The ‘wine’ of Pride
Scripture reading for August 31: Daniel 4-6
Alcohol has been around for many years. Alcohol impairs judgment and often brings delusional thinking and uninhibited lewd behavior. (Proverbs 23:29-35) These effects of alcohol are also a picture of the effect of sin on the body, soul, and mind of a person made in God’s image for His glory!
King Belshazzar of Babylon had a party for a thousand of his nobles where they drank wine. After drinking for a while, the king ordered that the golden goblets that his grandfather had taken from the Temple of God in Israel be brought out. They were filled with wine and toasts were offered to the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. These idols of Babylon were thought to bring protection and power to the King of Babylon. As they were toasting, boasting and celebrating, there appeared what looked like human fingers that held a writing instrument and wrote upon the wall. (Daniel 5:1-6) This sight was so deeply sobering that the king’s knees began to knock with fear and his legs gave way.
The king called all his wise men and astrologers to read the writing but no one could tell him what it said. Then the queen, very possibly his own mother or grandmother, told him about Daniel, probably in his 80’s. He was not among those drinking in the palace because of his life of prayer and consecration to the one true God. (Daniel 5:10-12) It was the Spirit of God in him that made the difference.
Daniel spoke plainly to Belshazzar about God’s dealings with his father Nebuchadnezzar. He then told Belshazzar that he had failed to honor the God who held his life in His hands. (Daniel 5:22-24) Belshazzar had mocked God and angered Him by his refusal to humble himself and by drinking wine from the sacred goblets. Now the decree of God on the wall stated that God was sending judgment and Belshazzar’s kingdom would fall that very night and be given to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5:25-31)
What can we learn from this incident? It is easy to become drunk on the wine of this world and put what is profane in our holy goblets (our bodies and souls). Only those who are consecrated to God have insight and ability to read the handwriting on the wall because they truly know God and His Word! Daniel had read God’s Word in Jeremiah 51:39 and could understand what was happening. Let’s apply the lessons taught by Daniel and stay alert to speak prophetically to those drunk on this world system.
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