71\00:15:46.74 we don't get a lot of study into his mindset 00:15:46.78\00:15:49.94 like we do with Nebuchadnezzar 00:15:49.98\00:15:51.68 we kind of come upon Belshazzar 00:15:51.71\00:15:53.35 just as he's about ready to sign off 00:15:53.38\00:15:55.32 and just about... as the kingdom is ready to close, 00:15:55.35\00:15:59.19 that's when we meet this last king. 00:15:59.22\00:16:02.32 So, let's retrace now the footprints 00:16:02.36\00:16:05.43 of chapter 5 of Daniel 00:16:05.46\00:16:07.26 and begin at the end of Belshazzar's reign. 00:16:07.30\00:16:11.57 The fact that he reigned 00:16:11.60\00:16:14.80 and the Bible has absolutely very little... 00:16:14.84\00:16:19.81 almost nothing to say about his life and kingship 00:16:19.87\00:16:22.98 and as I said, we don't even meet him 00:16:23.01\00:16:25.51 till the last day of his life. 00:16:25.55\00:16:27.22 There's a spiritual reason for that. 00:16:27.25\00:16:30.62 Why is he this spiritual persona non grata? 00:16:30.65\00:16:34.12 You don't get a lot of history about Belshazzar. 00:16:34.16\00:16:36.66 During the last ten years of his reign, 00:16:36.69\00:16:40.43 he co-reigned with Nabonidus... that's his father... 00:16:40.46\00:16:44.33 Nebuchadnezzar's son 00:16:44.37\00:16:45.80 and he was such a historical non-entity 00:16:45.83\00:16:50.34 that most historians outside of the Bible, 00:16:50.37\00:16:54.88 don't even mention Belshazzar. 00:16:54.91\00:16:57.41 It is Hebrew scholars and Hebrew tradition 00:16:57.45\00:17:00.98 and Hebrew works that point him out 00:17:01.02\00:17:03.65 but outside of that, he's not mentioned too much 00:17:03.69\00:17:06.25 in... in historical literature. 00:17:06.29\00:17:08.69 Pause. 00:17:08.72\00:17:10.66 Some scholars didn't even believe he existed 00:17:10.69\00:17:13.73 but his name was found 00:17:13.76\00:17:16.20 and though he is relatively obscure, 00:17:16.23\00:17:19.17 he did reign for a while as co-regent 00:17:19.20\00:17:22.14 with his father, Nabonidus. 00:17:22.17\00:17:25.37 Only fairly recent discoveries in Babylonian text 00:17:25.41\00:17:30.98 mention Belshazzar 00:17:31.01\00:17:32.68 and they began to sort of clear away the... the fog. 00:17:32.71\00:17:37.02 So, the Bible says... he held a great feast 00:17:37.05\00:17:41.29 for 1,000 of his nobles. 00:17:41.32\00:17:43.96 This is a large party. 00:17:43.99\00:17:46.56 The Bible tells us that this was a... a big deal. 00:17:46.59\00:17:51.57 Now, I want to go to an Access Point. 00:17:51.60\00:17:54.04 Pause. 00:17:54.07\00:17:55.70 Why would Belshazzar hold a feast 00:17:55.74\00:18:00.21 on the eve of his destruction? 00:18:00.28\00:18:03.55 Why would he hold a feast? 00:18:03.61\00:18:06.82 The Medo-Persian army was outside of the gates. 00:18:06.85\00:18:11.15 You're getting ready to be attacked, 00:18:11.19\00:18:15.06 This is no time to hold a feast. 00:18:15.09\00:18:17.63 This is the time to get serious. 00:18:17.66\00:18:21.63 So, why would he hold a feast 00:18:21.66\00:18:25.57 at this time in the history of his country? 00:18:25.60\00:18:28.67 Well, I put some possible reasons down 00:18:28.70\00:18:32.74 in this Access Point. 00:18:32.77\00:18:35.48 One: Let's look at the dimensions of the wall 00:18:35.51\00:18:39.61 of Babylon, 00:18:39.68\00:18:41.02 now, I had to check my figures on this 00:18:41.05\00:18:42.38 because this is really quite something for an ancient city. 00:18:42.42\00:18:44.29 We find that the wall of Babylon 00:18:44.32\00:18:46.86 was 14 miles on each side. 00:18:46.89\00:18:49.19 14 miles on a side so that's 4 times 14. 00:18:49.22\00:18:53.16 This is a large city surrounded by a wall... 00:18:53.19\00:18:57.10 56 miles in total 00:18:57.13\00:18:59.03 so, if you wanted to start at one corner 00:18:59.07\00:19:01.07 and walk around the city of Babylon, 00:19:01.10\00:19:03.30 you got a 56-mile trek in front of you. 00:19:03.34\00:19:05.47 So, it's a big city 00:19:05.51\00:19:07.78 for ancient... ancient... ancient times. 00:19:07.81\00:19:11.48 Now, this figure I had to check several times 00:19:11.51\00:19:14.48 and several sources 00:19:14.52\00:19:15.85 because it seemed just unreal to me 00:19:15.88\00:19:17.45 but in all of the sources that I checked, including Herodotus 00:19:17.49\00:19:21.72 who is a great... the ancient Greek Scholar, 00:19:21.76\00:19:26.19 Herodotus says, the walls were 300 feet high. 00:19:26.23\00:19:29.66 Now, I checked that again because I said, 00:19:29.70\00:19:33.10 "Maybe there's a typo" 00:19:33.13\00:19:34.47 300 feet high 00:19:34.50\00:19:37.21 300 feet is the height 00:19:37.24\00:19:40.48 of a 30-story building. 00:19:40.51\00:19:43.65 It seems almost impossible, so I checked it again, 00:19:43.68\00:19:47.15 and I checked it again 00:19:47.18\00:19:48.55 and I checked it again... 00:19:48.58\00:19:49.92 and almost all of the sources agree 00:19:49.95\00:19:52.55 the walls were 300 feet high, 00:19:52.59\00:19:56.96 not 30 feet high... not 3 feet high... 00:19:56.99\00:19:59.86 300 feet high. 00:19:59.89\00:20:02.46 That's stacking the Statue of Liberty 00:20:02.50\00:20:04.13 on top of itself, three times. 00:20:04.17\00:20:06.37 Pause. 00:20:06.40\00:20:08.07 300 feet high... 00:20:08.10\00:20:10.91 25 feet thick... 00:20:10.94\00:20:13.07 that's 25 feet thick... 00:20:13.11\00:20:16.51 The ancient historians say that the walls of Babylon 00:20:16.54\00:20:20.52 were thick enough for four chariots to pass each other 00:20:20.55\00:20:24.35 in opposite directions. 00:20:24.39\00:20:26.49 That's a 25-thick wall... 00:20:26.55\00:20:28.62 25-feet thick wall... 00:20:28.66\00:20:30.63 Again, we get that from history, 00:20:30.66\00:20:35.23 Herodotus, I checked, says they were 80-feet thick 00:20:35.26\00:20:38.83 so, the numbers don't get smaller 00:20:38.87\00:20:40.20 they get bigger. 00:20:40.24\00:20:41.57 Suffice it to say, "tall wall... thick wall... " 00:20:41.60\00:20:44.81 pause 00:20:44.84\00:20:47.11 some archeologist say that the foundations of the wall 00:20:47.14\00:20:52.38 extended 35 feet into the ground. 00:20:52.41\00:20:55.65 So, you're looking at an imposing structure, 00:20:55.68\00:20:59.72 a massive structure, 00:20:59.75\00:21:01.52 just look at the numbers... 00:21:01.56\00:21:02.89 Pause. 00:21:02.92\00:21:05.46 300 feet high... 00:21:05.49\00:21:06.90 foundation is 35 feet in the ground 00:21:06.93\00:21:10.57 I suspect... if those numbers are true, 00:21:10.60\00:21:14.17 that Belshazzar trusted, pretty much, in that wall. 00:21:14.20\00:21:17.67 Wouldn't you? 00:21:17.71\00:21:19.04 You got a 300-feet-high wall 00:21:19.07\00:21:21.34 35 feet... they can't go over it... 00:21:21.38\00:21:23.71 it's 35 feet into the ground... they can't go under it, 00:21:23.75\00:21:27.65 it's 25 feet thick, they can't go through it, 00:21:27.68\00:21:31.29 so, he sees himself as being fairly secure 00:21:31.35\00:21:34.92 in the boundaries of this wall 00:21:34.96\00:21:37.39 that is 56 miles around all four sides. 00:21:37.43\00:21:41.13 Pause. 00:21:41.16\00:21:43.26 Someone had to know that the army was outside. 00:21:43.33\00:21:47.50 Someone had to know that they were under siege 00:21:47.54\00:21:51.67 but evidently, 00:21:51.71\00:21:53.88 Belshazzar trusted enough in his architecture 00:21:53.91\00:21:58.15 that he didn't feel 00:21:58.18\00:22:00.15 that he was in any particular danger. 00:22:00.18\00:22:02.02 The second reason that he may have chosen to throw a... 00:22:02.05\00:22:07.02 a party... to have a ball... 00:22:07.06\00:22:09.22 to have a feast on that particular night, 00:22:09.26\00:22:11.09 it may have been for moral purposes 00:22:11.13\00:22:13.46 or morale purposes... 00:22:13.50\00:22:15.76 You know, you've got an army outside 00:22:15.80\00:22:18.03 you're under siege, 00:22:18.07\00:22:19.57 that may be the best time to try to encourage your troops, 00:22:19.60\00:22:22.90 to try to encourage your nobles, 00:22:22.94\00:22:24.61 to try to encourage your lords, 00:22:24.64\00:22:26.27 by throwing a party. 00:22:26.34\00:22:27.68 So, a 1,000 of them come together, 00:22:27.71\00:22:29.94 they are secured behind their wall, 00:22:29.98\00:22:32.41 it is an ideal time for them 00:22:32.45\00:22:35.08 because they don't fear an attack, 00:22:35.15\00:22:37.42 your citizens, your satraps, your nobles, 00:22:37.45\00:22:40.96 rather than to let them get shook up... 00:22:40.99\00:22:44.49 keep them calm... 00:22:44.53\00:22:45.86 throw them a party. 00:22:45.89\00:22:47.23 Now, historians and archaeological scholars agree 00:22:47.26\00:22:52.03 that Cyrus gained access to the city 00:22:52.07\00:22:56.57 not by going over... 00:22:56.60\00:22:58.87 but by going under. 00:22:58.91\00:23:01.08 Pause. 00:23:01.11\00:23:03.51 The Tigris river... or rather, Euphrates river 00:23:03.55\00:23:07.05 was diverted... sometime ago when the Assyrians were there 00:23:07.08\00:23:13.32 they had built a lake that had dried up 00:23:13.46\00:23:15.59 and most scholars agree 00:23:15.62\00:23:18.13 that Cyrus discovered this engineering feat, 00:23:18.19\00:23:21.86 and simply dug a fairly innocuous channel 00:23:21.90\00:23:25.53 to drain that water into that pre-existing lake 00:23:25.57\00:23:28.47 and on that night, 00:23:28.50\00:23:31.04 something very, very tragic happened. 00:23:31.07\00:23:36.78 The river was diverted 00:23:36.81\00:23:39.85 and... 00:23:39.88\00:23:42.38 what is interesting to me is that 00:23:42.45\00:23:47.26 this... this engineering feat 00:23:47.29\00:23:51.09 wasn't a one-day feat, 00:23:51.13\00:23:53.63 wasn't a one-week feat, 00:23:53.66\00:23:56.06 that Medo-Persian army had to be out there for a while 00:23:56.10\00:24:00.70 and somebody had to know 00:24:00.74\00:24:03.74 that that army was out there for a while 00:24:03.77\00:24:08.28 and yet, Belshazzar chooses to have a feast. 00:24:08.31\00:24:13.08 This cavalier attitude in the face of danger. 00:24:13.11\00:24:17.82 His wives, his concubines, his generals, 00:24:17.85\00:24:22.62 his lords, they're all there... 00:24:22.66\00:24:26.63 the wine is flowing... 00:24:26.66\00:24:28.36 the music is playing... 00:24:28.40\00:24:30.03 and nobody is aware of... 00:24:30.07\00:24:32.57 or cares about what's going on outside. 00:24:32.60\00:24:36.04 So, you see the reason, number 2, 00:24:36.07\00:24:38.37 it's a morale booster... 00:24:38.41\00:24:39.74 he's trying to keep the troop's morale up 00:24:39.77\00:24:42.64 in the face of impending danger. 00:24:42.68\00:24:44.58 I'm in Prophets and Kings, page 523... 00:24:44.61\00:24:48.45 look at Ellen White's words here. 00:24:48.48\00:24:49.82 "With reason dethroned through shameless intoxication, 00:24:49.85\00:24:55.46 and with the lower impulses and passions 00:24:55.49\00:24:59.89 now in the ascendency 00:24:59.93\00:25:02.00 the king himself took the lead 00:25:02.06\00:25:05.43 in this riotous orgy. " 00:25:05.47\00:25:08.44 So, this is a bad time, 00:25:08.47\00:25:10.77 God is being blasphemed, 00:25:10.81\00:25:12.81 things are not going well 00:25:12.84\00:25:14.78 and they're throwing caution to the wind... as it were, 00:25:14.81\00:25:18.61 the king himself taking the lead 00:25:18.65\00:25:21.85 in what Ellen White calls, "an orgy" 00:25:21.88\00:25:25.09 Belshazzar is inebriated, 00:25:25.12\00:25:28.02 he is arrogant, 00:25:28.06\00:25:29.49 he sends now for the temple vessels. 00:25:29.52\00:25:31.73 You know, it's so interesting to me 00:25:31.76\00:25:34.00 that when people get full of liquor, 00:25:34.03\00:25:36.23 they kind of get a false bravado 00:25:36.26\00:25:38.63 you do things under the influence of alcohol 00:25:38.67\00:25:41.70 that you would not do otherwise, 00:25:41.74\00:25:43.27 your brain exits your skull 00:25:43.30\00:25:46.64 and you begin to think really, dare I say, dumb thoughts 00:25:46.68\00:25:52.01 and you do dumb things. 00:25:52.05\00:25:55.12 We used to have a friend... he was a friend of my mom's 00:25:55.15\00:26:00.76 my mother and her best friend worked in a hospital 00:26:00.79\00:26:04.49 and her brother was a Catholic Priest 00:26:04.56\00:26:05.99 and, bless his heart, 00:26:06.03\00:26:08.96 that was the fellow who liked alcohol 00:26:09.00\00:26:11.93 and when he imbibed alcohol, his personality totally changed. 00:26:12.00\00:26:18.41 The Bible is wise when it says, "Stay away from liquor" 00:26:18.47\00:26:22.28 nothing they can do to help you, 00:26:22.31\00:26:24.21 nothing they can do to aid you 00:26:24.25\00:26:26.05 and I think there is a spirit that comes into your... 00:26:26.08\00:26:30.12 your... your mind... your heart... 00:26:30.15\00:26:31.95 more than the spirits when you imbibed alcohol 00:26:31.99\00:26:36.29 and so, reason is dethroned. 00:26:36.32\00:26:39.19 They are intoxicated, they're not thinking 00:26:39.23\00:26:43.93 and Belshazzar says, "You know what? 00:26:43.97\00:26:46.40 Let's... let's go and get those... those holy vessels... 00:26:46.43\00:26:51.11 those cups... those bowls... those plates... 00:26:51.14\00:26:53.81 that my grandfather brought from Israel. " 00:26:53.84\00:26:56.38 Now, they've got cups and bowls and plates, 00:26:56.44\00:26:58.91 they don't need to get God's cups and bowls and plates 00:26:58.95\00:27:01.68 but that's what... that's what liquor will do to you, 00:27:01.75\00:27:04.45 it will... it will separate you from reason 00:27:04.49\00:27:09.52 pause 00:27:09.56\00:27:12.56 and so, the nobles drank from the sacred vessels 00:27:12.59\00:27:16.33 and the princess drank from the sacred vessels 00:27:16.36\00:27:20.10 and the wives... and the concubines 00:27:20.14\00:27:22.90 drank from the sacred vessels 00:27:22.97\00:27:24.71 and Ellen White says, 00:27:24.74\00:27:26.07 "... they drank wine and praised the gods of gold 00:27:26.11\00:27:29.44 and silver and brass and iron and wood, 00:27:29.48\00:27:33.38 they defamed and profaned the word and the name of God. " 00:27:33.42\00:27:40.32 Now, you know, Brothers and Sisters, 00:27:40.36\00:27:42.09 here's a lesson for us today. 00:27:42.12\00:27:44.66 The Bible says... God is a patient God, amen... 00:27:44.69\00:27:49.10 that's why we're not consumed, 00:27:49.13\00:27:50.83 we ought to thank the Lord that we serve a patient God 00:27:50.87\00:27:53.10 but you never know when God... 00:27:53.13\00:27:56.14 can I say... has it up to here... 00:27:56.17\00:27:59.17 you know what I mean? 00:27:59.21\00:28:00.71 You never know when God... because God will forgive 00:28:00.74\00:28:05.41 and forgive and forgive and forgive and forgive 00:28:05.45\00:28:10.09 but the Bible says, 00:28:10.12\00:28:12.62 "My spirit will not always strive with mankind" 00:28:12.65\00:28:16.93 and it says it very early in the Word of God. 00:28:16.96\00:28:21.20 Pause. 00:28:21.23\00:28:24.30 God took a lot of time with Nebuchadnezzar 00:28:24.33\00:28:26.40 and when we closed out the scene with Nebuchadnezzar, 00:28:26.43\00:28:30.77 we discovered... that Nebuchadnezzar was a saved man, 00:28:30.81\00:28:34.61 amen. 00:28:34.64\00:28:35.98 Yeah, Nebuchadnezzar's saved... 00:28:36.01\00:28:37.81 his name is written in the book of Life. 00:28:37.85\00:28:39.31 When... when the righteous come up, 00:28:39.35\00:28:41.18 Nebuchadnezzar is coming up with the righteous, amen. 00:28:41.22\00:28:46.59 Pause. 00:28:46.62\00:28:48.32 It was a hard battle... but the Lord got him. 00:28:48.36\00:28:50.73 That's why, I'm so glad that 00:28:50.76\00:28:53.40 we have that because my dad fell into that category. 00:28:53.43\00:29:00.04 Hard battle... 00:29:00.07\00:29:01.40 but the Lord got him, 00:29:01.44\00:29:03.57 amen... the Lord got him 00:29:03.61\00:29:05.47 but Belshazzar, for reasons known only to God, 00:29:05.51\00:29:12.48 the fuse is a lot shorter... 00:29:12.51\00:29:14.88 the string is a lot shorter on Belshazzar 00:29:14.92\00:29:16.82 and I think I know why, 00:29:16.85\00:29:18.19 I'm going to show you in just a little bit. 00:29:18.22\00:29:19.55 Suffice it to say, long or short... 00:29:19.59\00:29:21.92 God doeth all things well, amen 00:29:21.99\00:29:24.29 and everybody gets an opportunity 00:29:24.33\00:29:26.39 to accept Him or reject Him. 00:29:26.46\00:29:29.76 Now, Belshazzar was a bad king 00:29:29.80\00:29:33.07 and a bad person before this night. 00:29:33.10\00:29:36.04 Pause. 00:29:36.07\00:29:37.74 If he wasn't... this night would have never happened. 00:29:37.77\00:29:40.88 So, we get to meet him and get to understand him 00:29:40.91\00:29:45.05 on the last night of his life 00:29:45.08\00:29:47.65 but, make no mistake, 00:29:47.68\00:29:50.95 this is a pattern in his life 00:29:50.99\00:29:53.96 and we're going to see this in just a little bit. 00:29:53.99\00:29:55.69 This is a pattern in... in his life 00:29:55.72\00:29:57.79 so this is the last night of his life 00:29:57.83\00:30:00.63 and instead of circumspect behavior, 00:30:00.70\00:30:03.47 he throws a party 00:30:03.50\00:30:04.93 and then he wants to flaunt himself 00:30:04.97\00:30:07.44 in the face of God by drinking out of vessels 00:30:07.50\00:30:10.71 that he had to send for, they were not there... 00:30:10.74\00:30:13.17 he said, "Go and get them 00:30:13.24\00:30:14.58 so that we may drink from them 00:30:14.61\00:30:16.64 and defame the face of God. " 00:30:16.68\00:30:20.32 How sad... how very, very sad. 00:30:20.35\00:30:23.99 Pause. 00:30:24.02\00:30:28.16 You know, I think of this, this reminds me of Sennacherib 00:30:28.19\00:30:30.69 some 700 years before. 00:30:30.73\00:30:32.06 Pause. 00:30:32.09\00:30:34.63 This idea that kings feel that they can flaunt themselves 00:30:34.66\00:30:37.73 in the face of a loving God 00:30:37.80\00:30:39.87 and presume on the grace of God. 00:30:39.93\00:30:43.64 Pause. 00:30:43.71\00:30:45.64 So now, the God who had been there all night, 00:30:45.67\00:30:50.11 chooses to introduce Himself. 00:30:50.15\00:30:54.02 God had been watching 00:30:54.08\00:30:56.22 a holy Watcher had been watching and listening 00:30:56.28\00:30:59.15 all night long 00:30:59.22\00:31:01.09 and a bloodless hand appears and begins to write on the wall. 00:31:01.12\00:31:08.63 What did he see? 00:31:08.66\00:31:11.17 He saw: MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN 00:31:11.23\00:31:18.24 these words were actually written in Aramaic. 00:31:18.27\00:31:21.41 Remember, I told the first night that... 00:31:21.44\00:31:24.55 that Daniel is this sandwich 00:31:24.58\00:31:26.88 you've got Hebrew at the beginning, 00:31:26.92\00:31:29.55 you've got Aramaic... veggie patty in the middle 00:31:29.58\00:31:33.59 and then you've got Hebrew at the back end 00:31:33.62\00:31:35.29 so we're still in the Aramaic section 00:31:35.32\00:31:37.09 and these words are in Aramaic 00:31:37.13\00:31:40.73 but Aramaic is close enough to Babylonian, 00:31:40.76\00:31:43.87 the scholars say, 00:31:43.90\00:31:45.23 that they should have been able to understand it 00:31:45.27\00:31:48.97 had God wanted them to understand it. 00:31:49.00\00:31:52.14 What God was sending to them was a riddle, 00:31:52.17\00:31:55.54 it was a riddle 00:31:55.61\00:31:57.45 and it took Daniel to decipher the riddle. 00:31:57.48\00:32:02.78 Pause. 00:32:02.82\00:32:05.15 The words refer to weights and measures. 00:32:05.19\00:32:10.79 Here's the riddle, it is an Enigma. 00:32:10.83\00:32:16.60 Mina or Mene, Mena Tekel or Shekel, 00:32:16.63\00:32:22.37 Upharsin 00:32:22.40\00:32:24.11 so, here's the riddle, let's unpack the riddle. 00:32:24.14\00:32:26.47 Mene, Mene, Shekel or Tekel 00:32:26.51\00:32:31.28 or Mina Mina Shekel... 00:32:31.31\00:32:34.15 a Mina or a Mena is 50 Shekels 00:32:34.18\00:32:39.25 so this is a riddle that God is giving to them. 00:32:39.32\00:32:42.42 Pause. 00:32:42.46\00:32:43.89 Mena, Mena... 50 Shekels 00:32:43.93\00:32:46.43 a "Mina" or a "Mene" is a weight of currency 00:32:46.46\00:32:53.27 but it's also a measure of money. 00:32:53.30\00:32:56.04 So, Mena, Mena is currency currency weight weight 00:32:56.07\00:33:02.64 or money money cash cash 00:33:02.68\00:33:07.02 so, a Mina is a unit of weight and a unit of currency 00:33:07.05\00:33:13.82 as is a Shekel. 00:33:13.86\00:33:15.72 A Shekel is a weight, it's also a piece of money. 00:33:15.76\00:33:20.03 So, God is saying something in riddle 00:33:20.10\00:33:23.06 that they would have never understood. 00:33:23.10\00:33:26.80 God is saying, "When it comes to weight, 00:33:26.84\00:33:30.51 you are light. " 00:33:30.57\00:33:33.31 In other words, "you don't have enough weight 00:33:33.34\00:33:36.54 and when it comes to money, you are short. " 00:33:36.58\00:33:39.61 Amen. 00:33:39.65\00:33:41.12 That's what God is saying, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" 00:33:41.15\00:33:46.02 Mina, Mina, Shekel, Upharsin. 00:33:46.05\00:33:49.46 So, you don't have enough money to buy your way out of this, 00:33:49.49\00:33:54.33 and you don't have enough weight 00:33:54.36\00:33:56.60 to get your way out of this, 00:33:56.63\00:33:58.27 you are weighed in the balance and you're coming up short. 00:33:58.33\00:34:02.90 You follow? 00:34:02.97\00:34:04.31 That's what God is saying. 00:34:04.34\00:34:05.67 Mene, Mene, Tekel... 00:34:05.71\00:34:07.58 Mina, Mina, Shekel, Upharsin. 00:34:07.61\00:34:11.05 When it comes to currency, you are short. 00:34:11.08\00:34:14.78 Peres: is a word that was inserted in there 00:34:14.85\00:34:18.52 that means, to pull apart... 00:34:18.55\00:34:20.86 to separate... 00:34:20.89\00:34:22.22 and Upharsin... comes from the same root as Peres, 00:34:22.26\00:34:27.90 it means to pull apart. 00:34:27.93\00:34:30.00 So, here's the riddle. 00:34:30.03\00:34:32.00 Mena, Mena, Tekel, Upharsin 00:34:32.03\00:34:35.60 Mina, Mina, Shekel... separated... 00:34:35.64\00:34:38.84 God was saying that night, on that wall, 00:34:38.87\00:34:42.28 "I've weighed you, I've looked at your kingdom, 00:34:42.31\00:34:46.58 I've looked at you for the last ten years 00:34:46.61\00:34:50.05 and tonight, I've decided 00:34:50.09\00:34:53.49 you're a little light in currency 00:34:53.52\00:34:56.59 and a you're little short in weight 00:34:56.62\00:34:59.59 and the kingdom is going to be separated from you" 00:34:59.63\00:35:04.43 and so, Belshazzar calls Daniel in 00:35:04.50\00:35:06.74 and Daniel delivers the bad news. 00:35:06.77\00:35:09.27 His knees are already shaking like a little girl, 00:35:09.30\00:35:11.87 he's upset, 00:35:11.91\00:35:13.84 he knows this news cannot be good 00:35:13.88\00:35:16.18 pause 00:35:16.21\00:35:18.18 and we're looking at the last several hours 00:35:18.21\00:35:22.72 of this king's life and this empire's destiny. 00:35:22.78\00:35:27.26 So now, let's... let's take a moment 00:35:27.29\00:35:29.66 and re-chase retrace... rather... 00:35:29.69\00:35:32.06 Belshazzar's spiritual legacy 00:35:32.09\00:35:34.60 and there is much to be learned... 00:35:34.63\00:35:36.97 much indeed to be learned from his... his legacy. 00:35:37.00\00:35:42.70 Let's go back to Prophets and Kings 00:35:42.74\00:35:47.71 and I'm in page 523 and 524. 00:35:47.74\00:35:54.05 "Admitted in his youth to a share of the kingly authority, 00:35:54.08\00:36:00.62 Belshazzar glorified in his power 00:36:00.66\00:36:04.39 and lifted up his heart against the God of heaven. " 00:36:04.43\00:36:08.10 Remember, he had been ruling for ten years... 00:36:08.13\00:36:11.73 from a young man with his dad 00:36:11.77\00:36:14.87 pause 00:36:14.90\00:36:16.84 so he knew what it was all about. 00:36:16.87\00:36:19.37 He knew what it was to rule, 00:36:19.41\00:36:21.88 he had been doing this for a while. 00:36:21.91\00:36:24.91 "Many had been his opportunity to know the divine will 00:36:24.95\00:36:30.82 and to understand his responsibility 00:36:30.85\00:36:33.39 of rendering obedience thereto. " 00:36:33.42\00:36:35.72 This is what scares me 00:36:35.76\00:36:38.09 and scares pastors... 00:36:38.13\00:36:40.40 you have people who attend church every day 00:36:40.43\00:36:44.10 or every week... 00:36:44.13\00:36:45.47 Wednesday night Prayer Meeting... 00:36:45.50\00:36:47.47 they're in the presence of... in the face of... 00:36:47.50\00:36:51.11 under the power of God 00:36:51.14\00:36:53.27 and yet, in their lives, they determine 00:36:53.31\00:36:56.98 that they don't want to fully surrender themselves to Him, 00:36:57.01\00:36:59.71 that... that's what... 00:36:59.75\00:37:01.08 what always gave me fright when I was pastoring 00:37:01.12\00:37:03.79 that there were people out there sitting before me 00:37:03.82\00:37:06.52 listening to my words 00:37:06.55\00:37:07.89 and by their actions they're saying, 00:37:07.92\00:37:10.66 "You know what God, 00:37:10.69\00:37:12.03 I'm only going to give you this much... 00:37:12.06\00:37:13.73 I'm only going to go this far, 00:37:13.76\00:37:16.23 I'm not going to surrender everything... 00:37:16.26\00:37:18.53 I'm going to keep back a little for myself" 00:37:18.57\00:37:20.77 there's a pastor sitting right there, 00:37:20.80\00:37:22.64 every minister has that fear, 00:37:22.67\00:37:24.97 "Are you going to give it?" 00:37:25.01\00:37:27.21 and as I said the other day and I want to... 00:37:27.24\00:37:28.61 I want to touch on this again. 00:37:28.64\00:37:29.98 In your life... everybody's got to ask the question, 00:37:30.05\00:37:33.98 "How much is Jesus worth to me?" 00:37:34.02\00:37:36.99 You got to answer that question. 00:37:37.02\00:37:39.95 Sooner or later... and if you don't say it in your mouth, 00:37:39.99\00:37:43.49 your actions will answer that question. 00:37:43.53\00:37:45.59 "How much is Christ worth to me? 00:37:45.63\00:37:48.10 Is he worth everything or am I going to try... 00:37:48.13\00:37:51.10 am I going to try to negotiate with Jesus?" 00:37:51.13\00:37:53.77 "Lord, you give me this, you give me all... 00:37:53.80\00:37:56.40 I'll give you half" 00:37:56.44\00:37:57.77 pause 00:37:57.81\00:38:00.61 so, from early days, Belshazzar knew who God was 00:38:00.64\00:38:06.38 and he had the record of his grandfather 00:38:06.41\00:38:10.52 in his life. 00:38:10.55\00:38:12.59 "He had known of his grandfather's banishment, 00:38:12.62\00:38:17.63 by the decree of God, 00:38:17.69\00:38:19.46 from the society of men; 00:38:19.49\00:38:21.23 and he was familiar with Nebuchadnezzar's conversion 00:38:21.26\00:38:25.70 and miraculous restoration. " 00:38:25.73\00:38:27.44 He knew the story 00:38:27.47\00:38:29.37 and as I said to you and I want to repeat... 00:38:29.40\00:38:31.41 one of the most incredible miracles in the entire Bible... 00:38:31.47\00:38:34.81 seven years... 00:38:34.84\00:38:37.11 out eating grass like an animal, 00:38:37.15\00:38:40.25 no one to take care of him, no one to bathe him, 00:38:40.28\00:38:43.42 no one to destroy... uh, disturb him... 00:38:43.45\00:38:46.32 seven years... 00:38:46.35\00:38:47.92 no one comes and takes the kingdom, 00:38:47.96\00:38:49.82 no one assassinates him, he's in a weakened condition, 00:38:49.86\00:38:53.53 for seven years, the miracle took place 00:38:53.56\00:38:57.10 every single day 00:38:57.13\00:38:58.67 and when he came to his senses 00:38:58.73\00:39:02.10 and God brought him back, 00:39:02.14\00:39:03.51 the kingdom was right there as he left it. 00:39:03.54\00:39:05.87 It's one of the greatest miracles in the entire Bible 00:39:05.91\00:39:08.41 that God would take care of Nebuchadnezzar 00:39:08.44\00:39:11.38 for seven years 00:39:11.41\00:39:12.98 when he could not take care of himself. 00:39:13.01\00:39:14.65 Pause. 00:39:14.68\00:39:16.62 So, Belshazzar had that understanding. 00:39:16.65\00:39:19.02 He knew that story 00:39:19.05\00:39:20.39 and that story should have sobered him, 00:39:20.42\00:39:23.83 that's why Ellen White says, 00:39:23.86\00:39:25.69 "If... if... your spiritual batteries 00:39:25.73\00:39:28.26 are running a little low, sit down and... 00:39:28.33\00:39:30.80 and muse over the closing scenes of Christ's history 00:39:30.83\00:39:34.07 it will humble you... but it will also encourage you. " 00:39:34.10\00:39:37.04 So, Belshazzar had that story 00:39:37.07\00:39:41.58 "but he allowed the love of pleasure 00:39:41.61\00:39:45.35 and self-glorification to efface the lessons 00:39:45.41\00:39:49.72 that he should have never forgotten. " 00:39:49.75\00:39:52.45 You see, there are some things, Ladies and Gentlemen, 00:39:52.49\00:39:54.39 in this... in this world the Lord takes you through 00:39:54.42\00:39:56.32 you should never, ever forget, 00:39:56.36\00:39:58.03 you should never forget. 00:39:58.06\00:39:59.96 Sometimes God brings things into your life 00:40:00.00\00:40:03.23 they are meant to stay there as an ensign to you. 00:40:03.26\00:40:07.14 1979... I was driving along the Grand Central Parkway 00:40:07.17\00:40:10.84 in New York City 00:40:10.87\00:40:12.87 just past Shea Stadium where the New York Mets play 00:40:12.91\00:40:17.58 and heading through Flushing Park 00:40:17.65\00:40:19.98 and I came across an accident... 00:40:20.02\00:40:21.95 I've told this story many times 00:40:21.98\00:40:23.85 some young people got drunk... got into a car... 00:40:23.89\00:40:26.22 got the car up to about 110 miles an hour... 00:40:26.25\00:40:28.66 crossed over onto one, two, three, four 00:40:28.69\00:40:31.09 lanes of oncoming traffic 00:40:31.13\00:40:33.03 decapitated the man in the first car, 00:40:33.06\00:40:35.46 and came in to rest on the chest of the man in the second car, 00:40:35.53\00:40:39.30 and I got out of my car and I walked... 00:40:39.33\00:40:41.60 and I saw that car sitting in the chest of that man 00:40:41.67\00:40:45.47 and then I walked around the car 00:40:45.51\00:40:47.08 and there, lying on the ground in front of me 00:40:47.11\00:40:49.94 was a human head... lying on the ground 00:40:49.98\00:40:52.51 and I've never forgotten that to this day, 00:40:52.58\00:40:54.52 never... 00:40:54.55\00:40:56.62 it's like... I can see it just like that... 00:40:56.65\00:40:58.75 I've never forgotten that 00:40:58.82\00:41:00.16 and there on the bumper sticker of that car 00:41:00.19\00:41:02.02 on the car... the bumper of the car... 00:41:02.06\00:41:04.36 was a bumper sticker that said, 00:41:04.39\00:41:05.96 "Get it through your head, Jesus is dead" 00:41:05.99\00:41:08.50 never forgotten it... 00:41:08.53\00:41:09.86 never... 00:41:09.90\00:41:11.23 I've never forgotten it. 00:41:11.27\00:41:12.67 It's like... that happened in 19... 00:41:12.70\00:41:15.67 that happened Mother's Day... 1979 00:41:15.70\00:41:18.64 and I've never forgotten that 00:41:18.67\00:41:20.81 and it has... it has colored my ministry. 00:41:20.88\00:41:23.65 If someone can drive an expensive Jaguar 00:41:23.68\00:41:26.41 with a bumper sticker that says, 00:41:26.45\00:41:28.35 "Get it through your head, Jesus is dead... " 00:41:28.38\00:41:31.45 I've never forgotten that 00:41:31.49\00:41:33.25 ever... 00:41:33.29\00:41:34.62 and it has motivated me 00:41:34.66\00:41:37.96 to preach the gospel to this very day. 00:41:37.99\00:41:40.06 Now, that man has been dead lo these many years 00:41:40.10\00:41:43.73 and Jesus is still very much alive. 00:41:43.77\00:41:46.40 Audience: Amen... amen. 00:41:46.43\00:41:48.34 So, there are some things that you go through in your life 00:41:48.37\00:41:54.01 some experiences that the Lord brings you to... and through 00:41:54.04\00:41:58.21 that you should never, ever forget. 00:41:58.25\00:42:00.45 Never. 00:42:00.48\00:42:01.95 They ought to stay with you 00:42:01.98\00:42:03.55 and they are to motivate you throughout your life 00:42:03.59\00:42:06.52 and so, one of Belshazzar's mistakes was... 00:42:06.55\00:42:10.03 he forgot what Nebuchadnezzar went through 00:42:10.06\00:42:13.50 he let that memory slip from his mind 00:42:13.53\00:42:16.67 and Ellen White says, 00:42:16.70\00:42:18.13 "Some things should never, ever be forgotten" 00:42:18.17\00:42:20.24 something you ought to hold on to 00:42:20.27\00:42:22.37 so "he wasted the opportunities graciously granted to him 00:42:22.40\00:42:29.14 and neglected to use the means within his reach 00:42:29.18\00:42:33.01 for becoming more fully acquainted with truth. " 00:42:33.05\00:42:36.85 You know, here's the truth, 00:42:36.89\00:42:38.99 some people are going to be lost 00:42:39.05\00:42:41.02 not because of what they did 00:42:41.09\00:42:43.02 but because of what they failed to do. 00:42:43.06\00:42:45.56 Amen. 00:42:45.59\00:42:47.56 You got a Bible sitting on a coffee table collecting dust 00:42:47.60\00:42:50.70 you ought to open that Book up 00:42:50.73\00:42:53.30 some people are going to be lost not because of bad deeds, 00:42:53.34\00:42:57.74 not because they went out and sinned 00:42:57.77\00:42:59.71 or killed somebody or murdered, 00:42:59.74\00:43:01.08 they simply failed to grow in grace. 00:43:01.11\00:43:04.51 They simply failed... Ellen White says, 00:43:04.55\00:43:07.88 "When we fail to make use of God-given opportunities 00:43:07.92\00:43:12.72 for growth... growth... 00:43:12.75\00:43:14.52 heaven calls that 'treason'" Ladies and Gentlemen, 00:43:14.56\00:43:17.19 she said, "You are committing treason" 00:43:17.23\00:43:19.93 God puts something in front of you 00:43:20.00\00:43:22.60 that may be unpleasant to you 00:43:22.66\00:43:26.23 because He wants you to grow 00:43:26.27\00:43:29.30 and you say, "I don't want to" 00:43:29.34\00:43:32.37 that's treason... 00:43:32.41\00:43:35.21 but it is also a failed opportunity for growth. 00:43:35.24\00:43:39.11 Go next door and do something nice for your neighbor 00:43:39.15\00:43:43.39 well, "I don't like them and they don't like me, 00:43:43.42\00:43:47.62 I'm not going. " 00:43:47.66\00:43:49.92 That's a failed opportunity for growth. 00:43:49.96\00:43:53.90 Now, they lose out... because you don't witness to them, 00:43:53.93\00:43:58.30 but you lose out... because you neglected an opportunity 00:43:58.33\00:44:02.64 for God to help you grow 00:44:02.67\00:44:04.24 pause... 00:44:04.27\00:44:06.44 and Belshazzar had a long history 00:44:06.47\00:44:08.91 40 years... Nebuchadnezzar ruled that kingdom, 00:44:08.94\00:44:12.51 he knew that history 00:44:12.55\00:44:14.38 but he didn't take advantage of it. 00:44:14.42\00:44:16.79 "That which Nebuchadnezzar had finally gained 00:44:16.82\00:44:22.12 at the cost of untold suffering" 00:44:22.16\00:44:25.43 we went through his story 00:44:25.46\00:44:26.80 "... and humiliation, 00:44:26.83\00:44:29.26 Belshazzar passed by with indifference. " 00:44:29.30\00:44:33.30 These things which are written aforetime, 00:44:33.34\00:44:37.27 written for our admonition 00:44:37.31\00:44:41.24 upon whom the ends of the earth are come... 00:44:41.28\00:44:43.95 those things that Nebuchadnezzar went through 00:44:43.98\00:44:46.58 humiliated time after time after time 00:44:46.61\00:44:51.49 were done for Belshazzar's admonition 00:44:51.52\00:44:56.36 pause 00:44:56.39\00:44:58.59 he passed them by with indifference. 00:44:58.63\00:45:00.80 You know, when I was... when I was younger 00:45:00.86\00:45:03.10 it didn't occur to me that old people had any wisdom 00:45:03.13\00:45:05.90 pause 00:45:05.93\00:45:09.24 "they're old... what could they know?" 00:45:09.27\00:45:11.54 Pause. 00:45:11.57\00:45:16.98 "Old folks don't know anything... " 00:45:17.01\00:45:19.55 but as I got into my teens, 00:45:19.61\00:45:21.25 I used to actually actively seek out 00:45:21.28\00:45:24.25 old people to talk to 00:45:24.29\00:45:25.69 because when you're 15... an old person is 40... 00:45:25.72\00:45:29.09 now that I'm just a day or two beyond 40... I know... 00:45:29.12\00:45:33.80 I know a little bit better 00:45:33.83\00:45:35.16 but when you're young 00:45:35.20\00:45:37.30 you don't think old people know anything, 00:45:37.33\00:45:38.67 "my parents don't know anything" 00:45:38.70\00:45:40.04 pause 00:45:40.07\00:45:44.31 so there's wisdom there 00:45:44.34\00:45:45.67 and Belshazzar... you'll forgive my pejorative English, 00:45:45.71\00:45:50.01 "blew it off" 00:45:50.05\00:45:51.38 and that is why I believe 00:45:51.41\00:45:53.82 that the string... the fuse was so short on him 00:45:53.85\00:45:56.99 because he had the benefit 00:45:57.02\00:45:58.85 of all the years of suffering and humiliation 00:45:58.89\00:46:01.76 that Nebuchadnezzar went through 00:46:01.82\00:46:03.22 and he chose not to avail himself of it. 00:46:03.29\00:46:06.70 Pause. 00:46:06.73\00:46:09.70 He chose not to use it. 00:46:09.73\00:46:11.37 He understood what Nebuchadnezzar went through 00:46:11.40\00:46:16.74 but the lessons were of no value to him. 00:46:16.81\00:46:20.04 He wasted opportunities graciously given to him 00:46:20.08\00:46:25.28 and he neglected to use the means within his reach. 00:46:25.31\00:46:30.25 He didn't care 00:46:30.29\00:46:32.25 and a lot of people fall into this category sadly 00:46:32.29\00:46:36.12 Belshazzar could have known... should have known 00:46:36.19\00:46:40.00 and had every opportunity to know 00:46:40.03\00:46:43.16 but he chose ignorance, 00:46:43.20\00:46:46.27 he was willfully ignorant 00:46:46.30\00:46:49.30 of the will... the way... and the Word of God. 00:46:49.34\00:46:53.07 That is why... as I said before... 00:46:53.11\00:46:55.74 I worry about those who reject 00:46:55.78\00:46:58.41 overtures of faith by Christians. 00:46:58.45\00:47:01.02 People who live next door to Adventists, 00:47:01.08\00:47:04.29 people who work with Adventists, 00:47:04.45\00:47:06.15 people who know Adventists... 00:47:06.19\00:47:07.86 see, we've got... we've got... 00:47:07.89\00:47:09.52 we've got a duty to share 00:47:09.56\00:47:13.40 but they've got a duty to accept 00:47:13.43\00:47:17.30 and sadly the ranks of the lost 00:47:17.33\00:47:21.17 will be filled with people who let their opportunity pass by 00:47:21.20\00:47:28.41 pause 00:47:28.44\00:47:30.88 because they chose to be willfully ignorant 00:47:30.91\00:47:33.68 of the Word of God. 00:47:33.72\00:47:35.05 Surrounded by the accoutrements of Adventism, 00:47:35.08\00:47:38.19 but who choose not to... 00:47:38.22\00:47:40.86 not to accept and not to follow. 00:47:40.89\00:47:44.59 Ladies and Gentlemen, here's the truth, 00:47:44.63\00:47:46.03 pause 00:47:46.06\00:47:49.70 there is a price to be paid 00:47:49.73\00:47:51.23 for thumbing your nose at the grace of God. 00:47:51.27\00:47:56.81 Amen. 00:47:56.84\00:47:58.44 There is a price to be paid. 00:47:58.47\00:48:00.21 Pause. 00:48:00.24\00:48:01.98 I am so glad that we serve a longsuffering God 00:48:02.04\00:48:08.95 because as I look at my life, 00:48:08.98\00:48:11.89 I think I've tested Him a time or two, 00:48:11.92\00:48:13.56 in fact, I know I have 00:48:13.59\00:48:15.76 and don't look at me with your eyes so wide... 00:48:15.79\00:48:17.29 so have you... amen 00:48:17.33\00:48:18.99 but we serve a longsuffering God, 00:48:19.06\00:48:21.80 because I... I can look at my life 00:48:21.83\00:48:24.33 and I can think of more than one time 00:48:24.37\00:48:26.77 when I've made some decisions one... relatively recently... 00:48:26.84\00:48:31.27 when I said to myself in retrospect, 00:48:31.31\00:48:34.58 "What in the world was I thinking?" 00:48:34.61\00:48:37.85 Amen. 00:48:37.88\00:48:40.28 Pause. 00:48:40.32\00:48:42.62 Sometimes we can make some boneheaded decisions, 00:48:42.65\00:48:45.45 bad decisions 00:48:45.49\00:48:48.19 and they're not all... 00:48:48.22\00:48:51.53 they're not all... ones that will keep you out of heaven, 00:48:51.56\00:48:55.03 they're just flat, dumb decisions 00:48:55.06\00:48:58.77 pause 00:48:58.80\00:49:02.50 and you know, God loves you still. 00:49:02.54\00:49:04.44 Amen, yeah, He does. 00:49:04.47\00:49:08.14 Even those bad decisions, those boneheaded decisions, 00:49:08.18\00:49:12.48 when you think, "What was I thinking?" 00:49:12.51\00:49:14.98 Pause. 00:49:15.02\00:49:20.56 But the Lord loves us still. 00:49:20.59\00:49:22.59 But the truth is, there's a price to be paid 00:49:22.62\00:49:26.29 for neglecting the gracious overtures of a loving God. 00:49:26.33\00:49:32.63 Every day, there are people who are hardening their hearts 00:49:32.67\00:49:38.91 to the love of God. 00:49:38.94\00:49:40.44 That's why this story of Belshazzar 00:49:40.48\00:49:43.14 is so very, very important 00:49:43.18\00:49:44.51 because he had ample opportunity 00:49:44.55\00:49:47.65 that's the message... 00:49:47.68\00:49:50.29 he had ample opportunity 00:49:50.35\00:49:52.79 but he hardened his heart 00:49:52.82\00:49:55.19 and he let these things go by with indifference. 00:49:55.22\00:50:01.30 Pause. 00:50:01.36\00:50:03.33 Hebrews chapter 2, verse 3, 00:50:03.37\00:50:05.07 this is the New Living Translation. 00:50:05.13\00:50:08.47 I picked up one of these just a couple of years ago 00:50:08.50\00:50:10.64 and I like the way it... it takes this. 00:50:10.67\00:50:13.17 It says, "What makes us think... 00:50:13.21\00:50:16.44 what makes us think that we can escape 00:50:16.48\00:50:20.85 if we ignore this great salvation" 00:50:20.88\00:50:25.19 that's a powerful statement... 00:50:25.22\00:50:28.39 "that was first announced by the Lord Jesus... " 00:50:28.42\00:50:32.36 You can't ignore the overtures of God and escape punishment, 00:50:32.39\00:50:37.67 He loves you with an everlasting love, 00:50:37.70\00:50:40.54 He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you, 00:50:40.57\00:50:43.30 he's promised to give you... 00:50:43.34\00:50:44.67 He's more willing to give you good gifts 00:50:44.71\00:50:46.81 than earthly parents are to their own children. 00:50:46.84\00:50:50.38 He's promised to bless you, 00:50:50.41\00:50:52.15 He's promised to hear your prayers, 00:50:52.18\00:50:53.92 He's promised that if you confess your sins, 00:50:53.95\00:50:57.19 He will forgive your sins and He will cleanse you. 00:50:57.22\00:51:04.76 He's promised to give you grace. 00:51:04.79\00:51:06.83 He's promised to give you faith, 00:51:06.90\00:51:08.86 He's promised to give you all of those things 00:51:08.90\00:51:11.40 that pertain unto salvation 00:51:11.43\00:51:13.80 and all heaven is ready at your bidding 00:51:13.84\00:51:16.84 to assist you 00:51:16.91\00:51:18.24 so, how then, do you think that you will escape 00:51:18.27\00:51:21.54 if you ignore that kind of love 00:51:21.58\00:51:24.48 and that kind of grace 00:51:24.51\00:51:26.25 and that kind of caring 00:51:26.28\00:51:27.98 that God gives us. 00:51:28.02\00:51:29.48 You can have the presence and power 00:51:29.52\00:51:33.32 as long as you want... whenever you want... 00:51:33.36\00:51:35.69 the cafeteria is never closed, 00:51:35.72\00:51:37.86 He can always be with you and all you've got to do is ask. 00:51:37.89\00:51:41.56 You don't have to cut yourself, 00:51:41.60\00:51:43.26 you don't have to take a trip to Mecca, 00:51:43.30\00:51:44.80 you don't have to starve yourself, 00:51:44.83\00:51:46.17 you don't have to beat yourself, 00:51:46.23\00:51:47.57 you don't have to flagellate yourself, 00:51:47.60\00:51:48.94 all you've got to do is ask Him and He's there 00:51:48.97\00:51:52.84 Johnny on the spot 00:51:52.87\00:51:54.51 so how do we think we can escape 00:51:54.54\00:51:56.91 if we neglect that kind of love. 00:51:56.95\00:51:59.31 Audience: Yes... amen... 00:51:59.35\00:52:02.35 Pause. 00:52:02.38\00:52:04.75 Kind of escape... 00:52:04.79\00:52:06.12 and that is why... THAT IS WHY 00:52:06.15\00:52:11.99 Belshazzar had such little time 00:52:12.03\00:52:15.00 because all that was available to him 00:52:15.03\00:52:19.43 was neglected and rejected by him 00:52:19.47\00:52:23.81 and now we come down to the last night of his life. 00:52:23.87\00:52:29.74 Pause. 00:52:29.78\00:52:34.78 And the Bible has nothing good to say about this king 00:52:34.82\00:52:38.99 who had ruled since he was young, 00:52:39.02\00:52:43.66 there are no commendations 00:52:43.73\00:52:46.59 there is nothing good to be said about him 00:52:46.63\00:52:51.33 and now the clock is running out on his life. 00:52:51.37\00:52:56.07 His life too... is an Enigma. 00:52:56.10\00:53:01.58 As much of that Enigma as that handwriting on the wall. 00:53:01.61\00:53:10.55 Let's get back to Ecclesiastes chapter 11... chapter 8 rather 00:53:10.59\00:53:16.29 verse 11... and I'm in the NIV. 00:53:16.32\00:53:19.39 "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, 00:53:19.43\00:53:26.40 people's hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. " 00:53:26.43\00:53:32.97 Danny Shelton tells a story... we were with him once 00:53:33.01\00:53:38.25 and I remember Pastor Lomacang was there... 00:53:38.28\00:53:40.52 and he had committed an infraction 00:53:40.55\00:53:44.25 I don't remember what it was 00:53:44.29\00:53:45.62 and I guess it doesn't really matter, 00:53:45.65\00:53:46.99 but his father told him, 00:53:47.02\00:53:50.93 "When we get home, you're going to get a spanking" 00:53:50.96\00:53:52.33 well, it was a little worse than a spanking, 00:53:52.36\00:53:54.90 there was a term that they use, 00:53:54.93\00:53:56.26 it's a sort of rural term and I can't remember what it was 00:53:56.30\00:54:00.24 but it means, a pretty good beating... 00:54:00.27\00:54:01.60 and this happened on a Friday 00:54:01.64\00:54:06.17 and they were at one of the relative's house 00:54:06.21\00:54:10.31 and so, Danny asked... could he stay over at the house 00:54:10.35\00:54:13.68 and the fellow said, "Yeah, just ask your dad" 00:54:13.72\00:54:17.72 and Dad said, "Sure, you can stay over at the house" 00:54:17.75\00:54:20.46 so he stayed over Friday night and then he said, 00:54:20.49\00:54:23.12 "Call my dad, and ask him if I can stay over another night. " 00:54:23.16\00:54:25.99 so he stayed over Saturday night 00:54:26.03\00:54:27.36 and, of course, Sunday you got to come home 00:54:27.40\00:54:31.07 so you can go to school Monday morning 00:54:31.10\00:54:32.47 and I suspect he thought 00:54:32.50\00:54:34.67 the infraction of Friday 00:54:34.70\00:54:36.81 will not be remembered by Sunday night 00:54:36.84\00:54:39.71 and when he got home his dad said, 00:54:39.74\00:54:43.48 "Now you think that you outfoxed me, 00:54:43.51\00:54:46.61 I'm going to give it to you worse... 00:54:46.65\00:54:49.72 not because you did so bad 00:54:49.75\00:54:52.49 but because you think that I'm not smart 00:54:52.52\00:54:55.86 and that my memory is so short. " 00:54:55.89\00:54:58.23 See, the Bible says when... when... when... when... 00:54:58.29\00:55:01.33 punishment for a crime is not quickly taken care of, 00:55:01.36\00:55:04.37 rather than being humble, we get haughty. 00:55:04.40\00:55:06.53 Amen... 00:55:06.57\00:55:07.90 We start thinking, 00:55:07.94\00:55:09.27 "Well God can't do anything, he's a paper tiger" 00:55:09.30\00:55:11.04 so, that Sunday night, 00:55:11.07\00:55:13.51 our dear friend Brother Shelton found out 00:55:13.54\00:55:16.28 that his dad was much like the Lord in that case, 00:55:16.31\00:55:21.42 he doesn't forget... 00:55:21.45\00:55:22.88 he was weighed in the balances 00:55:22.95\00:55:25.55 and found wanting. 00:55:25.59\00:55:27.56 Pause. 00:55:27.59\00:55:29.06 But the Bible says, 00:55:29.09\00:55:30.43 "Because punishment is not quickly carried out" 00:55:30.46\00:55:32.03 and so, for years and years and years, 00:55:32.06\00:55:33.63 Belshazzar neglected it, he just neglected it... 00:55:33.66\00:55:36.56 he neglected everything. 00:55:36.60\00:55:37.93 He neglected the history, he neglected the... 00:55:37.97\00:55:40.84 the things that God had showed him 00:55:40.87\00:55:42.70 through Nebuchadnezzar, 00:55:42.74\00:55:44.14 he just neglected it but now judgment has come. 00:55:44.21\00:55:47.64 The Talmud says that his last hours were not very flattering. 00:55:47.68\00:55:55.22 Then I read in my mission an account of his last hours 00:55:55.25\00:55:59.82 that actually... is fairly detailed 00:55:59.85\00:56:02.16 but I... I can't give to you, 00:56:02.19\00:56:03.53 first of all, it's gruesome, it sounds like a horror show 00:56:03.56\00:56:05.63 but suffice it to say... that very night, 00:56:05.66\00:56:10.00 while they were partying... 00:56:10.07\00:56:13.37 and this is what's interesting... 00:56:13.40\00:56:15.20 you know, there are always these sub-texts in the Bible... 00:56:15.24\00:56:17.44 my time is running out on me but here's what's interesting, 00:56:17.47\00:56:19.64 Belshazzar said to Daniel, 00:56:19.67\00:56:21.94 "Tell me what these words mean, 00:56:21.98\00:56:25.65 I will make you third in the kingdom, 00:56:25.71\00:56:28.28 behind my dad... I'm second... you'll be third" 00:56:28.32\00:56:32.05 when he was saying that to Daniel, 00:56:32.09\00:56:34.46 Ellen White says... the army was already under the palace, 00:56:34.52\00:56:38.03 so the kingdom wasn't his anymore... to even give, 00:56:38.06\00:56:41.60 he wasn't king anymore and he didn't even know it. 00:56:41.66\00:56:44.93 Shortly thereafter, 00:56:45.00\00:56:46.94 the army broke in... the party was ended... 00:56:47.00\00:56:50.67 the kingdom was destroyed... 00:56:50.71\00:56:52.81 and then, the Bible closes with this last line. 00:56:52.84\00:56:59.25 It says simply this, Daniel 5 verse 30, 00:56:59.28\00:57:05.25 "That very night, Belshazzar was slain. 00:57:05.29\00:57:09.72 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, 00:57:09.76\00:57:14.16 being about sixty-two years old. " 00:57:14.20\00:57:18.40 What an inglorious end to the Babylonian Empire 00:57:18.43\00:57:22.67 but more importantly, 00:57:22.70\00:57:25.07 what an inglorious end to the life of its last king. 00:57:25.11\00:57:31.71 If there is a message from this incident, 00:57:31.75\00:57:36.95 the message is this, "Take God at His word, 00:57:36.99\00:57:42.09 take advantage of God-given opportunities 00:57:42.12\00:57:47.20 and where He leads, follow Him. " 00:57:47.23\00:57:51.47 Amen. 00:57:51.50\00:57:53.37 Audience: Amen. Pastor Murray: And Amen. 00:57:53.40\00:57:55.47